Amador County – Outgoing City Manager Dixon Flynn received kudos from the Plymouth City Council last week.

On Thursday, Flynn gave his final city manager’s report, and said Zinfandel and Shenandoah Ridge projects were a first and that “we don’t do this in Plymouth.” Hawk’s View subdivision was nowhere near the scale of Reeder’s project, which plans for nearly 500 units, to be annexed into the city. He said the city council must “do the right thing by the developer and do the right thing by Plymouth.”

He said “government cannot create jobs, but it can create opportunity for the private sector.” Plymouth has come close to doing that in lifting a building moratorium, with its new potable water pipeline, built with the Amador Water Agency. And it also is nearing completion of a renovation of its wastewater system.

Earlier in the week, Flynn said Reeder Sutherland is seeking an agreement for its two developments, and might seek concessions or reductions based on the bad economy, but the city council should steer away from that. He said if the council gives a concession based on the bad economy, it must make the same deal for developers that followed.

Flynn said the economy has changed Plymouth from having eight developers looking at projects in the town, to now just one active project of Reeder Sutherland.

On Thursday, Flynn thanked the council members, including outgoing Mayor Pat Fordyce and Councilman Mike O’Meara, both retiring from the council.

Fordyce said she missed the hiring of Flynn, but she has seen more done in Plymouth in the last few years than she has seen in “many, many years.”

Flynn even wrote a poem as part of a resolution last week honoring Councilwoman Pat Shackleton’s 55th wedding anniversary with her husband, Denny. Shackleton said she was there when they hired Flynn, and has “certainly never been sorry.” She said Flynn has “probably done six years of work in three years” for the city.

Mayor Greg Baldwin said “this man took home volumes and volumes” and probably did his job around the clock.

Vice Mayor Jon Colburn said Flynn has done a tremendous job with the city, and has “done double the hours he was contracted for, and cut his hours in half” so the city could continue to operate.

Colburn asked that the city “prepare a proclamation of great gratitude from the city,” and he asked Flynn to return January 13th for a city resolution in his honor. Flynn said he would attend.

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.