Former City Manager Had 7 Months Left on Contract With Duluth

Updated 12:52 p.m.

City Manager Tim Shearer was dismissed by the City of Duluth recently with about seven months left on his contract, and he will receive four weeks of severance pay, according to city documents.

According to Shearer's contract, which was released Tuesday (Oct. 8) by the city after an Open Records request by Patch, Shearer was earning a salary of $120,000 annually, or about $2,307 weekly.

The Duluth City Council voted Friday (Oct. 4) to terminate Shearer's contract, effective immediately. His contract went into effect in June 2012 and ran through May 2014.

He had been on the job overall in Duluth about two years.

Shearer was placed on administrative leave by Mayor Nancy Harris on Wednesday (Oct. 2). "Please rely on the directions of your supervisor," Harris' memorandum to city staff read. It also was released by the city Tuesday

Council members and Harris gave no reason for the dismissal, citing personnel reasons. 

The contract said Shearer would be "entitled" to the severance pay if he was terminated for "any reason other than arrest and/or conviction of a crime or personal misconduct."

Patch will have updates on this situation.

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See also:

• Duluth To Have 'National Search' for City Manager