By Robert Medley
Managing Editor
Piedmont’s City Manager Jason Orr, who came under fire recently after a state audit report was released concerning pickup purchases and the Open Meetings Law, was terminated by the city council Monday night.
Councilmembers Kevan Blasdel, Ward I, Jonathan Hisey, Ward IV, Ron Cardwell, Ward II and Melissa Ashford, Ward V, voted to fire the city manager.
Austin Redus, Ward III, was the lone vote against firing Orr, who had been the city manager for five years in Piedmont.
Orr was hired as city manager in Piedmont in 2016.
“I am thankful for the opportunity to have served the Piedmont community for the past five years. I will certainly miss the amazing people I have befriended during that time, and I wish them nothing but the best moving forward,” Orr said.
Last year, council members requested the state audit after concerns were made about the purchases of two pickups.
An agenda states the council Monday night will discuss, consider and take possible action on the employment, hiring, appointment, promotion, demotion, disciplining or resignation of the city manager, Jason Orr.
A recent state audit from the office of State Auditor and Inspector Cindy Byrd has been released that addresses issues that came up a year ago over the purchase of two pickups. The audit states that the pickups, one that cost $32,998 and another for $25,198, were purchased without competitive bidding. Telephone calls from City Manager Jason Orr to council members violated the Open Meetings Law, the state auditor’s opinion stated.
Jack Jackson, who was appointed to the Ward IV city council seat last year and then lost an election to Hisey, attended the meeting and stood outside the front doors after Orr was fired.
“That was a mistake,” Jackson said.
Piedmont resident Carter Anderson, of Ward I, said he supported the termination.
“I think it is fantastic for the citizens of Piedmont and for our community to see a new day dawning,” Anderson said. This has been going on a long time and it is finally someone stepped up. Leadership begins at the top.”
Orr earned a base salary of $95,000 in Piedmont.
Council members went into an executive session at 7:15 p.m. and reconvened shortly after 8 p.m.
Councilman Blasdel made a motion to terminate the city manager’s employment effective immediately.
Orr was not present when the council voted.
After the vote, Mayor Kurt Mayabb said, “I’m going to ask the council to hold your comments at this time and we adjourn this meeting,” Mayabb said.
Residents spoke to the council at the meeting Monday night. One resident, Brittany Anderson, said she thought the city manager should be fired because, “laws were broken,” she said.
The recent audit stated that Orr violated the Piedmont municipal ordinance that requires purchases of $10,000 or more to be subject to competitive bidding. The state audit reported Orr made telephone calls to council members that violated the Open Meetings Law.
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