Lewisburg council votes to suspend city manager and hire outside law firm to investigate allegations

The Lewisburg City Council voted Friday to hire an outside law firm to conduct an independent investigation into allegations against City Manager Roy A. Haslip and to suspend Haslip without pay for 30 days beginning on the date the firm is hired.

The action followed an earlier closed executive session on the personnel matter and a lengthy public comment period in which multiple residents urged the council both to support and to carefully evaluate Haslip. Mayor Ben Jim Bingham opened the special call meeting and the council later discussed options that legal counsel had presented in executive session.

Why it matters: The council’s decision puts Haslip on administrative leave while the city pursues an outside inquiry. Council members said steps will be needed to maintain operations during the suspension, including appointing an interim manager or temporary purchasing authority and publicly soliciting proposals from law firms.

Council procedure and votes - The council discussed options after City Attorney Thomas Hutto provided legal guidance in executive session. - An earlier motion to terminate Haslip was made and put to a roll-call vote; that motion failed. The roll call recorded: Councilman Crutcher — No; Councilman Barnes — Aye; Councilman Robertson — No; Councilman Thomas — Aye; Councilman Michael — No. The motion failed. - After debate and attempts to refine logistics, the council passed a revised motion to hire an outside law firm to conduct an unbiased investigation “concerning the allegations against the city manager” and to suspend the city manager without pay for 30 days starting on the date the law firm is hired. At the roll call on the final motion the council recorded: Councilman Krutcher — Aye; Councilman Barnes — Aye; Councilman Robertson — No; Councilman Thomas — No; Councilman Michael — Aye. The chair announced that the motion passed.

Public comment and context During the public-comment period dozens of residents spoke. Many speakers described Haslip’s community involvement and urged the council not to rush to judgment. Jessica Lindbergh said, "I just implore, the city council to show up for our city manager in this moment." Shannon McLean said Haslip "has presented himself as a leader of our city" and that residents have seen the city grow under his leadership. Pastor David McConnell said Haslip was a longtime community helper and called the treatment of Haslip "disgraceful."

Other speakers urged the council to consider the rights of any alleged victim and the need for clear procedures. Bradford Pippen asked whether the public would be made aware of the options the council discussed in executive session; City Attorney Hutto responded that he had given legal opinions in executive session about potential options and liabilities and that council members could then discuss and vote in public.

Next steps and logistics Council members and staff discussed practical steps before the suspension begins: the city will seek law firms to perform the investigation, and a special call meeting will likely be needed to approve a contract with the selected firm and to appoint an interim city manager or designate a temporary purchasing agent during the suspension. City Attorney Thomas Hutto indicated he would prepare solicitation language and assist with the process; the council directed staff to begin that process immediately.

The council did not set a return date for Haslip beyond the 30-day suspension tied to the investigator’s start date, and members noted that the length of any investigation could change depending on circumstances. The council also approved procedural items earlier in the meeting, including reading minutes from a prior executive session and reading a resolution establishing rules for citizens input.

The council did not announce a date for the special call meeting to hire the law firm and appoint interim management; public notices and solicitations were discussed as the next administrative steps.