Motion Made To Fire County Administrator; Council Decides To Evaluate Instead

By Betsy Finklea

The Dillon County Council meeting may have started in the dark literally as the power was out at the start of the meeting, but shortly after the power came on and the council’s executive session ended, the purpose of the meeting came to light.

The meeting was called to order, and after Chairman Macio Williamson thanked the audience for attending, the council voted to go into an executive session to discuss a legal matter and a personnel matter.

After an executive session of more than one hour, the council returned to regular session. Upon returning from regular session, Councilman Archie Scott made a motion to terminate the services of County Administrator David Mobley, saying his services were no longer needed, and to notify him by letter in five days that he may have a hearing if so desired. Further, Scott’s motion was to make Clerk to Council Lisa Gray the interim county administrator until the council decides further what they are going to do.

Chairman Williamson asked for a second to Scott’s motion.

Councilman Harold Moody asked Scott to amend his motion to have county council do an evaluation of Mobley by the 15th of October and hold a meeting with him to discuss the results.

Scott said he would not amend his motion and that his motion was the position he takes.

Councilman Andrew “Deboy” Graves said he knew Scott had made a motion to terminate, but to be fair to Mobley and the council he thought they should wait until the 15th, evaluate him and discuss it with him then.

Scott said he took this position, and he was going to stand by his motion understanding that if there was no second that his motion that the motion dies.

Chairman Williamson again asked if there was a second to Scott’s motion. Williamson said due to a lack of a second, the motion died.

H. Moody then made a motion to have a formal evaluation of Mobley’s job performance and have a workshop to discuss it with him and to have this done by the 15th of October. This motion was seconded by Graves. Voting for this motion were Councilmen H. Moody, Williamson, Graves, and James “Pee Wee” Webster. Councilmen Aron Gandy, Bobby Moody, and Archie Scott did not vote for this motion.

Upon discovering that October 15th was on a Friday, H. Moody made a motion, seconded by Graves, to change the date of the evaluation to October 14th. This motion passed.

After this, the meeting was adjourned.

After the meeting, Councilman Archie Scott made further comments to The Herald. Scott said to be a good leader sometimes you have stand alone when you believe you are doing the right thing. He said in light of the current situation and the way the county has been operating, he felt that his motion was the right move for the county and that is why he took his position and stood by his motion.

Scott further said that in his opinion, the letter sent by Mobley concerning the council chairman to Judge Mackie Hayes should never have been sent without the administrator first talking to the council as a whole. Because it was not discussed with council as a whole, he feels the county should not be responsible for that material or that situation.