As published in the Courier-Tribune December 21, 2011
By Hugh Martin and Mary Anderson
manderson@courier-tribune.com
CANDOR — There were many questions, but few answers from the Candor Board of Commissioners during the public forum at the special called meeting on Monday night.
The questions from eight of the 10 speakers were all the same: Why were four of the town’s five police officers fired at the Dec. 12 meeting? Was the action pre-planned before two new commissioners were sworn in? Doesn’t state law require an employer to state a reason? Why wasn’t the town personnel policy followed? Had there been complaints against the officers?
To applause, three residents called for the resignations of new commissioners Wayne Holyfield, Rob Martin and veteran commissioner Tim Privett. Two speakers reported problems they had with officers and the mayor’s sister commented on hurtful comments on Facebook.
Commissioner Holyfield, who led the move to fire Chief Randall White and officers James Pierce, Grant Jackson and Jeremy Blake, read a prepared statement:
“I’m going to make an opening statement before I refuse to answer any questions. I want … to assure the citizens of Candor that our town will move forward, and that it will continue to be protected as the police department is rebuilt … Since North Carolina is an at-will state and this is dealing with personnel, I don’t have to give a reason.”
Holyfield closed his remarks by inviting the media to come back for the Peach Festival and the Lawnmower Pull in July.
The vote to fire the officers was 3-2 with strong opposition from sitting commissioners Layton Booker and Phillip Hearne. Holyfield later called the special meeting to discuss police personnel. Commissioner Layton Booker insisted on the public forum to hear from residents.
The issue in Candor was the termination of 80 percent of the police force at the regular meeting on Dec. 12, when Holyfield and Rob Martin were sworn in and Mayor Richard Britt appointed Holyfield as police commissioner. Within minutes Holyfield called a closed session on personnel. After that session, the officers were terminated, effective immediately.
Mayor Britt said on Dec. 12 and reiterated on Monday night that he “did not support the way that it was done” but he would support “all five of these commissioners when they make a vote. What they do is for the Town of Candor.”
Britt opened this week’s meeting with a statement that Holyfield had been removed as advisor to the police department and the duties of police commissioner would temporarily be under his control. There was applause from most of the 300 people in the Candor Elementary School gym where the meeting was moved to accommodate the anticpated large turnout.
Since Dec. 12, residents and business owners have expressed worries about the lack of police protection. On Monday night, Candor had the best police protection in Montgomery County with more than 15 deputies present for what was possibly the largest turnout for a meeting in town history.
Commissioner Booker said that he was against the “way things went down last Monday night (Dec. 12). I think it was an illegal deal. The decision was made before they ever got to the meeting. I think the citizens deserve better than that.”
Commissioner Phillip Hearne, said “I come here tonight not only as a board member but as a citizen of Candor and I would just like to know the reason why (the officers were fired), and I haven’t gotten it yet. I hope I get it before I leave tonight.”
He didn’t.
Hearne asked the mayor why Booker had been replaced by Holyfield as police commissioner when there had been no complaints against the department. Britt responded that he could “pick that position at any time. I thought when I picked Wayne Holyfield, with his background, working together with our police department that it would make our town stronger.” (Holyfield is a state trooper.)
Ten people spoke at the public forum. Two, who reported previous issues with Candor officers, said they supported the board’s decision.
Britt said questions would be answered by commissioners “as they please.”
There were no answers, including to questions from commissioners Hearne and Booker.
“How can we move forward when we cannot explain why these officers were fired?” Hearne asked. “It wasn’t right and the citizens deserve an explanation.
“It’s 13 days before Christmas. All these officers have families and we can’t give any of them a reason why they got fired. Our town employees are worried that they’re next. There’s a personnel policy in place, that I know Commissioner Privett voted on, that was not followed. Until we do things the right way we can’t move forward.”
The first speaker, Frank Harris of Candor, said he was speaking for himself and a multitude of irate residents who wanted their police force back in its entirety and called for the resignations of Holyfield, Martin and Privett.
Harris addressed Britt and Privett: “Boys, I’m disappointed in you. I have known you for a long time and I’ve always admired and respected you, but to allow something like this to happen in this small town over a small thing as a traffic ticket is outrageous.”
Harris was referring to a 2009 traffic stop in which Officer Grant Jackson issued a warning ticket for speeding to Teresa Lamonds of Candor.
Lamonds and her husband, John, were accompanied by their attorney, Irving Brown. Lamonds said the meeting had nothing to do with her.
Brown said the meeting “didn’t seem to resolve anything. There is no love lost between the Lamonds and the police department, but they had nothing to do with them being fired.”
Becky Williams, who was a town commissioner and Mayor of Candor for a combined 38 years, asked that the code of ethics be read before she spoke.
“Does anyone speak to that?” Williams asked the board. “I would like to challenge Tim Privett, Rob Martin and Wayne Holyfield for violations of the code of conduct and ethics.”
There was no response.
Williams asked whether Martin and Holyfield had seen the Code of Ethics manual and town personnel policy before Dec. 12. Martin said he hadn’t been given anything.
“But you took actions in spite of the fact that you didn’t know?” she asked.
“This is a comedy of errors. You have thrown parliamentary procedure, Robert’s Rules of Order, your Code of Ethics and your personnel policy out the window.” Williams said. “Martin and Holyfield are protected by personnel policy as state employees with the Department of Correction and the State Highway Patrol, but saw fit not to protect these four officers who have done nothing.”
Doug Kemp, representing Klaussner Furniture, expressed concern about the lack of police protection on behalf of the “350 plus employees and the multi-million dollar investment” that the corporation has in Candor.
Mayor Britt assured Kemp and other business owners that Candor has been covered 24 hours a day since Dec. 12 and will continued to be covered until the force is rebuilt. Britt said he had been in contact with the sheriff every day since Dec. 12.
Owens said after the meeting that Britt may have been in contact with his office, but not him personally. Last Friday, Dec. 16, the town and the sheriff’s office agreed to have a deputy on duty for a 12-hour shift at night — paying for the use of a county patrol car and time-and-half pay for full-time deputies and regular pay for part-time deputies.
Interim chief Eddie Bagwell, the only officer left in Candor, recommended that one part-time and one reserve officer whose certifications and credentials were up to date, be moved to full-time immediately. The vote was unanimous “under the circumstances,” said Hearne.
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