Mitchell Johnson Out

Sam reports that Michele has posted that Mitchell Johnson has been relieved of his duties.

Update: Sam posts at his place; the News and Record reports.

Comments

[Spag]

Confirmed. Johnson has been fired. N&R has a story, but Michele was first.

http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/03/03/article/city_manager_will_face_debate_about_his_job_tonight

[Joe Guarino]

Thanks, Sam, for letting us know. This is pretty huge. I hope it means better things to come.

[Rogan]

City employees will celebrate in the halls and streets tomorrow. Many great discussions will occur in front of the coffee pot in the break room tomorrow. Did you see all of the "bought and paid fors" speaking for Mitch at Council. None of them could say anything good about him. They just asked Council to keep him. CRAZY.

[Spag]

Now that he is gone, I expect the veil of silence from many City employees to be broken.

[Anonymous]

Na Na Na, Hey Hey, Goodbye

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlzPFm44Wac

[keith]

no wedge issue in fall for plenty of councilmembers

[Joe Guarino]

Keith, it appears from the News and Record report that the votes of Sandra Anderson Groat and Zack Matheny swung against Johnson.

Sam, you may be right about that veil of silence, but I am particularly concerned with regard to what it means for the police department.

Rogan, I did not see the proceedings, so I am not aware of what you mean by the "bought and paid fors".

[Dr. Mary Johnson]

Ding, dong.

[keith]

and joe you can read from that, that if Mitch Johnson was still employed that there are plenty of citizens who wanted him gone and if you were there to support the manager it could have hurt you in the fall.

Just like it would have been political suicide to vote against protest petition come fall

[scharrison]

Congratulations, folks. :)

Did anybody have a clue this was about to take place? Any rumors or anything?

[Joe Guarino]

Keith, I am presuming that the Sanders acquittal made the difference for these two council members. But it would be interesting to know whether other factors contributed to their change of heart. Or if it was political self-preservation, as you seem to be inferring.

[Spag]

Probably both. The evidence has vindicated Wray and completely undermined Johnson. At some point I think Sandra realized that keeping him on was an untenable or at the very least, nonsensical position.

Still, I am upset that he still remains employed with the City. They should lock him out like he did Wray instead of giving him time to try and clean up his mess. A person with his dishonesty and incompetence has no business walking back into the municipal building as an employee in any capacity.

[Ryan]

Hopefully this firing was done in just and not because it's an election year. I spoke with Sandra earlier today... and the fact that she asked me what I thought about Mitchell didn't make me feel as though she was 100% confident. It almost seemed as though she was looking for support.

As I just posted on my blog, the scapegoat is gone... hopefully progress can be made.

Ryan

[Joe Guarino]

I did not hear that anything was afoot until this evening on the blogs, scharrison. Perhaps others were aware earlier. Of course, the Sanders acquittal would cause anyone to wonder if anything would happen, but there was nothing concrete.

I don't take a lot of joy in this. We still have a messed-up police department. We still have Wray and all of his men, who still have not been restored from the standpoint of all they objectively lost-- career losses, income losses, legal expenses, etc. They still feel the sting of injustice. We still have council members like Robbie Perkins and Yvonne Johnson who supported him to the bitter end. And we have Matheny and Groat, who supported his handling of the whole mess much longer than they should have.

[Joe Guarino]

Ryan, thanks for the comments.

And Sam, you make a good point. It occurred to me as I read about the arrangement that Mitchell Johnson is going to be on the city payroll for another 11 months or so. I don't see the point in keeping him employed until July. Perhaps they feel they need his help with the budget-- I don't know. But they should have been able to do this differently. (Perhaps this was the compromise that was needed to get one or both of the swing votes to agree to remove him?)

[Spag]

Ryan calls Mitch a "scapegoat". Too funny. Once again the myth wins over the facts in some minds.

Really, that isn't what you meant, is it Ryan?

[Joe Guarino]

Johnson may have been a scapegoat to the extent that his actions reflected the will of the city council members who employed him. This does not absolve him of responsibility, however. Not by a long shot.

