Wallace reprimanded for E-911 ‘inefficiency’; E-911 merger with Winder nearly stopped in its tracks

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Wednesday, December 14. 2011

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Under fire for months over a variety of issues, the longtime manager of Barrow County’s E-911 Communications Center has been reprimanded for managerial “inefficiency” as well as for how she has reacted to criticism from both inside and outside the department.

Barrow County Emergency Services Chief Dennis Merrifield issued a written reprimand to Kathy Wallace on Dec. 2. That was the day after he and Wallace met with two E-911 dispatchers to discuss a November letter they and a third dispatcher had sent to the chief about the management of the center.

Meanwhile, the proposed merger of the county and Winder's E-911 systems came within a single vote of being stopped in its tracks Tuesday night by the Barrow County Board of Commissioners.

Under a tentative proposal, the city agreed to cover for about 36 months the costs of four city police dispatchers going to work for the county in its E-911 center.

County officials agreed to cover the cost of upgrading the communication center’s computer-aided dispatch system to enable it to handle the increased dispatching services and to make it compatible with the city police department’s system.

However, when BCES Chief Dennis Merrifield asked for the FY2012 budget amendment to cover the $79,972 cost of upgrading the hardware and software, it took a fourth vote by BOC chairman Danny Yearwood to break a 3:3 tie. Voting no were commissioners Larry Joe Wilburn, Eva Elder and Ben Hendrix.

For the full story, see the Dec. 14 issue of the Barrow Journal.

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#1 Jack Legg on 12/14/11 at 07:47 AM [Reply]

Why would a personnel matter get so much attention in a "newspaper"?I want to also see how many people were late for work, broke something or did something they shouldnt have. As for the idiot commisioners vote.I dont know if merging is a good idea or not, time will tell, but did the three idiot commisioners who voted no think that it was alll going to be done for free?How does any of these idiots think they can step in and fill the number one idiots shoes after 2012 if they dont know what they are voting on or even discussing?

#2 everywhere else on 12/14/11 at 07:54 AM [Reply]

They report all. County city school system. Why should she be an exception. I am just surprised it has taken them this long to figure out what all she is not doing. Norma is not there to cover anymore.

#2.1 Jack Legg on 12/14/11 at 08:42 AM [Reply]

Really? who was late for work last week in the fire department then? Anybody that has been around any type of public safety for very long knows that "inefficiency" is a catch alll phrase that they use when nothing else really applies.Most of the time it relly just means that you and your boss do not Gee Haw exactly the same and then you can use that inefficiency slap to either do things the way they want or transfer out.Since shes a department head there is really nowhere for her to transfer out to , so she can start doing things the way Butterfield wants or leave.Thats wahat an inefficiency write up means, It is still an internal personnel matter though and even though it is a public department , its really nobodies business but her and Butterfields.

What we actually have here is another example of a trashy gossip column masquarading as a news outlet.

#3 wow on 12/14/11 at 08:52 AM [Reply]

I can not believe I am in agreement with Jack leggg!!! maybe I need drug testing, personeel matters should be kept private between Employer end Employee.... who told this the Employee or some big mouth out of HR!!!!

#3.1 Why ? on 12/14/11 at 08:59 AM [Reply]

Why an issue now? Are you a personal fan of Kathy? I have seen nothing blogged about your objections concerning other personnel issues printed before. They print them about all.

#3.1.1 Jack Legg on 12/14/11 at 09:34 AM [Reply]

I dont know what you have been reading, but I have always said on here that internal personnel matters are not public business but are gossipy instead. This is really a failure of the Barrow county govt.policies. You dont see this sort of thing reported in more professionaly run governments.Maybe with the advent of the county manager system this will be addressed.
The bigger story here anyway is the ineptitude of the county commisioners not even knowing what theyare votingon and not aware of thses merging discussions until the night they vote.One more reson to vote out ALL incumbents at every election.
and no I dont even know her much less a fan.

#3.1.1.1 whoa on 12/14/11 at 09:57 AM [Reply]

Then you do not read major city newspapers or listen to any investigating reporting from any Atlanta stations.

#3.1.1.2 Mike Buffington on 12/15/11 at 06:35 AM [Reply]

It's obvious you don't understand the difference between news and "gossip."

#3.1.1.2.1 Jack Legg on 12/15/11 at 07:25 AM [Reply]

Its ovious that you dont, but let me help you out.
GOSSIP>"Under fire for months over a variety of issues"

NEWS>"the longtime manager of Barrow County’s E-911 Communications Center has been reprimanded for managerial “inefficiency”"

GOSSIP> "as well as for how she has reacted to criticism from both inside and outside the department."

