City puts Little on 3 months probation

The Clarendon Board of Aldermen placed City Administrator Lambert Little on probation for three months following an evaluation of his performance last Tuesday, September 25.

The board met behind closed doors for more than an hour and a half to conduct the administrator’s annual evaluation before calling Little into their meeting on the second floor of City Hall. Citizens left downstairs could hear yelling from Alderman Tommy Hill and later from Mr. Little before the board reconvened in open session after another hour and 15 minutes.

When the board reconvened, Mayor Larry Hicks asked if the aldermen wanted to take action following the closed session discussion. Alderman Abby Patten said she expected to see the city be run more effectively in terms of finances, employees, and resources.

Little suggested a three- or six-month probationary period with him meeting with the board once a month to see if he can reach their expectations. Alderman Tommy Hill said he would agree to three months “to see if everything can be done in the best interest of the city and the citizens.

The board then voted 3-2 for the probationary period with Hill, Patten and Jesus Hernandez in favor and Aldermen Will Thompson and Terry Noble opposed. Noble said he didn’t feel like much would be happening in the next three months for Little to be fairly judged.

Hicks urged all the aldermen to come to Little’s office to let him know personally what they expected of him.

In other city business last Tuesday, the board considered the tax rate for the 2013 fiscal year and voted to maintain the current rate of $0.65 per $100 valuation on a 3-2 vote with Hill, Patten, and Hernandez in favor and Thompson and Noble opposed.

The board of aldermen also approved the $1.6 million 2013 fiscal budget also on a 3-2 vote with the yay’s and nay’s breaking along the same lines.

In public comments at the beginning of the meeting, the board heard from Robert Benson regarding the city’s past sponsorship of the Junior Rodeo Cowboy Association and his desire for the city to sponsor it again and from Laura Paul regarding a complaint she had previously filed about concerns she has regarding a property in her neighborhood.

During a budget hearing before the regular meeting, editor Roger Estlack inquired about the size of the proposed municipal budget and the amount available for contingency expenses in the coming year, which is about $10,900.