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Century Council Rejects Mayor’s New Hires — For The Second Time
May 6, 2021
The Century Town Council has once again rejected the hiring of two employees recommended by the mayor.
In March, the council refused to approve the employees hired by the mayor because he violated the town’s charter. The charter states that the mayor will present his employee selections to the town council to be approved or denied. The council can only vote yes or no on the mayor’s choice; the charter does not give the council any authority to hire anyone not recommended by the mayor.
At a March meeting, the council turned down the employees because Boutwell had already hired them without their permission and voted to re-advertise the entry-level service worker and citizen services clerk jobs.
This week, Boutwell brought the same two employee choices back to the council, but a motion to hire them failed due to the lack of a second.
Council president Luis Gomez expressed concern that the clerk applicant had actually submitted her resume and application in November, months before the positions were advertised.
Gomez said he had personally contacted the references listed by the service worker applicant and had found he was terminated for just cause and was not eligible for rehired by a former employer. Gomez made additional disparaging comments about the individual.
The council provided no next step for the hiring process. Under the town charter, Boutwell can continue to come back to the council for approval of his choices, whether they be the same or different individuals.
The service worker the mayor hired has nine years experience as millwright at a lumber mill, five years in maintenance at a chemical plant, and six years in home construction. The office worker selected by Boutwell has almost 20 years experience at an area bank as a bookkeeper, loan assistance, teller and accounts payable clerk, and holds an associate degree from Pensacola Junior College.
Pictured: Century Mayor Ben Boutwell (above) and council president Luis Gomez (below) debate the hiring of two new employees. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
22 Responses to “Century Council Rejects Mayor’s New Hires — For The Second Time”
“Council president Luis Gomez expressed concern that the clerk applicant had actually submitted her resume and application in November, months before the positions were advertised.”
What is there to be concerned about? People come to our office all the time asking if they can fill out an application and leave a resume. We gladly accept them, even if we’re not currently hiring. There’s nothing unusual or concerning about that.
1. Who gave Mr. Gomez the authority to call for references on the candidates? The Chief Elected Official (Mayor) is given the authority to interview candidates, check references and make a recommendation to the Council on hiring employees.
2. The Town Council is then to either approve or deny the Mayor’s recommendation.
3. Mr. Gomez should identify his source of information regarding the references he received. Mr. Gomez should provide written documentation to the Mayor of his sources of information and it should be on company letterhead so that the Mayor can verify the authenticity of such information.
Century is and has always been a great little town to live in and Gomez has been a thorn in the side of any mayor, council person or even citizen since he was voted in. He is just a “want to be mayor” that will never agree on anything good for our town. Until he has been removed, nothing good for the town will be accomplished. It saddens me to see so many efforts by our new mayor and council to be delayed and discouraged by such a bitter person.
I don’t think Ben would recommend someone unqualified for the job. The deliberate roadblocks by this council are shameful. Century deserves better!
Sounds like a city council member is slandering the good name of an applicant. That person might should consider reviewing Florida tort law as
To slander and libel issues.
Florida Statutes165.051 and 165.061(3) have everything you need to know about the dissolution of a municipality. My advice is turn Century back over to the county and stop all this foolishness.
Mark 3:25
And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.
@James Well it says he did home construction so if that’s the one that gave him that glowing endorsement chances are there isn’t an HR department to deal with. Just a contractor/sub-contractor that the guy worked for. That would be my guess anyway.
In fact the chemical plant is probably the only one of those listed in the article with an HR department and unless they wanted a possible lawsuit wouldn’t say anything except for the facts and nothing but the facts just like you mentioned.
Just leave them vacant and save some money.
Maybe someone could use a loan.
Both of these applicants appear to be adequately qualified for these positions and it does seem like that it’s Peacocking, pride and infighting blocking these people from getting a job. Now, what happens to these people if they have already given notice to their previous jobs? So, now they’re just sitting home collecting unemployment? Does that make sense?
@James…. I am also curious to know which HR department violated privacy laws and gave all of this additional information about the applicant. (Hmmm)
The past experiences sound suitable but was the content of the resumes vetted for accuracy? Anyone can write anything in a resume and roll the dice to see if it will be fact-checked. Sounds like Gomez may have made an attempt to confirm the information, but it seems odd to have received so much history from a previous employer. Most HR departments, due to privacy and liability, will only confirm or deny an employee was active; it is unlikely these days for companies to divulge an employee’s cause of departure and even more uncommon for the company to state their internal policies such as not eligible for rehire. Let’s get some more details from Gomez regarding his fact finding mission, and if he refuses to provide adequate feedback then he’s likely a roadblock trying to act educated in his realm of normal ignorance.
cancel Gomez,
What qualification does Gomez lack? What standard of conduct did Gomez violate?
Over the years, it is apparent that the TOC board are nothing but 4th graders fighting on the playground. Nothing has changed for years and I do not expect anything different.
I do not believe that anyone on the board is qualified or competent.
REGARDING:
“an embarrassment to Florida.”
Can’t be done.
David for my shameless State
Can we just give Century to Alabama?
If I was Gomez, I would properly wear a mask to conceal my identity.
Looking at the applicants qualifications they are more than qualified for entry level jobs. Definitely back stabbing politics. Escambia County for instance is determined to hire minorities and just recently a minority applied for two different positions, was selected and hired both times ; but did not bother to show up for work either time. Political correctness in this country has gone way overboard.
Gov Ron DeSantis needs to be contacted to step in and investigate the entire City of Century. No help from District 5 County Commissioners or any other representatives that have been involved in the town of Century.
Century is a joke and an embarrassment to Florida.
Everything’s normal
same ol small town politics and back stabbing.
Why do the citizens of Century continue to put up with this?
Why doesn’t the state pull the charter of this failed town?
Forfeiture of Office. A councilmember shall forfeit his office if he: (1) lacks at any time during his term of office any qualification for the office prescribed by this charter or by law, or, (2) violates any standard of conduct or code of ethics established by law for public officials, such violation to be determined by the remaining members of the council or, ….