[Spag]

Joe, I don't think anyone on the City Council made him go out and tell a flagrant lie about David Wray or spin the tale of the black book without any evidence to support it.

Anyone who thinks Johnson is a scapegoat should have to explain what evidence they have to support that.

Last week, YES! Weekly prints an editorial arguing that they don't believe that the full story of wrongdoing under Wray has been told. Yet, if they have more information, why won't they print it?

Same thing with Ahearn.

WFMY continues to spin the tale.

The N&R still hasn't reported on Johnson's admission that the black book was legitimate.

Ryan calls Johnson a scapegoat.

What all these have in common is that there are NO facts to support any of them. Three out of the four are media outlets. They are supposed to deal in facts, but instead they are dealing in opinion that is not supported by ANY facts or allegations that have been discredited by facts.

And people wonder why nobody trusts many so called journalists anymore.

I am thinking about offering a substantial reward to anyone who can come up with ANY verifiable facts to support their accusations or opinions on the subject.

[Ryan]

Scapegoat in a sense that people have constantly said he is the cause of so many problems. Sam, I'm not caught up in a myth, and no one truly wins in this situation.

[Ryan]

Sam, I'm not sure you are understanding what I'm saying. For as long as I can remember, Johnson was "the problem with the GPD." No one wanted to own any of the issues and they simply inserted Johnson's name to blame. In no way have I reported, or been in favor of one side of this issue as you claim other outlets have done. I'm simply saying that now that he is gone, progress should in theory be made since he was such a problem.

[Ryan]

And problem should have been in quotes.

[Spag]

If he is the cause of many problems, then he is not a scapegoat.

Mitch is the one who was trying to scapegoat people to deflect from his own culpability.

[cara michele]

@joe: "Sam reports that Michele has posted that Mitchell Johnson has been relieved of his duties."

posted on facebook via blackberry, live from council chambers, in case anyone tried to find it on my blog. (if i'd twittered it, it would have gone to my blog, too, but i only twitter about homeless stuff.)

@sch: "Did anybody have a clue this was about to take place?"

yes. and let me just say, ben holder continues to be the heavyweight champion of the world. ;)

[Laura Hamilton]

Well, it looks like truth finally won out and the long tangled mess in this city is beginning to unwind. I think that it is notable that Mayor Johnson & Robbie Perkins got caught on the wrong side of this city council decision. Greensboro will have to start looking in new directions for its next mayor.

[Tony Wilkins]

Joe, I publicly thank you for your determination on this matter at my blog tonight. I also share my thoughts on a replacement:
http://www.busybeingbornblog.com/?p=279
I'd love to know your opinion on Roger Cotten as Greensboro City Manager.

[Fred Gregory]

Joe and scharrison,

I have been watching the rerun of tonites speakers from the floor at the Council meeting. Two ladies in succession made remarks in support of the City Manager and suggested/implied that council memebers attending the trial of Officer Sanders were grandstanding ( politically ). I think one of them has given this same speech before basically saying anything short of unanimity on the council was not good for the community. Her friend also expressed these same sentiments. Both as I recall hinted that an imminent movement was brewing under the surface to fire Mitch Johnson. They were followed bym the Rev. G. Headen who also seemed to be aware of something afoot regarding the Manager;s status . He also expressed support and praise for Johnson. At that point I hit the clicker and called it a night. Well it seems something was indeed in the oven. It is done.

[RecycleBill]

Alas, even in the darkness, the fall of a tyrant can bring hope to the masses.

[RecycleBill]

Who wants to bet that Johnson gets hired by Jim Melvin? Remember: Johnson is simply a soldier in Melvin's Minions but if he rolls Melvin looses. Down with the Bobblehead!

[Hugh]

Here are a couple of noteworthy comments from Alan Johnson in the piece he wrote about the Mitch firing, Where was this mentality at the height of he Mitch/Wray controversy?:

"He forced the resignation of former Police Chief David Wray"--I thought it was reported to us that Wray was fired?

