Things continue to shift and change at a rapid pace in the City of Danielsville, as yet another city employee was terminated Feb. 13.
Danielsville city consultant Jerry Presley’s month-to-month contract was terminated unexpectedly from the city’s service during a packed city council meeting that included former council member Junne Temple and Todd Higdon, both candidates in the current mayor’s race.
New mayor pro tem Tim Stamps, council member Jamie Spurlin and newest member Michael Wideman voted unanimously first to amend the agenda, and then to release Presley from his contract, effective Feb. 13, with two weeks pay. Presley was previously scheduled to stay on past the March 6 special election for mayor.
(Stamps was voted mayor pro-tem in a called meeting just prior to the regular business meeting.)
Presley told the council that he was “happy to have helped the city get back on its feet” and told them he would be happy to help in the future, if needed.
Danielsville city consultant’s contract terminated
Presley said after the meeting that it was a “total surprise” that he was terminated, adding that he had previously been asked by Temple to stay on “through the (March 6) elections” to assist new city clerk Susan Payne and assistant clerk Suzanne Ferguson.
Presley said the council was entitled to end his contract at any time, and that he appreciates the two-week vacation pay, but disagrees with the way they went about it.
“No one said anything to me beforehand,” Presley said. “Folks (on the council) have to start talking to people.”
He said he had only positive feedback from current and former council members. “I wanted to leave the city in better hands and I think I have done that,” he said.
Presley added that the council has a “history of making secret decisions without consulting people.”
Presley added that he feels handling matters in this way creates a “negative environment for employees.”
“The city has got to change the way it handles relations with its employees,” Presley said, adding that the city has some tough financial decisions ahead.
He said he hopes for some permanent stability with the hiring of Payne.
“I certainly wish the city well,” he said.
Stamps said Tuesday morning that he thought it had been discussed with Presley that when Payne was trained that he would be let go.
“I thought he was informed,” Stamps said. “I didn’t discuss it with him.”
Also on the agenda Feb. 13 was the current seat vacated by Temple last week in her bid for mayor. The council voted to table the appointment of a council member until after the March business meeting, which will also be after a new mayor is voted in. In response to questions from audience members, the council said they had heard from “a couple of volunteers” who were willing to be appointed, but felt it was better to wait until the new mayor could have input on the decision.
“With all that’s went on, I think it’s best to table it until the next business meeting,” Spurlin told the audience.
TRAFFIC TICKET ISSUE
On the recommendation of city attorney Dale Perry, the council voted to ask municipal court judge Al Stone to rescind three traffic tickets written by former police officer Cliff Moody, who resigned last November, and refund any fines paid.
Perry said former mayor Phillip Croya had given documents to the council stating that Moody wrote tickets during a time when he had misplaced or lost the tuning forks that are used to calibrate the radar equipment. Perry noted that Moody indicated in his reports on those traffic tickets that the radar had been checked.
“There is an investigation under way as to what happened, that was requested by the council,” Perry said, noting that falsifying tickets is a felony.
POLICE CHIEF COMPENSATION PACKAGE
Following a closed-door session to discuss personnel, the council approved a benefits package including health insurance for Chief Pilkington. The council also reduced his pay from $17 per hour to $15.50 per hour.
HIGHWAY RESOLUTION
The council approved a resolution to rename a portion of Hwy. 98 from Danielsville to Ila (with portions within city limits) to Louie Clark Hwy in honor of the former state representative, who resides in Madison County. Perry said the board of commissioners will also consider the matter at an upcoming meeting. However, county commission chairman Anthony Dove informed The Journal this week that the board of commissioners is not going to consider it.
“I think it’s inappropriate to rename a highway for my father in law while I’m in office,” said Dove. “I love Louie more than anything and would do anything, even give up this office, but I just think it’s inappropriate.”
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business, the council voted unanimously to allow a recent grave in Memorial Gardens to be moved three feet and to absorb the cost of the move.
The vote came after a woman’s family came to the council meeting to complain that due to the misplacement of their father’s grave in 1980, their mother, who died three weeks ago, was inadvertently placed three feet from their father, instead of next to him.
Though it is the father’s grave that is in the wrong place, the council agreed that it would be best to relocate the more recent grave.
In a related matter, the council agreed to have a tree removed near the cemetery fence by low bidder Timber Solutions for $300. The city will have the property owner sign a release for them to move the tree.
The council tabled a discussion on Waste Pro garbage collection rates until their Feb. 27 work session. Presley gave a presentation on the rates during the meeting, saying that the city is not collecting the rate it should be collecting according to the city’s contract with Waste Pro. The city has a contract with Waste Pro for three more years.
The council agreed to pay an annual Barracuda spam protection fee for the city’s internet service. The annual payment is $948. County IT director Gary Venable, who works with the city on internet issues, was on hand to explain some of the upcoming fees and issues with the city’s domain name, email and website. He said he is currently listed on the web hosting account and bills the city for it’s annual web hosting service, which is $350, and is fine with this continuing. He cautioned them about maintaining their payments for the web hosting service, or changing it to another web hosting service in a timely manner so that they do not lose their domain name. “I don’t know how to say this without sounding disrespectful, but there has been a lot of turnover here,” Venable said.