NEWS> "Barrow County Emergency Services Chief Dennis Merrifield issued a written reprimand to Kathy Wallace on Dec. 2. "

GOSSIP> "That was the day after he and Wallace met with two E-911 dispatchers to discuss a November letter they and a third dispatcher had sent to the chief about the management of the center."
The rest of the article was news.But by most peoples definition of news you had maybe a sentence worth about Wallace and the rest is needless and gossipy.You have repeatedly shown with your writing style that you know the difference between the news and gossip but you continue to dance across that very definite line and pretend that you are a watch dog newsman with everyones best interest at heart.I dont expect you to change because I have pointed out the obvious once again, but if someone doesnt point it out you would continue unchecked and your musings would take on an air of legitimacy. They already have with many of the less astute barrow readers, or listeners as the case probably is.

#3.1.1.2.1.1 Mike Buffington, Publisher on 12/15/11 at 07:37 AM [Reply]

Maybe you should go buy a print edition and read the full story before you pass judgement. It's obvious you have an ax to grind in this; perhaps you are a public employee yourself and fear that we might write about you someday? News is news; you may not like it, but we're going to report it. Unlike other newspapers, we won't sweep the failures of local public officials under a rug, and that includes department heads. Get used to it.

#3.1.1.2.1.1.1 Jack Legg on 12/15/11 at 08:44 AM [Reply]

Oh , we are used to it believe me, but I dont think this employee is actually a "Department head", she obviously reports to the Fire Chief and that makes her a MID level manager.Whats next: The journal reports that firefighter "smith" broke an ax handle today at the scene of a strucutre fire.Two other firefighters were heard to comment that ff "smith" has been having a lot of trouble with his ex wife lately and that may have contributed to the incident.It is apparent that ff "smith will be issued a corrective action from his Lt. and it will also be signed by the fire chief and sent to human resources to be logged into his file. The journal has also found that this firefighter also was at the scene of a fire last year when a section of fire hose was damaged.

I frankly have no axe to grind about Wallace personally the ax grinding does have to do with the trumping up of allegations against lower eschelon county workers in the guise of not sweeping something under the rug.I have said before that elected officials are fair game, Department heads are also, up to a point. Her position is not a department head, the fire chief is the department head and this "story" is an internal personnel issue that was handeled.End of story.

#4 Mike Buffington, Publisher on 12/14/11 at 09:39 AM [Reply]

County public safety departments are funded by taxpayers. If there are leadership problems in those departments that call into question the management of those departments, it is very much the public's business. This newspaper does not sweep such issues under the rug. If you choose to work for a public agency, personnel problems are sometimes aired in public. If you don't like that, then go to work in the private sector.

#4.1 Jack Legg on 12/14/11 at 09:54 AM [Reply]

I wondered when you would crawl out.Name one other public safety personnel matter of a city or county that has been reported in Georgia involving a midlevel manager, not a department head, in any story other than when and why they left their job.and any other than from the barrow journal about Barrow county.

#4.1.1 whoa on 12/14/11 at 09:59 AM [Reply]

Would not consider her a mid level manager when she can hire or fire

#4.1.2 wow on 12/14/11 at 10:44 AM [Reply]

what an "idiot" It was nice when you were in your hole. GO BACK

#4.1.3 Mike Buffington, Publisher on 12/14/11 at 10:47 AM [Reply]

Go to the sister website of the Journal in Jackson County and you can read where a mid-level JCSO employee was fired this week.

#4.1.3.1 Jack legg on 12/14/11 at 11:39 AM [Reply]

I started to just leave it alone, but I went to your other publication and all I saw was where a deputy was fired after he got arrested for fleeing a traffic stop.Are you seriously trying to compare that to someone getting written up for inefficiency?
I dont even kno where to begin contrasting these stories, so I wont . Whoever is reading all this dribble can look at your own given examples and see what is going on for themselves.You have suddenly become unworthy of debate mike.

#4.1.3.1.1 Mike Buffington on 12/14/11 at 07:50 PM [Reply]

Also look at the Banks County News site; one county rec employee fired, two others "written up" for wasting time on county computers.

#4.1.3.1.1.1 Jack Legg on 12/14/11 at 08:24 PM [Reply]

Dont you own that one also? or work for them? You are not helping your case by citing flawed examples that you or your underlings have written.The point is that it is a form of illegitimate gossip to report on such mundane personnel matters,do you think that you could come up with an example from a newspaper that you are not affiliated with? a legitimate news organization.
I do think this is being weighed in the court of public opinion and I dont think that you should try and wrap yourself in the cloak of a hard hitting journalist when you resort to national enquirer and jerry springer type stories.

