The Barrow County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday night to hire the county’s internal candidate as the new elections supervisor.
Katie Ferm has served as the interim supervisor since the December 2009 resignation of Kristi Royston, who left for a position in Gwinnett County, and has been an elections assistant in the Barrow County Board of Elections and Registration since 2005.
Human Resources Director Norma Jean Brown said she was the unanimous choice of the selection committee comprised of commissioners Billy Parks and Steve Worley, along with operations development manager Bob Hohe and Brown.
Brown said there were 75 applicants who were narrowed down to three finalists.
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Hendrix: ‘I can’t make him go’
The chairman pro tem of the Barrow County Board of Commissioners does not plan to push the issue of anger management classes for Chairman Danny Yearwood.
Commissioner Ben Hendrix told the Barrow Journal this week that the chairman knows what Cartersville attorney David Archer recommended following a three-month investigation into alleged employee law violations, and he knows the board accepted Archer’s report and recommendation that the county chairman take both anger management and government management classes.
“So to officially notify him is not necessary,” Hendrix said.
Yearwood told the newspaper last week that he does not plan to take anger management classes because he never yells. He indicated that any elevation in his voice level during conversations is due to a hearing problem. [Full Story »]
Commissioner Ben Hendrix told the Barrow Journal this week that the chairman knows what Cartersville attorney David Archer recommended following a three-month investigation into alleged employee law violations, and he knows the board accepted Archer’s report and recommendation that the county chairman take both anger management and government management classes.
“So to officially notify him is not necessary,” Hendrix said.
Yearwood told the newspaper last week that he does not plan to take anger management classes because he never yells. He indicated that any elevation in his voice level during conversations is due to a hearing problem. [Full Story »]
Yearwood says ‘no’ to attending anger class
Arguing that he “never” yells, Barrow County Chairman Danny Yearwood said Tuesday night that he would not take the “anger management” class that an outside attorney recommended following a three-month investigation into allegations of employment law violations.
In a brief exchange with a Barrow Journal reporter prior to the start of the regular meeting of the Barrow County Board of Commissioners, Yearwood shook his head from side to side and smiled broadly when asked if he were going to take the class.
“I’m hard of hearing, but I never yell,” Yearwood said, explaining that he has about 90-percent hearing loss in one of his ears.
Since the chairman is elected, not hired, the county’s governing body cannot compel him to comply with the recommendation of Cartersville attorney David G. Archer. [Full Story »]
In a brief exchange with a Barrow Journal reporter prior to the start of the regular meeting of the Barrow County Board of Commissioners, Yearwood shook his head from side to side and smiled broadly when asked if he were going to take the class.
“I’m hard of hearing, but I never yell,” Yearwood said, explaining that he has about 90-percent hearing loss in one of his ears.
Since the chairman is elected, not hired, the county’s governing body cannot compel him to comply with the recommendation of Cartersville attorney David G. Archer. [Full Story »]
Brown and Clement reprimanded
Two Barrow County department directors on opposite sides of the ongoing race and gender discrimination controversy have been issued written reprimands.
The pair of Feb. 10 reprimands were issued by Commissioner Ben Hendrix to Lyn Clement and Norma Jean Brown.
Hendrix is the chairman pro tem of the Barrow County Board of Commissioners, and the board last week directed him to oversee any disciplinary actions related to the recently completed investigation.
Normally, Commission Chairman Danny Yearwood disciplines directors. However, he is one of the two officials accused of race and gender discrimination.
[Full Story »]
The pair of Feb. 10 reprimands were issued by Commissioner Ben Hendrix to Lyn Clement and Norma Jean Brown.
Hendrix is the chairman pro tem of the Barrow County Board of Commissioners, and the board last week directed him to oversee any disciplinary actions related to the recently completed investigation.
Normally, Commission Chairman Danny Yearwood disciplines directors. However, he is one of the two officials accused of race and gender discrimination.
[Full Story »]
BOC responds to investigation
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.” [Full Story »]
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.” [Full Story »]
Attorney to conduct Barrow's internal investigation
A Cartersville attorney will conduct Barrow County’s internal investigation into claims by HR Director Norma Jean Brown that someone in a position of power within the county government has violated county, state and federal employment statutes.
David G. Archer of Archer & Lovell, P.C. will be paid $250 per hour to “investigate allegations that employment policies and/or ordinances of Barrow County, and/or federal and/or state laws have been violated,” according to the Nov. 9 agreement that was distributed to area media by Bob Hohe, the county’s operations development manager.
[Full Story »]
David G. Archer of Archer & Lovell, P.C. will be paid $250 per hour to “investigate allegations that employment policies and/or ordinances of Barrow County, and/or federal and/or state laws have been violated,” according to the Nov. 9 agreement that was distributed to area media by Bob Hohe, the county’s operations development manager.
[Full Story »]
HR director is target of alleged phone threat
The county employee allegedly targeted by a threatening phone call Oct. 23 was Human Resources Director Norma Jean Brown, who in recent days has brought to light concerns about possible racial and gender discrimination in the county government.
“Norma Jean called me Monday,” said Sheriff Jud Smith. “She said she had received a phone call that she thought was threatening in nature on her voice mail."
