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City manager proposes administrative safeguards after conflicting accounts about building-department meeting; commissioner denies allegations
Summary
City Manager Jerome Fletcher presented new administrative safeguards for interactions between commissioners' private business and city development staff after conflicting staff and citizen accounts about a Jan. 23 building-department meeting. Commissioner Demetrius Petro denied the allegations and offered sworn affidavits; the commission did not take formal disciplinary action at the meeting.
City Manager Jerome Fletcher told the Northport City Commission on Feb. 24 that staff will add procedural safeguards for any future in-person development-services interactions involving anyone representing a commissioner’s private business.
“This is not, in fact, a fact-finding request,” Fletcher said, introducing the item. “It’s not a determination of credibility nor is it an accusation of misconduct. … This item is for discussion and transparency purposes only.”
Fletcher outlined three proposed measures: require two city employees (one preferably a supervisor) to be present for such in-person interactions; require interactions to be documented in writing as they occur; and notify the commission when a permanent application bears a commissioner’s name so the process is transparent.
The discussion followed conflicting accounts about a…
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