Mecklenburg County Manager Harry Jones has faced intense criticism from some residents on a variety of issues this year, including reported accounting problems in the Department of Social Services and a $38,400 performance bonus given to him earlier this month. Some have even called for his job.Jones addressed the issues in an interview Thursday on "Charlotte's Morning News with Al Gardner & Stacey Simms" on WBT-AM.
Click here to hear the full exchange. Note: The link to Jones' interview is about midway down the page
Here are some snippets:
Q. Have you thought about resigning?
Jones: "No, I have not given any thought to that Al. This has been a good year. You know along the way you are going to make some mistakes. I did make a mistake in forwarding an email. Harry Lomax and I have subsequently talked and I'm taking his position that it was blown way out of proportion. He and I have had lunch together with each other. No, I have not given any thought to it. But I will say, Al, it's been a tough year. It's been a really tough year. But I think it's also been my best year and I told the board of county commissioners that and I'm going to continue to stay where I am unless they decide they don't want me any longer."
Q. As Al was mentioning, though, other county employees didn't get bonuses at all. And it seems to me that with the email as you said you’ve apologized, you've had lunch with the gentleman, but (it was) big blow to public trust there, and with the DSS situation being what it is, why not say, well, I'll accept the bonus if such and so bears out, an ethics investigation, something like that? Because I think a lot of people would question whether this was the best year for county government.
Jones: "I’m going to say this: I earned that bonus. I think the other issues my board of county commissioners factored all of those things in when they considered my compensation. And the position that I will take is that, yes, the email does raise some questions about people's confidence in government. But Al and Stacey, I will say to you that there was no malicious intent, as I have indicated publicly, on my forwarding that particular email. And in that there was no malicious intent, for those people who want to call for my scalp on that one particular action, (they) don’t know Harry Jones and don't know what Harry Jones has done through his career to try to open up government, to encourage more participation. If you want to judge me on this one action, then I would say you're judging me contrary to the real Harry Jones."
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43 comments:
The most condesending employee in Mecklenburg County. Why should he resign, he is riding the gravy train. Now, if he had morals, it would be another story.
Well said!
Quit picking on this strong intellegent black man.
'strong intelligent' ??? don't forget articulate - "..had lunch together with each other..". Yes Mr. Jones this has been a good year, FOR YOU!! The rest of us have been losing jobs, not getting raises or bonuses, you know, fun stuff like that.
Such arrogance. Does he think we are ignorant? The county commissioners could fire him with a simple single vote.
The integrity of the entire county is at stake.
Time for the guillitine...
Keep voting for Democrats Charlotte. And this kind of crap will continue until all the people who have made anything of their lives will abandon it to this d-bag's "clients".
Mr. Jones, as "LEADER",should resign for the mess he oversees. If he does not, he should be fired. But those that make the choice are his allies, they are truly responsible.
Race should have no bearing on hiring or firing, performance has to be the scale.
If this guy had a shred of integrity, he would have attempted to score a few points with the public... maybe offered to donate his bonus to an area charity...
All of these bureaucrats should have their salaries slashed. If you are making over a 100K and work in city/county government you should get a 10% pay cut. Many municipalities in this country are going to default before this is over. Birmingham may be the first... and the state of California is going to be the big one. Charlotte is not immune. Anyway, fire his a__s!
Leave Harry alone. He is doing a fine job. I always laugh when the term strong black man is used. Conquered people are always the loudest with their terminology such as strong, intelligent or articulate, but the fact of the matter is that these terms are normal for most Americans. Keep hope alive because at 200K a year, Harry is enjoying being an American and doesn't care about porch monkeys.
I think the commissioners should be forced to call an emergency meeting to address the DSS, as well as Wilson and Jones' continued employment. Let them go on record as standing with Jones and Wilson. Then as the rest of the story unfolds they can't claim innocence or ignorance.
If it is blown out of proportion as they say it is fine, if not they can all swing from the gallows together.
He won't resign. He couldn't find a job making more than 30k if he did. ONly Meck. County thinks he is worth 250k. And to think those fools gave him a bonus!
I feel the email incident where he tried to get that person in trouble, directly or indirectly, Mr Jones is not a responsible enough adult to hold any public office.
what a shame on this man to our people (Charloteans)who are working their back sides off w/2 to 3 jobs and still not able to make ends meet & we work for the county!! How insensitive. I am going to vote out those commissioners. We are so offended by the top management giving each other bonuses and greasing each others palms. Jeez-just look at all the top management-- bank of america, merril lynch, AIG, Harry Jones..you can't continue stealing from those people who helped you to the top. How do you face your higher powers? disgusting...
Let me just say this. The City and County workers who busted their asses to make Jones and Walton have a "good year" should have EARNED bonuses also!
We want the Observer to do more investigation into HarryGate. Something smells very rotten downtown.
It's beyond appalling that Harry Jones forwarded an email sent to him by a citizen to that citizen's employer. That alone should warrant firing. I thought such behavior was left behind in the 1950s but apparently not. What a doosh.
Now he's paid a bonus, but for what?
The email forwarding was a serious error that would warrant firing in any other setting. Keep digging. Something is definitely rotten in Mecklenburg Co. government.
"Quit picking on this strong intelligent black man."
