By Jeremy D. Wells
Carter County Times
Grayson city council may have come in like a timid lamb last Tuesday night, but it went out like a lion – with what had earlier seemed like a small procedural question turning into a dramatic exchange between business owner Larry Doucet and councilpersons Sudy Walker, Michael Harper, and Jennifer McGlone over annexation.
During the Main Street and the planning and zoning commission report earlier in the evening Mindy Woods-Click relayed a number of suggestions and advice provided to the city by a consultant for that program, as well as suggestions from planning and zoning. Among the Main Street consultants recommendations were comments about raising awareness of available parking and providing better parking signage downtown. Planning and zoning, meanwhile, recommended the creation of an annexation committee to standardize and codify the annexation process.
Such a plan, Woods-Click explained, could help alleviate confusion by setting out a clear process for annexation requests. For instance, setting a process for cases where future annexation was discussed with a property owner but never followed through on.
It was apparently a comment about that type of property that prompted a phone call from someone in the crowd to Doucet, who came into the meeting as it neared adjournment to speak during the public comment section.
Doucet reminded council that property couldn’t be annexed without landowner permission and asked whose land they planned to “stealth annex.”
When it was explained to Doucet that council hadn’t discussed the annexation of any particular property, but had simply formed an annexation committee – which included Harper, Walker, and McGlone – Doucet responded that he didn’t necessarily trust city council.
“I especially don’t trust you two,” he said, indicating Harper and Walker.
When Walker asked if he was being serious, Doucet responded in the affirmative.
“I think you’ll cut a throat in a heart beat,” he told Walker.
“How dare you!” Walker responded, before demanding an apology which Doucet declined to offer at the time.
Doucet explained later that he was made aware of the discussion by an unnamed third party, and that he had concerns council was planning to attempt annexation of property where he and his partners are building a restaurant. That property is adjacent to city limits, but technically in the county rather than the city.
Woods-Click said the annexation committee was suggested by the planning and zoning commission during their last meeting. Doucet is a member of the planning and zoning commission, but he was reportedly not present at the last meeting when the formation of an annexation committee was discussed.
Harper, who was seen speaking with Doucet following the adjournment of the meeting, said he heard Doucet’s concerns and that they had a productive discussion despite the rocky start.
Doucet said he was not opposed to annexation, but only when the property owner requested it and proper procedures were followed.
In other action council approved a number of new appointments, including a new police chief and assistant chief, and amended their ordinance related to police response areas.
Tony Cantrell was appointed the new Grayson police chief by unanimous vote, and Dean Ison was appointed his new assistant chief, also unanimously. Cantrell and Ison step into their new roles following the health related retirement of former chief Travis Steele.
Cantrell, who has been acting chief while Steele was off on medical leave, explained that the amendments to their response ordinance – which allows them to respond outside of city limits only in the role of a first responder, and not as the primary investigator but in an assisting role – were mostly undertaken as a response to their withdrawal from the FADE program. Because they are no longer participating in FADE, he said, none of their officers will be responding or have jurisdiction outside of the county. In the county, he explained, they are able to work with the sheriff’s office without such an agreement in place. The ordinance, he said, simply authorizes officers to respond “in line with standard operating procedure” as authorized by the chief.
Council also approved the appointment of Dustin Stewart to the tourism and convention commission committee as the representative of the restaurant association, and approved the changing of names on department accounts, accepted department reports, and heard a presentation on providing free public wi-fi hotspots in the downtown area from Advantage Technology.
Council did reject the mayor’s recommendation to appoint Jim Robinson to the role of city treasurer, stating their preference to advertise the position, accept applications, and interview applicants before making a decision. Robinson, who had previously applied for a city clerk’s position, is a certified public accountant and has been working with the city clerk’s office in a part time capacity. Mayor Troy Combs said that, as far as financial experience, Robinson was easily the most qualified applicant for the clerk’s position. But, he said, the clerk’s job “is more than just financial.” Because of the other aspects of the job and her experience, Combs chose Dawnita Lewis to fill the vacancy in the clerk’s office – a move that council approved.
Terry Stamper asked the mayor if he had taken any other applications when Combs made his suggestions, and Combs said he had not.
Stamper countered that council has “always advertised (for such positions) in the past” and been able to meet applicants, noting that he had never met Robinson or heard his name prior to the meeting.
Harper backed Stamper’s concerns, noting that he felt they should take applications because the job description for treasurer was different than that for the clerk. He said while Robinson may have been the applicant with the most financial experience to apply for that job, it didn’t mean the treasurer advertisement wouldn’t attract other candidates.
McGlone and Bradley Cotten voted in favor of the mayor’s choice, with Walker, Stamper, and Harper voting no.
Until the position is filled, Combs said, Lewis will continue to fill both roles.
Council did move to increase Robinson’s hours from part-time to full-time to fill a void left by the resignation of assistant clerk Sherry Gallion.
Combs said he would probably recommend Robinson again for the role, noting that while council can create positions, it is the privilege of the mayor to fill those roles.
Stamper, however, noted that the treasurer is an officer, and the appointment of all officers must be approved by council.
Combs had to leave following the discussion of the treasurer, leaving Stamper to fill his role and lead the meeting as mayor pro tem.
Stamper was leading the meeting when Doucet had his exchange with Walker.
Contact the writer at editor@cartercountytimes.com
