As published in the Courier-Tribune on December 16, 2011
by Hugh Martin
CANDOR — Town of Candor Board of Commissioners will hold a special called meeting on Monday, Dec. 19, at 7 p.m. to discuss police personnel. The meeting was called by Commissioner Wayne Holyfield, who made the motion to fire four of five Candor police officers at the regular meeting on Dec. 12.
The fired officers all collected the money that was owed to them by the town on Tuesday. The total $5,944.63 that was paid to the former officers included salary, accrued compensation time and vacation, as required by North Carolina law.
Commissioner Layton Booker requested that the Dec. 19 meeting also be an opportunity for public input, and is being called a “Public Question/Answer Period.”
Town clerk Tammy Kellis said the meeting is scheduled to be in the Town Hall meeting room, although it may be changed to a larger venue due to the overwhelming response from area citizens.
A notice will be posted at Town Hall.
The firing of four of the town’s five police officers — Chief Randy White and officers James Pierce, Grantland Jackson and Jeremy Blake — has developed into a firestorm that has polarized the town’s citizens and has been the leading topic of discussion around town, on social media sites and numerous television newscasts.
The one officer who was not terminated, Eddie Bagwell, was named interim chief and is now the only officer on the Candor police department.
Bagwell said that he is mainly concerned about providing police coverage for the town.
“My understanding from the police commissioner is that the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office is handling calls, but not patrolling the town” when he is not on duty, Bagwell said..
Bagwell would not comment any further. He said he had been instructed not to make any statements at this time.
Montgomery County Sheriff Dempsey Owens said Tuesday that his department does not have the manpower to assign a deputy to Candor nor have one on stand-by, but will respond in emergency situations.
Kellis said citizens have called about a rumored investigation by the N.C. Attorney General’s Office, but she said the town has not heard from the Attorney General.
At the regular monthly meeting held this past Monday night, the board of commissioners carried out their regular business meeting after the closed session and termination of the four officers.
Employees will receive annual bonuses of $300 for department head and $200 for all other employees. The holiday bonus was postponed from the July budget meeting because it could not be determined at that time whether Candor could afford the bonuses.
Kellis said lower than expected spending during the first half of the fiscal year saved enough to cover the bonuses.
The terminated officers will also get the bonuses because they were employed by the town when bonuses were approved, according to Ron Niland, management advisor for the town.
Commissioners Martin, Holyfield, Booker, Tim Privett, Phillip Hearne and Mayor Richard Britt presented a plaque of appreciation to outgoing commissioner Tim Smith, who had served on the board for 12 years.
(Outgoing commissioner) Leslie Thomas, who had originally been appointed to fill a vacant position and was elected for a full term, was not present at the December meeting.
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