The Enterprise Tocsin
This letter is written as a taxpayer, a concerned citizen and a pastor regarding my personal opinion that these Sunflower County Road Department employees were wrongfully terminated.
In reading the last newspaper publication, the board indicated that several employees were terminated for sexual harassment. The Sunflower County Board of Supervisors mailed a letter to an employee stating that he was terminated but did not state why. But supposedly in the board meeting Dr. McIntosh stated that they were terminated for sexual harassment.
It is my understanding that these employees were fired in the executive session and a new road manager was hired in the executive session. At that point, when was this person interviewed, if not, was it a conspiracy if all this transpired prior to the guy being interviewed.
There is no transparency at all and no need for him to be interviewed now because he has already been improperly hired. If you all agreed to hire him prior to the board meeting, then it was done improperly.
You should have known what qualifications this new hire had prior to the board meeting and him being improperly hired. No need to be interviewed now. It is further my understanding that he has limited knowledge and experience of roads, bridges and heavy equipment and that he now needs an experienced more knowledgeable assistant, already employed to teach him the ropes.
Why not hire the assistant for the position, he has all the knowledge and the experience. By all indications I am of the opinion that to be a road manager you must be knowledgeable and experienced. Listening to his interview at the Board meeting, this person lacks that knowledge and experience, but he was still improperly hired. This county has suffered a great loss because the former road manager kept the county operating because he could fill in for any machine operator who may have been out because of his knowledge, skill and ability.
The Sunflower County Board of Supervisors has not been very clear to the employees in not telling the employees why they were terminated, but on the other hand, telling the newspaper they were fired for sexual harassment. These unproven allegations have created dissension in their families. The Sunflower County Board of Supervisor's abuse of power is most prevalent in this situation. These are all elected officials and must follow the law and abide by them as set forth by the State of Mississippi during their tenure as a supervisor. When you fray from "thus sayeth the law" then you leave Sunflower County open for litigation. Are these wrongful terminations worth destroying families by two (2) disgruntled employees and Supervisors without legitimate proof?
These Supervisors have become prosecutor, jury and judge without a public defender being present and I am sure future litigation is imminent.
Willie B. Knighten
