Fort Oglethorpe police chief resigns to take over drug task force
By Rachel Brown
Thursday January 17, 2008 8:07:33pm


FORT OGLETHORPE -- Police Chief Larry C. Black has resigned to become commander of the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit Drug Task Force.

The task force investigates narcotics cases in Walker, Catoosa, Chattooga and Dade counties.

Pat Stanfield is resigning as commander of the task force and returning to his duties in the patrol division at the Walker County Sheriff’s Department.

Fort Oglethorpe interim city manager Ron Goulart said the city accepted Black’s resignation Thursday. He was hired from among 11 applicants on a unanimous vote in May 2005 after having been jail administrator at the Catoosa County Detention Center.

“It’s an advancement for him because he’s going to be supervising those four counties,” Goulart said.

He said he was still completing Black’s resignation paperwork, the details of which have yet to be disclosed. The task force commander position came open last week, but Goulart said he had spoken with Black about his quick depature and that it was “fine.”
Council member Harold Silcox said Black was one of the best chief’s the city has had but didn’t blame him for looking for another job.

“I knew it was coming,” he said. “How can you keep going with three votes to get rid of you?”

For more than a year, there has been talk that council members Steve Brandon, Louis Hamm and – since he announced plans to run for election – Johnnie “Red” Smith – wanted to fire Black. Although the council does not fire the police chief, members can vote to uphold or deny an appeal if the the city manager fires him.

Brandon said he had no comment on Black’s perfomance and preferred to keep any issues he had with the chief between himself and Black.

“We’ll find another one and we’ll move on,” he said.

Sharrock declined to comment until after the paperwork for Black’s resignation has been finalized, and Smith was not immediately available.


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hoosiermama
Comments: 402
Joined: 11/14/2007
01/29/2008 05:12:18 PM
ewww, if Black's salary was 90K, then the silliness costs taxpayers even more than I thought.
 
ringgoldone
Comments: 627
Joined: 07/24/2006
01/28/2008 06:09:38 AM
Black - somewhere I thought I read his salary was 90K.

Money - from the pockets of Fort O/Catoosa County taxpayers (their portion of LOST).

That is why we need a full-time Metro government - with leaders who have a vision for the county and not their little kingdom
 
hoosiermama
Comments: 402
Joined: 11/14/2007
01/27/2008 04:14:33 PM
According to RNT: Dinley received 4 months salary, which came in just under 30 grand. After taxes, he received a check that was more 15ish. In exchange, Dinley signed a 'release' which stopped any legal action he could have taken against the city. Now, that's why I liked the man. He had some smarts.

I don't know Black's salary, but 6 months I'm calculating to be mmmm....25 grand at least. So between Dinley and Black these folks with their shenanigan spent $55,000. Oh well, it's only money I guess.
 
ringgoldone
Comments: 627
Joined: 07/24/2006
01/27/2008 03:34:14 PM
I'm sure Dinley did. CCN is reporting Black received 6 month's severance. That and starting a new job immediately. Pretty sweet deal if you can get it.

Working together - that depends if those "in charge" want what is best for the citizens of this county or if they want to keep a stranglehold on their little kingdoms.
 
hoosiermama
Comments: 402
Joined: 11/14/2007
01/27/2008 08:31:30 AM
ringgoldone:

I really like your idea about having the large severance packages. It would have to be so large that it not only made the council/city manager think twice, but maybe even grab the everyday citizen's attention as well. Didn't Jim Dinley and Larry Black both received money in their severance packages? Nobody seem to really blink twice on those. I DO like it, though.

One metro government for the county? Could it work? I like the idea, but would Ringgold and FO be willing to come together.



 
ringgoldone
Comments: 627
Joined: 07/24/2006
01/27/2008 05:48:57 AM
Hoosier:

You are right of course. Police/Fire Chiefs longevity depends on the City Manager, which depends on council votes. Maybe that is why all the ex-police chiefs find other jobs within the department.

