Two weeks after an investigator said he had found no corroboration for most of the discrimination allegations against two county officials, the Barrow County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday took actions to protect the jobs of all three African American employees working at the government’s headquarters.
The board immediately removed from the supervision of director Lyn Clement three departments with African American employees who have filed Equal Employment Opportunity Commission charges against the county.
The commission also announced plans for further restructuring actions at its Feb. 23 meeting, possibly to change who reports directly to Commission Chairman Danny Yearwood, whom the investigator recommended take “anger management” classes.
And in a third extraordinary move apparently intended to show county employees the board’s zero tolerance for workplace harassment, the commissioners voted unanimously to launch a new probe – this time, to find out who tacked up near an employee time clock the front page of a local newspaper with the headline, “No evidence to support discrimination claims.”
As commissioners met in executive sesssion, Chairman Danny Yearwood told the Barrow Journal that he does not plan to take the recommended anger management classes. He then qualified his response, saying he would not decide until hearing the board's request.
BOC responds to investigation
Sheriff Jud Smith told the Barrow Journal Wednesday morning that his staff has been able to obtain prints from the newspaper. But he said that while the posting of the article – that was favorable to Clement and Yearwood – might constitute “workplace harassment,” it was not a criminal act.
FURTHER REORGANIZATION POSSIBLE
The board Tuesday night took no action regarding the other official that Human Resources Director Norma Jean Brown accused of race and gender discrimination: Yearwood.
Archer said he found no corroboration for Brown’s race and gender allegations against the county chairman, but he did find that he had violated a county policy by yelling not only at Brown but also at other employees and commissioners whom he interviewed during his investigation.
The report recommended that Yearwood “be required to attend anger management and county government management courses as appropriate to assure that such offending conduct is not repeated” but left any further action to the discretion of the board of commissioners.
For more details, see the Feb. 10 edition of the Barrow Journal.
FURTHER REORGANIZATION POSSIBLE
The board Tuesday night took no action regarding the other official that Human Resources Director Norma Jean Brown accused of race and gender discrimination: Yearwood.
Archer said he found no corroboration for Brown’s race and gender allegations against the county chairman, but he did find that he had violated a county policy by yelling not only at Brown but also at other employees and commissioners whom he interviewed during his investigation.
The report recommended that Yearwood “be required to attend anger management and county government management courses as appropriate to assure that such offending conduct is not repeated” but left any further action to the discretion of the board of commissioners.
For more details, see the Feb. 10 edition of the Barrow Journal.
He needs to be ousted and our votes need to reflect our dis-pleasure with the circus which he has put this county through. He isn't the only problem we have in local government,but he is certainly the most conspicuous.
Then he can go back to what he is good at...
Any ideas?
If you are reading this, I hope you realize that the writing is on the wall. We are not stupid, your days as Chairman are numbered. Whether by recall or the next election.
BOC... We are watching how you deal with this issue closely. He may not be accountable to you, but ya'll are all accountable to us (the voters). Time to put the muzzle on your dog, or we will put it on all of you. Business as usual will not work any longer.
My 2 cents
Seriously, where are the folks who believed that this guy could run a county and voted for him? There is no groundswell of support. Has he alienated himself from even his own supporters?
Must be pretty lonely for him.... Just him and the crickets.