Authority fails to overturn finance director’s suspension
Meeting in special session Wednesday, the Fayette County Housing Authority board of directors deadlocked on a motion by Angela M. Zimmerlink to reverse the executive director’s one-month suspension of finance director Sonya Over. The decision ultimately came down to board member Nancy Sutton, who twice abstained on voting. This created a 2-2- split, with Zimmerlink and Beverly Beal voting to override the suspension and Kenneth L. Johnson and James V. Bitonti voting to uphold it.
The lack of a three-person majority to overturn the decision means the suspension stands.
Over was suspended by Executive Director Thomas L. Harkless on May 15, after the board voted against his recommendation to fire her for nonperformance. Only Johnson supported the requested termination.
Although the board spent nearly an hour in two segments of an executive session, Sutton said she was unable to vote for or against Zimmerlink’s motion.
“I’m undecided right now. There’s a lot of things that I would like to know before I decide, really,” said Sutton in explaining her first abstention.
When Zimmerlink asked Sutton when she would be able to reach a conclusion, Sutton said, “I had a business of my own, so I know how important finances are.”
At that comment, Zimmerlink cautioned the board that Sutton should not delve into personnel-related specifics in the public setting. Johnson quickly suggested that the board reconvene its closed-door executive session, noting, “So let’s go back in.”
Beal, who had exited the first executive session in a huff, did not join the other four board members in further private discussion of the matter.
“I am voting to reinstate her. I think they’re wrong,” said an uncharacteristically perturbed Beal. “I don’t need to listen to that (any more). There’s no way she should have been suspended when this board voted not to fire her.”
After the board reconvened the meeting a second time, Zimmerlink repeated her original motion to repeal the 30-day unpaid suspension levied on Over on May 15. This time, solicitor John M. “Jack” Purcell recommended a role call vote.
Johnson and Bitonti again voted no, while Beal and Zimmerlink again voted yes. Sutton once again abstained, prompting Johnson to note, “She’s not going to vote. It (the suspension) stays like it is then.”
Asked to explain her non-vote on Over’s fate, Sutton, the board’s tenant representative, said, “She’s a friend of mine and I don’t want to make a decision no way. I had a business of my own and I know what it’s like.”
Johnson said that the suspension thus stands and that in approximately seven business days, Over can return to work.
The board’s next regular meeting is Thursday, June 26, at 5:30 p.m.