"raised allegations of racism on both sides"--Is the N&R admitting that racism is a two way street? STOP THE PRESSES!

[Everest]

It will be very interesting, in the coming weeks/months, to learn about all the behind the scenes "back and forth" that culminated in Johnson being fired...there's more to this story than Sandra issuing a press release/statement the afternoon before the meeting, I'll promise you that...

[Roch101]

"No one wanted to own any of the issues and they simply inserted Johnson's name to blame." -- Ryan

Wrong. People pointed to specific documented contradictions and inconsistencies between Johnson's public statements and the documented record. These were not some vague dissatisfactions directed the manager's way. They were concrete examples of mendacity and incompetence committed by the city manager of his own volition. That you still are incapable of grasping (or acknowledging) the specifics, Ryan, is not admirable.

[Joe Guarino]

Roch and Sam, while I agree that Johnson's behavior and public statements were wrongful, we need to remember that he had the support of 2/3 of the city council-- 6 of 9 members-- until last night. And he still had the support of 4 members even last night.

He served at their pleasure of these 6 council members, and they were satisfied with his work. He was their creation, and was doing what he perceived they expected him to do. I do not say that to exculpate Mitchell Johnson. I am merely pointing out there is a bigger picture. His behavior was a reflection of our local politics.

[bubba]

Two rounds complete,both wins for for Justice.

We have many more rounds to go before Justice wins the decision.

Side note: Let's get to work now on permanently retiring both Yvonne Johnson and Robbie Perkins from public office and political influence.

Matheny still needs to go, too. We'll give him a chance for redemption later if he shows by his future actions that he deserves it.

[cara michele]

"No one wanted to own any of the issues and they simply inserted Johnson's name to blame." -- Ryan

Ryan, I am definitely a "can't we all just get along" person, but I finally had to give up the "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" dream and acknowledge that there were serious problems with the way that Mitchell Johnson was running things. I read Roch's open letter on his blog this morning, and I echo his call for a new city manager who will make open government a priority.

[Joe Guarino]

Michele, I had not seen Roch's post yet, but I agree that open government should be a priority. And I agree Ben is champ.:)

And Bubba, I agree that more is needed to effect justice. Will be posting about that later.

Laura, thanks for the comments, and I agree.

Tony, thank you also for your encouragement. Following this story and discussing it and advocating it has been a huge team effort with many players having important roles. Will be posting about that later also.

[jc]

I read this comment on Tony Wilkins blog:

"I am not a predijucial person, but it was quite apparent that someone from the City Council called the president of the NAACP and a one or two other black ministers there to muster and sway the votes the other way. I want all voters of the City of Greensboro to remember the underhanded way that these folks attempted to play the race card again, this also includes Robbie Perkins. Vote in the next election to remove such underhanded tactics and folks who play this little racial game from the City Council."

Sounds like there was intimidation going on before the vote last night. Racial politics at its best.

[WaterBaron]

Hey Mitch, Randleman Lake is hiring WARDENS to patrol the reservoir. You get a badge and a boat.

[Joe Guarino]

Fred, it appears the Pulpit Forum was in there plugging away right until the end. Amazing.

Billy, this is indeed a hopeful day. And I would not doubt some soft landing could be arranged, as you suggest. In fact, the fact he will be paid another 11 months is a soft landing.

Hugh, we really have to apply a fact checker with regard to MSM reporting of this story. But in fact, Wray's departure was initially reported as a resignation (after having been reported that he was locked out of his office) but in fact he was forced out.

Everest, you are right. It will be quite interesting to see any new information that comes out in the coming months.

Roch, I agree that the city manager handled these situations poorly, and was not truthful. I hope we will see a new day now.

jc, I hope we are seeing the decline of identity group politics in the city of Greensboro. I think the old, corrupt, tired forces will try to hang on because it is a profitable industry.

