Firing of city administrator draws mostly praise from citizens; four directors apologize for Geffken's open mic comment

By Dennis McCaslin - Today in Fort Smith

The firing on Tuesday of former Fort Smith City Administrator Carl Geffken is, for the most part, being praised by the citizens of the city across social media a few days after he was caught on a hot mic making disparaging comments during a public meeting.

The controversy began during the board’s meeting on December 3, when Geffken unwittingly made comments that were picked up by a microphone. During the meeting, the board members took public comments on an ordinance to establish a utility advisory committee. Karen Fodge, the first speaker, expressed her opinion that

 the committee was unnecessary.

After Fodge finished speaking, Geffken was

heard saying, “These people are stupid” over an open mic.

Although Geffken never acknowledged making the comment you can review the incident by clicking on the attached video:

Geffken, who had led the city's staff since 2016,earned an annual salary of $204,514.

 He will be replaced on an interim basis by Deputy City Administrator Jeff Dingman.

 Geffken faced several controversies during

 his tenure in Pennsylvania before moving to

 Fort Smith.

He served as the Chief Operating Officer for

 Children and Youth Services in Berks County

 and as the City Managing Director of Reading,

 Pennsylvania.

In Reading, Geffken was involved in contentious

issues, including budgetary conflicts and

management decisions that drew criticism

from various stakeholders.

In August of 2021, Geffken applied for the city administrator job in Clearwater, Florida and was named a finalist for that position. Geffken was one of two remaining candidates for the job before he was unable to attend a day long in-person assessment for the job because of a family emergency.

During an executive session on Tuesday, the board members discussed Geffken’s employment.

 When they returned to the boardroom after a one-hour and twenty-minute delay, board member Christina Catsavis made a motion to terminate Geffken’s employment immediately, which was met with applause from the citizens in attendance.

Several board members spoke about Geffken’s performance over the years but emphasized the impact of his comments.

Board member Jarred Rego stated that the decision brought him “no joy whatsoever” but felt it was necessary for the best of the city. Board member Lavon Morton called it a sad day for both him personally and for the city of Fort Smith.

Neither Rego, Morton or Andre Good, who made no comment on the matter, offered up an apology to Fodge and the citizens of Fort Smith. Rego and Good are both the subjects of a campaign to obtain enough signatures to force a recall election for their positions.

Board member George Catsavis did apologize to Fodge and the citizens of Fort Smith, promising that such an incident would not happen again.

Christina Catsavis also apologized to Fodge publicly, emphasizing that "women’s opinions are valued and welcomed."

Director Kevin Settle stated it was time for the board and the city to move forward.

"The city will still face challenges, but Fort Smith is on the verge “of something special. It’s time to get along and tone down the rhetoric.”

Settle also apologized for Geffken's gaff and said his decision was not based solely on the controversial comment but also on other conditions. Martin emphasized the importance of respecting all citizens and stated that the board needed to discuss the comments and everything associated with them.

He mentioned that the board unanimously decided it was time for a change to ensure that people feel heard and respected when they step up to the podium

Mayor George McGill acknowledged Geffken’s contributions to the city, including his efforts during a devastating flood. However, he supported the board’s decision and assured residents that the city would work diligently to find a replacement.

Local attorney Joey McCutchen, who has seemingly been at odds with Geffken and the city for several years, posted the following on his Facebook page concerning thetermination:

"The citizens of Fort Smith need to pay close attention to the hiring process of the next Fort Smith City Administrator.

We need a city administrator who has Fort Smith conservative values and is not hard left like recently fired city administrator Carl Geffken.

Our leftist mayor, two leftist directors and the “downtown dudes” should not have their way with the next hire."

McCutchen also referenced what he termed an "illegal meeting" between a board member and the city's attorney following the executive session:

"Director Lavon Morton just came out from Executive Session discussing the vote on whether to fire City Administrator Carl Geffken for his comments that “God, these people are stupid and the subsequent cover-up.

Morton just had a “pow wow” with City Attorney Jerry Canfield outside of the executive session."