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New Talent administrator quits By WENDY SIPOREN TALENT -- After just seven weeks on the job, City Administrator Preston Polasek resigned his position Tuesday night following the second day of an executive session called by the City Council to consider complaints against him. "We have come to the agreement that the arrangement simply was not the best fit," said Mayor Marian Telerski, reading from a prepared statement. "We wish Mr. Polasek well in his future endeavors." Polasek then shook the hand of each council member. "I appreciate your kind words," he said. "I'd like to say there are no hard feelings." Polasek declined to discuss the reasons behind his resignation, which takes effect Friday. In a binding agreement, the mayor, City Council, city employees and Polasek agreed not to discuss the reasons behind the resignation in public or with the media. The City Council also agreed to deliver a letter of recommendation to Polasek. "This letter will be used as a positive reference for when Mr. Polasek seeks employment elsewhere," reads the agreement. Polasek was in the second month of a one-year probationary period specified by his contract. In 10 years of work with the city of Medford, Polasek negotiated a new cable television franchise, helped recover more than $52,000 in overdue franchise fees from TCI Cablevision, initiated award-winning Americans with Disabilities Act improvements to city parks and buildings and televised public meetings. Most recently, Polasek coordinated Medford's vision process. Polasek began work with Medford as an administrative assistant and was promoted to assistant to the city manager in 1994. But his position with the city of Talent was his first substantial management experience. When he was hired by the city, Telerski said Polasek's financial expertise and impeccable reputation gave him the qualifications needed to run the city. Tuesday, Telerski said that Polasek did not make any financial mistakes during his tenure with the city. The resignation leaves the city of 5,050 once again without a city administrator. Police Chief C.W. Smith will be asked by the mayor to fill in until a replacement can be found. Before the 1997 hiring of former city administrator Leahnette York, who left June 25 to accept another job, the city had been without an administrator for seven months after the firing of Tony Paxton in 1996. Paxton was faulted for failing to keep track of the city's budget, which was more than $100,000 in the red for the 1995-1996 fiscal year. "We're batting 50 percent in our hiring decisions," said council president Don Steyskal. "When we go through the process ... there will be some changes I'm sure." Councilwoman Lisa Shapiro agreed. "I hope we've learned from this." Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA