City council has lengthy discussion on city manager’s duties

The Marlin City Council held a lengthy meeting on June 24, but didn’t really decide anything.

Most of the meeting was in executive session discussing creating a description or ordinance describing all of the city manager’s duties and responsibilities. After over an hour no action was taken on the topic and it was tabled for discussion until the next meeting.

The council also discusses at length a letter submitted by Mayor Carolyn Lofton to council telling them not to contact city staff concerning getting documents but to go directly to the city manager.

Lofton said that on June 14 she submitted the letter to all council members per advise of city attorney requesting that council not contact city staff concerning issues and telling them to go directly to the city manager for requests or comments.

“The city manager has provided a directive to city department heads on how to respond to requests from city council members saying that they should not respond to those requests and all those requests will be handled through the city manager,” she said. “Those requests will also be forwarded to the city manager and he will find a resolution or answer to the request.”

Lofton said that since the new council has been put in place many of them have been going to city staff and giving them requests for items.”

“Our city staff have jobs to do,” she said. “They have been feeling harassed and it has become disruptive to operations. Not only is it becoming disruptive, but it is looking like abuse of power to our staff. At the last meeting the city attorney requested you to go to the city manager and some of you have not. It is creating a hostile environment within the city.” 

Several councilmembers including John Armstrong and Debra Levels-McDavid voiced concerns over the actions.

Armstrong said he had requested information from the financial director about the budget and did not get it.

Levels-McDavid questioned the actions, saying she will do what is needed to address the needs of the citizens she represents.

The council also approved designating the Mayor and City Manager as signators for the CDBG FAST grant for fire trucks; approved an interlocal agreement with Falls County to provide tools and equipment for road repairs in the city; and tabled the approval of a consulting agreement with Lou Portillo and Associates related to the City Water Plant.