Update: City administrator fired by council

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Bob Farley watches as the Live Oak City Council voted to terminate is position as city administrator. - Photos: Bryant Thigpen
Councilman Keith Mixon shared his concerns with the board about the performance of the city administrator. Mixon made a motion to terminate Bob Farley as city administrator and it passed in a 3-2 roll call vote.

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October 10, 2012

Update: City administrator fired by council

Bryant Thigpen Suwannee Democrat The Suwannee Democrat Wed Oct 10, 2012, 12:54 PM EDT

Live Oak — The Live Oak City Council voted Tuesday night during its regular monthly meeting to terminate Bob Farley as city administrator. When the votes were rendered, panel members Jacob Grantham, Keith Mixon and Chairman Adam Prins voted in favor while councilmen John Yulee and Bennie Thomas voted against it.

“I think we’re going about this the wrong way,” stated Yulee.  As the evidence was being presented as to why Farley should be terminated, Yulee kept asking the question, “Why are we [Yulee and Thomas] just now hearing about this?” 

Mixon, who made the motion for the immediate termination of Farley, said there is a lack of communication on the part of Farley.

“I’m not confident in the city administrator position,” said Mixon. “I’m not getting questions answered.”

In a workshop prior to the meeting, Live Oak Fire Chief Chad Croft addressed the board about errors in how the fire department’s sick time was handled. Croft met with Farley and the finance department in an attempt to resolve the issue.

“As we were standing outside talking during a tobacco break, Mr. Farley told me to give him six months and that he would handle the issue,” Croft said. “He told me that he could be fired if the council found out about this, and that his job and (Finance Director) Jan Parkhurst’s job were already on the chopping block. I was not satisfied with the answer to wait six months.”

Live Oak Police Chief Buddy Williams told the board that although he didn’t catch all of the conversation, he did hear Farley say that Croft was right about the discrepancies in the fireman’s sick time and that he was asked to wait six months because of their jobs being on the line.

“This could be a quarter of a million dollar mistake. You don’t put it off for six months. You address it now,” Mixon said. “When Bob realized there was an error, he should have contacted those closest to the situation, especially the council.”

Mixon explained to the board other issues he had with the administrator’s work efforts.

 “I am concerned about our economic development,” he said. “I was told one time ‘If you’re not growing, you’re dying,’ and folks, the City of Live Oak is dying.”  

Mixon expressed that his field of work is not prospering and that many businesses in the community are not growing. One of the tasks outlined for the city administrator is to focus on economic development.  

“He hasn’t shown me a plan,” said Mixon. “Planning. Being prepared. Folks, with the warning that the city had prior to Tropical Storm Debby, the city still wasn’t prepared and it caused chaos. I have concerns that planning is not a priority.”

At the September city council meeting, Thomas encouraged the board to “move forward” and not look back on the past, and allow Farley to keep his job.  Mixon, however, still kept his stance that Farley failed to meet the qualifications of the city administrator position, and readdressed the situation during Tuesday’s meeting.

“I still continue to see a lack of management, leadership and communication,” said Mixon. “According to Ordinance 1317 that was agreed upon by the mayor and council on May 22, 2012, it states that the city administrator works ‘under the general direction of the Live Oak City Council and is responsible for planning, directing, coordinating, reviewing and analyzing all activities and operations of the City of Live Oak.’”

The ordinance further requires the city administrator to evaluate staffing and other resource requirements with the desired level or productivity and service, coordinate organizational studies determining the feasibility and costs/benefits of methods for implementing management policy, and requires the ability to communicate orally and in writing. The majority of the panel believed these requirements were not being upheld by the city administrator.

An emergency meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 11, at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall on White Avenue regarding the salary and the appointment of an interim city administrator.

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