Sparks City Manager Neil Krutz was placed on paid leave today before a Sparks City Council meeting.
He had been “unavailable” for days, according to those with knowledge of the situation, and last week, during a special meeting, the council unanimously voted not to give Krutz an $800,000 payout for the next two years of his contract.
He showed up to work today.
“Mr. Krutz will be on paid administrative leave pending the City Council’s decision regarding possible termination of the employment contract, which is scheduled for September 5, 2023, at 1:30 p.m.” the city announced in a 5 p.m. press release. “Mayor Lawson will appoint an acting city manager in the near future.”
“More will be known [next] Tuesday,” a source said, speaking anonymously. That’s when the council scheduled a new special meeting to consider terminating Krutz’s employment.
As first reported by This Is Reno, John Martini was introduced as acting manager at an Aug. 14 council meeting, with no reason provided as to why.
Krutz has been embroiled in a handful of controversies over the past two years. He was nearly terminated in May, but Mayor Ed Lawson, in a split vote, voted to keep him.
“Mr. Krutz has an exemplary record, never been written up for anything, has no blemishes on his record, and everybody has a bad year,” he said at the time.
Insiders with knowledge of what is happening have called it “a delicate situation.”