If I were the new City Manager, I would negotiate such a significant severance package into my contract that it would cause the council to think twice before they dismissed him because he wasn't "their guy".

You really have to love serving the public to work in a mess like that. We need one metro government in Catoosa County so the whole county can be fairly served, and get away from small-minded, small town, gossip-driven politics.
 
hoosiermama
Comments: 402
Joined: 11/14/2007
01/26/2008 03:53:29 PM
As best as I can determine, all of the former police chiefs got raw deals. I believe when I relocated to this area in 2002, Blevins was the police chief. I do not remember anybody giving good reason why he was terminated and ever since then there has been a steady and constant stream of fallen chiefs. I am not convinced any of them performed unsatisfactorily, but instead their comings and goings were determined on who was currently serving on the council. When does all of this stop? When will decisions finally be made on what is best for the community?

ringgoldone, even if Howell got back in again, what makes you think he would last for any legnth of time? Based on the longevity of police chiefs, my guess would be not long at all.
 
ringgoldone
Comments: 627
Joined: 07/24/2006
01/26/2008 03:19:48 PM
Even if they went with a FT mayor, I think they would still need a city manager, because it would be nigh to impossible to elect someone as mayor with knowledge an experience to manager the city. Neither Cobb, Burkhart, or anyone who has been on the council was or is qualified.

If they leave Goulart alone, he will work out fine.

I would have like to see Howell as Police Chief again. He got a raw deal the last time.
 
hoosiermama
Comments: 402
Joined: 11/14/2007
01/26/2008 08:13:52 AM
Roscoe, looks like you were right with your first prediction in regards to Howell. I'm still waiting to see if you are correct on the second regarding Goulart.

ringgoldone, what I don't understand about this particular hiring is this: Why hire a training officer that is still under investigation? That just doesn't make good sense to me. I also have heard that there are already others on the force that are certified trainers, that are NOT under investigation. Is this true? If so, just what makes Howell so special...aside from his friendship with others on the council?

Maybe it is time to restructure FO government to have a full-time mayor. I DO share your opinion that it wouldn't be right for Cobb to be in that position, since he was against it before. It would be self-serving in my eyes as well. All I know about the city government now is this, it doesn't seem to be working for this city.

As far as stability in some of these positions, there is little to none. The police department seems to be in constant upheaval, which I don't think bodes well for the citizens or the force. These decisions do not seem to be made in good faith as to whether it actually benefits the city or not, just who is friends with whoever is on the council at the time.

Yep. Fort Oglethorpe is making news again. I am sorry for its citizens.
 
ringgoldone
Comments: 627
Joined: 07/24/2006
01/26/2008 06:56:21 AM
Howell returns to the force: Former police chief under investigation but still certified

01/25/08
Rachel Brown
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A former Fort Oglethorpe police chief, who state officials are investigating on allegations that he falsified documents when he was chief, has been hired back.

Doug Howell, who retired in the midst of an investigation in August 2006, returned Jan. 23 as a part-time training officer — but not as police chief as many people speculated he would.

Interim City Manager and City Attorney Ron Goulart said Howell will be paid $15 an hour up to 20 hours a week to give police officers specialized instruction as well as to teach safety and driver’s education courses for other city employees.

“He still has his (police) certification, and, according to Doug, he talked to (investigators) today and they wanted to interview a couple of additional witnesses that Doug had,” Goulart said on Thursday. “But as far as his certification, it is still valid.”

Howell did not immediately return phone calls for comment.

Ryan Powell, director of operations for Georgia Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST), said the POST council voted to revoke Howell’s police officer certification, but the revocation was staved off because he appealed the ruling. Powell said the attorney general’s office was asked to handle the appeal as of Sept. 13.

Calls to that office were not immediately returned.

Howell, in a prepared statement he read before the Fort Oglethorpe City Council at an Oct. 8 meeting, said, “I have never been investigated by the FBI, by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, have never been the subject of a criminal investigation and have never been decertified by the Georgia POST.… I was cleared of any wrongdoing by the Police Officers Standards and Training and by state assessor Rick Townsend.”

