Editor’s Note: This interview was conducted prior to the termination of Chief Crystal Moore. The Herald was allowed to ask any question on any issue and received an answer on all questions asked.
By Betsy Finklea
Mayor Earl Bullard is setting the record straight on a number of issues that have recently been the subject of town council meetings and the local rumor mill.
The Recreation Director
Mayor Bullard said he received 30 applications for the recreation director’s job after the former director Ann Jackson resigned. Bullard emphasized that he did not terminate Jackson that she chose to resign.
He said of the 30 applications, 14 people—old, young, black, white, male, and female—were interviewed. Bullard said he narrowed these candidates down to eight, then to six, then to four, and then to two.
Some candidates for the job were ruled out because of their salary requirements, but some who were qualified were interviewed despite the fact that they were asking more money than was available for the position.
Bullard said of the two final candidates, he chose Vontray Sellers due to the fact that he was well-versed in all of the sports whereas the other person was versed in softball and baseball and not as well-rounded.
On Sellers resume, he lists that he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in General Studies with a focus on physical education from Texas Southern University. His work experience includes working as an athletic program coordinator/assistant sports complex manager for the City of Dillon Parks and Recreation Department from May 2013 to present, a career counselor and coach (head soccer coach and assistant football coach) at Dillon School District Four from July 2012-May 2013, a career specialist and coach (head soccer coach and assistant football coach) at J.V. Martin Jr. High School, City of Dillon Parks and Recreation part-time/summer worker from 2005-2011, Dillon County Parks and Recreation part-time and volunteer from 2005 to present, Texas Southern University Athletic Department student worker from 2009-2011, and Feather River College Athletic Department student worker from 2007-2008. He lists four professional references and four personal references on his resume.
Background Checks
Bullard said shortly after Sellers was hired as Recreation Director that Chief Crystal Moore came to him and said she had heard that Sellers had a DUI (driving under the influence) charge and asked Bullard if he wanted her to run a driving record. Bullard told her to do it, and the record came back showing Sellers’ license as suspended. Bullard said the report shows that Sellers’ license is suspended from an accident.
Bullard said on the Town of Latta application it states that “As part of our pre-employment screening, the Town of Latta may contact a consumer reporting agency to review its files on people who have applied for jobs with the town. A consumer report includes, but is not limited to, credit reports and criminal history reports. If the town decided to request a consumer report on you, we will contact you first and obtain your written permission to access your files.”
Bullard said this written permission was not obtained.
Bullard said he was not aware until he looked back at the application that this was required, but that since Chief Moore was the one to run all background checks he believed that she should have known this requirement. He said if she had told him this was a requirement, he would have told her to obtain the written permission.
Bullard said when Sellers record came back with his license suspended, he called Sellers in and asked him about it. Sellers told him to his knowledge his license was not suspended. Bullard said he told him to find out what was going on and to get it straightened out. Bullard said when Moore asked Sellers about this, he said to his knowledge that his license was not suspended. Bullard said this is where the charge of giving false information to a police officer originated. He said he believes that if Sellers honestly believed that his license was not suspended and he said this in good faith that he did not believe that he thought or intended to give false information to an officer. Bullard said it was three or four days later when a warrant was taken out and served.
Bullard said Sellers had to get a release signed from a person whose crepe myrtles he had damaged, take out SR 22, and his license was reinstated. He said Sellers pled to reckless driving which is on his driving record.
Bullard said that the previous recreation director’s file was checked and that a background check was not done on this employee either. He said that the director really only has a limited amount of contact with children.
Micromanagement
Bullard said he has prided himself on being fair and just with anyone he has dealt with in any business. He said he does not try to micromanage employees, but he does expect employees to be able to perform their jobs. He said he doesn’t ask an employee to do anything that he would not do himself. One thing that he has done since being mayor is calling department heads to see what their agenda is for the day, to see if they need any help with anything, etc.
Changing The Form Of Government
Bullard said that years ago he favored changing the form of government to the council form. He said that someone has to be able to make the decisions on the day-to-day operations.
Bullard believes that if the form of government is changed to strong council that an administrator would have to be hired to handle the daily operations, and this could cost anywhere from $40,000-$50,000, money that the town does not have.
