City of Dothan Double Standards - Some Get Away With Dangerous Activities With No Management Supervision

Rickey Stokes

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Posted by: RStokes
Date: Oct 12 2012 1:03 PM

DOTHAN:   Do you lead by example or by intimidation?

When  you are an employee, but a supervisor, do the same rules apply to you as they do to the employees “under” your supervision?

As you recall I asked for prayer as I struggled with a “journey” that I was about to take. The journey involves multiple issues in multiple directions. While this article begins with the City of Dothan, my struggle with the issue which have been presented to me are not “City of Dothan” specific. However this question/article is specific towards some issues within the City of Dothan.

What I begin with is, the City Manager and Department Heads are “employees” of the City of Dothan and not the “owners” of the City of Dothan. We, the people, expect their leadership to be making decisions in what is in the best interest of the people of this city. But, we are learning the decisions are not always in the best interest of the city.

Then add 1,000 employees. With that comes thousands of issues which must be dealt with. Often times those decisions are difficult.

The City of Dothan has two sets of employees. One is “classified” which fall  under the Personnel Board. The other being “unclassified” which are employees at will. The unclassified employees are normally part time employees and department heads.  The “classified” employees fall under the ultimate control of the Dothan Personnel Board, which can overrule a department heads decision as to discipline. The practice of overruling department heads is rare, mostly because of the lack of courage on behalf those sitting on the personnel board, and the lack of actual knowledge to the truth of what is really going on.

Case in point, under former Dothan Police Chief John Powell reign of terror on the Dothan Police Department, rarely did the personnel board override his decision. After Powell departed and everyone really saw the reign of terror, questions as to their decisions loom.

This brings me to my point. We have seen department heads who get by with things which employees are disciplined on. A major example is, Dothan City Attorney Freddie Len White.

I took video of Dothan City Attorney Freddie Len White, on the City of Dothan vehicle, driving down the road and yelling out the window of the City of Dothan vehicle yelling “small fry”.

When the Dothan Personnel manual is examined, we see multiple violations which the City Attorney would recommend disciplinary action towards employees.

Major Offenses

3-42 (2)  Dangerous horseplay, threatening physical harm to or otherwise endangering others.

3-42 (3)  Serious violations of safety practices which could have dangerous consequences.

3-42 (4) Serious violation of city ordinances, administrative regulations, or department rules which could have dangerous consequences.

3-42 (6) Action(s), lack of action(s) that could endanger the life or health of self or others, that could cause undue financial loss to the City, negligence in carrying out assigned tasks or duties or responsibilities of one’s position.

3-42 (13) Misconduct, contravention of criminal law, or any disgraceful conduct which reflects unfavorably on the city as an employer or public entity.

3-42 (14) Insubordination

3-42 (19) Other, explain in detail on Personnel Form # 153.

Freddie Len White’s Prosecution Of Others

During Freddie Len White’s tenure, he has recommended and/or prosecuted others for major violations of the above described violations. We know, Len White has recommended investigations and disciplinary actions towards the workforce for these and other violations. Yet, no once has White undergone disciplinary actions for his violations. Two violations I have captured on still pictures and/or video. Yet the Dothan Commission and/or City Manager have never held Freddie Len White to the same standards as that he prosecutes the Dothan workforce for.

In fact,  following the video of Len White, Dothan City Manager told me he was not going to get into the “tift” between me and Len White. Forget the tift, look at White’s actions and driving, and the major offenses outlined, and decide for yourself.

So Back to my original question

The City Manager, the City Attorney and Department Heads of the City of Dothan, are not “employers”. They are “employees” of the City of Dothan. They do not “own” the City of Dothan, they are only hired persons for specific tasks…Police Chief, Fire Chief, City Attorney, Leisure Services, General Services, etc…

If that employee holds the employees “under their supervision” and not “under their employment as owner” to a specific standard and discipline, should they be held to that specific standard?

And just because Freddie Len White held his head out the car window yelling at Rickey Stokes, driving dangerous, which endangered others, was possibly in “serious” violations of safety practices which could have dangerous consequences, serious violation of city ordinances ( driving laws) …which could have dangerous consequences, action(s) which could endanger the life…could cause undue financial loss to the City, misconduct, contravention of criminal law ( harassment ) ( reckless endangerment ) (reckless driving ), disgraceful conduct which reflects  unfavorably on the City as an employer or public entity.

But Dothan City Manager Mike West said, basically because it was Rickey Stokes, we are not doing anything. His exact words “I am not going to get into the tift between you and Len”.

And Len has had over the years…a protection order filed by Building Official Wyle Yelverton where he was afraid of Len White and in fear of his safety. A complaint about remarks made towards others at U-Haul, I have filed a police report about his actions, pictures of his being pulled over for speeding down the road and the officer afraid to issue citations for fear of retaliation by White, video of his actions you see in this video.

Yet White and West continue after others, often times intimidating those under their command to take actions they know in their heart are wrong, yet they escape being held to the same standard.

Wondering why?

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