Algood Council Votes To Takeover Final Say In Hiring

Despite multiple concerns from City Attorney Danny Rader, the Algood City Council voted Tuesday night to give the council the final say in the hiring of city department heads.

Currently, that power lies with City Administrator Keith Morrison. The ordinance sponsored by Council Member Ron Graves, passed 3-2 with Graves, Ruby Hawkins, and Bill Bilbrey voting in favor. Rader said historically, councils are not given this power because they may be compelled to make personnel decisions for political reasons.

“They’re not generally trained in HR issues and other things that your city staff are generally trained in,” Rader said. “They don’t have the benefit of MTAS advice. They don’t have the benefit of other things like that when they come to council meetings and make decisions.”

Rader said many council people are part-time, leaving them less time to get informed before making personnel decisions.

He said the city is also posed with an issue if the council rejects a candidate chosen by Morrison. Rader said Morrison could be subjected to a strained relationship with the next candidate he suggests, because he originally turned them down.

“As far as actual personnel decisions, as far as hiring and firing people, it’s generally my recommendation that a council stay out of those decisions,” Rader said. “Pass job descriptions, pass minimum qualifications, pass things like that, but don’t get into ‘I want Ms. Smith for the job, or I want Mr. Williams for the job.’ It’s not the best use of a city council’s time in my opinion.”

The ordinance is set for a second reading and a public hearing at the council’s March meeting.

Following the vote on the change to city rules, Graves also sponsored a resolution that would mandate an annual performance review for the Algood City Administrator. Graves said Morrison should present a full report on what he has done in the past year and everything he planned to do in the coming year. Graves called it a great chance for the council and residents to understand Morrison’s work.

That resolution failed by a 3-2 vote with Bilbrey voting against the idea.

During the public comment section, one Algood resident said some of the council members should stay in their lane and not change rules based on not getting his or her way.

“He is there for every department,” Algood Mayor Lisa Chapman-Fowler said. “Whatever they need, whenever they need it. I think at least three, and the fourth department that I see represented here, I don’t think that they would take issue with anything.”

Chapman-Fowler said she and most people in Algood are well aware of the quality of Morrison’s work based on the many positive developments in the city over the past year. She said Monday night, Morrison spent much of the evening out in the rain helping departments tend to flooding.