The City issued a press release minutes ago, stating as follows:
The City of Batavia and City Manager Martin D. Moore, Ph.D., have mutually agreed that he will be leaving on June 20, 2020, to pursue other opportunities.
The City would like to thank Marty for his service to the community since October 2018 and wish(es) him the very best in future endeavors.
In accordance with the City’s Charter, the Assistant City Manager Rachael Tabelski will assume the role on the departure of the Manager.
Specific reasons for the parting of ways were not immediately disclosed.
A call to Moore's cell phone of record was not answered.
Contacted by telephone, City Council President Eugene Jankowski said that “it’s a personnel matter and therefore I am unable to make a public comment.”
When asked if Council will be discussing the situation publicly during Monday night’s Conference and Special Business meeting, he said, “I don’t believe so.”
Earlier this month, there were indications that Moore’s tenure was about to come to an end.
In a June 9 story on The Batavian, Council Member Robert Bialkowski commented in connection to a 90-minute executive session of City Council following its June 8 meeting.
“As usual, in politics there’s always something going on, but I can’t comment. You’ll know soon enough,” Bialkowski said.
Jankowski, when advised of Bialkowski’s statement at the time, also refused to comment.
Moore reportedly caused the City some embarrassment recently when he made a commitment to racial justice advocates that the City would support a BBQ for Equality on June 7 at Williams Park without going through Council for proper authorization.
The event was cancelled, setting the stage for the March for Justice protest in Downtown Batavia on that day.
City Council hired Moore in August 2018 and he began his duties two months later.
His contract stipulated for a starting salary of $110,000, with increases of $2,000 annually. He also received retirement benefits, paid family medical insurance, three weeks’ vacation, life insurance and a relocation reimbursement up to $10,000.
Moore had been the city manager of Eunice, N.M., for seven years prior to relocating to Batavia.
He replaced former manager Jason Molino, who left in January 2018 to take the Tompkins County administrator position. Public Works Director Matt Worth filled in as the interim city manager during the search for Molino’s successor.
Novak Consulting Group of Ohio, the firm utilized in the search for a new manager, reportedly guaranteed that person would stay on the job for at least two years or else the next search would be at no charge.
While there was no official word, Moore's contract stipulates that he will receive some type of severance pay.
When Moore was hired, Jankowski praised his professional record, which included being voted “City Manager of the Year” in 2015 by the New Mexico Municipal League for his “handling of the city’s finances and progress of the community and how it operates.”
“He is articulate and personable,” Jankowski said, “and all of us have been very impressed by him.”
At the time, Jankowski said Moore’s wife had family in North Tonawanda and that they had been looking to relocate to Western New York.
Moore's previous executive management experience includes a four-year stint as a consultant, census 2010 crew leader and general manager in Timberon, N.M.; county manager for Otero County, N.M.; executive director of Eastern Arizona Counties, and director of development and community services for Apache County, Ariz.
An Eagle Scout, he was a member of several professional associations and president of the Eunice Rotary Club. He and his wife, Joanne, have seven children.
