Boutwell rescinds office resignation

During Tuesday night's Century Town Council meeting Mayor Ben Boutwell said he was resigning immediately but by Wednesday morning he said he would stay on to fill his remaining time. Boutwell's current term as mayor ends in January, 2025.

Boutwell said in a prepared statement:

"Following a heated exchange during last night's town council meeting, out of frustration, I offered to resign my position as mayor. In the light of a new day and following a sleepless night of prayer, I need to put that offer aside and press on. I have an obligation to the citizens who voted for me to see my term through and continue to do the best I can for our town. I would appreciate your prayers and support as we continue to work to improve Century. Very respectfully, B."

During the mayor's report Tuesday, Councilwoman Dynette Lewis asked the mayor to elaborate on what she had been hearing about staff changes in the town.

Boutwell explained that two employees' positions, a floater and an administrative assistant, were switched due to different positions to employees being out with health-related issues. He said the town has a small staff and there are no back-ups.

"There were not really any staff changes," said Boutwell. "What we are doing is rotating our individuals so they can be back-ups in case someone is sick, so they are learning the other positions. "At lunch time, if someone has an emergency, we don't have to say that someone is not here."

Lewis asked about other rotations and Boutwell said they are working in-house to take the load off Town Clerk Leslie Howington.

Lewis asked if the rotation is permanent or temporary and Howington explained that there was a permanent change, which was news to Boutwell.

"My understanding was that we were going to cross-train people to help out when necessary in certain positions," said Boutwell. "But there was no money change, there's no change in pay."

Lewis said she was glad he said that and that she was not sure who he was trying to help out. Boutwell said he wasn't helping out anyone but the customers. Lewis said she thought making each employee change title and work load without adjusting the money was doing both employees a disservice.

"How did we come to this decision that we would just take her out of this position?" asked Lewis. "Is this something that we have done in the past? Is this something we are getting ready to do in the future?"

"I feel like you're talking down to me." said Boutwell. "I didn't fill somebody's position. We changed positions, so in my eyes I didn't have to come to the council because I wasn't hiring anyone and there wasn't a change of pay or of salary."

"Just because you're not hiring somebody you still have to come to the council," said Councilman Luis Gomez.

Gomez cited a prior situation with another employee and that he feels the way the town does it is backwards.

"Take Gary Smalls," said Gomez. "He was working for one department and wanted to go to another department, That had to go before the council."

Boutwell agreed, and said the reason he felt this situation did not need to come before the council was because he was not bringing on a new employee to the town, he was simply rotating employees to other positions.

"I felt because we weren't hiring or re-hiring anyone, we were just rotating a position," said Boutwell. "I had to come to the council before because Smalls was getting a pay raise and when he gets his certification he will get more money."

Gomez asked if one employee who was moved would get a pay raise. Boutwell said it was up to the council. Gomez said it was not up to the council because that employee was moved illegally.

"What do you want me to do?," asked Boutwell. "Move her back?"

Gomez responded that town has a charter the town needs to go by. Gomez said he heard that one of the employees was collecting water samples and up loading the data into the software, which Councilwoman Alicia Johnson said agreed was the town's water superintendent's job, although multiple people are helping out because the load can be heavy.

Johnson said she felt jobs should be cross-trained. Gomez said pay should go with the job and the mayor apologized.

Lewis said she felt like one employee felt like she was being 'punished' by demoting her.

"We don't want our employees to feel like they're being attacked because the fact that they have any type of issues," said Lewis.

Boutwell assured her there was no attack, that they asked employees how they can help. Lewis asked Boutwell to tell her the last time this happened at town hall. Boutwell did not have an answer but apologized and assured he would come to the issue in the future.

Boutwell apologized if he has upset someone and said his phone is on and his door is wide open all the time to everyone. He said he was under the impression that the employees were alright with the decision and he thought everyone was happy. He and Howington had a conversation after Howington had a conversation with the employees.

"Mr. Boutwell, you have a great responsibility at hand," said Lewis. "We don't want any of our employees feel uncomfortable in any way whatsoever. We don't want our employees showing up at work mad, sad or anything like that and notable to perform at a maximum level because the fact that they are being mistreated at their job."

"I don't understand where you are going with this 'mistreated'," said Boutwell. "I tell you what, if this is what you want, I'll resign right now."

"That's going to be your decision." said Lewis.

"It is my decision because you know what? I've had enough," said Boutwell. "All I'm trying to do is what's best for this town. I'm not going to get beat up anymore, I'm not going to sit here and take this. You can go write all this up, because you will have my resignation on my desk tomorrow."