He said the council could make him the administrator; however, he said the problem now is that there are those on council who do not want him making the daily decisions.
He said his door is always open.
Municipal Code
Bullard said when he and Councilman Jarett Taylor were at a municipal association meeting that they realized they had some problems with the town municipal code being contrary with state law. He said that the ordinances need to be recodified. He said their code needs to be in compliance with state law. He favors having a professional company who works on this to do this. Costs may be around $6,800, but council has approved spending up to $10,000 to have this done. He said it will be money spent, but will be well worth it.
Reduction In Debt
Bullard said in less than 90 days, the town’s debt has been reduced almost a quarter of a million dollars. He said he thought that was “phenomenal.” He said he does not take credit for the reduction in debt. He does take credit for two phone calls he made to an engineering company that the town owed money to and that he got that bill reduced by $50,000. He said he assured this company that in the future any work that they did would be paid in a timely fashion, and if it could not, he would not contract with them. Bullard said that this is not just a town, but a business and the business has to break even or the taxpayers have to bear the brunt of it.
Water Projects
Bullard said there two water projects they are working on, but the bids came in much higher than expected and than funds available for the projects, and they are being re-bid.
One project had available funds of $344,828. The low bid that came in for that project was $537,923.05, and the high bid is $876,453. He said the town does not have the money to make up the shortfall.
Bullard said he realizes that one of the town’s biggest problems is the water. He said 98 percent of the grants are for low and moderate income housing, but in Latta the problems are in all areas so he said they are finding other ways to address the problems. He said that the town employees are replacing lines as they can, but noted that engineering cost have hamstrung many small towns including Latta.
Bullard said at a council meeting several citizens in attendance were asked if they would be willing to pay more money for better water. He said nearly everyone in attendance said yes. Bullard said the problem with this is that there are some people who cannot afford to pay extra funds for better water such as retired people or elderly people on fixed incomes.
He said that they also are still fighting the Department of Transportation over the 501 project. He said DOT required them to take streets that they now must upkeep.
Debris Pick-up
Bullard said they are working hard to get the debris picked up from the ice storms and the regular yard debris. He said SCDOT will be picking up the debris on Richardson Street, Academy Street and Main Street.
The town is also down a couple of workers for various reasons in that department.
He said that the town has no money to hire outside people.
Upcoming Budget
Work is beginning on the upcoming budget. Bullard said they have employees who need and deserve raises. He said he doesn’t see a big raise in the horizon, but he wishes they could. He said they would try to figure out some way to work on this.
He said small town government is a balancing act and the outgo often far exceeds the income.
Downtown Growth
Bullard said one thing he is working on is cataloging all of the buildings downtown that are available. He said self-promotion will be the only way Latta will grow. He said local businesses need the support of the citizens to be successful. He spoke about the importance of buying locally instead of purchasing from big box stores in the area. Bullard said sometimes Latta’s local businesses have the best deals.
Annexation
Bullard said another way to grow is through annexation. He said with annexation though, the town must look at the cost of services they will provide in the street, water, and police departments and compare that to the money that they will be taking in. He said this must be looked at in real dollars and cents from a business standpoint.
Where He Lives
Bullard said that before he decided to run for mayor that he contacted the head of the Latta election commission David Earl Shelley who contacted the state election commission. He said that he was told that as long as he did not view his situation as permanent, which he does not, and viewed it as temporary, which he does, that he would be able to run and serve if elected using the address he provided to the election commission.
Not Going Anywhere
Bullard said that he did not seek out the job of mayor and told people who approached him about running that if they would find someone to take the job that he would support them. He said he wanted to stay in the background, but after no one would run, he considered running and taking on this responsibility.
He said he was reared in Marlboro County, but Latta became his town in 1980 when he moved here. He feels so strongly about his town that in 1996, he had his parents moved to Magnolia Cemetery. He said he has reared children in Latta and has grandchildren in Latta—three generations of his family so far. He said he knows there are others who can trace their roots further back, but he loves this twon.
He said he has always worked hard and while he may not always have been the smartest person, he always has worked hard. Bullard said he chose Latta, and he is not going anywhere.
Bullard said his goal as mayor is to leave Latta a better place than when he came here and that is exactly what he intends to do.
