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| Magnolia Council fires City Secretary in latest city shakeup |
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The Magnolia City Council voted 4 to 1 to remove City Secretary LuAnn Drake from her position at a special meeting July 7.
The city cited only “a lack of confidence” on the official agenda as the reason for firing Drake. Drake told the Tribune she was on vacation when she got a call from Mayor Jimmy Thornton on July 2 telling her not to come back to work the following Monday because she was being terminated. Councilman John Bramlett was the only “nay” after Councilwoman Patsy Williams made the motion and Councilman Sammie Scott seconded the vote of no confidence. Thornton called for a discussion after the motion was made, but there were no comments. Councilman Jody Sanders, who was appointed to Council only a week prior, was one of the votes to fire Drake. Thornton said Deputy City Secretary Debra Brent has agreed to be interim secretary until a new City Secretary is hired, which will be “soon.” “This is a sad day for Magnolia,” Thornton said. “I will miss her (Drake).” About 20 people were present in the audience during the short but tension-filled meeting, most of whom left after the decision was made. Councilman Todd Kana said that he felt his vote was justified based on “information I gathered on my own.” “I have reasons, but I’m not ready to discuss them right at this time,” said Kana. “When I feel everything calms down I believe my reason is justified and I will share that when the time is correct.” Williams said her decision to vote to fire Drake was a difficult one. “It took a long time to make the decision and it wasn’t an easy one to make,” said Williams. “I’m confident in my mind and heart that I made the right one.” However, the Tribune obtained a copy of an e-mail to former city marshal Jeri Carpenter, that Williams wrote saying, “Help me out with this Thelma Jean (Carpenter) please. I am getting the sence (sic) that LuAnn is working for the OTHER side now. Do you know if she is funneling information to JoAnn (Windham)? I don’t feel comfortable with her. Or is she giving the information to someone else and they are giving the info to JW (Windham).” Windham ran against Thornton in the 2008 election for mayor and was defeated. Thornton and the rest of the Council would not comment further on why Drake was fired. According to the City of Magnolia’s Web site, the office of the City Secretary’s duties include preparing and distributing packets at all council meetings, keeping minutes at all council meetings, taking care of and maintaining city records, filling public information requests, and “inspiring public confidence and respect.” Drake asked to address the council and was denied by Texas Municipal League attorneys who were present at the meeting. After her request was denied, Drake, who was appointed City Secretary in 2006, handed out a letter to members of the audience that called the city’s actions “wrong” and said she had never been notified that her job performance needed improvement in her four years at city hall. In the letter, which is not dated, Drake addresses each councilmember in separate paragraphs. She calls what happened during the July 7 meeting “not right” and tells city employees “committing the ultimate sin of telling the truth in Magnolia will result in your termination.” Among the more serious allegations, Drake claims City Administrator Ryan Kelley made “costly mistakes” and has a “lack of experience.” “You led this Council and many others to believe things that were entirely false,” she wrote. “…the citizens of Magnolia will carry the burden with the costly mistakes created from your lack of experience and knowledge.” She also called out Williams, who Drake said “witnessed the hostile work environment…staff crying and fearing for their jobs,” and assured her that “everything would be ok.” “So my termination is the definition of ok?” Drake wrote. However, Drake also wrote, “It has been my pleasure to assist and serve the City Council and residents of the City of Magnolia for the past 5 years.” By law, the city is required to have a City Secretary, but not required to have a deputy secretary. “The council is functioning and we’re doing new things,” said City Administrator Ryan Kelley. “We have continued to be positive and function like we always have.” The firing comes nearly a week after former council member David Sutherland officially resigned from his position and Sanders was chosen to fill his spot.
Comments (8)
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written by exposed, July 13, 2009
How Does It feel?
