Board sustains termination of Dyersburg gas foreman after missed calls during downtown grade‑1 gas leak

The Board of Mayor and Aldermen of Dyersburg sustained the termination of William Warner, a construction crew foreman in the city’s gas department, after an appeal hearing on April 20, 2026. City attorneys urged the board to uphold the superintendent’s decision, saying Warner failed to answer three calls to his city‑issued phone during a Feb. 7, 2026, grade‑1 gas leak in downtown Dyersburg.

The hearing focused on whether there was “substantial and material evidence” to support termination under the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act, the standard the board read into the record before testimony. The city’s human resources director testified an internal investigation and call logs showed three incoming calls to Warner’s city phone on the afternoon of Feb. 7 that were not returned. The city’s case included testimony from the gas superintendent and on‑call technicians who said the leak required…