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Century Mayor Walks Out Of Meeting Offering To Resign, But Later Decides To Finish Term
August 16, 2023
Century Mayor Ben Boutwell walked out of a town council meeting Tuesday night saying that he would submit his resignation Wednesday morning, but now he says he will continue on the job and fighting for Century.
Council member Dynette Lewis questioned what she termed the mistreatment of employees. She also questioned why one employee was not paid more while being trained how to do a different task.
Boutwell said some employees were simply being cross-trained to do different jobs because, he said, there’s often no one else on the small staff able to perform a job when an employee is out.
“I’ll tell you what, if this is what you want, I’ll resign right now,” Boutwell said as the discussion became more intense. “Because you know what, I’ve had enough. All I’m trying to do is best for this town.” He then stood up, walked out of the meeting and went home.
Wednesday morning, Boutwell told NorthEcambia.com that he will not resign.
“Following a heated exchange during last night’s town council meeting, out of frustration I offered to resign my position as mayor,” Boutwell said. “In the light of a new day and following a sleepless night of prayer, I need to put that offer aside and press on. I have an obligation to the citizens who voted for me to see my term through and continue to do the best I can for our town. I would appreciate your prayers and support as we continue to work to improve Century.”
Pictured top and inset: Century Mayor Ben Boutwell offered to resign Tuesday night after a heated discussion with his town council. Pictured below: Council member Dynette Lewis questioned what she called the mistreatment of employees. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
34 Responses to “Century Mayor Walks Out Of Meeting Offering To Resign, But Later Decides To Finish Term”
Ms. Lewis works 2 jobs an doing very well an some of the other employees that work for the mayor also have 2 jobs, they not worrying about the residents in the town of century or what about the people work in the town of century. There minimum wage needs to go up to $15 dollars an hours since everything has gone up in the town of century.
It’s time to start getting along! Peace must abide! There are a plethora of issues that must be addressed! Each person must be willing to listen to each other respectfully! This has been going on too long! Also, people should also refrain from posting futile statements when they really have no clue of what all of the facts are! Come on people we can do better! Let’s abide in peace!
So sad… this is why century is like it is….. fired every last oneof them….just because there been grant money given they think they should gets more.money paid to them!!! The money for century not for these lazy do nothing but talk folks… I would fired everyone but the mayor….. just saying….
@Cut Deep
Thank you for being a voice of reason here. The Boomer logic is strong in these comments.
@Work Together
You accidentally walked into the point. Cross trainer employees are valuable to a business. It allows them to cover gaps in production and increase their flexibility.
Salary is a negotiation between a worker providing labor and a business providing compensation. If the value of the worker’s labor increases, so should their compensation. This is basic Capitalism 101.
It looks like to me that the same two council members are always stirring things up. Nobody did anything wrong here….if that’s all ya got to attack him about this time… I reckon the mayor is doing a fine job!!
@cutdeep are you employed? With an attitude like that, I bet you win the employee of the month award…every month. “Not my job, not my problem”? Let’s say an employee is on maternity leave or has an accident or illness resulting in an extended period of absence from work. That employee performs a function upon which the cash flow into the town is dependent, and that causes a kink in payroll…not enough money to pay the employees (scarily plausible for the town of Century). Would it be your problem then? Uh-huh, I bet so. Any kind of business needs employees who are willing to cross-train and I think that point has been made in the preceding comments. Blessed are those who are flexible, for they shall not be easily broken.
Yawn.
If Gulf Breeze would have annexed Century a few years back, none of this would be an issue.
I think Mrs.Lewis did absolutely great by speaking up for the employees of town. For years this same problem has been going on where the system is designed to keep people in the town of century community at a low pay rate keeping the community in a position where it can’t flourish. Do the people of the town should get paid more for learning another task, absolutely? Why, because when you start a job you start in a certain position, that’s what you get paid for “ YOUR TASK” and no one else’s. For you to train and do others task while they sit at home on vacation eating burgers and steak, yes I absolutely think the town employees should get paid more for. Other than that the town should find more employees so they don’t have to pay more if they don’t want but it’s definitely wrong for someone to do others task and don’t get paid for it. Think about it other people job task might require more than just common sense who want to go through learning that and doing someone else’s work and not get paid for it.
I agree with Ed. If Century is dissolved the prices of water, sewage, gas, and trash will be high. I know I work for a utility in Pensacola, our prices here in Century are a fraction of Pensacola’s utilities. I wish people would get behind the mayor, work together and help Century to be the town it is meant to be. Come on people, we have homes and investments here to protect, where are all the positive thinking people? I do think this council is ridiculous, Cross training is something all offices utilize, and is a must for continuity, extra pay is usually not in the picture, it is just normal operating procedures.
Those of you who keep saying that all the council members and staff need to go are obviously not paying attention. How long has this problem been going on? How many people have been elected to these positions and nothing changed? How much begging do they do to get people to run for these positions? The place is so screwed up, nobody wants to do it and the people who do get in there to do it don’t know what they are doing. I think Ben Boutwell is doing a great job at trying “herd the cats” so to speak but you can only do so much. If people would spend as much time working on solutions than complaining about the problem, things would get better.
Sounds like a few outspoken lazy people got in Ms Lewis’s ear complaining about having to work and convinced her that they were being mistreated.
I’ve seen this happen before at other institutions, she got played.