Goulart and former Mayor Judd Burkhart testified at a POST hearing for Howell. There were no transcripts from the hearing in his file, but Powell said it is unlikely any were ever made.

Politics

Howell’s arrival comes within a week of former chief Larry C. Black’s departure. Black took over as commander of the Lookout Mountain Drug Task force on Jan. 21. He received a six-month severance package and left on only a few days’ notice.

Several people — including former council member Richard Egeland and at least three other individuals associated with city politics and the police department who asked to remain anonymous — have said they believed Goulart and council members Steve Brandon and Louis Hamm had wanted Black gone all along and hoped to bring Howell back as chief. They also said they believed newly elected council member Johnnie “Red” Smith, a friend of Howell’s who retired about the same time, had the same intentions.

Brandon, Hamm, Smith and Goulart have all said they did not conspire to oust Black.

As chief, Black investigated Howell along with others involved in the department certification process. Howell had already been demoted from chief to training officer in April 2006 after then-city manager Jim Dinley said he refused to follow his orders.

Howell said he believed the real reason for his demotion was not dropping a speeding ticket given to the mayor’s wife. Dozens of supporters attended his appeal hearing. The council upheld Dinley’s decision in a 3-2 vote.

Black was hired in May 2006. According to documents in Howell’s POST file, Black questioned why paperwork for an audit of the evidence room was created in May 2005 and passed off as if it were made years earlier. Howell said he had nothing to do with falsifying documents, according to interview transcripts in his file.

The paperwork was required as part of the honorary certification process for the department.

When Black asked Howell to submit to a lie detector test, he agreed to do it as long as his attorney agreed too, according to a transcript of the conversation in Howell’s file. Howell, who had worked for Fort Oglethorpe since 1990, resigned the next day and never took the polygraph.

That prompted POST to investigate him, records show. Howell has since publicly stated that he was not investigated for criminal wrongdoing and that he would take “legal action” against the next person who defames his name.

Since Howell is a part-time employee, he will keep his retirement earnings, Goulart said. He said Lt. Gary McConathy had been in charge of training, but Howell’s hiring will not affect his status or pay. Howell will have a flexible schedule and can come in on various shifts to train officers, Goulart said.

-----

I knew Fort O couldn't stay out of the news for long.

First, when the minority of Fort O voters gave the so-called mandate for change, they included Johnny Red Smith in that number. So, voting Hamm in as City Clerk and hiring Doug Howell as training director is all part of that change.

And before someone steps in and accuses the council of violating the Sunshine Law, the rule is that a majority (i.e., 3 councilpersons) cannot meet together. Doesn't prevent them from meeting 2 at a time.

This tactic should be well-known to Cobb for he, Ken Marks, and Silcox perfected this technique when they were all on the council. In fact the whole council met at Ronnie Bowman's house when it was thought that he would become the Fort O police chief.

I suspect that some of Cobb's media puppets will start calling for a full-time mayor. Problem with that is that Cobb was vehemently against it when Judd was mayor and he was on council. He got the majority to vote against it. Would he support it now? That would seem awfully self-serving.

Anyway, he is not qualified to fill the role of City Manager (there is no city manager with a full-time mayor), and it is highly doubtful that any elected official would ever be qualified. Best to leave it as an appointed position.

They could make the City Clerk an elected position. The City Clerk doesn't have to be a councilperson.

Be interesting to see what the next change is.

 
bygracethrufaith
Comments: 1353
Joined: 07/13/2007
01/22/2008 02:46:31 AM
sleepingbeauty...
I checked and now see- we HAVE had dialogue before...seemed civil enough at the time...so I really am a bit confused on where you are coming from with your poor opinion of me or my "judgement" skills....just out of the blue.

 
bygracethrufaith
Comments: 1353
Joined: 07/13/2007
01/22/2008 02:38:34 AM
sleepingbeauty: "bygracethrufaith,who deems they aren't preaching or behaving correctly? Not you I hope"

who deems WHO isn't preaching or behaving correctly? are you talking about the subject at hand (the two councilmen who happen to be preachers) or just preachers in general?

