FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH


Editorial Cartoon created by Jon Mayhew/TCS

"As the Raise Turns: the Jeff Emory Saga Part III"

In the four years I’ve covered Lincoln County, I’ve always told the truth and been fair with every subject I’ve dealt with. Whether in an interview for a story or an editorial, “giving the reader the whole story fair and truthful” is more than just a slogan. For me, it’s a way of life.

That’s why I wasn’t surprised when I opened my email Friday afternoon and discovered an email from Lincolnton City Manager Jeff Emory.

Emory, it seems, takes issue with “The Jeff Emory Saga Part II,” where I told the truth about his raise and bonus, the fact that moments before his raise/bonus was approved the city got an excellent financial review and that the city employees consider Emory “public enemy number one.”

Oh, I almost forgot that Emory also asked for city department heads to cut five percent from city budgets prior to the financial report and the raise/bonus.

The only real issue Emory takes up with me is that he has three children instead of four. Sorry, my mistake. When you look at mistakes, however, city council and Mayor Black made the bigger mistake in giving Emory a raise and bonus during a recession.

The following email is from Emory.

“For the record, I have three children, 12,13,and 15. I found it interesting that your second article includes no names, how many of the comments are from people other than yourself?”

First of all, city employees and citizens are upset at the blatant disregard for the city employees. The arrogance of that statement only shows you are truly concerned for yourself and not your city employees.

Please read on.

“You did provide the laugh of the day for me when you reported I was tore up. Real problems facing the city might bother me, opinions from reporters do not, sorry to disappoint you.”

For the record, I crossed my reporter days more than a year ago. Not only am I a newspaper publisher, I am a business owner in Lincolnton. The “opinion” I stated in part II is the opinion of many in Lincolnton, the taxpayers that YOU and the CITY COUNCIL work for….and the same people that can vote the people out (Black, Hovis, Cloninger) that approved your raise.

Furthermore, if you’re not “tore up” about the last editorial, why did you send me an email at 1:43am on Saturday????

I continue.

“I do look forward to future articles that provide an in-depth look at other local public officials. Seems only fair they get the same "in depth reporting" I have received. This email is not intended for printing, but I am more than happy to talk to you on this matter or any other as your schedule allows. Jeff Emory.”

Other local officials didn’t pillage city coffers at taxpayer expense during a recession. They also didn’t send arrogant-laced emails to a local newspaper publisher TWICE in less than 24 hours.

Regardless, here was my response to Jeff Emory.

“Jeff, thank you for your comments.

However, I must point out a couple of things.

1. It is not your decision -- or the decision of any city or county official, elected or otherwise -- to determine what is or is not printed in any publication. Please do not make the mistake again of telling me what I can or cannot print. I would appreciate this consideration.

2. There was a received yet unsigned letter, hence why the letter is in quotation marks. The fact is, your raise could have waited until the economy improved. That's not just my opinion as a publisher but as a tax paying resident of the City of Lincolnton. The difference between myself and other residents is I have chosen to start and operate a business within the city. That could easily change, and the monies being spent in Lincolnton could be spent elsewhere.

3. Fact is, other "city officials" haven't received what I call a "fat cat" package. Getting a raise and a one-time bonus during a recession? This smacks of pillaging to me.

As a news publisher, I'm not saying that you didn't deserve a raise/bonus. I realize it's difficult work to manage a city. But to slap your hard-working employees in the face like that? As a taxpayer, I feel it's outrageous that someone on the Council couldn't have said "let's wait until the economy clears up," contract or not.

I have sources all across the city who have told me your reaction to our first piece was less than favorable....in fact, several of them used the term "tore up."

Have you seen the picture in front of the business on the Court Square of yourself? I'm surprised you haven't tried to squelch that.....

My door is always open to speak with you on this or any matter.”

Here is the email I received early Saturday morning at 1:43am, from Emory’s city email. The email read “your name” but I checked who sent it and it came from Emory’s email address.

It reads:

“Jon, I realize you are busy and I will not continue to take your time. I admire your business and your dedication.”

I felt this was an attempt from Emory to try and make amends for his previous arrogant tirade.

“But let me point out a couple of things. First, I did not tell you what you can or cannot print, the words I used are I did not intend for my letter to be printed, that’s quite different from telling you what to do.”

Mr. Emory is obviously doing the two-step from the previous email, where he said his comments weren’t intended for publication.

Moving on:

“I believe you when you say what others told, I guess we are both disappointed in others dishonesty, because I can tell you I discussed your editorial with no one but my wife and one other employee. Someone is obviously not being truthful with you.”

My wife, Elizabeth, laughed when she read this. Fact is, of all of the city employees I’ve spoken with over the past week, have told me that outside of a measly cost of living raise, they haven’t received any other increases.

Continuing:

“If you would provide their names I would love to clear this up with them.”

Sure, by virtue of a pink slip. Nice try, Mr. Emory. Journalists do not reveal their sources. I’m not going to do that here.

There’s more. Here comes the “self pat on the back” part of the email:

“I believe my record shows deep support for my employees, and I am proud of our many accomplishments together.”

Notice Mr. Emory didn’t list any of those “accomplishments.” Let’s see. How about having department heads cut their budgets by five percent before your raise/bonus? Or how about the possibility of raising fees, taxes and cutting services? Those are accomplishments, I guess. Not taking care of the people that take care of you by giving them a raise? That’s an accomplishment, I guess. Deep support for the employees? As a citizen, I haven’t seen any evidence of support. Just the opposite.

And let me remind Mr. Emory that not only does he work for the City Council, he also works for the taxpayers of the City of Lincolnton.

Reading on:

“Contracts for managers are very common, and if you consider my tenure with the city, my salary is about average for a manager in a city our size. Do you realize I am the only employee that works at the pleasure of the board, with no appeal rights as other employees are entitled to? Does it make me a bad person to accept a raise when my evaluation showed high marks from all members of council?”

Mr. Emory knew what he was getting into when he took over as City Manager. No, Mr. Emory, it doesn’t make you a bad person to accept a raise after a good evaluation. Not giving your hard-working employees a raise when their evaluations are good is wrong. Also, talking about the possibility of raising taxes and fees while cutting services is a slap in the face to both the city employees and the taxpayers, of which I am one.

Mr. Emory is appointed to work at the pleasure of the board. Where the taxpayers can have their say is when councilman Dr. Les Cloninger, Mayor David Black and councilman Larry Mac Hovis is at election time.

If the voters of Lincolnton are truly outraged at this issue, they can put people into office that can determine Mr. Emory’s future within the city.

The City Council and Mr. Emory believes voters “will forget” as the months ware on.

Local journalists – and this “reporter” referred to by Mr. Emory – isn’t going to let that happen.

I’d like to note here that of the two councilmen and the Mayor that voted for Emory’s raise, Mayor David Black was honest when he told me that Emory didn’t ask for his raise.

Mayor Black is a good, honest man who in this case made a mistake. As a practicing attorney in Lincolnton, Black is highly respected and does his homework on cases.

Black also did his homework when it came to Emory’s raise. The final decision may have been a bad one, but Black is honest and heartfelt.

I am awaiting Mr. Emory’s response to the latest installment of “As the Raise Turns: The Emory Saga Part III.”