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Resident alleges staff-inmate drug activity; council declines open-session personnel discussion
Summary
At the Nov. meeting, resident Bridal Wilson accused public-works staff and an inmate of using and facilitating drug activity at a town facility and said she was later removed from the premises and fired; the council declined to discuss personnel in open session and invited her to provide contact information after the meeting.
Bridal Wilson, introduced during the public-comment period, told the Ranlo Town Council she witnessed staff and inmates smoking marijuana in the public works office and reported the behavior to multiple supervisors. "They smelled it and found it to be true," Wilson said, adding she can provide evidence of the incidents and alleging a later drug delivery to an inmate "on Bryan Street by a Blue Dodge Dakota" with partial tag "DHL53." She also said she refused an overpayment of 40 hours and later was asked to leave the premises and subsequently fired.
Wilson addressed the council at length, saying she would take the matter to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission if the town did not "reconsider" her termination. "I'm an honest man. I would not accept it," she said, describing her desire to be reinstated to duties connected with the lodge and community building.
Mayor and staff said they could not discuss personnel matters in open session. The mayor told Wilson, "I don't have any questions in an open forum about anything, doing with employees," and invited her to remain after the meeting so staff could collect contact information and follow up outside public session. Town manager and staff confirmed that personnel matters must be handled outside public comment and suggested the resident pursue formal channels; no council action on employment status was recorded in the public minutes.
What happens next: Wilson told the council she plans to pursue an EEOC complaint; council members and staff said the matter would be handled according to personnel procedures outside the public meeting. No investigation outcome or administrative action was announced at the meeting.
