Joseph Gacioch
ROYAL OAK, Mich. (FOX 2) - The Royal Oak City Commission approved a separation agreement for the recently departed city manager on Monday.
According to his employment agreement, Joseph Gacioch will receive $151,487, which is equal to nine months of his base pay. A little over $15,537 will be deducted from that amount, since Gacioch was paid after his Dec. 8 departure.
The agreement was approved along with a slate of other consent agenda issues that were not discussed at the meeting.
The backstory:
In early December, the city commission unanimously approved the end of Gacioch's employment agreement. The decision was not discussed during the meeting, but according to the separation agreement, the termination was the result of "the city's desire for a change in direction," a decision that was made without cause.
The commission also unanimously appointed City Attorney Niccolas Grochowski as the interim city manager and Police Chief Michael Moore as the interim deputy city manager alongside Deputy City Manager Susan Barkman.
"City leaders said that they appreciate the contributions Gacioch made during his tenure, and they wish him the best in his future endeavors," the city said in a statement after the change.
Dig deeper:
Gacioch's contract was unanimously approved by the city commission in October 2024, and he started the new job in January of this year.
He was selected to replace former city manager Paul Brake, who had resigned in late 2023. When Gacioch was hired, the city said he brought 20 years of leadership and municipal management. He served as the Ferndale city manager before filling the same role one city over.
What's next:
The city is using Vettraino Consulting, LLC to search for the next city manager. The firm will receive $29,500 for its services, according to city documents.
According to the agreement with the city, the firm has 12 months to fill the role. If a candidate is not placed within that timeframe, the search will continue without the city being charged additional fees.
The Source: City documents, the Jan. 12 city commission meeting, and previous reporting were used to write this update.
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