If you are referring to something in particular, you will have to be more specific. Obviously, you have a problem with something I've said??? And rather than address me at the time I've said it, you've chosen to come in with some sort of vague attack?

By the way....thanks for being so JUDGEMENTAL of me while you express your HOPE that I am not ever able to "judge" others myself....that tells alot of your character.

I'll tell you...as far as my family is concerned... MY HUSBAND AND I DEEM WHO IS PREACHING OR BEHAVING CORRECTLY. I DO have that right, whether YOU like it or not. Tho...I am not certain why that would be any of your business.

How about this, sleepingbeauty...you choose who you want to listen to as a preacher...if any at all..you choose who you wish to be a role model for your children...and I'll worry about MINE.
Disagree with me to your heart's content...THAT is your right...but HOPING that I won't make a decision that I am entitled to make is absurdly rediculous on your part.

Sooo, you can either tell me what your problem is with me, or you can go on making childish cut downs that tell nothing of what you have issue with...that's up to you.

Now, for a short answer to "who deems they aren't preaching or behaving correctly?"
Answer: according to the Bible, GOD does.
 
sleepingbeauty
Comments: 19
Joined: 10/30/2007
01/21/2008 10:37:56 PM
bygracethrufaith,who deems they aren't preaching or behaving correctly? Not you I hope
 
bygracethrufaith
Comments: 1353
Joined: 07/13/2007
01/21/2008 10:55:59 AM
Rabbit: "ByGrace - why do you (and everyone else for that matter) keep referring to Brandon and Hamm as the two preachers? Sure, they are, but they are also plumbers. And Brandon is a volunteer fireman."

Okay Rabbit...From now on, I'll refer to them as: the plumbers, one of which is a volunteer fireman...both who are "men" who are also "councilmen" and are "humans" or maybe I should just call them "mammals" and, oh, by the way....they just happen to both be "preachers" as well.

Honestly, what's the problem with calling them preachers? You said they were. Are they not "proud" of the fact that they are? Do they have a problem with someone referring to them as "preachers?" Since when is that title offensive? ----and....why are YOU so bothered by it? I don't have a problem with "preachers" - so long as they are preaching "correctly."

Seems a bit silly for you to be bothered over the fact that someone calls two preachers.....um....."preachers."

Out of EVERYTHING that I say on here that many people could find fault with....THAT is the best you can do?

Wow. :/


 
hoosiermama
Comments: 402
Joined: 11/14/2007
01/21/2008 08:44:08 AM
May 2005, Chief Black was hired on an unanimous vote.

Q: What changed between then and now?
A: City council members

Hiring/firing should not being based on politics, but rather what is best for the citizens. I tend to agree with rome on this one. If the citizens of FO continue to allow these political shenanigans to continue, then they really don't deserve a professional.





 
hoosiermama
Comments: 402
Joined: 11/14/2007
01/21/2008 07:25:40 AM
Rabbit, actually I think that it DID happen. Was the paperwork Goulart was working on for Black a severance packaged? If so, severance packages are not usually negotiated when one is resigning of their own accord. What would there be to negotiate? Usually they are negotiated when an employer initiates the employee's termination. As far as hype 'because he saw the writing on the wall.' If I were him, I would have jumped at the chance at another position, too, before every shred of dignity and my professional reputation was totally ripped to shreds. The FOP obviously didn't think he was being treated fairly either or they wouldn't have gone to city council meetings and communicated with Goulart on his behalf.

It amazes me that you suggest a former police chief come back as chief. It amazes me more that you casually make the observation that there were 2 or 3 others former chiefs on the force already like that is a common occurence. Where else but F. O. do you see that happening? That in itself is an anomaly to continually hire these folks, fire them for whatever perceived wrongdoing, yet keep them on the force. If their performance was that bad to begin with, why bother keeping them?

