Editor’s Note: Everything in this article revolves around ALL the Cleveland County Commissioners NOT doing their jobs in accordance with what is best for the CITIZENS of Cleveland County. Not being accountable. Not being transparent. Not being responsible. Failures to listen and failures to respond properly when they are told. And EVERYTHING is covered up. Over and over and over again!!! This article starts with the most recent and only goes back several weeks. Previous articles only cover a few items at a time. But the TRUTH, hammered home time after time, finally hit Robert A. And, here it is: Notice that this article does not have a word about Commissioner Kevin Gordon and his mess over in Gaston County. Or Robert Queen and the CCS School Board. Or even the Rogue Republicans Dennis Bailey, Kevin Whisnant, Guy Smith and others. Their messes and cover-ups are for another day and time.
This past Friday, May 12, 2023, Robert A received a message from a reliable source that caused Robert A to suspect that numerous children might be in danger of abuse, neglect or dependency. North Carolina law holds every citizen with such suspicions responsible to report those suspicions to the Director of Social Services in the County in which the children reside. To have these suspicions and NOT make a report is a criminal offense in North Carolina. So, Robert A makes reports such as this in writing so there can be no question that Robert A has NOT violated any NC Laws. The Report is shown below as well as the original message that caused Robert A to have these suspicions. The following is exactly what Robert A reported except for a name that has been redacted. The original message did NOT contain any redactions. Also note that Robert A copied this message to All the Commissioners, The CCDSS Director, two CCDSS Advisory Board members, two Cleveland County Commissioner’s attorneys, The CC Assistant County Manager and the CC HR Director.
From: Robert A May 12, 2023
To: Danny Blanton; Mary Accor, Deb Hardin, Kevin Gordon, Ronnie Whetstine, Johnny Hutchins, Doug Bridges, Kerri Melton, Katie Swanson, Allison Mauney, Tim Moore, Martha Thompson,
All,
Please consider this message an official report of a suspicion of child abuse, child neglect and child dependency of all children in Cleveland and Gaston County whose cases were reviewed by CCDSS Employee ****** ******. The message in large print as shown below generates a suspicion that ANY case of Child Abuse, Neglect or Dependency handled by ***** ***** may NOT have been properly investigated. Potentially leaving many children in danger.
I just received this email message below as shown in large text. This clearly indicates a lack of accountability, poor supervision, poor agency operations, bad management and a basis for multiple lawsuits against Cleveland County. Also, it appears that Cleveland County is just “passing the trash” to another agency by allowing this “Voluntary” action of just resigning. This smells of cover-up on top of cover-up.
I would suggest that ALL of ***** ******’s cases be reviewed by the State, CCDSS and Gaston County Social Services for compliance with applicable laws.
I would like to receive a written statement as required by NC Law (When Requested) regarding this Official Report. ASAP…
Robert A. Williams
PO Box 428
Fallston, NC 28042
Original Message to Robert A is shown below:
Good Evening Mr. Robert!
Hope all is well with you.
“I just learned from a reliable source that social worker ****** ******* of CCDSS is “voluntarily ” leaving the agency due to MULTIPLE complaints and drug and alcohol abuse while on the county’s time, attending work intoxicated and open child protective cases in Gaston Co.”
At this point, Robert A has done his duty as far as North Carolina law is concerned.
Then, over this weekend, Robert A received another message from this reliable source. It stated:
“It’s confirmed she (***** ******) is starting with Partners Health Management as of 5/30/23.”
Partners Health Management is under contract with Cleveland County and 13 other surrounding counties to provide Mental Health services. It is very likely that ***** ***** was, upon receipt of many complaints, was given an ultimatum to either resign or be fired from CCDSS, chose to resign, and Cleveland County’s Human Resources helped her obtain a job with “Partners.” Right here in Cleveland County or in a close-bye county. So, Cleveland County didn’t even “pass the trash” to somewhere far away. She is right here and here to stay!! It is like the Sow hog that they used to have at the Cleveland County Fair. The bad acting CCDSS employee is a piglet who sucks one “tit” of that Cleveland County taxpayers “sow hog” dry and then slides on over to another tit. And keeps on sucking. All the while, the Commissioners are turning a blind eye to what is going on! Even when they are told about it. As Robert A’s reports and articles tells them! And they just refuse to listen. Just continue to do nothing and claim ignorance. That they never knew anything about the problem.
If that is not cover-up upon cover-up, nothing is!! But there is more. Partners, itself under contract to Cleveland County, has a shoddy reputation here in Cleveland County. At the last Commissioner’s Meeting a mother stood up during Citizens Recognition and described to the Commissioners how her autistic son needed mental health services and was NOT receiving any help. That her son was calling 911 for help, like everybody is indoctrinated to do-call 911 for help, and her son was arrested for calling 911 too many times. And is being prosecuted for it. A mentally challenged boy with autism calls 911 for help and gets arrested. Sources say that Commissioner Ronnie Whetstine went to the Shelby Hospital, was stuck in a room without services for a very long time, felt ill and ready to pass out, and himself called 911 for help. Robert A has heard of other similar situations in recent times. And NONE of them were arrested and prosecuted for calling 911. As I sat there in that Commissioner’s Meeting, the name Partners was brought up several times. That Partners was responsible and the Commissioners were NOT responsible. And Robert A knowing full well that the Commissioners themselves signed an agreement and were paying Partners for Mental Health services that citizens were NOT receiving. Now Robert A is fuming as he was putting together all these pieces of this sad puzzle of misrepresentation the Commissioners where pushing upon the public. The taxpayers. At the Commissioner’s Meeting, the Commissioners appeared perplexed that this mother would even consider bringing her problems to them and expecting THEM to do anything to assure the public, taxpayers AND HER SON were getting what they were already paying for.
Upon a little more cogitation by Robert A, he remembers, just a few commissioner’s meetings before, when the three ladies from the 800 Block of Kings Road in Shelby spoke to the Commissioners about Animal Control doing nothing regarding multiple attacks of biting dogs. And how the Commissioners had not appeared to care enough to do anything about it. At the very next Commissioner’s Meeting Robert A spoke under Citizens Recognition and reminded the Commissioners about the biting dogs and asked what was being done about it. The Commissioners refused to answer.
Folks, If Robert A was elected or appointed Commissioner, these kinds of shenanigans would come to a screeching HALT! Especially the part of a county agency covering up for a drunkard and druggie employee not doing her job. And the County Commissioners doing nothing effective about it.