EDC Board Attempting to Rehire Fired President

Written by John Face

Editorial

September 9, 2023

The Albion Economic Development Corporation (EDC) has attempted to meet and rehire the fired EDC President Virgie Ammerman. On August 10, 2023, the EDC Board fired Ammerman. CLICK HERE TO READ THAT STORY The following week, the Albion City Council, against the advice of the legal counsel from the city and EDC, voted to remove the EDC Board members who voted to remove Ammerman from her job. After the council vote, a lawsuit was threatened by fired EDC Board member Ed Haas. CLICK HERE TO READ THAT STORY. Haas said on Friday that he is still planning to file an injunction.

Bring her Back

Meanwhile, three EDC Board member supporters of Ammerman have been busy. Initially, they attempted to reinstate Ammerman as Interim President, only to realize they needed a written contract, which displayed a complete lack of understanding of what they were doing. Since then, they have been unable to get a quorum of the Board, so business has yet to be done. They attempted to meet again on September 1, and again, no quorum was in attendance.

We found out what Ammerman’s contract will look like if they can push it through. First, they plan on paying her $8,480.76 in “back pay” for the time she has been home and not working this last month.

Proof – EDC Board Knew She Was Breaking Rules

They also plan to give her an extremely lucrative expense account, $15,000 annually, that can be used for “including but not limited to meals for development activities.” Using a five-day workweek works out to a daily average of $57.00 per day she is allowed to use.

This expense account was not in her first contract for good reason; a small EDC such as Albion doesn’t need it. Also, it proves one thing: the three Ammerman Board supporters now acknowledge that she was illegally using EDC money for food before being fired. Yet, let’s hire someone that we now know has no problem taking money from the taxpayers that she was not supposed to. At least now she can “lunch” with any old ex-mayor and make taxpayers for it.

Can’t Fire Her

The new contract makes it nearly impossible for the Board to fire her unless she is convicted of a felony or acting dishonestly regarding the EDC. They will tell the public of other rules in place, but I have never seen a contract requiring a 30-day notice to fire someone.

The big issue is that if you do your job like you are supposed to, getting fired is unnecessary. It’s clear Ammerman knew little about what an EDC does, and she has allowed those with suspicious intentions access to the EDC and its money for projects not connected to the EDC.

EDC Board and Albion City Council Gone Wild

All this has shown the taxpayers in the Albion area is that the remaining Ammerman supporters on the EDC Board and four Albion City Council members who fired the EDC Board will only listen to their legal experts if they fit their agenda.

It is time for a change in the City Council. Is there anyone with the stomach to do something? Time will tell.

Have information for this or other stories? Email us at Citywatchnews1@gmail.com