As far as my comment about recall, I probably wasn't clear about who I thought would be recalled. Yes, I know you can't recall the City Manager. I was referring to recalling council members who would vote for Goulart as city manager, not the city manager himself.

As far as Dinley, I agree. I'm sure that we'll see more of him.

Cobb, agree with you as well. I hope that the local govt can get along well enough so that they can serve the community well.
 
RabbitNFO
Comments: 37
Joined: 10/30/2007
01/21/2008 12:08:47 AM
Oops, one more thing - for those of you who kept saying, blogging, calling into the Judy O' show, and living for the day that Black was going to be fired - where are you now? Looks like that didn't happen. And don't believe the hype that he did this because he saw the writing on the wall.
 
RabbitNFO
Comments: 37
Joined: 10/30/2007
01/21/2008 12:00:19 AM
Roscoe - why shouldn't Doug Howell come back if he is qualified? Not like we don't have 2 former chiefs on the PD now (3 before Red retired).

Rome - again, sir, you made me laugh.

ByGrace - why do you (and everyone else for that matter) keep referring to Brandon and Hamm as the two preachers? Sure, they are, but they are also plumbers. And Brandon is a volunteer fireman.

Hoosiermama - You can't recall the City Manager.

My prediction (after listening to the Sassy Goat Milk & Earl show) that everyone's good buddy as Roscoe put it - Jim Dinley - will put in his application. Expect to see him on the Judy O' Show if he does.

My wish for FO is that Cobb keeps his honesty and integrity promise. His speech last Monday at the council, apologizing to anyone that he had previously wronged is a great step in the right direction. If he can just keep his cool and not get combative with the other council members and most of all the citizens, and keep his promise to stay out of day-to-day affairs of the city, I think he will do just fine.

 
BigShiggy
Comments: 499
Joined: 01/19/2006
01/19/2008 11:55:13 AM
This town FO makes a great story line for the producers to overcome the writers strike.

A new soap opera show called "As the Wheels of a Local Government Turn"
 
ringgoldone
Comments: 627
Joined: 07/24/2006
01/19/2008 07:31:49 AM
Cobb - I don't like or dislike him personally. I just take exception for some of the things he has done over his years in office. When he was on the council, it was usually Cobb who created the headlines and kept Fort O in the press with his hot temper.

I truly hope as mayor (without the ability to cast a vote) that he can lead Fort O into the unity he promised. I hope that he will restore honesty and integrity as he promised.

Everything was blamed on Judd while he was in office. To be fair, the same standard should be applied to Cobb. It all rises and falls on leadership.

From what I hear about Goulart, he works well with the city employees. They appreciate his leadership. The same cannot be said of previous city managers. Perhaps he deserves a chance.
 
hoosiermama
Comments: 402
Joined: 11/14/2007
01/18/2008 05:59:07 PM
somehow I don't equate Goulart and unity, regardless of who the mayor happens to be. Goulart wasn't a unifier with Judd, he won't be one with Cobb. The man seems to like to make waves.
 
hoosiermama
Comments: 402
Joined: 11/14/2007
01/18/2008 05:52:07 PM
ringgoldone, I guess I don't agree with you on a basic point. I have been on this board long enough to know that as far as Cobb is concerned, well, that you just don't like him one bit. However, I think the citizens of FO voted for change, but not necessarily signed on for "Cobb's" way. I think they got just sick and tired of all the silly headlines that the elected officials were providing on the 6 o'clock news. After a while it was just a huge embarrassment. The position of mayor is suppose to be a very limited, passive role. I believe they may have had their fill of Goulart's meddling, just like they had their fill of Judd's.

As far as unity goes, I'm pretty sure that the election showed that the voters where 'unified' in a mentality to 'throw the bums out.' Just my opinion.
 
ringgoldone
Comments: 627
Joined: 07/24/2006
01/18/2008 05:44:20 PM
Goulart - not interim Police Chief, but probably City Manager.

