Kristin Bauer is the second city official to step down in recent weeks. Julia Mullins | Collegian

A councilman told Acting Mayor Joshua Paladino to ‘consider resigning’

After two officials stepped down from city management in the past month, Ward 1 Councilman Greg Stuchell told Acting Mayor Joshua Paladino to “consider resigning.”

Hillsdale City Engineer Kristin Bauer announced on April 4 her resignation from the position after five years of service. At the April 8 Hillsdale City Council meeting, Stuchell said Bauer was not treated fairly.

“I am just sick of the fact that we lost two excellent managers and both of their reasons were the same. I’m going to end this with you mayor pro tem,” Stutchell said, referring to Paladino. “I’m going to ask you to consider resigning your pro tem position.”

Bauer’s resignation is the second city staff resignation in recent weeks, closely following Hillsdale Municipal Airport Manager Ginger Moore’s retirement announcement March 13. Both staff members cited a negative work environment. 

Paladino said he is sad to see Bauer leave, but is confident the council did not act impulsively. 

“It is unfortunate that the city engineer resigned, as the council is a setting for open, free, and respectful discussion,” Paladino said. “The allegations of impropriety have no substance because the city’s policies have not changed on a whim, and the attorney has not indicated that the city has violated its charter of ordinances.”

Bauer said she enjoyed her time as city engineer, but chose to leave due to the council’s distrust of city staff.

“It has brought me immense joy to be a part of the projects and processes that have been built over the last five years to improve the failing infrastructure that had been left to deteriorate prior to 2020,” Bauer said in her resignation letter. “I prefer not to work with these elected officials who are willing to change voted policies on a whim to suit whatever complaint comes to them and I hope that soon the city’s residents will recognize their efforts are not for the betterment of the city.”

Bauer praised Councilmembers Stutchell, Will Morrisey, Bob Flynn, Robert Socha, and Gary Wolfram for their “leadership and guidance.” But Bauer said the remaining members — Paladino, Matt Bentley, and Jacob Bruns — influenced her decision to resign. 

“The current negative culture being developed by the remaining city council members has forced me to make this tough decision,” Bauer said in her letter. “The creation of distrust toward city staff and the complete disregard of the city charter and ordinances make it difficult to execute my position effectively and ethically.” 

Paladino told The Collegian after Monday’s meeting that he was not certain what ordinances Bauer was referring to. Paladino said Bauer could be referencing the new special assessment district policy, which was passed unanimously in February to reduce road repair costs for homeowners. 

“I’m assuming it’s about the SAD policy, that’s my best guess,” Paladino said. “It’s the only discussion that she has participated in, but even then the engineering department doesn’t have anything to do with the SAD policy, except insofar as road funding gives the engineer work to do.”

The resignations come as Paladino aims to make the airport financially self-sufficient and decrease the cost of special assessment districts, which require homeowners to pay up to $5,000 each for road repairs. The council voted last month to increase airport hanger fees and reduce the SAD fees.

Moore, the airport manager, told The Collegian last week she wanted to spend more time with her family.

“It gets old,” Moore said. “Everywhere I go, people ask me questions. I’ve got grandchildren. I want to just enjoy life. It would be nice if there were more positive mentions out there, but instead, they love the drama of the negative.”

City Manager David Mackie said at the meeting that the city council should reconsider how city staff members are being treated. 

“This is the second staff resignation in recent weeks and I believe it points to a deeper issue that deserves reflection,” Mackie said. “When city staff are treated with distrust, targeted criticism, and hostility, it becomes more than a workplace issue. It creates a culture that is damaging, demoralizing, and ultimately unsustainable.”

According to Mackie, Bauer’s absence leaves a gap that will be difficult to fill, and the city council should reflect on how to maintain its staff. 

“This will have real immediate consequences for our city,” Mackie said. “If this pattern continues, I am worried we will see more resignations.The future of this city and the services we provide to the people of Hillsdale depend on retaining and supporting professional and capable staff.”

Paladino said he is grateful for Bauer’s work.

“I am trying to find new revenue streams, this is very common sense stuff,” Paladino said. “We have all been perfectly courteous and respectful. I have no problem with any of these people because, as far as I can tell, they’re doing a great job. We are having policy discussions up here, there are no personalities involved.” 

In another discussion about a SAD proposal to repair Barry Street, former Hillsdale mayor Scott Sessions said Paladino’s efforts to lower special assessment costs for people on Barry Street are unfair to Hillsdale residents on other streets who are not in Paladino’s ward.

“It would be a matter of discrimination by this city council if the relief that is being proposed is not being given to the rest of the residents that have already been paying the special assessments,” Sessions said.

City Assessor Kim Thomas said she received many questions regarding which properties in Hillsdale are tax-exempt. The city, county, hospital, churches, and various nonprofits are among the properties that are exempt.

“Approximately one-third of our total value is exempt from property taxes,” Thomas said. “Of that, a little over 50% is owned by the college, which is no surprise to anybody, just looking at the types of buildings that they have and the value of those buildings and that their buildings are newer than everybody else’s.”

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