The council tabled a decision about whether to continue with Venable’s name listed on the account, or move it the mayor or other city official’s name.
The council agreed to purchase a battery for the city’s off-site computer back up, which is housed in the fire department. Temple told the council that the system had been placed on a shelf and anchored to the wall by at no cost to the city by a “good Samaritan.”
The council agreed to pay the Georgia Municipal Association’s city workers’ compensation insurance plan in six payments, with the first payment in the amount of $2,928.75 being paid immediately and the remainder of the total ($11,715) to be paid in five monthly installments of $1,757.15 each.
Presley said the council was entitled to end his contract at any time, and that he appreciates the two-week vacation pay, but disagrees with the way they went about it.
“No one said anything to me beforehand,” Presley said. “Folks (on the council) have to start talking to people.”
He said he had only positive feedback from current and former council members. “I wanted to leave the city in better hands and I think I have done that,” he said.
Presley added that the council has a “history of making secret decisions without consulting people.”
Presley added that he feels handling matters in this way creates a “negative environment for employees.”
“The city has got to change the way it handles relations with its employees,” Presley said, adding that the city has some tough financial decisions ahead.
He said he hopes for some permanent stability with the hiring of Payne.
“I certainly wish the city well,” he said.
Stamps said Tuesday morning that he thought it had been discussed with Presley that when Payne was trained that he would be let go.
“I thought he was informed,” Stamps said. “I didn’t discuss it with him.”
Also on the agenda Feb. 13 was the current seat vacated by Temple last week in her bid for mayor. The council voted to table the appointment of a council member until after the March business meeting, which will also be after a new mayor is voted in. In response to questions from audience members, the council said they had heard from “a couple of volunteers” who were willing to be appointed, but felt it was better to wait until the new mayor could have input on the decision.
“With all that’s went on, I think it’s best to table it until the next business meeting,” Spurlin told the audience.
TRAFFIC TICKET ISSUE
On the recommendation of city attorney Dale Perry, the council voted to ask municipal court judge Al Stone to rescind three traffic tickets written by former police officer Cliff Moody, who resigned last November, and refund any fines paid.
Perry said former mayor Phillip Croya had given documents to the council stating that Moody wrote tickets during a time when he had misplaced or lost the tuning forks that are used to calibrate the radar equipment. Perry noted that Moody indicated in his reports on those traffic tickets that the radar had been checked.
“There is an investigation under way as to what happened, that was requested by the council,” Perry said, noting that falsifying tickets is a felony.
POLICE CHIEF COMPENSATION PACKAGE
Following a closed-door session to discuss personnel, the council approved a benefits package including health insurance for Chief Pilkington. The council also reduced his pay from $17 per hour to $15.50 per hour.
HIGHWAY RESOLUTION
The council approved a resolution to rename a portion of Hwy. 98 from Danielsville to Ila (with portions within city limits) to Louie Clark Hwy in honor of the former state representative, who resides in Madison County. Perry said the board of commissioners will also consider the matter at an upcoming meeting. However, county commission chairman Anthony Dove informed The Journal this week that the board of commissioners is not going to consider it.
“I think it’s inappropriate to rename a highway for my father in law while I’m in office,” said Dove. “I love Louie more than anything and would do anything, even give up this office, but I just think it’s inappropriate.”
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business, the council voted unanimously to allow a recent grave in Memorial Gardens to be moved three feet and to absorb the cost of the move.
The vote came after a woman’s family came to the council meeting to complain that due to the misplacement of their father’s grave in 1980, their mother, who died three weeks ago, was inadvertently placed three feet from their father, instead of next to him.
Though it is the father’s grave that is in the wrong place, the council agreed that it would be best to relocate the more recent grave.
In a related matter, the council agreed to have a tree removed near the cemetery fence by low bidder Timber Solutions for $300. The city will have the property owner sign a release for them to move the tree.
The council tabled a discussion on Waste Pro garbage collection rates until their Feb. 27 work session. Presley gave a presentation on the rates during the meeting, saying that the city is not collecting the rate it should be collecting according to the city’s contract with Waste Pro. The city has a contract with Waste Pro for three more years.
The council agreed to pay an annual Barracuda spam protection fee for the city’s internet service. The annual payment is $948. County IT director Gary Venable, who works with the city on internet issues, was on hand to explain some of the upcoming fees and issues with the city’s domain name, email and website. He said he is currently listed on the web hosting account and bills the city for it’s annual web hosting service, which is $350, and is fine with this continuing. He cautioned them about maintaining their payments for the web hosting service, or changing it to another web hosting service in a timely manner so that they do not lose their domain name. “I don’t know how to say this without sounding disrespectful, but there has been a lot of turnover here,” Venable said.
