Vt. City Council Votes To Suspend Admin. Officer

Vermont City Council Votes To Suspend Chief Administrative Officer Over Telecom Dispute

(AP)  BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) - The Burlington City Council has voted to suspend the city's chief administrative officer amid an ongoing dispute about the city-owned telecommunications provider, but Mayor Bob Kiss says he won't do it.

In an 8-6 vote early Tuesday, the council passed a resolution calling for Jonathan Leopold to be put on administrative leave, with pay.

Leopold has been under fire amid revelations that Burlington Telecom, which provides telephone, cable and Internet, borrowed $17 million from the city but didn't pay it back within 60 days, as required by its state license.

Kiss, who says he's the only person who can suspend a department head, said Tuesday that Leopold's suspension isn't warranted and that it's not in the best interests of the city. He won't heed the resolution.