EDITORIAL: Jefferson issues simmering
There are signs that changes may be afoot in the City of Jefferson. A new city council member, Kathy Dubois, takes her seat for the first time next week.
Normally, the change of one council position wouldn’t be a big deal. But Dubois takes office at a time when the council appears more divided than normal. Her one vote has the potential to shift the balance of power on the council.
That observation comes in the wake of a recent council vote in which two council members voted to not renew two department leader positions — the position of public works director Jeff Killip and the position of Main Street manager Beth Laughinghouse.
The two-vote move by councilmen C.D. Kidd and Bosie Griffeth fell short of a majority, but it created a firestorm. City hall has received a number of emails from people defending Laughinghouse, who is popular among many who volunteer for various city projects overseen by the Main Street program.
In addition to that controversy, city manager John Ward has asked the council to change the terms of his employment contract so he could move outside the city limits. That matter has not been discussed in public by the council, but was reportedly the main point discussed behind closed doors at a recent council meeting.
At this point, there appears to be little support on the council to accede to Ward’s request. One of the main conditions of his employment contract was that he would live in the city and be a part of the community over which he would be CEO.
But Ward’s problems may be larger than that. With the addition of Dubois to the council in the place of David Varnadoe, it’s possible that Ward could be ousted altogether. At the minimum, Dubois joining the council disrupts a fairly solid majority coalition of council members — Roy Plott, Steve Kinney and Varadoe — over which Mayor Jim Joiner has held a lot of sway.
For his part, the mayor was stung in last fall’s elections when he barely returned to office in a race that was much closer than expected. The outcome of that race indicates the town has become politically polarized to an extent that hasn’t been seen in many years.
It appears that a high level of political discontent is simmering just below the surface in Jefferson.
The real question now is: Will there be some kind of major issue that brings all of these events to a head in 2010?
That observation comes in the wake of a recent council vote in which two council members voted to not renew two department leader positions — the position of public works director Jeff Killip and the position of Main Street manager Beth Laughinghouse.
The two-vote move by councilmen C.D. Kidd and Bosie Griffeth fell short of a majority, but it created a firestorm. City hall has received a number of emails from people defending Laughinghouse, who is popular among many who volunteer for various city projects overseen by the Main Street program.
In addition to that controversy, city manager John Ward has asked the council to change the terms of his employment contract so he could move outside the city limits. That matter has not been discussed in public by the council, but was reportedly the main point discussed behind closed doors at a recent council meeting.
At this point, there appears to be little support on the council to accede to Ward’s request. One of the main conditions of his employment contract was that he would live in the city and be a part of the community over which he would be CEO.
But Ward’s problems may be larger than that. With the addition of Dubois to the council in the place of David Varnadoe, it’s possible that Ward could be ousted altogether. At the minimum, Dubois joining the council disrupts a fairly solid majority coalition of council members — Roy Plott, Steve Kinney and Varadoe — over which Mayor Jim Joiner has held a lot of sway.
For his part, the mayor was stung in last fall’s elections when he barely returned to office in a race that was much closer than expected. The outcome of that race indicates the town has become politically polarized to an extent that hasn’t been seen in many years.
It appears that a high level of political discontent is simmering just below the surface in Jefferson.
The real question now is: Will there be some kind of major issue that brings all of these events to a head in 2010?
so maybe if they could do that and pave the civic center parking lot it wasn't such a bad thing to do
I'll also agree with Emmett, Good luck Kathy please dont let the other council members influence you to much, do what is best for the city and the people who elected you and NOT what is best for the council.
Before John took over the city was $1,000,000 in debt, or am I wrong?
The end of this year most of the departments came in under budget, or am I wrong?
They didnt cut any services, Or am I wrong?
So tell me what I don't know