Sun Valley council appoints city administrator as City Officer, asks staff to revise personnel policy

The Sun Valley City Council unanimously approved a motion on Feb. 25 to appoint City Administrator Susan Robertson as a City Officer, a change council members said will require a revision of her contract and a clear removal process. Council Member Franz Suhadolnik made the motion, seconded by Council President Bob Youngman; the motion passed on a roll call vote with all members in favor.

City Administrator Susan Robertson reviewed proposed revisions to the personnel policy and told the Council that “it is now in front of the Council to determine whether any of these suggestions would become amendments to the policy.” Council debate focused on several specific items: explicitly including applicable Idaho statutes in the manual so employees know legal requirements; whether sabbatical leave should remain (the policy reflects it was discontinued); benefit eligibility for certain fire personnel; vacation accrual schedules; and whether procurement or records-retention rules should be placed elsewhere.

Several council members urged creating a clear outside complaint option for employees. Council Member Michelle Griffith pressed for a way for employees to take complaints outside the City when appropriate; City Attorney Adam King recommended considering an ombudsperson and described how an outside neutral investigator could be retained. Sun Valley resident Kevin Laird pointed to the City of Boise’s past use of an ombudsman as a possible model.

Council members directed staff to prepare a resolution and a redrafted personnel manual reflecting the discussed changes, including options for whistleblower reporting and drafting language on nondiscrimination that would explicitly include sexual orientation and gender identity. Mayor Dewayne Briscoe noted that, if appointed as an officer, Robertson’s contract should be revised to reflect the change and the higher vote threshold required for removal.