CITY OF BUCHANAN COMMISSION MEETING UPDATE

By DEBRA HAIGHT
BCR Correspondent
BUCHANAN – There were more questions than answers at Monday’s Buchanan City Commission meeting when it came to the status of City Manager Benjamin Eldridge. People packed the Buchanan City Hall with many standing up throughout the nearly two hour meeting.
Eldridge, a Goshen resident, was not in attendance at the meeting. He was placed on indefinite paid suspension Nov. 3 by Mayor Sean Denison. Eldridge was hired in May and began working for the city in late June.
Eldridge had no comment when contacted before the meeting. He said he did not attend Monday’s meeting on the advice of his attorney and had no comment on the situation. He also would not confirm that he had been suspended with pay.
The Eldridge situation was the main topic of discussion during public comments at the start and end of the meeting. Several people spoke in support of Eldridge, asking that he be reinstated at the same time they asked for Denison to resign or be recalled.
At least three city residents called on Denison to resign immediately. Monroe Lemay went further and said that people would be starting the process of recalling Denison from office later this week.
“There has been incompetent and bad decision making in the city government and the mayor has shown an inability to lead,” Lemay said. “We ask for the mayor’s resignation and we will follow up with recall efforts as the first year of his current term is up this week.”
Jeannine Davie was among those mentioning the large staff turnover at City Hall since 2020. In that time period, they said that the city has had four city managers, three city clerks, two bookkeepers and three treasurers which has caused both instability and expense to the city.
“It all leads me to believe that the city government has systemic issues,” Davie said. “I’m concerned about the dismissal of the city manager. We need to identify what’s wrong with city government and fix it. We citizens would like to see him re-instated. If city staff is not happy with him, they can find other jobs.”
A closed session to discuss a personnel matter was on the agenda for Monday’s meeting but was removed on a 4-1 vote with Dan Vigansky voting no. Denison noted that commissioners had received a memo from the city attorney and there wasn’t going to be any action taken after the closed session as not all interviews have been completed.
The reasons for Eldridge’s suspension by Denison remained unclear after the meeting. Commissioners asked people to be patient until answers can be given as to what’s going on.
“Understand that there are certain things we cannot say,” Commissioner Mark Weedon said. “When it becomes a legal matter, we cannot tell you what’s going on … What people ask maybe can’t be answered right now. In due time things will come out. You may not like the answer, but you will get an answer.”
His supporters claimed that Eldridge is being punished for doing his job and trying to cut costs. Carla Johnson noted that he has reduced employee overtime cost by instituting a time clock and reduced staff debit card limits from $5,000 to $500. He also reinvested city funds to get higher interest rates.
She was among those who praised Eldridge for reaching out to people throughout the city, from the downtown to the neighborhoods. “My father (Harold Jackson) was on the city commission for years and he taught me that you listen to the people, you don’t make them come to you,” she said. “He’s made the effort to speak to people.”
Resident Tom Wilson also asked city commissioners to listen to the city residents. “You need to consider who you are representing,” he said. “A lot of people here tonight would like to replace you.”
Downtown business owner Tom Jolly noted that Eldridge was the first city manager to come into his shop during his 15 years in Buchanan. He also called on Denison to step down, calling him morally and ethically corrupt. He questioned whether it is good management to keep firing city managers and having to hire a head hunter to find a new one.
Longtime resident Don Ryman also brought up the cost of the staff turnover and having to pay out people’s contracts. “You appear to be spending us into bankruptcy,” he said. “The new city manager required people to use a time clock and the community development director refused. Who gets suspended? The city manager.”