Duvall: No negotiations for Thomas
Last Updated on 12/4/2008
Published on 8/28/2008
By Tommy Howard
thoward@gtowntimes.com
Groups like the Municipal Association of South Carolina (MASC) exist to serve their members.
Howard Duvall, executive director of MASC, said while that's true, "We are not involved in negotiations."
That comment came in a telephone conversation with Duvall Thursday from his office in Columbia. He was responding to news reports elsewhere that said MASC was helping the City of Georgetown negotiate a resignation agreement between City Administrator Steve Thomas and City Council.
"I've been aware of what's going on," Duvall told the Georgetown Times, "but this is strictly a Council and mayor's problem."
He said he's talked with a couple of Council members, but they were just seeking information on the process of the departure of an administrator.
They also wanted to know if MASC would be able to help find an interim administrator.
"But, I told them, we could not do it on the request of an individual Council member. It would have to be on the request of the Mayor and Council."
Find another job
The question arises in the wake of a reported letter signed by five members of City Council to Thomas.
In that letter, the members told Thomas he should find another job or he would be terminated. Several people have said that Thomas asked for and received a two-week extension, saying he needed the time to find another job. He reportedly said he would announce his resignation at the Aug. 21 meeting of Georgetown City Council.
Despite an overflow crowd of people at City Hall who expected that would happen, City Council took no action. Members held an hour-long executive session with Thomas that night. When they returned to regular session, Council immediately adjourned.
City residents and several members of Council have been unhappy with enforcement actions against several businesses, lateness of providing information for a possible Lowe's home improvement store, for a $4 million grant to help with a $18.5-million drainage project, failure to return phone calls and more.
The newspaper has reported on several apparent violations of the state's Freedom of Information Act, and what may have been an effort to impose a "gag" order on city employees.
There was a threatened fine against Jeanette Ard over the question of a restroom in her ice cream shop. The potential fine grew to about $800,000 before Council adopted a resolution saying it would not seek to impose the fine. Ard had earlier filed a still-pending lawsuit against the city over the issue.
Numerous businesses and individuals have complained about various enforcement actions relating to signs, building codes, business licenses, planning and zoning and more.
The lack of action on Aug. 21 was the second time in recent months where citizens thought Thomas would be fired or allowed to resign. Councilman Peggy Wayne in mid-May offered a motion to fire Thomas after a two-hour executive session. Before that meeting, several members of Council had reportedly said they would vote for his termination. That night, however, no one seconded Wayne's motion so it failed.
Interim administrator
MASC has provided the services of Roland Windham as interim administrator for Andrews twice, and currently for Atlantic Beach in Horry County.
The help for Andrews was at no charge "because they were flat broke, and they had no way to pay for an administrator's help." Windham served there for six months.
"Atlantic Beach is paying us for the help we are providing, and just about all municipalities are paying us for the service," Duvall said.
The association pays the interim manager and bills the municipality for the cost. It's doing the same right now for the City of Columbia, for a person in that city's finance department, he said.
If Mayor Lynn Wood Wilson were to call him and say he and City Council have approved a request, that's all MASC would need.
The association has a list of people who are available, most of whom are retired.
"We would find somebody who would have the experience to help Georgetown on an interim basis," Duvall said. The six months that Windham spent in Andrews was the longest. Usually, it's a short-term situation, Duvall said. "In the Andrews case, he was fixing what was wrong."
"If they've got someone on the inside ready to step up, usually they can do that without an interim," he added. In that case, there would be no requirement to advertise the position and conduct a search.
If a search were to be conducted, however, MASC would help find an interim administrator.
"We could probably find somebody within a week that is capable," Duvall said.
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Lol it is people like you that make this world a bad place. When you die you can't take any of it with you. Why can't we all as a people want better for everybody noone wants crime black nor white.what about decent and looking out for fellow man having the love of god in your heart. This small minded town needs a change God bless Posted by change on 8/30/2008
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While I am in agreement that council probably didn't change the ordinance legally and is should have been done another way, there are many things to consider besides "growth" when it comes to low income housing. The area that the proposed development will go into will be affected in a few ways. Namely property values will go down and thus the people living in that area will lose equity in their homes. Then as the assessed value goes down the amount of taxes that are collected goes down. Also it is a fact that this development will raise the density and the crime rate in the area. One other thing to take into account is the way this development came about. It was originally submitted as "condos" if I am not mistaken and was denied. After the developers met with the city administrator and the mayor they were told that they could get it approved if it were "town homes" they went and changed the wording and submitted it that way to try to get around some of the ordinances. To me this whole thing sounds a little fishy. Why would they be told a way to get around the ordinance? Anyway I am not defending what the council did, but if it were your neighborhood would you try to fight it? Posted by LOL on 8/30/2008
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Just want to make sure everybody is aware of the lawsuit filed by the City against the Board of Zoning Appeals regarding the Pin Oak affordable housing development. The developers met with the Mayor and City Administrator to discuss this proposed property and were encouraged to proceed. The property was zoned for this type development and everything appeared to be fine until some of the neighbors expressed their opposition. In September 2007 the City Council passed amendments to the Zoning Ordinance without proper notice or in accordance with the procedures dictated under the City Zoning Ordinance. This was clearly an attempt by City Council to block an affordable housing development and the manner in which it was handled clearly illegal. After the fact City Council was advised that legally their actions were in violation of State and federal Fair Housing laws exposing the City to severe penalties. Lori Zito, as the representative for the surrounding neighborhoods has pushed this issue and is evidently oblivious to the reality of growth. If she doesn't want this development I suggest she buy all the undeveloped property in Georgetown. Posted by Alleyes on 8/29/2008
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What attacks are talking about Mrs. Stokes? I did not see them in the article and was wondering. Posted by LOL on 8/29/2008
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I think it would be appropriate for the voting taxpayers of the City of Georgetown to know exactly which Council members voted and stood by their vote to rid Georgetown of Steve Thomas. I now think we need to rid our City of the current Mayor, Lynn Wood Wilson and go from there. He and a few of his "employees" do not support the Citizens and therefore should not represent our City. We are a laughing stock to other municipalities in the State because of the "podunk" politics that are practiced by our City representatives. VOTERS: keep all of this information in your memory banks when it comes time for re-election and voice your opinions loud and clear by not re-electing certain individuals, namely Lynn Wood Wilson, Brendan Barber, Rudolph Bradley, Paige Sawyer, Jack Scoville and Clarence Smalls, but remember that Peggy Wayne did and does represent the Citizens. Posted by Citizen of Georgetown on 8/29/2008
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Tommy Howard, I find your attacks on fellow reporters self serving and appalling. If you are going to be a reporter, you should report the news rather than submitting your own “opinions and editorials” about another writer. My own opinion of you has dropped considerably. Posted by Lucille Stokes on 8/29/2008
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This town needs a change. There needs to be a change for the good for ALL the people here. 29 Posted by change on 8/29/2008
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Do a FOIA request for the letter, the voters want to know who signed and who didn't, and who signed, and is still letting him negiotate, at our demise. Posted by Voting & Taxpaying Resident on 8/28/2008
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