MANSFIELD — Mansfield’s community development and housing director has been terminated, according to Mayor Tim Theaker.
Tracy Bond, a 1999 Ontario High School graduate who previously interned in the community development office, had been the director for less than two years.
“We just decided to go in a different direction,” Theaker said.
Bond, who earns $56,610.32 annually, took the position on Aug. 29, 2018. Her final day will be May 1.
In a letter to Bond dated Tuesday, Theaker said, “After discussions regarding performance issues, effective immediately, your employment with the City of Mansfield is terminated. You will be placed on paid administrative leave through May 1, 2020, which will extend your insurance coverage until May 31, 2020.
“Your access to city computer equipment is being terminated today and you are asked to turn your keys, your city ID card and any other city property over (to the human resources department) immediately,” Theaker wrote.
Among other things, Bond’s office is responsible for preparing the city’s annual applications for federal funds through the Dept. of Housing and Urban Development Community Development Block Grants and also the Home Investment Partnership Program funds.
The process, which requires City Council approval, had become contentious during recent meetings.
Several council members questioned why HOME applications for affordable housing projects from the North End Community Improvement Collaborative and the Ohio District 5 Area Agency on Aging had not been approved.
Bond told council the applications didn’t meet federal guidelines and council members questioned if she had provided enough assistance to help the applications comply.
Bond said unused federal dollars from previous years could be used for those projects and that she would work with the two agencies to assist in the applications.
Third Ward representative John Van Harlingen, also council’s finance committee chair, said in March he was concerned Bond’s office had “not done its due diligence” in assisting the two organizations with their applications. “Some of these (application problems) are just not that big an issue,” he said.
At that same meeting, 6th Ward representative Jean Taddie also cautioned Bond.
“There is strong support on council for these projects. I encourage (Bond) to work with these agencies and move this forward as fast as humanly possible,” Taddie said.
Other council members have asked about unspent funds accumulating since 2015.
Van Harlingen also took issue with funds being set aside for housing projects that don’t get spent.
“We really don’t know what the projects are,” Van Harlingen said previously. “We are just stacking money … it’s a blank check. We have got to put the money somewhere and we have got to use the money.”
Council ultimately approved both the CDBG and HOME applications last Thursday, though the latter required a reconsideration motion and a re-vote to pass as an emergency after it was initially only approved by a 5-3 vote.
Bond earned a bachelor’s degree in political science at The Ohio State University and a master’s degree in public policy and management.
In addition to her internship in the development office, Bond also interned with Downtown Mansfield Inc. and the Richland County Prosecutor’s Office. She also worked at OSU-Mansfield before returning to work with the city.