Well, Councilwomen Williams (Mayor Pro Tem) and Mayor Thornton how does it feel? Your wickedness finally caught up with you and its “Poetic Justice”. It came from those same employees that came running to you and provided you with lies, rumors and innuendo’s to get rid of City Manager Jane Miller (who resigned before you could cast your evil vote of “no confidence” on her) along with some of her staff along with Chief Paul Rex (that you did the same to) along with some of his people you did not like. What did they do wrong? You could not manipulate Miller or Rex even when you threaten their jobs, if they didn’t fire certain employees (Miller and Rex are true leaders, they sacrificed themselves and did not allow themselves to become like you). After the true leaders were ousted it was like a shooting gallery YOU fired at will. The two of you are unethical, immoral individuals, Thornton went around town boasting, look who I got rid of. Now Williams ask once again for Thelma Jean Carpenter’s help in an email to justify getting rid of employees. These ex- councilmember’s and present councilmember’s that went along with your unethical decisions are just as dirty. Let’s not forget those employees that still have a job (for now) but are to gutless to tell the truth in what part they played. What a wicked web you have woven around Magnolia (look at the history). That’s why there has to be, needs to be checks and balances. When the City was running like a City the Mayor and Council did it right. When the City Fathers were looking to hire management to run the City they pooled together Citizens, Professionals and Councilmember’s. These people interviewed the applicants and recommended their picks to the council and the council chose the best people. But if you look at what happened after Miller and Rex was ousted along with the good councilmember’s that were truly concerned but could not overcome the immoral and unethical decisions being made, the Dirty people took over. Williams and Thornton then hired without any checks and balances, those that were willing to do their bidding, and look what it has cost the City, (Good old boys and gal system)? Everyone that was hired by Williams and Thornton and their followers on council past and present have brought nothing but higher taxes, back room deals (illegal meetings) City bonds floated that will end up costing the City in the long run not to mention a very expensive Police Department and No Utility Department and a revolving door of employees. You have to ask your selves, are you better off now? How many employees’ have been fired, let go, ousted with a vote of “no confidence” or indicted since 2006 (ask Michael Alexander) to present date, since it was all Williams and Thornton dictating to members of Council and their department heads. Who is going to STAND UP, Sour grapes? I think not, arrogance, self serving, egotistical, power hungry so called small town career politicians. The Potpourri ran a story where a Mrs. Wheeler wrote Councilman Sutherland cost the City money and placed the City in Legal Jeopardy but it was only an opinion, or was it. The City has spent a lot of money on poor decisions made by Williams, Thornton and Council, why, because they could (no checks and balances). Mr. Jones (editor of the Potpourri) wrote, Politics is a dirty creature. WHY? It’s only dirty if the people elected are dirty. I really think a road should be named after Williams and Thornton Mr. Scott, a road that heads out of town.
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written by exposed, July 17, 2009
I would like to take a moment and thank the local papers for reporting on the immoral and unethical issues in Magnolia. I would also like to say GREAT job Magnolia TRIBUEN for first VARIFYING information before its published. With so much mud slinging its easy just to through things in the paper and say it's an opinion but that only causes more issues. I know your job is not easy when you ask question to the leaders of Magnolia and all you get is the run a round. This has been going on for years and the leaders can not and will not speak the truth. They hide behind their attorney or the threat of being sued. When is it wrong to say what you did and why you did it if it's the TRUTH. The leaders hide behind their closed doors so they don't have to be held responsible or accountable for their decissions. They do have to be responsible and accountable to the citizens who elected them into office. So take the time and go to a meeting and ask your elected officals to tell you the TRUTH. Once again thanks Magnolia TRIBUNE keep up the good works. "Lead your neighbor in the truth for they may one day lead you".
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written by exposed, July 17, 2009
Sorry some typo's, just woke up and didn't use spell check so I wanted to send it with the new corrections.
I would like to take a moment and thank the local papers for reporting on the immoral and unethical issues in Magnolia. I would also like to say GREAT job Magnolia TRIBUNE for first VERIFYING information before it’s published. With so much mudslinging it’s easy just to throw things in the paper and say it's an opinion but that only causes more issues. I know your job is not easy when you ask questions to the leaders of Magnolia and all you get is the run around. This has been going on for years and the leaders cannot and will not speak the truth. They hide behind their attorney or the threat of being sued. Why is it wrong to say what you did and why you did it if it's the TRUTH. The leaders hide behind their closed doors so they don't have to be held responsible or accountable for their decisions. They do have to be responsible and accountable to the citizens who elected them into office. So take the time and go to a meeting and ask your elected officials to tell you the TRUTH. Once again thanks Magnolia TRIBUNE keep up the good work. "Lead your neighbor in the truth for they may one day lead you".
