The egregious action by Mayor Kordonowy of approving bonuses for city staff should result in both her personal repayment of those funds to the city and her immediate resignation.

The arrogance of the mayor in thinking that bonuses are appropriate is unfathomable.

It comes at a time when millions of Americans are losing their jobs, receiving no bonus, taking salary cuts, holding worthless stock options, and having their 401(k) matches suspended.

And all that is happening while we are experiencing increases in healthcare costs.

Without even referencing the pathetic performance of the city staff over the past year, the city’s disastrous financial condition precludes any such payments.

The mayor’s disregard for the city’s financial situation, marketplace trends, and common sense is the clearest evidence yet that she needs to go.

As a compensation consultant who advises hundreds of organizations on the pay of thousands of employees, I can say with confidence that there is absolutely no supportable rationale for paying bonuses in this situation.

This makes the recent “scandalous” Wall Street payouts, when adjusted for scale, seem quite reasonable.

With her action, Mayor Kordonowy joins an elite group in the Compensation Hall of Shame, the members of which include some of the biggest names in recent corporate and government scandals.

By the way, mayor, justifying the bonuses by saying that “management had to make tough decisions all year” further undermines your position.

Perhaps you are not aware that your, and their, job is to make tough decisions. That’s what your salary is for. Thus the term “management.”

I am hopeful that island residents will launch an aggressive campaign to eject the mayor and find responsible leadership for our troubled city.

After this letter is published I’m sure I’ll never get the potholes fixed, and my calls to city staff will not be returned. But that will be consistent with my experience with the city’s performance over the past seven years.

Fred Whittlesey

Valley Road