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Former Holly Hill city manager receives $100K severance pay

HOLLY HILL, Fla. — Holly Hill leaders have agreed to pay the former city manager $100,000 in severance package.

Oel Wingo was fired in 2010 and accused of falsifying documents and destroying records.

A city commissioner said if he had been there when her contract was written, her severance pay would have been a lot lower.

Now, the city is legally obligated to give her the money.

Wingo has been waiting almost three years for her severance pay. The money has been in limbo since 2010 when she was accused of falsifying and destroying documents to prevent a reduction in her salary.

Holly Hill resident Ann Kirby doesn't think it's right.

"I don't think she deserves it and that's all there is to it. Because if it were you and I, we certainly wouldn't get it," Kirby said.

The investigation never led to criminal charges and a judge dismissed an ethics complaint filed by the city. This week, commissioners voted unanimously to pay out $100,000 in severance.

"I think if she didn't do anything she should get her money, you know," Holly Hill resident Nancy Vivirito said.

Holly Hill leaders said they might consider making changes to severance packages in the future, especially considering the income for most Holly Hill households is between $15,000 and $25,000 a year, according to the 2010 U.S. Census.

Taxpayers said that's something they consider as well and $100,000 severance packages are something they can't afford.

Kirby said the economy sucks for everybody.

"(Wingo) needs to just slump along like the rest of us," Kirby said.

The mayor of Holly Hill said the current city manager's severance pay is thousands of dollars less, but he's convinced their new hire will be around for many years to come.