Gladly, when he quits shooting himself in the foot.
What is wrong "Whitey". For years Bill Lee and Hugh McColl ran this city. I am old enogh to have seen how my people suffered. You will look for any small thing when the party in question is African-American.
I know Harry has been working so hard this year I guess thats why I see him at the Dowd YMCA at 3:00 p.m. on some days!
He is making up for the time when the white man would not allow him in the YMCA.
Harry Jones, Jr. is doing a fine job of using up our county resources, 3 DUI's and 2 drug charges in a many months.
I'm sure Harry's parenting skill rate right up there with his management skills.
But we can over look our disadvantaged black youth for their mistakes.
Here we go again..."my people"? WTF is "my people"? Is that you Reverend Wright?
"My People" are my brothers and sisters of color. The people that were oppressed and discriminated against for years and years.
As a white person you will never understand our plight. We are now united with a man of vision, hope and change in the White House.
Do not hate us for overcoming what would have killed many of you.
Let's see...Gloria Pace King, Harry Jones, Nick Mackey, Rodney Monroe...anyone else see the "similarities"
And to "MY People" commenter: Your race should be on the edge of their seats since MOST of "your people" are ON the county rolls collecting the money JOnes is stealing! Feed your kids with that!
WHAT PLIGHT? You were NEVER a slave, nor were your parents! GET REAL...ALL races have more than any time in history! QUIT acting like YOU were made to work in the fields! YOUR pople (Africa) SOLD YOU FIRST...remember, oh yeah, lets forget that part! WHICH started slavery to begin with and they are STILL selling their kids in Africa TODAY!
YOU, ME, EVERY AMERICAN has a chance in the country and I am sick of hearing "MY PEOPLE"...
Soon Harry will become "embattled." Then he will receive the "vote of confidence" from the county council. After that will come the fall.
My people, that's funny.
Let's see where are your people?
Yep right where "we the people" left your people, locked up in the Hotel Mecklenburg.
When will someone, the Observer, WBT, someone, ask the tough questions to Jones, like how did you find out where that emailer worked? Have a friend at the NC Dept of Revenue?
Harry was on WBT this morning with Barbara and Mike McKay. They asked nothing but soft questions. Ooops, that is Al & Stacey but who can tell the difference?
Why would he resign? He has PROVEN that nomatter how badly you do your job in Mecklenburg you STILL have that job. WORTHLESS POS!! Fire him today.
I did some contract work at the City-County 311 Call Center. I would venture to say 85% black
Harry says:
"This has been a good year."
"It's been a tough year. It's been a really tough year."
"I think it's also been my best year."
"I earned that bonus."
If a white person said "my people", it would be natiuoal headlines! Here's it means " I steal from the taxpayer's along w/ my church members". How dumb is this city?? Where are the intelligent blacks to lead us thru this craziness???
Why would he resign? He has a good paying Guvment job. Just try and pry him loose from this gig.
Mr. Jones seems to be 95% about self service and 5% public service. I am SO happy he will continue to manage our county's resources until he tires of public service.
Everyones forgotten the DSS connection of our new mayor whose wife got a big cush high pay job there. Forget Jones. Hes a sap and wont talk unless you have him waterboarded or hypnotized. So wheres the cash Mr. Foxx? What do you know? Do we need lie detector tests?
good....................................................................................................
I have come to the conclusion that some commissioners just feel sorry for Harry. And the rest are afraid of him.
Upshot, he'll retire in that job.
If you don't vote, then you are directly responsible for what you get.
Welcome to the Democratic State of Mecklenburg, where slavey has finally been conquered and people of color are vindicated for years of wrong by having people of color in charge, whether they are qualified or not. Vote democrat before you exit...
I am so disgruntled with the poor political leadership and 'investment' decisions that Mecklenburg Co. and Charlotte have made over the past 15 years I've lived here.
I've decided that I'm going to take the advice of BOCC George Dunlap, sell my house and take my property taxes and income with me. It's not so much that I'm leaving Charlotte, but that Charlotte left me quite some time ago.
Best of luck to those who remain. I imagine that in another 15 years, we'll look like Detroit, only with milder winters.
For those who are tired of Harry Jones and his arrogant and blatant corruption sign the petition:
http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/bocc/signatures/1
WE the citizens HAVE to stand up to Board of County Comissioners and let them know we are tired of their cronisism!
Yes, Mr. Jones may have very well "earned" his bonus. As did many hardworking County employees that endured a RIF that was poorly managed and showed little respect for employees. Employees who across the board were told NO to a pay increase while being asked to absorb the work once done by co-workers that were RIFfed and pay additional for their medical benefits. As the possibility of additional cuts, layoffs, furloughs, etc is held looming over their head.
Needed fiscal control extend beyond DSS and their giving programs. Contrary to the opinion of some Commissioners the problem is not solved by consolidating all finance functions under County Finance. They do require written guidelines, policies, & procedures regarding proper documentation, allocation & reconcilliation of expenses, revenue both operational and capital, as well as budgeting. To much is left for employee interpretation.
Much of the responsibility falls to Mecklenburg County residents who don't vote or have attention spans too short to hold elected officials accountable at the ballot box or ensure that relevant issues are raised on the campaign trail.
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