Why would they storm City Hall. They wanted change, but that doesn't mean everything has to go Cobb's way for it to be what is best for the city.

Here is where honesty and integrity in leadership will be revealed. Remember it is all about unity.
 
hoosiermama
Comments: 402
Joined: 11/14/2007
01/18/2008 02:51:47 PM
Goulart could very well end up as interim Police Chief by default, since we all know that anybody that took the job would end up publicly disgraced, humiliated, and then tossed aside in return for all of the hard work that they put in. What person in their right mind would want to even attempt it? It is a shame, a crying shame, that this is going on. It sounds like the city may have to start recycling the previous police chiefs that still remain on the force to fill the spot.

Here's my little prediction: Goulart ends up as City manager and watch the citizens of F.O storm city hall. I have a gut feeling they will not let this one go by the wayside. R-E-C-A-L-L
 
bygracethrufaith
Comments: 1353
Joined: 07/13/2007
01/18/2008 02:24:40 AM
Roscoe,
I wouldn't be suprised at the events that you predict...however, I think that the ones who vote to keep Goulart will be the two preachers and Smith.
 
romegasir
Comments: 1608
Joined: 03/14/2007
01/17/2008 11:15:48 PM
oh and by the way FO does not deserve a professional police officer as chief......
 
romegasir
Comments: 1608
Joined: 03/14/2007
01/17/2008 11:14:09 PM
so does that mean Goulart is city attorney, interim city manager and interim city police chief.?
 
NorthGACitizen
Comments: 165
Joined: 01/08/2006
01/17/2008 09:49:00 PM
All I can say is the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit Drug Task Force got a really good guy today and Fort Oglethorpe City let a good guy get away. Shame on them!
 
Roscoe
Comments: 9
Joined: 10/26/2006
01/17/2008 09:42:25 PM
Ft. Oglethorpe has a reputation of electing red neck clowns. It's hard for a professional person to work under those conditions. After Red Smith left and Chief Black was hired, progress was being made in moving the department forward. In the last election the voters thought they were voting in a different group. In reality they voted in another, and maybe worse, good old boy mentality group. I'll make a couple of predictions. #1 Doug Howell (Red Smith's buddy) will be hired by FOPD in some capacity. #2 The elected clowns will eliminate 16 of the 17 applicants for city manager so they can keep Goulart.

 
please
Comments: 129
Joined: 08/17/2007
01/17/2008 09:23:02 PM
You got it. And it destroys morale for those few who are trying to do a good job. But it's been years since they had detectives that actually worked. It's just a joke. If they don't get a chief who will correct the problems that have been there for years, service is not going to get better. And they had a good man in Blevins. Again, my opinion.
 
hoosiermama
Comments: 402
Joined: 11/14/2007
01/17/2008 08:14:01 PM
The only thing is though, is that if FO continually hires these people and discards them over and over and over again in quick succession, they are going to be hard-pressed to have candidates even bother to apply for these positions. The people who are going to end up paying in the long run will be the citizens of Fort Oglethorpe.

 
please
Comments: 129
Joined: 08/17/2007
01/17/2008 09:06:50 PM
Read into what you will. It's not going to do any good if they don't make some more changes. IMO
 
hoosiermama
Comments: 402
Joined: 11/14/2007
01/17/2008 08:41:32 PM
please, then the resignation isn't really a resignation, right? A severance package is usually negotiated when the employer initiates the termination.

 
hoosiermama
Comments: 402
Joined: 11/14/2007
01/17/2008 08:34:32 PM
I think that perhaps Chief Black's "quick departure" was probably more than just "fine" with Goulart.

 
please
Comments: 129
Joined: 08/17/2007
01/17/2008 08:31:07 PM
This paperwork is no doubt how much severance pay he gets. Now, if they could get a detective that has a clue and cares about actually solving a crime, think how wonderful things might be.

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