Budget cutting goes all the way to the top in Fayetteville. Sixteen-year-veteran City Manager Joe Morton is cutting himself from full-time to part-time.
There have been a number of longtime Fayetteville staffers to take early retirement in the past few months. A total of 18 qualified and only a few remain. The most recent to leave is Morton, whose last full day was Oct. 31.
Fayetteville Mayor Greg Clifton on Monday said Morton will return to his position on a part-time basis in December. In doing so, Morton will join a number of administrative staff who took early retirement and returned after the one-month waiting period.
Clifton said Morton assessed the situation with the city and opted to take early retirement during the city’s slow period.
“He’ll be coming back in December to get ready for next year,” Clifton said. “I have the greatest confidence in his competency.”
Morton left Peachtree City’s finance department in 1996 and was hired as Fayetteville’s city manager.
City Finance Director Lynn Robinson is currently serving as acting city manager during November.
The City Council earlier this year approved a cost-cutting early retirement program that will result in savings to the city totaling approximately $300,000 in 2013, Clifton said.
