“Can I just say that I told you so, and everyone behind me (in attendance) told you so?” said resident Tasha Farley, referring to the alleged misconduct of former village leaders, which sparked the firing of eight employees and ignited an ongoing internal investigation, preliminary findings of which were first presented in March.
“... I am absolutely ashamed; I am appalled,” Farley said. She then called for the resignation of Village Council members Gale Joy and Tammy Loch, both incumbents who have spoken out against the efforts of council’s newest members to investigate alleged misconduct within the village administration.
During council member comments, neither Joy nor Loch responded directly to the calls to resign, but did reiterate their stance on recent actions by the current leadership.
“I want to apologize to the employees of the municipality and thank them for their hard work and diligence,” Joy said before referencing the recent letter of no-confidence submitted to Anderson from the police and service departments. “... I also have very little confidence in the management and leadership of the village.”
Special counsel and Acting Law Director Michael McNamee’s May 2 response that employees who disagree with recent management changes should “deal with it” has contributed to a “hostile work environment,” according to Joy.
“As for leadership in council, I can’t believe none of you have said anything about half the employees of the village stating it’s a hostile work environment and that they’re on the verge of quitting, (and) a law director that essentially spits in your face, and you say nothing,” Joy said. “I question what that says about you.”
Councilman Back also gave his take on the no-confidence vote, asserting that village residents expressed a similar sentiment as demonstrated by November election results.
“... People had a vote of no confidence for the people that were leading this community,” Back said. “They were not happy with where their tax dollars were going (plus) issues that were ongoing, and people voted on that.”
The drama from the past three months was the main topic of conversation during Tuesday’s council meeting, the agenda for which, aside from usual housekeeping items, included a section titled “unfinished business.”
McNamee — who was recruited in February to lead the internal investigation — led much of the meeting, ultimately rehashing some of the same issues he’s previously said prompted the firing of former Village Manager Glena Madden and others.
McNamee asserted once again that the October approval of Madden’s newest contract — months before renegotiations were due to take place — was an attempt to “cram down” the agreement before any potential new council members could have the opportunity to vote against it, an action which he says invalidates the document altogether.
In a 4-3 vote made possible by newly seated council members, Madden was subsequently fired in March. Also removed were Chief Financial Officer Phillip Hinson, Law Director Ronald Keener, Police Chief Curtis Hensley, Service Superintendent Scott Brock, administrative assistant Ann-Marie Joy, code enforcement administrator Melody Davis, and seasonal parks coordinator Marilyn Brown.
McNamee’s allegations against Madden and other department heads also include self-dealing tactics and the wrongful payment of village money to some employees, along with violations of Sunshine Laws via illegally held executive sessions and refusal to grant certain public records requests.
Madden has already filed suit in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court, calling for her reinstatement to the position of village manager and the ousting of Anderson. She alleges her termination was in violation of her contract.
Other residents who spoke Tuesday aimed to bring attention back to the needs of the residents, including longstanding issues related to service and maintenance response throughout the village.
Resident Shannon Bemis referenced multiple issues previously reported by other residents which she claims have gone unresolved, some over a period of years.
“... I’ve watched people come up here for many, many years, begging and pleading,” Bemis said, highlighting things like groundwork, zoning, sidewalk maintenance, and flooding issues that need urgent attention.
Since the change in leadership following November’s election, which saw the appointment of a new mayor and two new council members, along with the subsequent shake up of administrative leadership since then, Bemis said she’s finally seeing momentum.
“All we wanted were answers and accountability,” she said. “This new council is holding people accountable. If you were doing your job, in my opinion ... you have nothing to worry about.”
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