Jason Sandford
Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.
Here’s the memo from Asheville City Manager Gary Jackson regarding an ongoing investigation into alleged fraud at City Hall:
Date: March 22, 2010
To: Mayor and City Council
Department Directors
From: Gary W. Jackson, City Manager
Subject: Administrative announcement regarding Human Resources management
As you know, the City of Asheville has been cooperating with the Asheville Police Department, the District Attorney’s Office and other law enforcement agencies in an investigation into allegations of questionable practices by certain employees in the Human Resources Department.
Information the city has been able to share regarding this matter has been limited in order to protect the integrity of the investigation, which is still ongoing. In cases like this, withholding comment is difficult for the organization and for our community because our core values are in question and the public’s trust is at stake. However difficult this might be, until the time is appropriate for us to make further comment and answer critical questions, ensuring the integrity of the criminal justice process must be the top priority while the matter is under review.
In the meantime, in an effort to provide additional oversight and supervision of the Human Resources Department, Assistant City Manager Jeff Richardson will assume the director’s role for the department, effective immediately. I am fully confident that Mr. Richardson will manage the department to the highest standards of accountability while the investigation moves forward.
At the same time, we are taking specific steps to improve the management of the city’s Healthcare Flexible Savings Account Program. The city will contract with a third party to administer the program on the city’s behalf to ensure policies and procedures are followed and the plan is administered correctly. Until we are able to secure the services of a third-party administrator, we will audit the flexible spending program every 30 days.
By taking these steps, we will strengthen the program’s checks and balances while providing employees with sound direction and support within the program. In closing, I want to emphasize that Asheville is a city that is dedicated to integrity and honesty as part of our core values. Asheville employees are expected to handle the public’s business with the highest expectations of ethical conduct, and these allegations are in no way reflective of the moral code that guides public service. If there are actions by city employees that are not consistent with our core values, we want to know so we can correct it. The City of Asheville will continue to fully cooperate with law enforcement agencies throughout this investigation as part of our commitment to the community and the core values of the men and women who serve in the organization.
They absolutely had the option to do better than Jackson when he was hired, but the council members at the time, especially the current mayor, made sure to hire the candidate least likely to challenge them on anything and to do whatever they ask. Unfortunately that also meant they hired the worst and least qualified candidate for the job. They’re not going to turn on him when he gives them exactly what they’re after rather than being an actual administrator. You should always be very worried when elected officials offer shameless and unsolicited praise on the city manager. That means he’s not in control of things. When they call him the best city manager in the state or the country, even a complete moron can see his track record both here and at his prior location does not begin to bear that out.
Now if they could clean up other departments in the city from fraud and theft it would be great!!
For $175,000.00 a year I think we could do a little better than Asheville City Manager Gary Jackson. This guy seems to spend all his time doing damage control AFTER the fact.