Steve Mensing, Editor
♦ On Tuesday Salisbury City Manager W. Lane Bailey announced his appointment of Assistant City Manager John “Magic Math” Sofley the chief architect of “Fibrant Turning the Corner and Showing a Profit Ruse” through the deft manipulation of hiding Fibrant employees in other city departments. And lest we forget squirreling away Fibrant’s deficits in other areas of the budget. Sofley’s “magic math”, alleging the Fibrant “turned the corner”, proved an embarrassing episode for Salisbury’s City Hall.
What could be done with John Sofley to lessen the heat directed at City Hall and its math department? The recent audit revelations and the attempts to squelch inquiries about it at city council raised eyebrows. So how does City Manager Bailey turn down the thermostat short of handing out another “golden parachute?”
We found out yesterday when Bailey shuffled Sofley over to Public Services and Parks and Recreation and got him away from managing the Fibrant.
In a public announcement Bailey stated: “…John’s business and financial experience really came through for us during a challenging transition period, and for that we are grateful. As we enter the new year, it is now a prime opportunity for John to lend his talents to some of our other departments within the city.”
John Sofley will now emerge in Public Services which includes Stormwater services and Parks and Recreation. Puzzling. Those city departments have no real need of a certified public accountant or hide the losses artist. Will John be twiddling his thumbs? Or will John covertly engage in “magica mathematica” elsewhere? After all Salisbury’s City Hall is not known for transparency.
