UPDATED - Dothan City Personnel Hearing for Michael Baker

Matt Boster

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Posted by: Matt Boster
Date: Mar 06 2019 9:43 AM

DOTHAN: This morning at 9 AM the 5 members of the Dothan Personnel Board met to hear a grievance filed by Mr. David Baker.

Baker is a 8 or 9 year employee of the Electric and Water Department on South Park Avenue. The Department Head is Billy Mayes. ( NOTE: Mayes was selected behind closed doors and out of the public’s view by the Dothan City Commission to be Acting City Manager when West is not Acting City Manager. )

There is a refreshment cabinet at the Dothan Electric and Water Department. Baker was in charge of that cabinet until he was promoted. Then Linda ( do not know last name at this time ) took over the refreshment cabinet. It is a honor system. If you do not have the change today it has been permissible to put the money in on payday.

The department head, Billy Mayes, terminated Baker on allegations that he stole money from the “coffee can” style money storage area for the refreshments. It is alleged that Baker was caught on camera.

A lot of management allegations are questionable about the refreshment fund. Could get interesting and wanted you to see a glimpse of the management or lack thereof by department heads within the City of Dothan government. Most especially those of people the Dothan City Commission selects to serve as Acting City Manager.

Now I have not seen any testimony yet. In fact I ( Rickey ) wrote this article for Matt before the hearing. So Billy Mayes management may be excellent. But then again this might call into question the ability of the Dothan City Commission to select a City Manager. Because Mayes is one of two selected behind closed doors by the Dothan City Commission to be “Acting City Manager”.

If Billy Mayes testimony reflects good management, then great. If his testimony reflects bad management, then do we really trust the decision’s made by the Dothan City Commissioners?

The City of Dothan and Billy Mayes is represented by Assistant City Attorney Joe Herring. Mr. David Baker is represented by Attorney John White, who served 10 plus years as Dothan Police Chief and 30 years as a Dothan Police Officer.

Attorney Joe Herring is a rear end to deal with sometime. The rules of evidence do not apply in these hearings and hearsay is admissible. And very rare the Dothan Personnel Board ever goes against a department head. Actually I do not recall anytime the Personnel Board has ruled against a department heads decision. They pretty much have a rubber stamp which reads “whatever”!

The defendant's attorney and the defendant has agreed not to pursue any further and has requested the hearing be stopped.

UPDATED @ 2:25 PM

The Dothan Personnel Board Meeting was called to order. The video surveillance footage, three video surveillance footage were played for the Personnel Board.

After the video footage was played Attorney John White, attorney for former Dothan City employee asked the Personnel Board for a brief recess.

Following the recess Attorney John White said the former Dothan City employee asked for his appeal of termination was dismissed. And Attorney John White’s motion was granted.

So in the end Billy Mayes knew the facts and made a decision which apparently was evident.

The Dothan Commission did apparently decide who the Acting City Manager’s in Mike West abscence were outside the public’s eye. Because all of the commissioners were not present at the meeting and the motion was made, second, no discussion and passed for Billy Mayes and Larry Williams to be Acting City Manager in Mike West abscence. So Acting City Manager for the Acting City Manager.

So I will say Billy Mayes passed the test this morning of doing the right thing in this issue. So I stand with him.

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