A Quick Raise For Corcoran

Exchanges of charges, denials, innuendos and threats erupted this week after the city council on Monday approved a salary hike and a pension raise for retiring manager John H. Corcoran.

Independent councilor Thomas W. Danehy questioned the motives of the seven councilors who voted for the salary and pension increase and called Monday's action "the most brazen political act ever taken in this city."

The council raised the manager's salary from $34,000 to $45,000, to be effective immediately. Danehy and fellow independent Daniel Clinton voted against the increase.

The raise handed Corcoran, who is 60 years old, a sizable increase in his retirement pension. Had the measure failed, Corcoran would have received an annual pension of $19,584; he will now draw almost $26,000 annually.

The council also voted to appoint Lowell city manager James Leo Sullivan as Corcoran's successor, effective April 1.

Danehy said he was "surprised" that Corcoran did not resist efforts by the councilors to replace him with Sullivan, who served as Cambridge manager from 1968-70.

He also charged that "in order to get Mr. Corcoran to retire without having to fire him, the councilors told him they'd sweeten up his pay."

Danehy referred specifically to the council's new coalition of two independents and five members of the council's liberal wing as the parties responsible for the pay raises.

The coalition, which backed Walter Sullivan in the recent mayoral election, drew Danehy's fire last month when it overruled his motion to abolish rent controls in Cambridge. Danehy, who had vied for the mayor's post against Sullivan, this week still appeared to be bitter over the election loss.

Coalition member Saundra Graham denied having discussed the pay raise measure with Corcoran prior to Monday's vote and said, "Danehy will resort to anything, especially now, since he lost the election."

Corcoran said he made no political deals with the coalition over his retirement and the pension hike. "There have been absolutely no political deals or bribes whatsoever," he said.

Independent Leonard J. Russell, who along with Mayor Sullivan has been accused by Danehy of defecting to the liberals, said sternly, "There is no such thing as a bribe with the city manager," and warned that if Danehy "mentions this again, I will take him to Third District Court."

Councilors Barbara Ackermann, David A. Wylie, Francis H. Duehay '55, and Mayor Sullivan all denied having made a deal with Corcoran or having discussed the salary issue with him.

Danehy, still unsatisfied, said he plans to write the Cost of Living Council to question the legality of the pay raise.