Tyler

THOMASVILLE — A 40-year City of Thomasville employee told city council members the culture city employees worked hard for can be destroyed by the council’s careless remarks and veiled threats.

Nate Tyler, the city’s director of sanitation and landfill operations, made his remarks in a Tuesday email to the council.

At a Wednesday meeting of the council utilities committee, Tyler told the council that employees have been dealt “slight of hand and misdirection.”

His email stated, “We have to get past the personal and petty political agendas of the few that are infecting everyone if we are going to survive this disaster.”

Tyler, also a former Thomasville Police Department major, wrote in his email that he hopes council members will conduct a frank, honest discussion, putting politics aside when choosing new leadership.

The council does not have a permanent city manager or utilities superintendent. For 25 years, the positions were combined. The former city manager/utilities superintendent left city government Dec. 31. The council has decided to separate the duties.

Lynn Williams, assistant city manager, told the council Wednesday that when city manager and utilities superintendent positions were separated, employees were no longer a team.

“There was bitterness and jealousy between the two agencies,” said Williams, who has been employed by the city since 1989.

When the positions were combined, the culture changed, and the community was served, Williams said.

“That’s what we’re here for, to serve the community,” she told the council.

After the meeting, Tyler said employees cannot move forward without direction.

“They (the council) is saying one thing, but telling us something entirely different,” Tyler said.

He pointed out that the city does not have property taxes and has a fully-funded pension plan and an accredited police department.

“I wish they would sit down with us so we with move forward,” Tyler said, adding he thinks the council “has an agenda.”

The only way to move forward, he said, is to be truthful with each other.

Some council members want certain employees to leave, he said. 

“They need to speak out loud and move on,” Tyler added. “All we want is clear direction. We will accomplish their mission.” 

Senior reporter Patti Dozier can be reached at (229) 226-2400, ext. 1820