Residents air complaints, concerns to Centerville City Council

Residents air complaints, concerns to Centerville City Council

CENTERVILLE -- Two residents brought concerns and complaints about recent City Council activity before the governing body Tuesday.

Clay Peacock, a longtime Centerville community volunteer who regularly attends council meetings, voiced concerns about a July decision that put former Councilman Ed Tucker in a civilian role heading the police department during the same meeting he resigned from his Post 3 council seat.

Peacock expressed his concern about the council’s creation of the civilian director of police services role rather than the selection of an experienced law enforcement veteran to head the force.

He also wondered at the council’s elimination of the assistant chief position, which dismissed the officer who then held it.

Peacock spoke of his appreciation for the Council but said its move was a “deal breaker” he called “too cozy.”

Peacock pointedly asked council members if any and how many qualified candidates were considered to lead the police department and how many were interviewed.

“None,” Mayor John Harley replied to each question.

Peacock asked Councilman Micheal Evans his view on the decision and inquired on the availability of qualified law enforcement applicants to lead the department.

Evans said he couldn’t comment at the time.

Evans has only been on the council since July after being appointed to fill Tucker’s vacant Post 3 seat. He is running in November to keep it.

Without responding further to Peacock, Harley thanked him for his comments and support of “our community.”

David Parker also appeared before the council and told them of ongoing code violations of trash cans being left on streets and of “front yard” auto repair shops.

He said the council’s previous action to revamp applicable ordinances and have the Ridgebend neighborhood closely policed alleviated matters for a while but that they were again growing.

Council members asked him to give them particulars and said they would look into the problem again.

Parker also complained that council agendas were not made public in time to effectively make residents aware of its intended activities, which he said was in the Council’s best interest.

Harley responded that the council generally made agendas available the Friday before its Tuesday meetings but at times made additions of less significant items closer to the meeting.

He said notification was given to media at least 24 hours in advance as required by law.

Georgia open meeting law requires agendas be made public as far in advance of meetings as is reasonably possible but not more than two weeks prior. There is no minimum given for public display.

Contact writer Micheal W. Pannell at mwpannell@gmail.com.

This story was originally published September 2, 2015 at 6:46 PM with the headline "Residents air complaints, concerns to Centerville City Council ."