With the strike of a gavel, City of Blue Ridge Mayor Donna Whitener adjourned the council’s Tuesday, September 8, meeting amidst arguments with Council members Nathan Fitts and Rhonda Haight.
Arguments ensued throughout the evening, but after Fitts addressed the purchase of a temperature reader, which was purchased without the entire council’s knowledge, Whitener decided to call it a night.
“Stop it, Nathan. This is enough,” Whitener said with the slam of a gavel. “It’s adjourned.”
As a result, Haight accused Whitener of neglecting her job to which Whitener came back saying she isn’t going to argue the entire time.
“I received today, an email today, Ms. Cornelius (Councilwoman Robbie Cornelius) on August 25 gave approval to buy one (temperature reader) without the knowledge of the other council members,” Fitts said introducing the topic. “She had only emailed it to Barbie Gerald, Alicia Stewart and Mayor Whitener.”
He continued by pointing out the city’s policy currently requires all emails within the city to have each council member copied, and that Cornelius doesn’t have the power to override a council’s vote.
Ordering temperature readers showed up in the council’s August meeting. The agenda item called to purchase a reader for the City Hall, shop and park, but was tabled after Fitts and Haight thought it was unnecessary considering the city’s properties were closed to the public at that point.
City Hall had been closed to public entry until last week.
“In my opinion, it’s unethical, its a total disrespect to your fellow council members and to the taxpayers of Blue Ridge,” Fitts said of Cornelius’ actions.
Although not copied in the email, Councilman Mike Panter said he was made aware of the purchase the following morning.
Fitts attempted to speak during Panter’s narrative, but was asked to refrain by Whitener.
“We don’t need you to moderate,” Fitts said to Whitener.
Whitener said, “Mike and two other council members had a different opinion, but you would not let anybody else talk when you tabled it.”
She added that she is the “mediator and moderator” of the meeting and advised Fitts to read over the charter.
Panter explained that a city employee had reached out to him about purchasing a temperature reader weeks ago, and he advised the employee to speak with Cornelius since she handles business within city hall.
“It’s all about communication,” Fitts said. “We know we’re not getting communication from the mayor, so we’ve gotta communicate between ourselves to get this stuff worked out. A phone call would’ve been nice; a text would’ve been nice; an email would’ve been nice, and listen, I understand the wants and needs.
“If you owned a business and ran a business you would understand employees always want everything, but it doesn’t mean you gotta give everything. There’s a difference between wants and needs, especially when you’re spending the taxpayer money, not your money.”