Quincey cashes out 9 months of leave time

UPLAND - City Manager Robb Quincey recently cashed out nine months' worth of leave time, totaling nearly $140,000 in take-home pay.

Quincey emailed Interim City Manager and Finance Director Stephen Dunn on Feb. 28 requesting that 1,600 hours of leave time be converted to compensation by March 3.

The cash-out angered Upland Councilman Ken Willis, who said he was not aware of the request when it was made.

"I am mad as hell and I want the money back," he said Thursday.

The leave time included vacation, sick leave, comp-time and administrative leave/floating holiday.

Quincey's hourly rate is more than $130.

Income tax was withheld from the leave payment. The gross amount was over $200,000, Dunn said.

The City Council placed Quincey on paid leave of absence on Jan. 4.

The council has scheduled a special meeting on Wednesday to discuss his employment status with the city.

Quincey was able to make the request pursuant to a contract amendment signed by former Mayor John "JP" Pomierski in 2009.

The amendment gave Quincey authority to sell any of his unused accrued leave hours to the city without limitation and regardless of type for "100 percent value, dollar for dollar, hour for hours at any time of the year, not limited to once per year."

The amendment was made to a memorandum issued by Pomierski in July 2008 that waived all limitations on Quincey's accruals, balances and carry-overs from year to year.

The check to Quincey was electronically signed by Pomierski and Dunn and dated March 2.

Pomierski resigned from his seat on Feb. 22, but the check was still valid, Dunn said.

"When he resigned we had to go through the process of getting new people to sign," Dunn said. "We had to keep business moving, so that's why JP's (electronic) signature is on there."

The City Council adopted a resolution on Monday authorizing a new list of staff members to establish and sign bank accounts.

Pomierski was named in an 11-count indictment on March 2 accusing him of conspiracy, extortion and bribery.

Quincey made the request around 8 p.m. on Feb. 28, the night Mayor Ray Musser was appointed to fill Pomierski's seat.