#4.1.3.1.1.1.1 Mike Buffington on 12/15/11 at 05:59 PM [Reply]

Hmmmm....methinks this story hit a little close to home....

#4.2 Sybil on 12/14/11 at 09:49 PM [Reply]

How about looking into the Barrow Commissioners, Planning Commission and Appeals Board. How much do they get paid and how well do they do their jobs? Do the PC and AB members even look at the properties on which they vote? Do they talk to the neighbors? Have they read the county ordinances that apply to their job? And how much do our Commissioners make? Are they trying to do their job or are they surprised with items shortly before the meetings? We should know whether we are getting what we pay for. I'd sure like to have a job where I got a salary and benefits and didn't have to do anything but show up for one or two meetings a month!

#5 great on 12/14/11 at 11:45 AM [Reply]

Must be your sister. For a Bible Thumper, you sure seen to stay drunk alot. Keep drinking my friend. Your parents should take your 30 year old computer away from you.

#5.1 Anonymous on 12/14/11 at 12:13 PM [Reply]

that is so far off topic, what does the fact that jacklegg is a christian have to do with anything ?
i got your back jack, i like the things you say and the way you say it and i am not alone

#5.1.1 sometimes on 12/14/11 at 12:55 PM [Reply]

I find myself agreeing with Jack and wondering if I escaped from miledgeville!!!
Either way I enjoy Jacks addition and views though many times not agreeing.

#6 great on 12/14/11 at 12:52 PM [Reply]

shut up. I see you to have nothing informative and on topic to say.

#6.1 Anonymous on 12/14/11 at 01:13 PM [Reply]

there you go again....#6 is an idot

#7 mark deiz on 12/14/11 at 04:59 PM [Reply]

I see that someone has finally figured out that kw is not qualified to hold that position

#7.1 amen on 12/14/11 at 08:03 PM [Reply]

Never was

#8 myrtle on 12/14/11 at 07:30 PM [Reply]

Its funny how when a manager gers in trouble, her dirty laundry gets aired. Maybe the paper need dirt this week from Barrow and since they had no real story, they found this. I dont know the managerial style of said person, but it couldnt be that bad if the Coutny has kept her around ths long. looks to me like 3 employees made a complaint about their boss and the new guy Chief acted on the complaints. guess thats what ya get when you have a Fire Chief overseeing the daily operations of something he has no clue about. But Since the reign of TerrorWood(Danny) what does one expect? No I'm no relative and no i dont work with this person, but it looks like someone has an axe to grind and an escape goat to find, and they found her. Its sad when the state of a county govt and their employee reprimands become paper fodder. What about other depts with write ups and dismissals in the county/ Are you going to dig through county personnel files and write about them next? Start with that money pit.. Sheriff's Office..wonder what one would uncover there????

#8.1 do not know on 12/14/11 at 08:01 PM [Reply]

Could it be a new manager has finally listened to the on going complaints. Some of these for years.
Norma can not cover for her or vice versa.

#8.2 Sybil on 12/14/11 at 09:43 PM [Reply]

If you think Barrow County doesn't keep employees who don't do their job - or don't do it properly - you haven't been paying attention. I can think of several who were no good at their county job, had side jobs that they spent their county time doing, and ended up leaving with pensions. My thanks to the Barrow Journal for bringing it all out in the open.

#9 Anonymous on 12/15/11 at 04:07 PM [Reply]

Jack Legg. You had your own news paper and you couldn't make a go of it. So you sold out. Now you try to tell Mike how to run his paper. If you don't like it then don't read it. Get lost onion head.

#10 wow on 12/15/11 at 05:07 PM [Reply]

THAT IS WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT. What and "idiot". He makes Anderson look good. That is really just what we need.

#11 Ms.Obvious on 12/16/11 at 06:45 AM [Reply]

Hate to point out the obvious, but is Merrifield really in any position to reprimand another county employee???? His "inefficiency" just cost this county a LOT of money!

#11.1 Fireman on 12/16/11 at 02:02 PM [Reply]

He is just trying to to divert attention away from himself.

#11.1.1 enough on 12/18/11 at 05:52 PM [Reply]

There is enough of kw things going around that he does not have to divert.

#12 Larry Williams on 12/19/11 at 12:25 AM [Reply]

Mike, I hate to correct you in the middle of such an exciting blog, But-----the firing and reprimands of Banks County employees WAS NOT on the Banks County News site only the print edition. I am sure you remember, we have had this exchange already.

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Wallace reprimanded for E-911 ‘inefficiency’; E-911 merger with Winder ...

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Wallace reprimanded for E-911 ‘inefficiency’; E-911 merger with Winder nearly stopped in its tracks

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