The Cleveland County Commissioners, School Board, Cleveland Community College and others have all adopted the same approach to avoiding responding to complaints and allegations of wrongdoing. Just call it “gossip!!” And we don’t respond to “gossip.” Actually, they are lying. Like the Commissioners say 65 times in their Answer to the most recent Federal Lawsuit against them:
“The County, Epley and Wyant are without knowledge or information sufficient to form a belief as to the truth of the allegations made in Paragraph 17, which are therefore DENIED”
That is their new MO. Don’t listen to anything, don’t reply to anything, don’t investigate anything. And when somebody tries to pin them down about doing their job, they claim to NOT KNOW ANYTHING. And then deny everything. The “Know Nothing” defense I call it. And, it seems Cleveland County Government is over-run with “Know Nothings.”
But, now that Cleveland County Commissioners, the County Manager, The Health Department Director and former employee Sam Lockridge have a Federal Lawsuit alleging Sexual Harassment and discrimination charges against them. And who do they blame? Me. Robert A. Williams. I am a gossiper they say. And they don’t know anything so they deny everything. And, it’s not all about this Federal Lawsuit. It’s about everything. The $1,000,000 check to the ALWS. The $400,000 check to ALWS all the other checks to ALWS. All gossip. Ask the commissioners about all the articles I have written and what do they have to say for themselves. “Oh, we don’t respond to gossip,” they will most likely say. Then, you should say, well, I don’t want any more “know nothings” spending millions of our tax-dollars, so at the next election I will be voting for your opponent. That should get their attention.
As for me, I am looking for more true facts to “gossip” about. Like the email below that I sent out today. Stay tuned on that.
June 26, 2019
To: Brian Epley; Kerri Melton; April Crotts Phyllis Noland; Katie Swanson; Dorothea Wyant; Elliot Engstrom; Janet Hart
Cc: Susan Allen; Ronnie Whetstine; Doug Bridges; Deb Hardin; Johnny Hutchins; Diane Turbyfill; Joyce Orlando; Danny Blanton; Dante Murphy
Subject: County Manager not receiving communications from employees and the public
–Federal Lawsuit and DSS Case in particularBrian,
I received a call earlier today regarding a DSS Case that was particularly disturbing. The callers reported that they had tried, on several occasions, to call you, but you were never in and never returned their calls. They reported that they made several trips to the County Offices as well and that on one occasion, while they were in the outer offices being told that you were out, that you happened to come into the outer offices and then, when confronted, invited them into your office. You, then allegedly told them that you had not received any of their messages. They reported to me that they had recorded you stating that. They told me that they had also recorded the calls to you when they were told you were NOT present.
The callers today, regarding their mess with CCDSS, were Jane and John Doe at BR-549. Hopefully you and Katie Swanson will see fit to talk to Jane and John about their situation and the run-arounds they have received from what appears to be every level at DSS and Cleveland County. I am sure that I will end up doing an article about this “Gossip,” as you would say, but hopefully this one will end up with an equitable and just resolution. Perhaps a first.
Also, I would appreciate YOU returning MY call today at 704-538-8257 as there are several things I would like to discuss with you.
1. The meeting YOU requested sometime back that YOU never scheduled.
2. The status of any Commissioner initiated investigation regarding the “gossip” I previously presented to the Commissioners and YOU regarding allegations that Commissioner Johnny Hutchins had also made inappropriate communications to county employees while at the Landfill, Animal Control or Shooting Range offices.
3. The two Press Releases put out under Cleveland County letterhead and Dorothea Wyant’s Signature regarding cats being shot at the shooting range. Including documents and any communications that show what and how and IF the Commissioners actually investigated anything. As Sam Lockridge said in his answer to the Federal Lawsuit, Gossip doesn’t necessarily mean the report was true. I would say that “gossip” does not necessarily mean the report is false either. In the cat shooting report, I believe Commissioners all know the “gossip” report was correct and had Dorothea Wyant lie about it anyway.
4. In the Federal Lawsuit Willis v. Cleveland County, Brian Epley, Dorothea Wyant and Sam Lockridge; the County, Epley and Wyant Answered in paragraph 38 that an un-named person who frequently criticized the county for the purpose of spreading false information: please identify who this un-named person is and what, in particular, was the false information that YOU allege had been published.
5. In the Federal Lawsuit, Dante Murphy v. Cleveland County, CCDSS, where county DSS employees stated under oath that they were ordered by high level DSS leadership to do illegal and improper things; please provide me with documents and records showing where Cleveland County investigated these instances of admissions of individual wrongdoings and what, if any, actions were taken.
Thanks,
Robert A. Williams
Stay Tuned Folks. The 2020 Elections will be upon us very soon. Let’s seek out good candidates and replace Know Nothing Commissioners Susan Allen, Ronnie Whetstine and Johnny Hutchins. Same with School Board Member Know Nothings: Shearra Miller, Roger Harris, Jo Boggs, Jeff Jones and Richard Hooker.
Our children’s future will be brighter when we do this.!!!
