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Monday, August 8, 2016

Crossville Flashback: A fired city manager led to the resignation of Crossville's first city engineer in 1999

(In the everything old is new again department, a city employee quit because of interference by council members and the firing of a city manager--17 years ago.)

Engineer Gary Davis’ exit interview

Former City Engineer Gary Davis let city officials know exactly how he felt about his year and one month as the Crossville’s first engineer on an exit interview form he filled out on his last day as a city employee.

According to the written form in Davis’ city personnel file, Davis indicated he was dissatisfied with the city overall as a place to work. Davis checked very dissatisfied as his feelings about company policies.

In explanation, Davis wrote, “City council has hired very competent staff personnel and they will not let them provide their expertise to the city. Council is involved in areas where they have very limited knowledge. Council is changing policies that diminish work enjoyment, productivity and morale.”

The main reason Davis listed for leaving his job was “lack of support from city council.”

Davis goes on to describe his relationship with his supervisor, former city manager Hugh Walker, as excellent. He added that Walker had a progressive vision for the city. Davis added, “Walker was fired with no reasonable charge, this also was one of the primary reasons for my resignation.

Davis had harsh words for three members of the city council. While Davis does not mention any councilmen by name, three councilmen voted to abolish his department early this year. The three votes included Councilmen Boyd Wyatt, Ronny Hill and Wendell Kerley. Davis wrote they “haven’t a clue of the profession of engineer and surveying and are not suited for office.”

Davis continued by saying he would not recommend the city as a place to work because, “The city council is unprofessional and ruthless in its treatment of the city staff and employees. They represent special interests, take care of relatives employed by the city and appear to violate the sunshine law.”

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