BALD HEAD ISLAND, NC (WWAY) -- Documents and e-mails are shedding some new light on what may have led to the resignation of Bald Head Island's Public Safety Chief.
The Village of Bald Head Island requested an external audit of its public safety department. It may have received more than it expected.
In March, Bald Head Island Village Manager Calvin Peck contacted Leonard Matarese of ICMA to perform the first audit of the public safety services since the village formed the department in 2009. In the e-mail Peck outlined that it was time for an external review of the department to "get better, leaner, and less expensive."
BHI paid ICMA $7,000 to perform the audit, which was released in July. The report summarized that crime was low on the island, and that structure fires only occurred every 18 months.
But it said that due to the high value of personal property on the island, maintaining a highly visible law enforcement presence is critical to tourism, which sustains the island's economy. It also recommended that police officers be cross-trained as firefighters to save the village money.
In a follow-up email sent August 11, Matarese told Peck that "we were not hired to do an investigation of personnel; we were actually to review the operations of the public safety department."
He then writes, "we addressed the operational issues. The problem there (the Public Safety Department) appears to be managerial/HR related not operational."
Six days later, the village placed Public Safety Chief Jerome "Chip" Munna on administrative leave. He resigned September 5.
Bald Head Island Communications Director Karen Ellison told WWAY by phone today that the village has not taken any steps to address the recommendations in the report. She said village leaders won't address any questions about the report until a new public safety chief is in place.
Karen Ellison
Anyone that has met Karen Ellison knows she is a bright individual that cares how the public sees her. Clearly!
let's break this down.....
Calvin Peck and the human resource officer Karen Ellison (also ironicly, the communications director )have personal problems with Chief Munna and want him gone. Calvin contacts ICMA to do an "investigation to get LEANER and LESS EXPENSIVE". This is just a sneaky round about way of saying...Here is our way behind the scenes way to get rid of Munna without any questions. It doesn't matter that we spend $7000 dollars of Bald Head Island citizens tax dollars, who by the way do NOT want Munna gone. The report states the crime is low and fires are rare but the citizens and tourists feel safe because of Public Safety doing it's job very well, oh and led by CHIEF MUNNA, NOT PECK! Immediately after the study, Calvin Peck and Karen Ellison have Chief Munna suspended pending an internal investigation ironicly led by Karen Ellison and Calvin Peck. Then they are cornered in a public meeting and say he was not suspended, He was put on Administrative leave with pay. The Mayor did not even know the difference between suspension and administrative leave. His only explanation is, after he looked to everyone else on council for an answer, adniminstative leave is paid? Guess what... Suspended with pay, sent home with pay, admministrative leave with pay....It's the same exact thing! This is OUR Mayor!! It was like nobody had any answers for what was going on because they had no idea what actually was! Anyway, The Suspension was because of and just after the "issues" uncovered in the Study. Karen Ellison, Leading the charge against Chief Munna, heads off any media inquiry by contacting WWAY first and saying Chief Munna is suspended with pay pending an investigation and nothing further will be discussed.This is the perks of also being communications director. So their plan was working until the uprise of the many, many citizens that saw through their B.S. and personal vendettas. Now after dragging Chief Munna through public humilliation in the press as if he has done something wrong, Their goal is to make him resign. They succeded. We, The Citizens are Pissed! Now it is time to stand up to Calvin and Karen. We, The Citizens of Bald Head Island demand answers and accountability from a council We Elected to represent US! WE VOTED FOR YOU! You Have turned your backs on us to support Calvin and Karen! You allowed them to get away with this. Calvin and Karen used the study against Munna. Now, e-mails and documents uncovered from IMCA summerizes "Don't try to blame this on us. We had no investigations of PERSONELL. Only OPERATIONS. This is a personel issue between Karen Ellison,HR, Calvin Peck, Village Manager, and Chief Munna." "We were not there for that" Now Karen Ellison caught in another one of her lies tells WWAY when confronted, they have not used any of the findings of the report. Again, this is only after being called out with the evidince of the emails and documents. Well, Which is it Karen?? You used the study or you didn't? LIES, LIES, LIES! People....This is the biggest proof yet of Calvin and Karen's Personal bias and agenda to push out a veteran employee, doing a fantastic job, against the citizens wishes, and suceeding. Our Village Manager Calvin Peck and his toady, HR/Communications Director Karen Ellison (comical how she can do both job of h/r and cover up to anyone asking any questions about information)are vindictive and evil spirited with their own personal bias hindering their ability to do their jobs. We have a Council that is weak and unable to represent our intrests. We have a Mayor that is a coward, too afraid to stand up to the tyrany and unethical operations of the village manager and represent the public that elected him to office. It is that simple.
HR
Let's not forget Calvin got "rid" of the last HR Director under the pretense of a layoff because she stood up to his bullying tactics. That was an easy cover up. Only to turn around a year and a half later to hire another HR Director who seems to "mesh" with his antics and management style.
Still in the dark.......
The headline was provocative, "Documents, Emails Shed Light on BHI Chief's Resignation". However, the story shed no light other than to report that there was an audit. If WWAY has "documents and emails" that tell the reporter a story, then I hope the reporter will tell those of us, who have not seen the "documents and emails" the story.
Wilmington Observer
ICMA
The emails that the reporter uncovered were from ICMA and stated that the study's goal was to review organizational structure, not personnel. This is a little butt covering for them, but they allowed confidential information given in the presence of Karen Ellison to be used for personnel issues so they do have culpability. The Village Manager and Karen used this study which the Village has no written contract for, but an PO for 7,000- 2000.00 over budget. Then to continue their witch hunt, Karen concocted a questionnaire to administer to the Public Safety Staff. She did not let them fill it out or think about their answers. She recorded their answers on the questionnaire for them. Unfortunately, we have been unable to get this blank document under the sunshine laws although it by itself contains no personnel information. The questions asked were like:
Have you ever heard Chip Munna cuss at work?
The reporters are also trying to get this document so people will really know what is going on in our Village Hall.
maybe
Maybe you should attend the upcoming council meeting this Friday on Bald Head Island. It should be extremely informative when the citizens get time to speak.
Im confused
because as far as I knew BHI was cross training personel already wanting ideally "Public Safety Officers" to be both trained in BLET as well as Firefighter I & II (Ideally) when hiring personel..