Mayor demands apology after employee-survey leak allegation; councilmembers trade denials

Henderson — Tensions surfaced publicly at the conclusion of a Dec. 29 special city-council meeting after the council returned from closed session to address a personnel matter.

Mayor Melissa Elliott asked for a public apology and said the employee-survey investigation "had a personal impact on her life," adding that she believed the report contained no findings of wrongdoing and that someone had leaked the report to the Daily Dispatch.

Councilmember Garry D. Daeke said he had read the report and expressed concern about procedural and ethical issues in it, but emphatically denied he leaked it. Daeke said he would "take legal action against anyone slandering his name," and later told the council he had "never shared information from closed session and never would." The minutes record his denial and intent to pursue legal remedies if slandered.

Councilmember Geraldine Champion read a prepared statement alleging that between May and November some council members "allowed one Councilmember to come to the table and present one Google generated search for a law firm to do an investigation of the Mayor behind a Google generated survey that was given to 23 people, one of which was a judge." Champion questioned who provided the narrative for the survey, asserted that the survey was distributed beyond city employees, and asked how the council should proceed regarding disclosure to the newspaper. In part she said: "There 'ts been several issues I watched transpire that I want to address tonight. Between May and November, some members of this Council allowed one Councilmember to come to the table and present one Google generated search for a law firm to do an investigation of the Mayor behind a Google generated survey that was given to 23 people, one of which was a judge. I wonder who gave the narrative for that."

City Attorney Dan Hartzog Jr. advised the council that North Carolina General Statute 160A-168 requires employee personnel files be kept confidential and stated that if the survey results were treated as personnel information their release would not have been appropriate; he said the decision on how to proceed rests with the council.

Councilmember Tami Walker asked Councilmember Daeke directly to clear up rumors that he had been the source of the leak; Daeke repeated his denial and said he was prepared to pursue legal action for slander. The council took no formal investigative action during the meeting; the minutes record the statements and the city attorney’s legal reminder but do not show a motion to open a separate inquiry.