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Century Council Rejects Two New Hires By The Mayor, Saying He Violated The Town Charter
March 18, 2021
The Century Town Council has rejected two employees hired by the mayor because they say he violated the town’s charter.
After the town received five applications for an entry-level service worker in the street department and 50 applications for a citizen services clerk office position, Mayor Ben Boutwell and staff members made their selections and offered jobs to two people. The service worker was already on the job, and the clerk was set to start late this month.
The service worker the mayor hired has nine years experience as millwright at a lumber mill, five years in maintenance at a chemical plant, and six years in home construction. The office worker selected by Boutwell has almost 20 years experience at an area bank as a bookkeeper, loan assistance, teller and accounts payable clerk, and holds an associate degree from Pensacola Junior College.
But at a recent meeting, town council president Luis Gomez said the two were not hired in accordance with the town charter. The charter states that the mayor will present his employee selections to the town council to be approved or denied. The council can only vote yes or no on the mayor’s choice; the charter does not give the council any authority to hire anyone not recommended by the mayor.
“The council was disregarded, blatant disregard,” Gomez told Boutwell. “We could have waited to tonight, and you could have did the proper protocol and said I recommend A and B for these two jobs. And then it would have been up to the council.”
“I’m not here to preach but I’m here to make sure that everything is done by the books because if we go by this charter, even though it’s 40 years old, it’s outdated we got to go by this charter,” Gomez added. “Right here it says you cannot hire somebody, and my understanding is you’ve already hired two people.”
“My understanding is that in May of 2013 there was some type of council meeting that the council gave the mayor at that time permission (to hire employees),” Boutwell responded.
,
“In 2013 they should have amended this; this is the charter. This has not been amended,” Gomez said. “The council cannot even say Mr. Boutwell, Mayor Boutwell, you can do this.”
“We picked out the two that were the most qualified as a team that we felt was the best,” the mayor said. “And so if I should I have brought that person to y’all, then that’s what I should have done. I thought, because they were already a position in the budget, that I could hire them. That was my interpretation.”
“I will admit that I am wrong,” Boutwell stated.
While the positions were properly advertised before Boutwell’s hires, the council voted 3-2 to restart the process and readvertise the jobs. Council members James Smith and Sandra McMurray Jackson voted no.
“I would not want to be put in a position where I have put my resignation in on my previous job for Kim (Kim Godwin, town clerk) to call me in the morning and tell me that I’m sorry, but … I would not want that,” Jackson said.
Pictured top: Century Mayor Ben Boutwell. Pictured below: Luis Gomez, Century Town Council president. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
26 Responses to “Century Council Rejects Two New Hires By The Mayor, Saying He Violated The Town Charter”
Rick……: so….. Boutwell was on the board before; how did they handle this issue under the previous mayor’s administration? If they handled it the same as now, Boutwell right to admit he was wrong. If they followed the 2013 de facto amendment of the rules than some may say that’s somewhat hypocritical for politicians to change what rules they enforce relevant to who the mayor or ruling party may be but we all know hypocrisy is run amuck in today’s politicial environment at nearly every level.
SouthFlomaton4Ever:
No power struggle here: in case you missed it…Boutwell already admitted he was wrong and was previously a member of the board. Cut and dry. As a mayor, he needs to know the rules, Its not up to anyone to read him the rules. If you cannot follow the rules and laws you should not be in government let alone a town mayor. How inept can he be.
Many of you believe thus is some sort of game and it’s not. FDLE needs to look into mayor Boutwell and his cavalier bypassing of rules.
Yes. Power grab.
If the charter said the Mayor is to present his choices for an up down vote and that’s all then Gomez and the Council overstepped by requiring the process to start over.
All the Mayor needed to do was say, “Whoops. Sorry. I present these two for an up down vote per the charter.”
Instead, one needs to think of WHY 1: the positions were already funded (a process by the Council meaning they knew they would be available before the general public or advertised and 2: why would they not respect these two citizens and go ahead with the up down vote….don’t like the process down vote.
If the jobs were posted and vetted according to state laws governing then restarting the process sure seems like Gomez or others on the Council had some specific family or friends in mind.
Else why restart the process when unnecessary?
This is Century politics after all. Maybe the FDLE should look at the new candidates and their relations to Council members….
So what I’m reading is Century wanted change and voted in a new Mayor. Mayor is trying to provide that change with applicants that are well qualified, but the council doesn’t want that change. Agreed the Mayor should take some time to understand his position better, however, apparently he thought a ruling in 2013 was in effect… Why would he think that? Unless the council allowed that to be believed in rulings in the past??