[Tommy]

Done is done. David is gone, now Mitch is too. Bob Morgan, city staff and our City Council need to shake off the past and look forward. Our city, as well as our state and country, have many challenges as to economic, infrastructure and social issues. It is time to move on with the business of providing all the citizenry with the basic services they require in the most efficient manner possible. The leadership must come from our elected officials to allow this process to take place. During the next two weeks council must put their priorities in order, their egos on hold, their mouths in idle and their brains in gear. Focus should be on budget, reconciliation of lawsuits and employee structure that will enable these services to be implemented. Take emotion out and be pragmatic.

[Betty Almond]

I regret that Sandy Carmany and Keith Holiday were not at the council meeting to witness the firing of Mitch Johnson since they were two of his biggest cheerleaders. They are also responsible for withholding information from Greensboro citizens and going behind closed doors to do their dirty work.

[Brenda Bowers]

With Mitch Johnson now gone I hope the Council will bring in a new City Manager from outside who is trained for the job, and will not just make another promotion from the ranks. City Management is a degreed professional program and Greensboro needs that kind of professionalism. We are no longer the little southern town that the good old boys run their way for their benefit. Of course the good old boys haven't given up yet so as Joe and Bubba pointed out there is still much sludge to get rid of.

It is a shame that Ryan continues to defend the indefensible isn't it? He has political aspirations and is killing himself by hanging onto the dead meat. Mitch Johnson Scapegoat? Dear Lord!

Many many thanks go to Joe for hanging in from the very beginning when he questioned David Wray's forced resignation as being due to racism. He spear headed this whole drive and stuck with it all the way. He also indicates he isn't thru because there have been too many innocent people damaged by the actions of one man. These things need to be set right.

More thank yous go to Ben Holder for always getting to the truth. And to Spag for giving us his time and training to legally help justice win out.

Sincerely, Brenda Bowers

[Ryan Shell]

Hey folks, I think this has come across wrong. I'm not defending Johnsons decisions in the past or saying any single person has done right or wrong.

I'm going to jump out of this conversation as I don't want my comments to be taken wrong, especially since the subject is backed by so much emotion.

Have a great day.

[Roch101]

"or saying any single person has done right or wrong. "

Right. Exactly. Spineless.

[Joe Guarino]

Tommy, I think it will be interesting to see whether the five votes last night represent a new majority on the council who will act in a clear-headed fashion in the best interests of all the people of Greensboro, with no conflicts due to preexisting alliances, or whether the five vote bloc is only temporary.

Betty, you are right that people who used to be on the city council, and are no longer, share some accountability in this whole mess.

Brenda, thanks, as always, for the kind words. But as I noted above, there were a number of players who had critical roles in this whole thing, including but not limited to those you mentioned.

[bubba]

Looks like Ryan is a Zack Matheny wannabee.

[Spag]

Ryan, if you hire me and then I go out and lie and cause you to get sued over and over again, would you keep me on as an employee?

There is NO question that Mitch Johnson lied. NONE. He told the public one tale about racial profiling and targeting within the GPD, but then in Court (in our suit and in the discrimination suits) he denied that any discrimination or wrongdoing by officers in the GPD ever took place.

It's really quite simple.

[Ryan Shell]

Sam - sent you a message over at your site. And the answer to your question is absolutely not.

[just saying]

This certainly is good news for Greensboro. Mitch Johnson has been the latest agent of the "Good Ol' Boy" network that has run Greensboro for decades. Maybe recent events are a sign that the city's elite are losing their grip on power, which is good news for the rest of us.

The N&R isn't looking too good on this one. They backed Johnson to the hilt, even when it was obvious to everyone else he was in the wrong.

[Joe Guarino]

Just Saying, I agree. I spoke with someone on the phone, and said, "After all this time, suddenly, we are winning!" And that is the point. The citizens are winning. And you are right-- the N&R has not appeared good on this one.

[bILL]

"... Johnson ... had the support of 2/3 of the city council-- 6 of 9 members-- until last night. And he still had the support of 4 members even last night.
...
I do not say that to exculpate Mitchell Johnson. I am merely pointing out there is a bigger picture. His behavior was a reflection of our local politics."

You nailed it Joe. To put it a little differently, we the voters are responsible for this mess. Until we get that through our heads this problem will not go away.