Racial Discrimination or Oversight You Decide.

Several threads on this blog have been weakened and misdirected by information and questions involving the racial discrimination suit that was brought by Mrs. Lisa White against the County. In order for the other threads to follow their topics I am presenting this topic as it’s own thread.

The County settled the case after the EEOC found the county was guilty of racial discrimination which resulted in Mrs. White being awarded $72,000.00 from the county. Half paid by the county and half by the insurance carrier.

This suit resulted when the Financial Management Committee took applications for the position of The Financial Management Director. The Committee in charge of these applications was made up of County Executive J. Vanzant; School Director T. Jackson; Highway Superintendent B. Hyatt; Commissioners S. Jackson, R. Flacy, C. Howell and T. Campbell. Both Commissioners Connie Howell and Tommy Campbell resigned from the committee before the final selection was made.

Some interesting side notes are that; the County Executive refused to appoint anyone to this committee but commissioners; sent unapproved requirements with applications to be evaluated (instead of a requirement for five years experience with county or city government the requirement was altered to read five years experience with Giles County Government) this resulted in none of the first applicants but Judy Roberts being qualified. The County Executive reported no applicants qualified and lowered the qualifications and raised the salary this in spite of several applicants having received over 200 out of a possible 300 points. The County Executive then solicited and accepted an application from a friend who had no accounting degree from any college level program. Finally when the County Executive was forced to hold public meetings on these applications they decided to hold secret ballots each time they voted on the candidates. Finally after I was told if I didn’t like what they were doing, “get a lawyer”. I contacted DA Bottoms filed a complaint and he contacted the county attorney Scott Spear with instructions to nullify the procedures and begin the process again.

All the applicants resumes were sent to the Fanning Institute at the University of Georgia and were evaluated under the direction of the Director James Youngquist Each applicant was assigned a numerical grade from 1 to 300.

The names and evaluation numbers were as follows Lisa White 260; James Murphy 250; Lorretta Garner 240; Dana Bowman 240; Judy Roberts 230; Elizabeth Sigmon 200. There were others but no one else scored above 131.

Mrs. Roberts withdrew before her interview.

Mrs. White was the only person in the top five who was not granted an interview. This led to her contacting the EEOC and them holding and investigation. They found the County Executive and committee had violated Mrs. White’s Civil Rights and issued a finding to the county announcing they were prepared to enter the case in federal court. The county then decided they would not dispute the claim and paid Mrs. White $72,000.00 the equivalent of one years salary as the Financial Management Director. Allen Barrett

Letter From Commissioner James Harwell

This is a letter that appeared in the Pulaski Citizen and was requested to be made a topic for this Blog.

Commissioner Wilburn Went to Bat

To the Editor:

Thanks, Wendell Wilburn. It isn’t a good thing to tell the county “No” when asking for an invoice for goods or services rendered. It sends up red flags, causes questions to be asked, creates suspicion, and it is a violations of the Freedom of Information Act. This is what happened when Mr. Wendell Wilburn asked for an invoice for insurance premiums paid by the county. Mr. Wilburn is a 1st District County Commissioner and chairman of the Insurance Committee. This committee was formed at the beginning of the 2009-10 session of the County Commission. The hope was to help in reducing expenses, since insurance has its impact on the county’s budget.

Mr. Wilburn contacted surrounding counties and asked for invoices on their insurance, which were readily given to him, but Giles County didn’t. It seems as though the way the insurance is being paid (is) the carrier bills the agent and the agent bills the county. This makes the agent not accountable to the Freedom of the Information Act.

During the Insurance Committee meeting, Mrs. Vanzant entered the conference room with a tape recorder in hand, her game face on and her game attitude in place. This, I suspect, was her feeble attempt to intimidate Mr. Wilburn. She made a few remarks about, “being tired of hearing this,” and “no, I don’t need a sermon,” knowing that Mr. Wilburn is pastor of Grace Baptist Church. I think she did, but I doubt it would do any good.

Mr. Wilburn presented the information, made comparisons and asked questions — questions every commissioner and person in attendance should have asked but didn’t. Instead, Mr. Campbell began to accuse Mr. Wilburn of accusations he didn’t make. Mr. Campbell blind-sided Mr. Wilburn by railing against him. Why? I think Mr. Campbell was more interested in taking the “ostrich” approach (sticking his head in the sand), refusing to cooperate with anyone except Mrs. Vanzant.

Mr. Wilburn has chosen not to run for office again, and this is sad. I guess it’s true what the old adage says: “You can’t fight City Hall,” or in this case, the county, even when you have the right. It seems the Good Ole Boy System is alive and well in Giles County.

Mr. Wilburn is a good commissioner, a good man, and Giles County doesn’t need to loose his leadership, For those of you in the 1st District, you need to know he went to bat for you. He did what he said he would do and more.

Thanks, Wendell Wilburn, I count it a privilege to have been able to serve these past four years with you.

In closing, I want to leave you with this thought: “Be not deceived; God is not mocked; whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” Galatians 6:7. To put it in layman’s terms, what goes around comes around, from captains to commoners, from princes to paupers.

James W. Harwell, 6th District County Commissioner