Councilman Calls For Town Clerk To Be Reprimanded

November 18, 2008

A Century town council member has called for the town’s clerk to be reprimanded for the way she handled an elderly lady that fought paying a $629 bill.

At the council’s meeting on November 3, Town Clerk Dorothy Sims and Leola Robinson verbally argued over the $629 sewer bill. The town voted Monday night to forgive the bill after finding written notes from Sims dating back to 1999 stating that the town denied sewer service to Robinson because she did not use the town’s water system.

Robinson had told the council on several occasions that the county had given her permission to place a septic tank on property that she owns. Sims had denied that several times. County records indicate that the county commission died grant the health department the right to issue a permit for the septic tank in 1999.

“She sat right there and called Mrs. Robinson a liar,” Council Member Henry Hawkins said Monday night. He requested that the town give Sims a “letter of reprimand for her behavior toward this account”.

Mayor Freddie McCall said he did not agree since the council had voted to resolve the issue, and the mayor said ” I want to put this thing to bed”.

“Her conduct has been unbecoming in the past concerning this issue,” Hawkins said.

The council took no action on the request by Hawkins, a request that he never put into the form of a motion.

Sims was out of town Monday night and not present at the council meeting.

Comments

13 Responses to “Councilman Calls For Town Clerk To Be Reprimanded”

  1. ASHTON THERRELL (GRANDAUGHTER) on November 22nd, 2008 7:32 pm

    TO WHOEVER IT MAY CONCERN,

    HOW CAN U SIT HERE AND SAY THAT BRAIN SURGERY IS A POOR EXCUSE? THAT IS A VERY SERIOUS SURGERY.AND IT IS DANGEROUS. THAT IS MY BROTHER THAT HAD SURGERY. U HAVE TO BE A LOW PERSON TO SAY SOMETHING LIKE THAT. IF I WAS U I WOULD BE ON MY KNEES AT THE ALTER ASKING GOD TO FORGIVE ME FOR SAYING SOMETHING LIKE THAT. U WOULDNT BE THERE IF YOUR GRANDCHILD HAD SURGERY. THATS SORRY. MY GRANNY DID THE RIGHT THING. AND YES I AM HER GRANDAUGHTER BUT ANYBODY IN THERE RIGHT MIND WOULD BE THERE FOR THEIR GRANDCHILD!

  2. Tina (Daughter) on November 21st, 2008 5:08 pm

    I know that my mother would never treat anyone with disrespect unless they were disrespectful to her. I also know that Mr. Hawkins has been after her job since the day he was elected to the town council. This is not the first issue and it won’t be the last. I guess he has someone he wants to have her job. Thanks to Shaun, whoever you are, you are right about Mr. Hawkins arguing and doing the same thing he wants to reprimand my mother for. His actions are not very becoming for a council member sometimes, and are certainly not becoming for someone who is supposed to be a preacher.

  3. me on November 21st, 2008 11:44 am

    i am not related to these people but if you grandson was having surgery wouldn’t you want to be there for him? if not them you have no heart and need to stop commenting on these pople and there lives

  4. Douglas on November 21st, 2008 10:11 am

    That does sound like a good excuse to you because you’re her granddaughter is that correct? Is that why you are defending her?

  5. ASHTON THERRELL (GRANDAUGHTER) on November 20th, 2008 5:15 pm

    THAT IS A GOOD ENOUGH EXCUSE TO ME. MY GRANNY HAS NEVER TREATED ANYBODY HOW THEY SHOULDNT BE TREATED. AND THE “COUNCILMEN” HAS GAVE HER PROBLEMS BEFORE. HE IS JUST TRYING TO GET AT HER BECAUSE SHE WASNT AT THE MEETING. ANYBODY THAT WAS IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULDNT BE AT WORK OR A MEETING IF THEIR GRANDSON WAS HAVING BRAIN SURGERY. THATS WHATS WRONG WITH PEOPLE THESE DAYS, THEY DONT HAVE RESPECT. AND I DONT THINK SHE SHOULD BE REPRIMANDED BECAUSE SHE WORKS ALOT OF OVERTIME. THE NIGHT BEFORE SHE WENT TO MIAMI SHE WAS AT THE CITY HALL FROM 8pm to 6am THE NEXT DAY. ALOT OF WEEKENDS WHILE YOU R SLEEPING, SHE IS WORKING. SO NO, SHE SHOULDNT BE REPRIMANDED.

  6. Douglas on November 20th, 2008 7:47 am

    That’s a poor excuse! What about work?

  7. HALEY SIMS[ GRANDAUGHTER] on November 19th, 2008 9:40 pm

    WELL SHE HAD A REASON TOO MISS THIS MEETING IF YOUR GRANDSON WAS GOIN TOO HAVE BRAIN SURGERY WOULDNT YOU WANT TOO GO??AND SHE WAS IN WAL-MART BECAUSE SHE HAD TOO HAVE SUPPLIES TOO GO TO MIAMI ON!! SHE LEFT THAT NIGHT TOO GO TOO MIAMI!!!!!!!!!! IF IT IS ANY OF UR BUSINESS!!!!!!!!!!!!

  8. Shaun on November 19th, 2008 10:51 am

    First off I will say Im glad this got resolved. But to comment on the remarks Mr Hawkins made, I ask him what is different from Ms Sims arguing with someone at a meeting, and himself arguing with someone at a meeting. I can remember back in June, Mr Hawkins went head to head with the Helicopter Tech Van Nevel calling him crooked and telling him to “Bring it on”. Is this the correct behavior of a councilman? I dont think so.

  9. Lilly on November 19th, 2008 9:55 am

    “I want to put this thing to bed”….what kinda crap is that? Have you ever stopped to think thats the problem at city hall. To many friendships and not enough employee / boss relationships. You can be friends with Mrs. Sims on your time, not the towns. Not doing anything about the way she acted regarding this issue just gives her the green light to do as she pleases.

  10. Yellarhammer on November 18th, 2008 12:45 pm

    A few days off with out pay and benifits would be better maybe civil servants would then find out who pays for there job.

  11. Lilly on November 18th, 2008 9:28 am

    Does Brewton, AL count as out of town? Funny they said she was out of town Monday night because I saw her shopping at the new supercenter in Brewton.

  12. Jay on November 18th, 2008 8:21 am

    Just one more reason to do away with the town government. This is a prime example of the duplication of services that the citizens don’t need. The county issued the permit within the city limits and the town knows nothing about it.

  13. Medicine Man on November 18th, 2008 2:54 am

    I agree with Mr. Hawkins, a formal reprimand is in order, but not at the council meeting, he should have conducted this at a special close door meeting. Mayor McCall was right to move on, especially in the public meeting. There is still some cleaning to do at City Hall, but lets don’t drag it into the street for all to see. Respect others as you would won’t them to respect you.