Last year we requested the annual training for the City management. We specifically requested the Anti-harassment, ethics, and diversity due to the disparaging text messages sent about Cassandra Jackson and our neighbors. The request made last year was on November 1, 2023 and every manager completed the anti-harassment training on November 1st. For the general employees, this training was due in October and completion affected their pay.
This year we gave our managers over an extra month by submitting our request on December 10, 2024. This time we included ethics, diversity and inclusion (plus supervisor course), cyber security, anti-harassment, et al. We requested this for all city managers as well as Alison Faris and Thomas Whitley.
On December 26th the City responded. Upon initial request, the city excluded the month and day of the completion and only provided the year.
So we followed up with the City the same day to clarify we required the month and day as well. The City took the New Year break to compile that information for us and on January 3, 2025 we received our requested information.
Cybersecurity
In May of 2024 there was an alleged $1million dollars stolen from the City. There still has been no closure on this investigation and we are still in the dark about what happened.
The City published a required training on Cyber security for staff in October for this training. Neighbors have told us that the due dates for these to be completed are about a month from the date they are published. However, all except Wayne (David) Tedder waited until December 19th and 20th to complete these courses. Cynthia Barber only took her ethics refresher this year and has not completed any other training.
Last year we had a neighbor ask us why it matters that the managers didn’t take a “pointless” annual training. We feel that these trainings are not pointless for a number of reasons. The first reason being that our neighbors requested this information.
All these managers were in a text group talking disparagingly about neighbors, county commissioners, and some were involved in the conversation about Cassandra Jackson. Their words hold a hurtful impact on our community. To this day neighbors tell us how the city leader’s words and lack of accountability impacted them.
The other reason we feel these trainings are important to be completed on time is best explained by John C. Maxwell: “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.”
Accountability begins with us. It begins with neighbors coming together to discuss local government and to stand with each other in solidarity. We are truly better together.
We’ve been asked by neighbors about ways to support our work monetarily, if you feel led and have the means here is a link to do so.
Here is more about us.