Really do need to get rid of all these Council members. They do not have a clue of what their doing are what jobs include them doing. A worker must have complained about learning to do something else, well if you can’t train to do different jobs you need to go, I am sure they would have been understanding with you and patient till you learn the job. Never heard of anyone getting extra pay or more money to train on something else while they are working, be thankful you have a job.My prayers are for the Mayor and town clerk. If all this mess keeps up the town will wind up being part of Pensacola and you surly don’t want that. Get yourselves together and work together like human being should.
Honestly, Ben. No one would blame you if you quit. You gave it your best shot.
Your effort to make it better and theirs to keep goofing it up is proof this little failed town government doesn’t want to do any different than previous governments.
The state needs to pull the charter and sell the assets off. The citizens in the city limits warrant way better than this.
Certain elements have always fought this mayor because they didn’t like seeing the last mayor lose and they’d rather see the ship sink rather than fix the leaks. Stand talk Mr Mayor and don’t let those who make a mockery of our democracy win.
This is the way this counsilwbere works. Worst bunch of counsilwbere members the town has ever had.why can’t you work with the mayor instead of fighting him. And then to the ones that want to get rid of the town you need to look at what the people in the county pays for there services.The citizens of century don’t need that. It’s time for the citizens of century to stand up and get rid of the counsilwbere vote for a new bunch.Gomez and his cronies need to go.
Mw Lewis, I wonder who put you up to asking such a dumb question. Most job descriptions usually have a little kicker at the end that say “and other jobs as assigned”, but cross training is not doing two jobs. FYI, it could be a step to getting a promotion. Don’t be duped by others, check and verify all aspects of a situation before you go public!
For the hundredth time, the State should have stepped in and revoked the city charter and turned it all over to the County about 20-30 years ago.
Century has shown time and time again how dysfunctional they are and how inept at running government or a business. As these articles highlight how hilarious this has gotten and change needs to happen. If it doesn’t this town will be bankrupt before long.
This town as it’s so called just needs to be dissolved. It’s broke, so called council is horrible and wants money they don’t have.
On this week’s episode of Town of Century Dumpster Fire – One of the only town officials with any common sense wants to resign. Will he stay and try to help Century? Or will he just get too frustrated with the stupidity and end up leaving. Will Century citizens finally vote to abolish the town government and go under Escambia County?
Stay tuned folks.
I guess the military owes me back pay, cross training for the good of a company or organization is vital to keeping the company alive, ya know services continue.
Agreeing with those who say council members go.
Mrs Lewis is living proof that Century is disfunctional.
Ridiculous! Perhaps if the city had a Union, one would be paid the higher rate while cross training. It’s obvious that Ms Lewis didn’t know what she was talking about before she made the accusation! Ben, I wouldn’t blame you one bit if you did resign!
Working daily with this kind of “mistreatment “ is more than a person can stand! You all are certainly mistreating your Mayor!
@concerned citizen, I agree !!!!!!
@Jim Stanton,you are absolutely right !!!!! Too many ‘entitled’attitudes on the council!! I wonder if a new person is a relative???? Sounds like some of them have overstayed their stint!!!!!!
They need to get rid of all of them on the council and put all new people or just do awawith the city
Agree with Jim …
Cross “training” should never pay a higher wage. Once someone is trained and then takes on the responsibility of that task, that’s when they start reaping the benefits. NOT WHILE TRAINING … Really silly question from whomever asked it!
The man asked for prayer … let’s lift him up!
That city council person should resign. She thinks it’s mistreating employees by training them on different things, and providing backup to the city for knowledge of tasks? C’mon lady. You obviously need to get out of any leadership role. Resign.
He’s Simply Out Numbered in Century …..
Century Councilmember, Ms. D. Lewis, must have never worked in a situation where it is GOOD BUSINESS Practice for people to be Crosstrained to do more than their assigned task.
My experience included decades of Learning More and Being a Teammember as part of Crosstraining. When others were absent there was always someone who could manage their tasks until they returned. That way, CM D. Lewis, the operations did not suffer nor did the users go without their products.
PAID More to Crosstrain? Nope, Never knew of anyone being paid more during a time of crosstraining and EVERYONE got a lot of time in On Job Training when a new hire or transfer in.
Town of Century is done a Horrible Service by members of the “Council” and their Malfeasance, Misfeasance and Nonfeasance.
Please Lord, watch over the Citizens of Century and Lead GOOD Servants to seek Public Office in the coming elections.
Thanks to this article I now know that I was badly mistreated in the more than twenty years that I worked for the county road department. For several years I worked in the office doing regular office work, but thanks to the mistreatment when I wasn’t needed in the office, I was able to do just about everything else that was needed. If they needed someone to drive a dump truck, I did that, or load trucks with a track hoe or front-end loader or even grade a road. No, I wasn’t as good on most of the equipment that the regular operators were, but I could fill in until the regular person got back to work. I never ever thought of it as mistreatment, I always thought of it as job security. I still think of cross training as job security. And no, I never got paid an extra dime for the cross training and never thought that I should be paid extra. Mr. Mayor a lot of us in Century know you are working with the absolute worst town council to ever be seated in this town. Every one of them could make Century a better place to live simply by resigning and seating a new council.
“….besides which I decided not to accept my resignation when I offered it to me.”
Just joking although I imagine it does get a little frustrating at times.
The Mayor is the only one with Common Sense and Business Sense, him resigning would be awful.
From my understanding After listening in on the meeting (Leslie Howington) gave the Mayor Misinformation about what she wanted to do within the job change and that was lowdown she basically masterminded the demotion and kept it from the council then let the Mayor take all the backlash, sneaky don’t you think? Town of Century employees start speaking up more often Great job City Council everyone should be treated fairly