TURNER OUT AS CITY MANAGER IN VENICE

AFTER A LONG DAY OF SNIBBLING AND ACCUSATIONS, VENICE CITY MANAGER ISSAC TURNER DECIDED TO STEP DOWN TUESDAY.  AFTER NEARLY FOUR HOURS OF DEBATE THE COUNCIL CAME TO A VOTE, WHICH WAS 4-3 IN FAVOR OF KEEPING TURNER, BUT SHORTLY AFTER THAT HE AND HIS ATTORNEY MET WITH MAYOR JOHN HOLIC, WHO HAD CAST THE DECIDING VOTE.  THEY EMERGED FROM THAT MEETING WITH HOLIC CHANGING HIS VOTE TO FIRE TURNER.  TURNER TOLD THOSE ASSEMBLED, INCLUDING HIS WIFE AND DAUGHTER THAT HE WAS NOT GIVING UP BUT THE SYSTEM WOULD NOT ALLOW HIM TO CONTINUE WITH HALF OF THE COUNCIL NOT SUPPORTING HIM.  TURNER IS ELIGIBLE FOR A SEVERANCE PACKAGE THAT WOULD PAY HIM NINE MONTHS OF HIS $111,000 SALARY, THE SAME PACKAGE THAT NEW COUNCIL MEMBER BOB DANIELS HAD OFFERED HIM LAST MONTH WHEN HE WENT TO TURNER PRIVATELY WITH TWO FORMER COUNCIL MEMBERS AND ASKED FOR HIS RESIGNATION.  ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER NANCY WOODLEY WILL TAKE OVER ON AN INTERIM BASIS WHILE THE CITY LOOKS FOR THEIR NEXT MANAGER.