Janice CasteelCLEVELAND, Tenn. — The Cleveland City Council has voted to evaluate the performance of City Manager Janice Casteel, and one council member says she needs to be put back in her former post as city finance officer.
The move came after Cleveland businessman Ben Moore asked the council Monday to remove Casteel from office, citing chaos and lack of leadership in the police department during her eight-year tenure as city manager.
Councilman Richard Banks made the motion to evaluate Casteel.
“I’ve had conversations with numerous people who are concerned about Janice Casteel’s ability as it relates to making decisions concerning the leadership” of the police department,” Banks said. “That has been confirmed by other council members who voted 7-0 [in March] to hire law enforcement consultant Larry Wallace.”
Although Casteel has earned his respect, “I believe that she could better serve our citizens by attending full-time to matters involving financial issues of our great city,” he said.