The Perry County Commission met Monday night just hours after the county canvassing board certified election results showing Chairman Albert Turner Jr. lost his District 1 seat to challenger Donald Bennett by a single vote. The meeting highlighted ongoing divisions within the five-member commission.
The primary focus of the meeting was the employment status of County Administrator Bev Gordon. At the commission’s May 12 meeting, Commissioners Tony Long, Brett Harrison and Carlton Lewis voted to terminate Gordon’s employment. Turner attempted to adjourn that meeting before the vote was taken, and both he and Commissioner Barbara Howze left the commission chambers. Lewis then assumed the chair and the remaining commissioners approved the motion.
The dispute centered partly on conflicting actions regarding Gordon’s employment. Turner said he had sent a letter to commissioners on May 7 declaring Gordon a permanent employee. Lewis and Harrison argued that the commission majority voted to terminate Gordon on May 12 and that Lewis personally delivered a termination notice on May 20. Turner maintained that his earlier letter remained valid.
“The letter that was issued was not issued properly,” Turner said regarding the termination notice. “Mrs. Gordon has remained in her position.”
“She’s terminated,” Lewis responded. “Still showing up in a position that she’s no longer employed in.”
Turner argued that Gordon had not been properly evaluated and was entitled to due process before termination.
“We have an employee that has not been properly evaluated,” Turner said. “The commissioners have not evaluated the employee. If your evaluation is that she is not performing to the standards, that should reflect in a proper evaluation.”
He also questioned whether Gordon had been afforded due process protections.
Harrison disagreed, stating that Turner had failed to act before the commissioners’ deadline and had prevented him from presenting an evaluation during the May 12 meeting.
“We gave you until the 20th and you didn’t do your job,” Harrison said.
An attorney representing County Attorney Prince Chestnut’s office addressed the matter, referencing a 2016 resolution that designated the commission chairman as the supervisor of the county administrator. However, the attorney noted that being a supervisor is different from being a department head under the county’s personnel policies.
Lewis emphasized that distinction, arguing that while the chairman may supervise the position, the commission retains ultimate authority over employment decisions.
The attorney agreed, explaining that the employee handbook allows a department head to terminate an employee without a hearing, but that the commission as a whole serves as the final authority regarding employment matters.
Turner said he would seek a separate legal opinion from Chestnut. Lewis maintained that Gordon’s termination had already taken effect and suggested he would pursue trespass proceedings if necessary.
The disagreement extended to Gordon’s compensation. Harrison said she should be paid only through the date of termination, while Turner indicated payroll records would be reviewed.
The commission also discussed leadership of the body. Harrison requested that the position of commission chairman be added to the meeting agenda, noting Turner’s apparent departure from office following his primary defeat. Turner declined to add the item immediately but agreed to place it on the agenda for the next meeting.
“I have no problem with you putting the chairman on the next agenda and us moving forward,” Turner said.
In other business, Harrison urged the commission to move ahead with an offer to purchase the National Guard Armory property for $350,000. The commission has previously approved relocating the county’s largest voting precinct from the older armory building to the newer facility, which several commissioners believe is better suited for election operations.
Harrison argued that time was running short and said earlier efforts to advance the matter had stalled.
“We do not have time,” Harrison said. “We tried to do this for months but you wouldn’t put it on the agenda.”
Turner opposed the proposal, arguing that it would commit the county to funds that may not be available.
“It’s a liability for the commission to create a promise for $350,000 when it’s known that it’s not,” Turner said.
Harrison responded that commissioners could simply vote against the proposal if they disagreed.
The motion ultimately passed after language was added making the offer contingent upon financing. Turner and Howze voted against the measure.
