Steve Mensing, Editor
♦ Tuesday afternoon I sat at my computer and watched Salisbury’s City Council on the City ‘s “Live Meeting Webcast”. Yesterday’s city council meeting was their first meeting since Doug Paris’s infamous “mutual termination” at the end of a late 5 hour closed-session. The highlight of Tuesday’s meeting was its much anticipated “public commenting” period where citizens were permitted to sound off. 3 showed up.
Long-time neighborhood activist William Peoples and J.R. Dunkley, an engineer, spoke out against the city council’s lack of oversight, the “golden parachute” severances, and the former city manager’s mystifying “no liability” contract along with questionable raises.
Yesterday Mayor Paul Woodson and city council remained true-to-form, desiring to “move on” and often evading the public’s shadowy questions.
During the time following Doug Paris and Elaney Hasselmann’s departures, the Mayor and the council attempted to sidestep questions: “We can’t comment further on former employees.” “We are out of it.” “We have goals for the fiscal year and we’re working hard on Fibrant.” “Everything I’ve heard has been positive and the city’s doing a great job.”
Meanwhile many city’s residents regarded city council’s responses as avoidant, out-of-touch, or as a cover-up. It lead many to openly wonder about our city government.
Questions about what happened in the backrooms of city hall are coloring how residents view the Mayor and city council. Paris and Hasselmann received almost $250,000 in “golden parachutes”. How was it that the former Public Information Director, who had no contract and quit, left with a severance package? The city won’t answer such questions because they claim state law keeps them from commenting on personnel matters.
Know this: if state and federal investigators drop-in on city hall, they can call on the courts to unseal the city’s personnel records and question human resource employees. They can request city undergo a forensic audit going back years. There is very little city hall can do when the big boys come through the doors warrants-in-hand.
Yesterday activist William Peoples looked hard at a city council who “crossed the line” in their failure to provide oversight and supervision for former city manager Doug Paris and turned a blind-eye to his promoting cronies and giving them lavish raises. Meanwhile many city employees did without or got wrongful terminations.
“Somebody was asleep on the job, “said Peoples. “No matter what you say or whether you try to sweep it under the rug or forget it or whatever, it’s your responsibility. This’s an outrage. We need an investigation by the North Carolina Attorney General.”
A pin could’ve dropped.
Peoples wanted city council to be more forthcoming about the departures of the Paris and Hasselmann and desired to know how they city could regain the money paid out in severances
William Peoples was followed to the table by J.R. Dunkley, an engineer, who took a dim view of City Council’s lack of management over the former city manager and city finances.
“Your employee obviously didn’t have checks and balances,” said Dunkley. “He was able to do whatever he wanted, and I don’t know where you were in the process. He got a “no cut” contract and too much authority for a 27 year old.”
Dunkley pointed out that the city violated its own policy by giving Hasselmann a severance. Her going away $32,746 payout included annual leave, health insurance, and a 4 months salary even though city policy states that an employee, who quits without notice, will only receive pay for time worked.
Dunkley went on to describe the city’s record since 2011, according to his calculations, for paying out over a half a million dollars in raises and severances. He contrasted Hasselmann’s salary increases of more than 300% during her 7 year run to Fire Chief Parnell and Police Chief Collin’s 3.3 % raises since 2011. Dunkley also raised questions about contract employee Mike Jury who manages Fibrant. Why did he receive a cost of living raise?
Yesterday Peoples and Dunkley raised questions to a group of city council persons who strongly desired to move on and avoid substantive answers. Instead questions are multiplying and growing in weight.
Can a citizen suit recoup those severance packages?
Who will be the all new city council come 2015?
Will Paris’s “great reference” help him anywhere in North Carolina as the news of his 2 year reign here spreads?
When will the State Bureau of Investigation pull up to city hall?
