Poplar Bluff releases Kaplan severance agreement

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- It cost $19,334 for the city of Poplar Bluff to terminate the employment of former city manager Heath Kaplan.

A settlement agreement was released by the city Thursday.

The agreement states the city chose to end Kaplan's employment effective May 12, and both parties "voluntarily agreed" to resolve all disputes with the document.

The settlement is equal to almost 1 1/2 months' salary for Kaplan, who made $159,996 a year, plus benefits.

The document states Kaplan had 21 days to consider the settlement and another seven to revoke his agreement of the conditions.

That time frame ended Wednesday, according to city officials.

The settlement was signed June 2 by Kaplan and June 4 by Mayor Betty Absheer.

The agreement was part of the council's motion May 12 to terminate Kaplan's employment, city clerk Pam Kearbey said.

The council voted 5-1 on the measure, with member Peter Tinsley casting the sole "no" vote.

By signing the agreement, Kaplan also has promised never to apply for future employment with the city, because of "irreconcilable differences."

He also promised not to make defamatory statements about the city or make public the underlying facts leading up to the agreement.

Council members said following Kaplan's termination they felt the city manager had lost the confidence of the town and would not be able to get it back.

The Butler County Sheriff's Department has since begun an investigation into purchasing practices within the city manager's office.

Kaplan signed a contract Aug. 5 to come to Poplar Bluff and started work Aug. 18.

He held seven jobs in the 10 years prior to arriving in Poplar Bluff.

Kaplan came here from a spot as finance and management services director for Muskegon County, Michigan, where he worked for just under four years.

He was the primary contact for the county's work with technology company Information Systems Intelligence.

County officials since have said they are conducting a forensic audit regarding their contracts with ISI.

While at Poplar Bluff, Kaplan arranged the no-bid purchase of about $3 million in computer equipment from ISI.

Kaplan worked as city manager for the town of Crandall, Texas, which had a population of 3,800, for less than 2 1/2 years prior to that.

He left Crandall in November 2010, with news agencies reporting in 2009 citizens were upset over hikes in water bills after city leaders said their utility was going broke.

He was employed as deputy city manager and finance director for Wayland, Michigan, a town of about 4,000 people, for about a year and a half.

He moved on in June 2008, after Wayland also faced sewer and water rate increases, a change Kaplan said was needed to cover operation and maintenance costs, according to media reports.

Employee records from Wayland show Kaplan's bosses felt he needed to improve his interaction with the public and "listen to public officials to understand and respond to their position."

The files also include court orders ordering child-support payments withheld from his paychecks and records of a bankruptcy filed in 2000.

Kaplan was employed as village manager in Mattawan, Michigan, a town with a 2,500 population, for a little over a year.

Kaplan also appears to have been fired from this position.

Although a settlement agreement contained in his employee file says "mutual agreement, and not by resignation or termination," the city gave Kaplan four months severance pay, three weeks of vacation pay and a week of personal leave pay when he left.

Performance evaluations from Mattawan also cite concerns Kaplan needed to gain support from employees and the council, "outgrow sensitivity to criticism" and "take full responsibility of your own actions."

Media reports from Mattawan describe conflict with the public during city meetings, as well as water and sewer rate increases.

After Kaplan's departure, a local newspaper reported a council member said, "I don't see any reason to look for a (new) manager. I think we've skinned our knees beyond bloody and bruised, and I think we need to recover and get the village behind us again."

Kaplan was village manager for Capac, Michigan, a town of 1,700, for less than a year.

When contacted, village officials said they had nothing on file for Kaplan.

He arrived in Edmore, Michigan, as village manager in June 2004 and left in October 2004.

Newspaper reports from that time said conflict broke out among the council during Kaplan's term, with a treasurer and three council members resigning.

Those individuals cited "new leadership" as the reason, according to the newspaper.

Kaplan was interim city clerk for Clio, Michigan, for one month in 2004.

Pertinent address:

Poplar Bluff, Mo.