COLUMN: Don't sit too close to me

That would be me.

Of course, only in Pendergrass could a lawsuit like this be carried out with a straight face.

It was one year ago that a group of whistleblowers came forward to accuse several Pendergrass officials of wrongdoing. They have since filed a civil lawsuit; a recall hearing has failed; and the GBI is apparently continuing its criminal investigation, although nobody will talk much about that.

Still, Pendergrass is a city where public officials talk like B-movie mobsters about those “in the family” and those being shunned “by the family.” In Pendergrass, loyalty to “the family” is paramount. Be disloyal and you might find a horse head in your bed… or maybe in Pendergrass, a chicken head.

And apparently, being disloyal means sitting too close to the editor of this newspaper.

Here’s the story: Pendergrass tow truck operator Darrell Moore was part of “the family” for a long time. His daughter worked at Pendergrass City Hall. He towed hundreds of cars taken from the Pendergrass Police Department’s aggressive traffic trap. City administrator Rob Russell was his BFF.

But that all changed last fall at a court hearing where a group of citizens tried to recall Pendergrass city officials.

I went to the hearing for part of one day. Sitting a couple of court pews behind me was Moore.

That was too much for Pendergrass leaders. They immediately had the Jackson County E911 center remove his towing business from Pendergrass’ police call list.

The reason?

“Sitting too close to Buffington.”

Bummer. Was my Old Spice not working?

Here’s a part of what was said to Moore:

City policewoman Becky Davis: “You want to know why you were taken off the (towing) list?”

Moore: “Um-hm.”

Davis: “You know why that is.”

Moore: “No, that’s what I wanted to come ask you.”

Davis: “Because you were so far up Mike Buffington’s and Bill’s (Garner) ass at that meeting (court hearing.) I mean, do you think it’s not a conflict of interest?

Moore: “The only reason I was there was for Felicia (his daughter.)”

Davis: “Right. But you sat over there with (whistleblower) Bill and Mike Buffington? I mean after everything Rob (Russell) has done for you? Do you know how that made him feel?”

Moore: “So that’s the reason I got taken off the list?”

Davis: “Yeah!”

Yikes.

Aside from the rather salacious imagery that conversation paints, I wasn’t aware that sitting close to me was a firing offense.
Did I wave too hard?

The funny thing about this is that I don’t remember talking to Moore at that hearing, but I did have a nice conversation with Pendergrass Mayor Monk Tolbert’s wife.

Hope Mrs. Glenda didn’t get in too much trouble.

Also odd is that the Davis-Moore conversation is a real “twilight zone” moment. A few years ago, Davis herself sued Russell and the City of Pendergrass, claiming that Russell and other city employees had sexually harassed her. Among the many sexual harassment claims in her suit, Davis said Russell told her if she got a boob job, he’d give her a raise.

Davis’ lawsuit was settled last year after the mayor got an unsigned check from city hall and paid her lawyers. She then went back to work for Russell (presumably without boob enhancements) and now defends his honor from the likes of me.

Only in Pendergrass…

For his part, Moore filed a lawsuit in June against Pendergrass over having been taken off the towing list and that issue is now winding its way through the courts. I’ll be interested to see if a judge rules “sitting close to Buffington” is legal firing offense.

In the meantime, be forewarned that being seen with me in public could be harmful to your job. If you see me in church (rare, I know), find a pew on the other side of the room. If you see me in a restaurant, you may want to find a table remote from where I’m sitting.

And if you’re really worried, email me and I’ll put you on my “do not wave list.”

Mike Buffington is editor of The Jackson Herald. He can be reached at mike@mainstreetnews.com.