Did Glynn commissioners cloak work from public, colleagues?
Glynn County’s seven-man Board of Commissioners is scheduled to meet later Thursday. It’s the first chance for them to vote on the contract for the controversial candidate backed by a majority of the group to become the county’s new top executive.
Yet, The Current has learned that four commissioners – Cap Fendig, Sammy Tostensen, Walter Rafolski and Chairman Wayne Neal – may have flouted Georgia laws that aim to keep the public informed about the deliberations of elected officials and decisions about how they spend taxpayer money as they have waged a backroom campaign to hire a former colleague.
Since April the group of elected officials have bypassed a formal hiring process that cost taxpayers almost $50,000 to woo Glynn County’s 62-year-old tax commissioner as the next county manager. This is despite the fact that Chapman does not meet the qualifications approved by the commissioners in the open job search.
Records made available to The Current show that between July 13 and Aug 19, Fendig, Tostensen, Rafolski and Neal intensified their private campaign to advance Chapman’s candidacy anyway. Those efforts culminated in a draft contract promising Chapman $225,000 a year in salary, 1,280 hours of personal leave, a $45,000 infusion into his retirement account and a $750 a month car allowance.
Thanks to dogged reporting by reporter Bert Roughton, The Current has reviewed text messages and emails about the controversial job recruitment procedure — one that has split the board, keeping three of their members in the dark.
Richard T. Griffiths, a board member of the Georgia First Amendment Foundation, believes that the four commissioners’ actions may have violated the letter or spirit of Georgia’s open meetings law. The law concerns meetings by public officials whether in person, or virtual, as well as other forms of communication, such as phone calls.
“This is unacceptable,” Griffiths told The Current about the commissioners’ deliberations. “And it’s very disappointing for Glynn County residents. Under Georgia’s Sunshine laws, these commissioners are supposed to conduct public business in public at meetings with appropriate notice. It’s also incredible that these commissioners excluded the other three commissioners to do all this.”
We encourage you to read our full story here — and to attend the Glynn County Commission meeting set to be held virtually and to start at 6 p.m. Thursday.
Glynn commissioners flout open meetings law to push manager pick
Texts, documents show pursuit, work on controversial contract done with little input from all members.
Four commissioners have since April tried to bypass a formal hiring process that cost taxpayers almost $50,000 and instead appoint the county’s 62-year-old tax commissioner.
Glynn commissioners paid for second search before renominating Chapman
Most recent hunt also found experienced candidate for county manager job who met qualifications.
A little more than a week before Glynn County commissioners unexpectedly voted to revive Jeff Chapman’s candidacy, the panel approved a $30,000 contract for a second search firm to find a candidate to be interim county manager.
Glynn County manager contract: $225K with 160 days off a year
Renegotiating for job he turned down, Chapman wrote his own contract for consideration.
Jeff Chapman’s salary as Glynn County manager would be about $44,000 more than his predecessor was paid and more than double his salary as county tax commissioner, according to the terms of his proposed county contract.
Glynn commission renominates Chapman for manager seat
Tax commissioner originally turned down seat after other candidates passed over by panel.
By a 4-3 vote the commissioners voted Thursday to name Jeff Chapman, the county’s tax commissioner, the only candidate for the job that most recently paid $181,000, an $80,000 increase over Chapman’s current position.
Glynn County Commission stalls in hunt for manager
Citizens request more transparency in search for new candidates.
Glynn County commissioners laid out no clear path to find a county manager Thursday and at least one commissioner strongly defended the board’s failed attempt to appoint a longtime local politician to the position.
Chapman withdraws as Glynn County manager nominee
Finalist had not applied for the job before selection.
The commission had planned to officially appoint Chapman at Thursday’s meeting. The appointment had generated some controversy and opponents had taken to social media to protest Chapman’s unorthodox appointment.
Glynn commission bypassed search firm candidates for Chapman
New manager didn’t apply, chosen over 2 women
In selecting longtime local politician Jeff Chapman to be the next county manager, the Glynn County Commission set aside two qualified candidates – both women – recommended by a professional search firm hired by the county.
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