CORINTH — City leaders agreed to buy out City Manager Clovia English’s contract for a $192,322 lump sum, according to the separation agreement obtained through an open records request.

Other terms of the separation, including payment of health insurance premiums, could push the total to $250,000 or more, according to outgoing council member Ron­nie Glasscock.

The agreement, executed on April 24, also provides English with a positive reference letter.

Glasscock, who voted against the agreement, disagreed with characterizations by other council members that the financial offer was customary.

Council member Shannon Bryan had said Corinth’s offer to English was consistent with exit offers made to other outgoing city managers.

“I don’t know where Shannon’s knowledge base came for that,” Glasscock said.

Eight months remained on English’s contract.

According to terms of the original employment contract of Sep­tem­ber 2006, English was entitled to the balance of the contract, which was eight months’ pay, or about $80,000.

In the same clause, the contract also said English, under no circumstances, would ever be entitled to more than a year’s salary, or $120,000.

Mayor Vic Burgess said he could not disclose why the city agreed to pay more than the required amount.

“That’s getting into an area of what I can’t talk about,” Burgess said.

The agreement includes a gag order for media inquiries beyond what can be obtained through public records.

Additionally, the original contract obliged the city to additional benefits pay consistent with the city’s personnel manual. But the separation agreement has the city paying health insurance premiums for English through March 2009, or until she becomes eligible for coverage with another employer.

English’s attorney, Vonciel Jones Hill, did not return a phone call Wednesday.  

The City Council evaluated En­glish in November and rated her job performance as “satisfactory.”

Had her performance rated “excellent” or “clearly outstanding,” she would have been entitled to a $6,000 raise.

Few clues to English’s departure appear in the two-page im­provement plan that followed the evaluation.

Among the mandatory items, English was asked to interact more with residents and employees, citing council concerns that she was isolated.

Among the non-mandatory items, the council asked English to avoid situations that created perceptions of favoritism among in­dividual employees or groups of employees.

While posted council agendas showed “evaluation of the city manager” off and on for months, negotiations for the separation began about a month ago, Glasscock said.

Previously, the council had been wrestling with how to evaluate the city manager, a new pro­cess that Glasscock championed for the city.

Glasscock said the problems at City Hall are entrenched, and his frustration with that is the main reason he isn’t running for re-election.

“The problems of the leadership permeate the organization,” Glasscock said. “There needs to be a wholesale change.”

Glasscock had already thrown the gauntlet down at Burgess’ feet during the vote last week, calling a “behavioral pattern at City Hall” one that not only undermined the city manager, but also, ultimately, the City Coun­cil.

Burgess said he knew Glass­cock was angry.

“Ronnie’s been a real asset in getting things done for the city,” Burgess said. “I truly don’t know where he’s coming from.”

Wednesday was English’s last official day of employment with the city, but under the terms of the seperation agreement, she left at the close of business April 23. English signed the agreement that day, the day before the council voted to buy her out.

PEGGY HEINKEL-WOLFE can be reached at 940-566-6881. Her e-mail address is pheinkel-wolfe@dentonrc.com .