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Century’s Mayor, Council At Impasse Over Billing Clerk Choice
February 5, 2019
Century’s town council and mayor are still at an impasse over the hiring of new billing clerk.
Last week, three council members voted 2-1 against Mayor Henry Hawkin’s recommendation to promote Netanya Simmons from within. Monday night, Hawkins recommended that she be promoted to the position and receive an hourly increase from $9.81 to $12. The council did approve a vote to interview four applicants for the position. [Previous story ...]
Monday night, Hawkins recommended that she be promoted to the position and receive an hourly increase from $9.81 to $12. But Monday night the council deadlocked 2-2 on a motion not to approve the promotion, and later voted 2-2 on a motion for the promotion. In each case, council members Luis Gomez and Sandra McMurray Jackson cast votes in favor of the promotion, and council members Ben Boutwell and Ann Brooks were against. Council member James Smith was absent from both meetings.
Monday night Brooks cited an emailed opinion from Matt Danheisser, town attorney, stating that the council essentially has veto power to disapprove of the mayor’ choice, but the council cannot direct the hiring of a person not recommended by the mayor.
“It does not benefit the citizens of Century when you have someone that can be doing the job,” Gomez said of Simmons. “The lawyer states we can hire within and promote up.”
“We have to wait for the mayor,” Brooks said, before anyone else could be hired for the billing clerk position.
“We are getting nothing done because what we are doing is sitting at this table lollygagging,” said Gomez.
“The issue is whether or no we have a qualified person,” added Brooks.
Boutwell agreed. “The are better qualified people,” he said.
The council voted 4-0 to interview Simmons at their next meeting, and 4-0 to have Chief Deputy Clerk of Finance Kristina Wood create this month’s utility bills.
Comments
22 Responses to “Century’s Mayor, Council At Impasse Over Billing Clerk Choice”
Well on February 7th, 2019 9:37 pm
“I have found it to usually be a bad idea to rehire someone who has already left you for greener pastures once before”
FYI
I couldn’t agree with you more, e.i. Kim Godwin left the Town of Century’s employment and went to work at Century C. I. only to return to the Town of Century several months later. You see where that got the town!!!!
I have found it to usually be a bad idea to rehire someone who has already left you for greener pastures once before.
For no more than this pays an internal candidate that can do it might be the best choice.
Training can always help later.
If counsel member Smith would show up for scheduled meetings, this matter might have already been resolved one way or another. Maybe they should schedule a meeting to replace said counsel member who has the position, but isn’t honoring it and find someone else who will take it more seriously! JMO
To those that think promotion should be from within, absolutely, that should be the first choice PROVIDED that the individual is qualified for and can demonstrate the ability to perform the duties of that job. If not, common sense and business sense demand that you hire someone that is qualified for the position, has the requisite experience, or has demonstrated the ability to perform in that capacity.
What a joke! For that salary you can get an unqualified asst manager of a convenience store!!
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The council has not adopted and does not follow Roberts Rules.
In case anyone missed it to the commenters here– Leslie used to be the clerk for years. Of course she is qualified.
Now she apparently wants to come back and some of council seems to be in favor.
One of the problems is it seems they do not conduct business in an orderly fashion by Roberts Rules and that leads to drama.
Council verify this. By charter the president of the council is the one to set the agenda and is not to delegate that to anyone.
They stated the rules for mayor recommendation and council veto in the article which is by the town charter. It’s online. Everyone raised their hand and took an oath they would uphold that and the FL constitution, which by the ways is rules and law.
Also by Roberts rules, once the agenda is set then the council makes a motion and vote to work off that agenda or whether something is added on and duly ammended.
There are also rules that once a motion is made and failed it can’t keep being made again. (verify that)
It looks to me that the Mayor recommended a candidate, the council by majority voted against that 2 to 1 so it failed during a past meeting– So why was he able to make the same motion to the body? Since it failed he should have gone to a second motion alternate motion , as in other candidate. The council doesn’t have the authority to hold job interviews do they?
The Roberts Rules were put out to be followed to have a parliamentary procedures and not turn into a circus bouncing around ideas were people don’t understand the power dynamics of good local government.
There are checks and balances and respect..and it’s not us the masses to make the decision either.
So now the meeting adjourned..with a 2-1 failed motion and X2 2-2 failed motions. After the motions failed the mayor should have gone to plan B as in other person..
IMO
He can’t bring that motion again. it failed. three times.
Who is this Smith guy? Who voted for him?
“if the mayor has any type of integrity ” that’s a funny one right there
There are a lot of questions that need to be answered before jumping to conclusions. How long has Netanya Simmons worked for the city (Century)? Even if she is not the most qualified applicant, if the others do not already work for the city, it may be worth giving her a shot if she’s had an exceptional work record and has proven to be dependable. The opportunity for promotion is one of the perks that come from being a loyal and dedicated employee for most organizations. Additionally, if the mayor has any type of integrity he would not be simply pushing to promote someone who does not have the knowledge and skills to do the job. Has Kristina Woods been doing the billing since the position became open?
Hiring from the outside instead of promoting from within really is a slap in the face! What dues has this outside person paid? Promoting from within makes that employee try harder than ever, I worked at such a place. That place hired no family members.
Sounds pretty much that “Whomever the Mayor Wants, the Mayor Gets”
From the article above:
“Monday night Brooks cited an emailed opinion from Matt Danheisser, town attorney, stating that the council essentially has veto power to disapprove of the mayor’ choice, but the council cannot direct the hiring of a person not recommended by the mayor.”
Seems that someone should have more closely read the Charter before jumping into it.
.
Was the town council at an impasse when they approved all those personal loans? Is Netanya Simmons a family member or personal friend of Mayor Henry Hawkin because I smell a rat? Wonder if a rat could get a personal loan from the town council?
Had Smith made a meeting yet? Sounds like they need to get Miss HUDSON to take his place.
hiring or voting for unqualified or less qualified people has gotten this town in the fix it is in right now.
The fix is in!!!
How much slack will Ms. Wood catch if the duties of her regular job fall behind because billing is not a 30 minute job
Rut ro, the mayor might not get his way.
The more they get nothing done the less damage is done.
One has to ask themselves what is so special about this person the mayor wants to hire. The three other people are way more qualified than this girl. Some not by much but none the less more qualified. Twelve dollars an hour? Step into that circus for $25,000 a year. Ummmm runnnnn!!!
The mayor and the council have become the soap opera of NW Florida. It’s a wonder ANYTHING gets done. Can’t wait for the next episode of “As The Panhandle Turns”.
I think ya’ll should have stayed with the 2-1 vote. Get it while you can. Apparently logic and reason has left the building hire Leslie and get rid of the other dunces.