Mayor's request for Bailey to resign triggered severance provision
Editor's note: This article has been updated to include comments from Mayor Jim Curd about Bailey's resignation and whether severance was discussed.
Andy Dossett | The Wiley Post
Sept 4, 2026
Updated: Sept 4, 2026 3:20 pm
New records obtained from the City of Bartlesville show Mayor Jim Curd asked former City Manager Mike Bailey to resign the morning of Aug 7, before Bailey submitted his resignation later that day.
When the City announced Bailey's departure, it said he was resigning effective immediately after eight years as city manager. Bailey said in a statement that "after considerable reflection" he was pursuing opportunities outside the City of Bartlesville.
Mayor Jim Curd asked then-City Manager Mike Bailey to resign, a request Curd has said was made with the city’s best interests in mind.
Andy Dossett | The Wiley Post
Records obtained through an open records request and recent statements by public officials provide additional context about what happened that morning, with multiple city officials explaining that the initial announcement was based on what was publicly known at the time.
According to the records, Curd asked Bailey to resign, and Bailey later wrote that conversations with Curd and Vice Mayor Trevor Dorsey led to a request that he resign "in lieu of termination."
City Attorney Jess Kane said the City considers Curd's request sufficient to trigger a provision in Bailey's employment agreement allowing him to receive severance after resigning at the suggestion of his employer.
Mayor asked Bailey to resign
Curd's letter to Bailey was dated Aug 7, the same day the City announced Bailey's departure.
"After our phone conversation this morning, I'm asking that you resign your position as Bartlesville City manager, effective immediately for what I believe is in the best interest of the City," Curd wrote.
When asked for comment, Curd told The Wiley Post that the circumstances leading to Bailey's resignation involved a private personal matter and declined to discuss the details.
Curd said severance was not part of his conversation with Bailey when he asked him to resign.
"Severance was never part of the conversation. It didn't come up," Curd said.
Bailey then submitted a resignation letter to Kane stating that he was resigning effective immediately.
"This letter is to officially notify you that I am resigning effective immediately in accordance with Section 6.D. of my contract after conversations with both the Mayor and Vice Mayor in which it was requested that I resign in lieu of termination," Bailey wrote.
Section 6D of Bailey's employment agreement states that if he "resigns following a suggestion from the Employer that he resign," Bailey may elect to be considered terminated for purposes of the agreement's severance provisions. The agreement identifies the City of Bartlesville as Bailey's employer.
City says contract provision applies
The Wiley Post asked Kane whether the City considers Curd's letter a suggestion from Bailey's employer for purposes of Section 6D.
Kane said yes.
Kane also said the full City Council did not authorize Curd to ask Bailey to resign before sending the letter.
Asked what authority allowed the mayor to make the request, Kane responded, "Any member of the City Council has authority to suggest that an employee resign."
Bartlesville's City Charter states that the City Council appoints the city manager and may remove the city manager by a majority vote of its members.
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The charter also states that the mayor is recognized as head of city government for ceremonial purposes and "shall have no regular administrative duties" except those specifically provided by the charter.
Kane said Curd's letter was not a termination. He said the City considers it a suggestion that Bailey resign under his employment agreement.
Kane said he and Interim City Manager Laura Sanders sought an outside legal opinion on whether Bailey was entitled to severance under the circumstances.
"Out of an abundance of caution, and to avoid even the appearance of impropriety, Ms. Sanders and I engaged outside counsel to give us a formal legal opinion on whether severance was due to Mr. Bailey under these circumstances," Kane wrote. "We were advised by outside counsel that the severance must be paid under the terms of Mr. Bailey's contract."
Contract defines just cause narrowly
Bailey's employment agreement, dated Jun 3, 2024, provides severance if Bailey is terminated unless the termination is for "just cause." The agreement separately states that Bailey is not entitled to severance if he voluntarily resigns without the inducement described in Section 6D.
The contract defines just cause as "the conviction of a felony or an act of corruption."
Asked whether the City contends either condition applied to Bailey, Kane said it did not.
"The City does not contend that Mr. Bailey is guilty of a felony act or corruption in office," Kane responded.
Bailey's 2024 employment agreement listed an annual base salary of $195,692. The City Council subsequently approved cost-of-living and merit increases affecting the city manager's compensation.
Bailey's contract provides nine months of salary and benefits, along with accrued vacation and sick leave, when severance is due.
The City has not provided The Wiley Post with Bailey's salary at the time of his departure or the final amount of his severance.
Vice mayor says officials were working through situation
Vice Mayor Trevor Dorsey said in an interview with The Wiley Post that City officials had been working through a matter involving Bailey before his resignation and had consulted with human resources.
Bailey informed Dorsey, Curd and Kane of the matter in the weeks leading up to his resignation, according to Dorsey.
"We were trying to work through that," Dorsey said. "The result of that was Bailey's resignation."
Asked whether anyone had suggested waiting until after the upcoming city election to address the matter, Dorsey said no.
Dorsey also said he did not view the circumstances as involving corruption connected to Bailey's work for the City.
"It had nothing to do with him doing something he shouldn't have done, or there is some sort of corruption or collusion," Dorsey said.
Kirkpatrick says council members were informed
Councilor Aaron Kirkpatrick said all five council members have been informed of the basic circumstances surrounding Bailey's departure and have had opportunities to meet with City staff and ask questions.
"I want to start by saying that every single City Council member already knows what I'm about to tell you," Kirkpatrick wrote in a Facebook post. "This was communicated to us early, and we have all had the chance to meet with city staff and ask all our questions."
Kirkpatrick said he personally did not know Bailey was resigning before it happened.
"For what it's worth, I found out about the resignation the same day the rest of the community did," he wrote.
Kirkpatrick said he spent additional time researching the circumstances before commenting publicly. He said Bailey had not violated the law or City policy and that his review found no financial mismanagement.
"Our former city manager did nothing illegal, and nothing illegal was alleged," Kirkpatrick wrote. "He also didn't break any of our city policies."
Kirkpatrick also addressed the distinction between asking the city manager to resign and formally removing him from office.
"Any council member has the right to ask the city manager to resign, though the city manager does not have to agree," Kirkpatrick wrote. "It's not the same as being fired."
He said Curd formally requested Bailey's resignation but did not elaborate on Curd's reasons for doing so, writing that "his reasons for doing so are his own."
Kirkpatrick said council members have limited what they say publicly because the circumstances involve personnel matters and because he believes discussing them could unnecessarily harm a former employee's reputation or employment prospects or expose the City to litigation.
He said the significant public interest in Bailey's departure prompted him to provide what information he believed he could disclose. Kirkpatrick said he asked Kane to fact-check his statements before publishing them.
"There are lines Council members need to be careful not to cross," Kirkpatrick wrote. "That's why we listen to the professionals we employ."
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