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Lock Haven council authorizes settlement and ends employment of City Manager Gregory J. Wilson
Summary
The Lock Haven City Council voted to execute Resolution 2026-08, terminating City Manager Gregory J. Wilson and authorizing a settlement and release agreement; one council member criticized how the initial suspension was handled and called for clearer evaluation processes moving forward.
The Lock Haven City Council voted March 2 to adopt Resolution 2026-08, which terminates the employment of City Manager Gregory J. Wilson and authorizes the mayor and interim city clerk to execute a settlement agreement and any documents needed to finalize the separation.
The resolution, introduced by the chair, recalls that on Jan. 19 the council suspended Wilson under the optional third-class city charter and states the council has since 'agreed in principle' with Wilson to resolve outstanding matters. It directs city officials to execute the settlement and specifies that the city makes no findings of fact about the reasons for the earlier suspension.
During public comment and council discussion, a resident urged the council to "fix this mistake," saying the charges against Wilson were not supported with verifiable evidence and offering three remediation options, including rehiring and renegotiating a contract or allowing a formal resignation. The resident also warned that shifting city-manager duties to other staff, including planner Abby Roberts, could impose extra costs and operational risk.
At the council dais, one council member who said they did not support how the initial suspension was handled nevertheless expressed relief that the parties had reached an agreement and urged the council to use the moment to strengthen its evaluation and communication processes for future city managers. "I am grateful that we've managed to come to an agreement between Greg and us, and I hope that we can use this opportunity moving forward to ... set up a system by which the city manager can be evaluated," the council member said.
The motion to adopt the resolution was made, seconded and carried in a roll-call vote. Recorded responses in the transcript show a mix of yes and no votes from individual council members; the chair directed staff to execute the settlement consistent with the resolution's terms.
Next steps noted by council members include finalizing the settlement paperwork and beginning a public process for hiring a permanent city manager; the chair said the council will circulate proposed search/process materials before the next public meeting.
