CLAYTON – For the second time in less than a year, an outgoing Clayton town manager has received a large severance package. JD Solomon became the interim town manager in August 2020 following the resignation of Adam Lindsay. Between August 2020 and January 31, 2021, Mr. Solomon was paid $24,000 per month as interim.
Solomon became the full-time permanent manager on February 1, 2021 at an annual salary of $196,000. Following a May 3, 2021 closed session, Mr. Solomon submitted his resignation. Even though he had only been the full-time manager for 92 days, he was given a one-time severance of $158,307.73, minus normal withholdings. That is equal to his remaining salary had he worked a full year. The payment will be paid on the next regular payroll date.
Under the separation agreement, the Town agreed to allow Mr. Solomon to voluntarily resign from employment. In exchange for the financial payment, Solomon released the Town of Clayton and members of the council from any liability or civil action and agreed not to institute any lawsuits.
CLICK HERE TO READ THE SEPARATION AGREEMENT
The agreement also includes a confidentiality clause where details of the settlement were not to be disclosed unless a public records request was made for the document or the information was needed by an accountant. Both parties also agreed to work in good faith towards a mutually agreed upon press release, which was completed and released May 4th.
We reached out to the Town of Clayton on Monday for a comment but so far have not received a response.
Former Manager
When Adam Lindsay resigned as Clayton town manager last August, he received a one-time severance of $173,386, equal to 12 months of his salary. He had been Clayton’s manager since September 2016. Prior to Mr. Lindsay, Clayton had only two managers in the previous 23 years.
Rich Cappola is currently serving as the interim town manager. He has been with the Town of Clayton the past four years and has 10 total years of municipal experience.
This is unacceptable. Who approved this and why? What has Mr. Solomon done in 3 months that he deserves his entire year’s pay. Who hired him and how are they still employed with the Town?
Man working for government must be nice. You can leave a job and still get paid six figures. No wonder they do all this sh*t behind closed doors and it comes out to the public AFTER it happens. Taxpayers should be pissed about this.
Town does not sound like they know what they are doing letting this go on.
You don’t get severance pay if you resign in the private sector. Why should a politician get it in the public sector? What a scam.
This is absolutely ridiculous!!! I can think of many ways to spend that kind of money in Clayton!! YOU should be ashamed to even accept it. 92 days on the job?? Seriously and we are gonna hand out money like this..Makes me sick!
Just think this could have been a pay raise for front line workers but instead they get 1% and a half pat on the back:( voices need to be heard
And the problem with Clayton is ??????????
The problem with Clayton is the old boys network and the Flim Flam form of hypocritical local government. Fire them all!!!!!!!!
The problem with Clayton is it’s too close to Raleigh.
That is more money than most of us make in 5 years. Wow!! Why has there been so much turnover in town of Clayton? Is it the mayor? Council members?… police chief too? There has to be something else going on we are bot being told. Bottom line we all need to go work for the Town of Clayton….we can eat crab legs every night.