The council tabled a decision about whether to continue with Venable’s name listed on the account, or move it the mayor or other city official’s name.
The council agreed to purchase a battery for the city’s off-site computer back up, which is housed in the fire department. Temple told the council that the system had been placed on a shelf and anchored to the wall by at no cost to the city by a “good Samaritan.”
The council agreed to pay the Georgia Municipal Association’s city workers’ compensation insurance plan in six payments, with the first payment in the amount of $2,928.75 being paid immediately and the remainder of the total ($11,715) to be paid in five monthly installments of $1,757.15 each.
Thank you, Mr. Presley, for your honesty. Once again, it shows you what happens when you stand up to her, you lose your job. Let's set this record straight before we close this topic and await the next....
Since she's been in control of the city;
~They fired the engineer (Mr. Quigley)
~They fired the attorney (Mr. Johnson)
~They fired the auditor (Mr. Vance)
~A police officer quit (Mr. Gary)
~They fired the police chief (Mr. Christian)
~They fired the public works superintendent (Mr. Anglin)
~They fired the city clerk (Ms. Riley)
~Knowing that the assistant city clerk would resign (Ms. Delay)
~They hired and fired two Comer policemen (Mr. Zellner and Mr. Moody)
~They fired long time consultant (Mr. Riley)
~The Mayor quit (Mr. Croya)
~A council member quit (Ms. Merk)
~Now they fire Mr. Presley
(Did I leave anyone out? My apologies, if so.)
There is currently no one at city hall that has any history with the city. There is currently no one at city hall who will stand up to her. I know it sounds like I'm referring to Temple as still being on the council, believe me she is. It's going to take a strong council (and hopefully a strong NEW mayor) to finally stand up and take back control of this situation in Danielsville.
In the past administration what happened to truth was akin to a bar of steel being twisted into a corkscrew in thirty seconds flat.
If the new Council is to succeed, it must be free of Mrs. Temple's tactics.
Don't forget about the $40,000 spent on cameras inside City Hall and the Maint. Shop so employees could be "watched". That's right, forty thousand dollars!
Consultants like Quigley are after one thing and one thing only ... $$
Which council member wants to name a portion of Hwy. 98 after Mr. Louie Clark? I'll tell you it wouldn't be any of the current council members. It sounds like some kind of a campaign promise to me. Might as well let her rename General Daniel Avenue to Bill Madden Parkway, and we could always rename Madison Street. Let's call it Temple Street (since the infamous Temple house is located there).
Why is the city's off-site computer back up located at the fire department? Hmmm, doesn't sound like the most secure place to me. Wow, need to protect that info from the employees, but let's go ahead and place it in a building where dozens of volunteers have access (day or night). GREAT idea...
In response to #5 (Citizen Mom), if you've been following these articles I think you can assemble your own list of Pros and Cons for Temple (and the cons would outweigh the pros). As for Mr. Higdon, the first thing he has going for him is not being born and bred. He has no personal agendas, he has no one pulling his strings, and he's a D'ville resident and D'ville business owner who truly cares about the future of D'ville.
This is a rather rude response to a simple request. If Citizen Mom had time to do it, she would have; mothers are very busy people, in case you, like many folks (especially males)fail to appreciate. Furthermore, and more to the point, I would hope no one would ever use these comments and rants as a source for reliable information to form opinions about anything, particulary political candidates!
On the recommendation of city attorney Dale Perry, the council voted to ask municipal court judge Al Stone to rescind three traffic tickets written by former police officer Cliff Moody, who resigned last November, and refund any fines paid.
Perry said former mayor Phillip Croya had given documents to the council stating that Moody wrote tickets during a time when he had misplaced or lost the tuning forks that are used to calibrate the radar equipment. Perry noted that Moody indicated in his reports on those traffic tickets that the radar had been checked.
“There is an investigation under way as to what happened, that was requested by the council,” Perry said, noting that falsifying tickets is a felony.
I think former mayor Phillip Croya, was trying to take care of this. I do wonder why they are going to get this done now. Oh i forgot, the GBI and State Patrol are in on it now. So they have to.
Are employees of the City so untrustworthy that you have to keep camera's on them 24/7? What possessed those in power to decide that this $40,000 equipment was needed?
Seems if they had that much money to spend in such a frivilous way, (and it does seem frivilous when you know where all they have installed these cameras) they could have paid in "Unemployment Tax" for all these employees that have been fired/resigned/quit!!
Speechless is what comes to mind in hearing about this expense. This is why, citizens of the city of Danielsville should get involved in their city government.
If you don't trust your employees you hire, maybe they should not be working for the city to begin with.
And to anonmyous #3...how can you make that statement when you don't know if he can do a better job or not since he's not been in that position to try. Would you like to clearify that statement or give factual reasons and comparisons as to why he would not do good job? Or do you really even know?
Regarding "Just Saying" on computer back-up...That's a good question...WHY is the back-up at the fire department? And why do you need a camera in the volunteer fire department? Are the volunteers there all the time?