bkibler@altoonamirror.com
City Council approved a separation agreement with former Manager Ken Decker on Monday, then appointed acting Manager Omar Strohm as Decker’s permanent replacement.
Decker will receive six months’ severance pay on his $132,000-a-year salary, health coverage and retirement contributions for that period and compensation for vacation and personal days he has accumulated, according to solicitor Tom Finn.
Strohm will receive a $25,000 raise, bringing his salary to $125,000.
Decker was placed on paid administrative leave in early April for unspecified reasons, although they were not because of any illegal actions, Finn has said.
As they have before, council members declined to say why they let Decker go.
May 6, 2021
Local elections are the most important elections, and that’s no exception when it comes to this year’s Altoona City Council race. I’m supporting Bruce Kelley, Dave Butterbaugh, Dave Ellis and Ron Beatty.
Kelley continues to be a leader on tough challenges we face on council and has a record of being pro-taxpayer.
Butterbaugh is an exceptional resource when it comes to codes/planning in the city and puts in the time to be effective.
Ellis brings a skill set that will enhance Altoona’s outlook. Beatty and his 40 years of business experience will bring private-sector values to council.
Apr 30, 2021
This past year has been very difficult for Altoona and its citizens. When Gov. Wolf’s shutdowns took place, Altoona City Council worked to protect small businesses by passing a resolution to not fine or cite businesses that defied the governor’s orders and allowed for businesses to open safely.
This effort was led by Bruce Kelley and his concern for the little guy.
Kelley has always been an advocate for Altoona’s taxpayers, and this effort was a perfect example of his strong defense of our proud citizens.
On May 18, please remember Kelley’s stance against these oppressive edicts and out-of-touch orders handed down by the state government.
The Fine Arts building has seen many changes during the last year due to COVID-19 changes such as smaller ensembles, livestreamed performances and limited audiences.
Before COVID-19, Bruce Kelley, dean of the College of Fine Arts, said the building was lively and had frequent performances.
Although the departments have tried to continue with performances, Kelley said audiences were the biggest challenge.
“The biggest change was that we had to limit or eliminate audiences, which was a fundamental change in how art happened,” Kelley said.
Classes had to be changed to accommodate less students while still following social distancing guidelines. Kelley said teachers got creative with how classes and practices were held by being in different rooms or being online.
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