A broadcast email sent from Tom Coffin on August 26, 2008:
The Community Development/Human Resources committee of the City Council today added a new dimension to the response to my firing as Sr. Arborist. In a unanimous vote the committee approved a resolution co-sponsored by Councilmembers Mary Norwood, Anne Fauver, C.T. Martin, Joyce M. Sheperd, Ivory L. Young, Jr., Cleta Winslow, Ceasar C. Mitchell and H. Lamar Willis to “request and authorize the City Auditor through the Audit Committee to conduct an independent audit of the Arborist Division of the Bureau of Buildings, Department of Planning and Community Development.”
Not without a bit of farce, however. Ibrahim Maslamani, Director of the Bureau of Buildings, wrote the committee chair, Jim Maddox, saying “Due to the ongoing investigation by HR, we would like to postpone any public presentations on this issue until such investigation is completed.” Joyce Sheperd made the distinction between the “employment issue” of my firing before the HR department and the much broader “audit issue” before the committee.
City Attorney Robin Shahar was consulted on ground rules. She said that the request for an audit was a policy decision, not a legal decision. She suggested that given the on-going HR investigation it would not be prudent for council members to comment on my firing.
They could listen, however, and the public could say anything they wanted to say.
Several people spoke, supporting the audit and protesting my dismissal, including Sheldon Schlegman, Linda Trower and Charlotte Gillis. Leigh Bielenberg gave an emotional account of the recent destruction of her massive S. red oak to an infill developer that I had earlier stopped. I am so sorry.
There was a bit of comedy too. City Hall regular Carrie Duncan voiced his demand that I be rehired, “and he doesn’t even agree with me politically! I’m a Bush supporter and he’s a Bush basher! But he does his job, every day, every time.” I appreciate your support, Carrie.
I have asked Al Elder, the HR investigator, for an update on his two-week long (and counting) investigation. No response as yet. Mayor Shirley Franklin is at the Democratic convention this week, so I expect no decision until next week at the earliest. I am exploring legal action either if the investigation drags on too much longer or if the recommendation and decision are negative. I will keep you posted.
Tom Coffin
The Community Development/Human Resources committee of the City Council today added a new dimension to the response to my firing as Sr. Arborist. In a unanimous vote the committee approved a resolution co-sponsored by Councilmembers Mary Norwood, Anne Fauver, C.T. Martin, Joyce M. Sheperd, Ivory L. Young, Jr., Cleta Winslow, Ceasar C. Mitchell and H. Lamar Willis to “request and authorize the City Auditor through the Audit Committee to conduct an independent audit of the Arborist Division of the Bureau of Buildings, Department of Planning and Community Development.”
Not without a bit of farce, however. Ibrahim Maslamani, Director of the Bureau of Buildings, wrote the committee chair, Jim Maddox, saying “Due to the ongoing investigation by HR, we would like to postpone any public presentations on this issue until such investigation is completed.” Joyce Sheperd made the distinction between the “employment issue” of my firing before the HR department and the much broader “audit issue” before the committee.
City Attorney Robin Shahar was consulted on ground rules. She said that the request for an audit was a policy decision, not a legal decision. She suggested that given the on-going HR investigation it would not be prudent for council members to comment on my firing.
They could listen, however, and the public could say anything they wanted to say.
Several people spoke, supporting the audit and protesting my dismissal, including Sheldon Schlegman, Linda Trower and Charlotte Gillis. Leigh Bielenberg gave an emotional account of the recent destruction of her massive S. red oak to an infill developer that I had earlier stopped. I am so sorry.
There was a bit of comedy too. City Hall regular Carrie Duncan voiced his demand that I be rehired, “and he doesn’t even agree with me politically! I’m a Bush supporter and he’s a Bush basher! But he does his job, every day, every time.” I appreciate your support, Carrie.
I have asked Al Elder, the HR investigator, for an update on his two-week long (and counting) investigation. No response as yet. Mayor Shirley Franklin is at the Democratic convention this week, so I expect no decision until next week at the earliest. I am exploring legal action either if the investigation drags on too much longer or if the recommendation and decision are negative. I will keep you posted.
Tom Coffin
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