Smith said he did not personally listen to the message, but a deputy dispatched to Brown's office said the audio message was not of a person’s voice but was a message created from the sound track of a television commercial or other type of broadcast. [Full Story »]
“Norma Jean called me Monday,” said Sheriff Jud Smith. “She said she had received a phone call that she thought was threatening in nature on her voice mail."
Smith said he did not personally listen to the message, but a deputy dispatched to Brown's office said the audio message was not of a person’s voice but was a message created from the sound track of a television commercial or other type of broadcast. [Full Story »]
County hires private investigator: ‘Serious allegations’ to be examined
After a nearly two-hour closed meeting Tuesday night, the Barrow County Board of Commissioners voted to investigate “serious allegations” against one or more county officials.
But the commissioners would not disclose the nature of the allegations or identify who is the target of the investigation.
“The board of commissioners has received serious allegations regarding personnel in the county,” said Commissioner Steve Worley in making the motion.
The motion, which passed unanimously, directed county attorney Angela Davis to coordinate with the purchasing department for the selection of an investigator “immediately.”
Worley added: “The board will have no comment during this investigation.”
Human Resources Director Norma Jean Brown acknowledged to the Barrow Journal after the meeting that she brought the matter to the attention of four commissioners. She said she has met privately with four commissioners since Saturday and also has privately retained an Atlanta lawyer who specializes in employment law.
Brown’s attorney, Cheryl Legare of Buckley & Klein LLP, said Wednesday morning that the allegations involve gender and race discrimination as well as wage-hour violations. She said she expects to file a formal complaint to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission by next week. However, Legare would not provide any further information about the case because she has just begun her own investigation into the allegations.
“We like to talk to witnesses and do our own investigation,” Legare said. “We don’t throw things around willy-nilly. We feel it would be irresponsible to talk about people without backing it up.”
Legare said the commissioners’ decision to hire an independent investigator to look into the merit of the allegations is normal procedure.
The commissioners’ vote occurred at 9:17 p.m., following an executive session that began at 7:33 p.m.
Commissioner Larry Joe Wilburn voted against going into a closed meeting.
For more on this story, see the Oct. 28 issue of the Barrow Journal.
But the commissioners would not disclose the nature of the allegations or identify who is the target of the investigation.
“The board of commissioners has received serious allegations regarding personnel in the county,” said Commissioner Steve Worley in making the motion.
The motion, which passed unanimously, directed county attorney Angela Davis to coordinate with the purchasing department for the selection of an investigator “immediately.”
Worley added: “The board will have no comment during this investigation.”
Human Resources Director Norma Jean Brown acknowledged to the Barrow Journal after the meeting that she brought the matter to the attention of four commissioners. She said she has met privately with four commissioners since Saturday and also has privately retained an Atlanta lawyer who specializes in employment law.
Brown’s attorney, Cheryl Legare of Buckley & Klein LLP, said Wednesday morning that the allegations involve gender and race discrimination as well as wage-hour violations. She said she expects to file a formal complaint to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission by next week. However, Legare would not provide any further information about the case because she has just begun her own investigation into the allegations.
“We like to talk to witnesses and do our own investigation,” Legare said. “We don’t throw things around willy-nilly. We feel it would be irresponsible to talk about people without backing it up.”
Legare said the commissioners’ decision to hire an independent investigator to look into the merit of the allegations is normal procedure.
The commissioners’ vote occurred at 9:17 p.m., following an executive session that began at 7:33 p.m.
Commissioner Larry Joe Wilburn voted against going into a closed meeting.
For more on this story, see the Oct. 28 issue of the Barrow Journal.
Water rates remain an issue
While progress has been made on several aspects of the state mandated Service and Delivery Strategy, Barrow County and its municipalities remain divided on the issue of water rates.
On October 2, leaders of Barrow County’s municipalities were shocked when Barrow County Commission Chairman Danny Yearwood announced he intended to renegotiate the water contracts between the county and the cities.
Before the issue could be discussed further, Yearwood abruptly left the meeting.
[Full Story »]
On October 2, leaders of Barrow County’s municipalities were shocked when Barrow County Commission Chairman Danny Yearwood announced he intended to renegotiate the water contracts between the county and the cities.
Before the issue could be discussed further, Yearwood abruptly left the meeting.
[Full Story »]
Barrow County’s revenue forecast brightens
Barrow County’s revenue picture for the upcoming year may not be as dismal as expected.
Despite this summer’s countywide reassessment of 29,000 properties, most of which declined in value, the overall tax digest dropped by only 3.5 percent, according to Tax Commissioner Melinda Williams.
That is about half of the expected decline and could mean another $650,000 in property tax revenue for the county government in FY2010, according to internal auditor Marilyn Golightly.
However, the revenue forecast in the proposed budget for the new fiscal year will not be amended before Monday night's public hearing on the budget, she said.
[Full Story »]
Despite this summer’s countywide reassessment of 29,000 properties, most of which declined in value, the overall tax digest dropped by only 3.5 percent, according to Tax Commissioner Melinda Williams.
That is about half of the expected decline and could mean another $650,000 in property tax revenue for the county government in FY2010, according to internal auditor Marilyn Golightly.
However, the revenue forecast in the proposed budget for the new fiscal year will not be amended before Monday night's public hearing on the budget, she said.
[Full Story »]
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