Mr. I’m not here to preach but do things by the books…. Since when? Nothing about the town of Century is found in ANY books HaHa
Looks to me the mayor didn’t feel he had to follow the rules. If he had been allowed to do this he might turn out like a few past mayors that ignored the law. M sorry the applicants must start over. But I’m glad the mayor was held to the rules to prevent future abuse of power by him or others that see this.
CONSIDERING:
“Could someone from the council have said prior.
Hey Mr. Mayor, I know you’re new , but ya need to do this?”
Probably not without violating Florida’s Sunshine Law.
Maybe, but it’s expensive to find out the hard way.
David for successful service
Blah Blah Blah
Wrong ? Apparently…
Just fix it correctly and quickly.
Just fix it corre
And the Saga continues .
Nothing more than a power struggle here. Looks like the council wants to have total control of the mayor. If these people were the most qualified then why not call a special meeting and have a vote. A vote on qualifications not personal feelings.
Call an emergency meeting
Call for a vote; ratify the hire and move on with business.
Stupid childish behavior doesn’t seem to end with this town. Maybe the new mayor made a mistake but heaven knows the past board/council is not above reproach.
Truthfully, I don’t know much more the town of Century or it’s residents can take. They certainly appear a laughing stock almost matching Cantonment’s crime rates.
Mayor Boutwell was recently a board member so he should have known the process.
Geez. The Mayor admitted on record he was wrong. He’s been properly reprimanded so if he ever does it again cause a stink. Vote on the new hires if you really feel that strongly and move on.
Unless there was a “good ole buddy” or nepotism involved with the candidates does the council really not have better things to do?
Things like this on small scales with towns like Century, or bigger scales at the federal level is why I’m so jaded with politics in general.
“Serve the people” ….. yeah right
WORRIED RESIDENT,
I have been waiting for about 5 years for everything to work out.
Still waiting…
Don’t bet the farm on this group!!!
Hope nothing changes, this is more entertaining that national tv!!!
!!!NOTICE TO ALL CITIZENS OF CENTURY!!!
Luis Gomez will “make sure that everything is done by the books” until everything is NOT done by the books.
“I’m not here to preach but I’m here to make sure that everything is done by the books…”
When did this start? Will this last thru the next council meeting?
Did they do everything by the book when they gave personal loans to the council members?
Did they do everything by the book when they process accounts payable for the natural gas service?
Did they do everything by the book when they realize they did not have funds for infrastructure maintenance/upgrades?
To me, it sounds like we have a new mayor, and a new council president. What happened in the past, is in the past. It’s a new day. I think it’ll all work out.
Cancel culture at it best. The rules only apply when it benefits you.
Imagine prospective business owners reading this and going “NOPE!”
“Com on Maaan” just saying…
Mr. Gomez is 100% correct, if that is indeed what the town charter states. Facts are not right or wrong based on the source of the information and whether or not it is agreed or disagreed with.
Also, one might want to think why hires require an up/down vote on the mayor’s picks. It’s to keep them from hiring buddies or cronies or doing favors to get people jobs. Not a bad idea.
I disagree with rerunning the ad if it was done correctly to begin with. The two people hired should have been put up for approval at the next meeting, if not this one, and the council should move on. The three that voted to start over are just being difficult for the sake of being difficult.
Sounds like Mr. Gomez is not happy with the improvements the new mayor is making. Seems he is just stirring the pot so he can look like he has power over the mayor.
Remember Mr. Gomez is the leader (president) of the council and is in charge of getting the council out of the “stupid mode”. When does he come up for election again?
gotta go with the mayor on this one. this is the same council that didn’t want a cell tower built to improve cell service. then they knit pick on hiring by the mayor. pitiful.
Could someone from the council have said prior.
Hey Mr. Mayor , I know your new , but ya need to do this?
Geez ,
It appears someone on that council just couldn’t wait to pounce.
Never mind 2013, Did the council allow Hawkins to hire without consulting them? It would seem if they did, all of his hires would be null
And void….and if they aren’t null and void, then how is Boutwell’s hires null and void? Sounds like some on the council are trying to politically undermine the mayor. Third world politics in the People’s Republic of Florida. Consult the city attorney or the Florida league of municipalities (if there is one) and see what they say….don’t take the word of a politician who may or not have an agenda as the final word on the matter.
The selection process has nothing to do with the approval process. Why not just send the two names to the council for approval and forego starting from scratch?
So now the board has decided to follow the rules. Amazing. And random. The board seemed to let Hawkins to have free reign, however. Part of the hiring process should be for any applicant for a position in Century to be required to read the last 5+ years of North Escambia’s articles about the dealings in Century. I am sure some of these people have no idea what they are signing themselves up for, and they should honestly be made aware.
Power struggle in Century between the mayor who is trying to improve the town and the council, which is stuck in the stupid mode.