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.”

Crossville city engineer and public works studying sidewalks and street light poles

City workers study sidewalks and light poles

Crossville employees were spotted Wednesday July 6 walking Main Street studying the sidewalks and light poles that would be part of the project to upgrade both.   City engineer Tim Begley is on the left in this photo.  Begley and the city public works department are studying the possibility and costs estimates of redoing the downtown Crossville sidewalks using city crews that would only work on sidewalks.   

Crossville city council is expected to take up discussion of the project during their meeting July 14 when Begley will be presenting the estimates for the cost of the work using city labor.  The $3 million was removed from the budget at the last minute that would have paid for a contractor to do the sidewalk and light pole replacement work.  The sidewalks are as close to a downtown improvement project as the city will get after backing away from a full project a little over two years ago.  

TDOT is expected to pave Main Street through downtown before the work can be completed if it is done with city crews. 

Downtown Crossville sidewalk project faces possible delays or additional costs.

A potential change in the design of the downtown Crossville sidewalk project will either remove the intersection of 127-N and Lantana Road at the bottom of Watertank Hill or potentially increase the cost of the project by about $293,000.

Another alternative discussed by Council members Danny Wyatt and Jesse Kerley would delay the sidewalk improvement project over 2 to 3 years allowing it to be done by city employees was discussed but there are several issues with that change. No decision was made on the project and a work session is expected to discuss the project in June.

The problem is with the height of the mounts for the traffic signal at the bottom of water tank hill and an easy fix has not be allowed by TDOT. According to city engineer Tim Begley, that leaves the alternatives of either not completing the sidewalks at that intersection or replacing the traffic signal at that intersection. The cost of the new signal and the addition of conduits to tie the traffic signals together from Lantana Road to First Street and Fourth Street is estimated at $293,000 including engineering fees.

Begley said that he feels the estimate is a bit high. He added that with the sidewalk project and the replacement of street lights, the traffic signal conduit can use the same trench as the power for the new traffic lights.

Councilman Danny Wyatt asked Begley if it was possible for the city to redo the sidewalks piecemeal over a period of 2 to 3 years with city staff doing the work.

Begley said, “We've put the state off for two years on paving Main Street and I think they are going to pave it next year regardless. I think they're going to have to.”

Mayor James Mayberry asked if the project had already been approved by the council and Begley responded that it had been. Mayberry continued his questions asking if the project hadn't been under discussion for some 8 years and over $4.5 million in grants returned. Mayberry asked, “Why do you want to back up now and start talking about patches?”

Wyatt responded, “I'm just asking questions mayor.”

Councilman Jesse Kerley asked, “Why was that project never put on a referendum? It's only went through 5 elections.” Kerley then answered his own questions, “I can tell you why, because it wouldn't pass.”

Street department supervisor Kevin Music told the council that he would do whatever they wanted but it would take a longer time based on the other projects his department is working on.

Councilman Wyatt said he'd like to know the cost numbers if the sidewalks were done in house with city crews. Wyatt said he though all the intersections had ADA ramps installed. Mr. Music repsonded and said not all the intersections had ramps and when the state comes in they will mill 4 inches of asphalt off and only put 2 inches back so the current ramps would no longer be even with the pavement.

Begley pointed out that the ADA was not just at the corners, but also where the entrances to the Main Street businesses are.

Wyatt responded saying there were many businesses and residences in the city that had no sidewalks. “If we could do this for $300 instead of $3 million. You're the engineer and I'd like to know if it is possible to do that,” added Mr. Wyatt.

Mayor Mayberry asked if TDOT would fix the corners when they paved the road. Mr. Begley said they would fix what they could but there were several corners they could not bring up to standards.

Mr. Wyatt asked the city engineer if he could get some numbers together by the next meeting along with the time frame. Begley said he thought they could do that in 4 weeks. Mr. Kerley commented that he felt a work session might be better suited to discuss such a big project and such a work session is expected to be arranged sometime in June.