11:02 AM Dothan Commissioner D3 Bradley Bedwell Takes Issue

Rickey Stokes

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Posted by: RStokes
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Date: May 21 2024 11:44 AM

DOTHAN:      10:00 AM     Dothan Mayor Mark Saliba and the six ASSociate Dothan Commissioners met for their regular scheduled meeting this morning.

Item number 10 on the agenda:     Appointing Jessica N. Kerns as Information Technology Director effective May 19, 2024.

D3 Dothan Commissioner Bradley Bedwell was the lone vote NO. Not because of the applicant, but because D3 Commissioner Bedwell had asked the application process be open for inside and outside applicants.

Interim City Manager Randy Morris only accepted applicants from "in house", current employees within the City of Dothan. The advertised salary was up to $ 180,000.00 a year plus benefits.

The former IT Director, Jack Mason, resigned under pressure from then Dothan City Manager Kevin Cowper. Mason had ordered software in 2021 for $ 10 MILLION DOLLARS which offered a wide range of software services which included finance, planning and permitting. No one in the IT Department has been able to get the software operational. Then Mason is reported to City Manager Mike West hired Jack Mason who resided in Jackson County, Florida. West allowed that even though threats had been made to Stewart. NOTE: Stewart attended Bethel Baptist Church on Cottonwood Road where, as a church member, he filled in for Minister of Music when the church had none. So while he lived in Slocomb he worked and worshipped in Dothan.

During my ( Rickey Stokes ) tenure as Chairman of the City of Dothan - Houston County Communications District Board ( 911 Board ) I informed the Mayor and City Officials that IT Director Jack Mason had no clue what he was doing. Well the Dothan Mayor, six Associate Commissioners and then City Manager Mike West were slow learners. It took them about five years to realize Rickey Stokes was not as stupid as they thought. So they encouraged Jack Mason very strongly, resign or get terminated.

As Chairman of the 911 Board, I recommended that we hire  our own IT person for the City of Dothan - Houston County Communications District Board. Instead the Board members hired someone to maintain the building. The 911 Board contracted with Dothan IT ( Jack Mason ) to maintain the equipment in the 911 Center for $ 150,000.00 per year. It has since increased. 

The $ 261,000.00 spent on time clocks, well they still DO NOT work!!!

Following D3 Commissioner Bradley Bedwell comments, guess what Mayor Mark Saliba and the other 5 ASSociate Commissioners questions and vote was. NO Questions, NO Comments, and all five plus Mayor Saliba voted YES for the employment of Ms. Kerns.

That last salary list that I saw of Department Heads, Jack Mason, in four years, was making a salary of $ 149,000.00 per year plus benefits. Dothan Fire Chief, with 18 years as Fire Chief plus all of his time with the Dothan Fire Department, was only at $ 155,000.00 per year.

OPM - "OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY - at least D3 Commissioner Bradley Bedwell was concerned about the expenditure of OPM where the others were not.

Kerns Employment by Rickey Stokes on Scribd

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