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written by vivian whitley, July 28, 2009
I understand lawyers were present to make sure evereything was done correctly. Not sure I want to trust the word of somebody calling themselves "exposed" (wonder in what direction they were going with that) or Dave Sutherland who resigned then wanted his job back. And the Tribune???? Printing stories based on opinion and rumor mills. Doesn't the Enquirer do that?
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written by Dave Sutherland, July 30, 2009
The only reason I wanted to retract my resignation was beacuse I was attacked publicly in the Potpourri by "Sandra Wheeler", a student in Huntsville. Yeah, right. I was willing to walk away but someone couldn't let that happen. They had to get in their last, desperate stab. That person must live in Magnolia, is female I would guess from the names used and must have a multiple personality disorder that is manifesting itself with on-line comments and letters to the editor. >
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written by vivian whitley, July 31, 2009
How can you possibly think this way. You let a student get to you. My son is a recent graduate of Sam Houston with a political science degree, he reads all this and laughs at what he calls the idiocy that this blog campaign is run. And for you to decide Sandra Wheeler and I are one in the same is the paranoid ravings of a lunatic mind. And the fact that you know about my letters to the editor lets me know that this little gang of yours includes her. I do live in Magnolia, I am out and about in the town all the time. I have the guts to stand up and tell you how wrong you are. I would tell you to your face anything said here. Maybe we'll meet one day and I can confirm what's been said here.
... written by vivian whitley, July 31, 2009
I apologize for the remarks about Dave's health issue's I realize he resigned due to this and will not refer to that again. I will absolutely say that Sandra Wheeler and I are not the same person. He does have two people who have thoughts on his handling of the politics in Magnolia. When you become a public figure you have to deal with this. And then you get opinions from intelligent people who demand to be heard. "multiple personality disorder that is manifesting itself with online comments" I think not. LOL
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| Last Updated ( Monday, 13 July 2009 08:30 ) |
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What did she do to deserve this? Was it because she asked Councilmember Scott for help with what she perceived to be a hostile work environment situation? Mr. Scott arranged a meeting with the staff, Ryan Kelley and Councilmember Williams who announced she was attending the meeting as Ryan Kelley’s friend and not as a Councilmember. Everyone was encouraged to speak openly without fear of reprisal. The meeting was closed with a prayer. Now she’s fired. A transcript of that meeting was described by Councilmember Bramlett as “disgusting” and indeed it was. A member of the staff was called “stupid” and they were all told several times if they weren’t happy working here to just go get another job somewhere else. A copy of that transcript is available to the public because Councilmember Scott gave a copy to former Councilmember and now private citizen, Richard Anderson.
The newest member of the City Council, Jody Sanders, was just quoted in the newspaper as saying he wanted to be fair to all the citizens and not just a few. What about being fair to employees and allowing them an opportunity to speak at their own termination? He or any other councilmember could have requested that courtesy be extended to LuAnn if they wanted to. I don’t think it would have changed the outcome of the vote, which was almost unanimous and most likely predetermined, but it would have been the decent thing to do.
These are the same people making decisions for the citizens of Magnolia. Why should we expect them to be any more courteous to us in their decisions then they were to LuAnn? They showed everybody just how ruthless small town politics can be. Remember how Scott’s IRS issue was put on the street? So were Thornton’s family issues and Bramlett’s Magnolia ISD issues. I have recent e-mails where Councilmember Williams said she didn’t feel “comfortable” with LuAnn and suspected she was working for the OTHER side, what ever that means. Sounds like a head hunting expedition to me.
Is it any wonder that people don’t want to sign up and run for City Council? They don’t want to get dirty and have their families smeared. But the only way to change things is to change Mayor and Council members at the next election. When our taxes and water rates and other fees go up to pay for their folly, maybe, just maybe, someone will say enough and run for office. Lord knows I paid my dues and this latest action shows just why I got so fed up and resigned. There is no way I could have sat on Council and quietly allowed this travesty to happen. I would have opened my big mouth and then paid the price for having an independent thought and common courtesy.
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Good luck to LuAnn and her family, but don’t feel lonely. You have just joined a very long list of people who have been terminated from the City. And what is the common thread that runs through out all of this? Just look at who is on City Council now and how long they have been there.