Council fires town manager George Dickerson

The six-month suspension of Milton Town Manager George Dickerson has ended.  Council voted 4-3 to terminate Dickerson at the Milton town council meeting March 7, in Milton Library.

Following the public portion of the meeting, council held a closed-door executive session to discuss Dickerson’s status.

Council members Norman Lester and Ronda Abraham, Vice Mayor Leah Betts and Mayor Cliff Newlands voted for Dickerson’s dismissal.

Council members Noble Prettyman, Deanna Duby and Joan Martin-Brown voted against firing Dickerson.

“I felt his actions over the past several years gave rise to cause,” Lester said.  Newlands, Betts and Abraham said they could not discuss the vote.  Dickerson could not be reached for comment.

Dickerson was suspended in September 2010.  At the time, Dickerson’s attorney, James Green of the Wilmington firm Seitz, Van Ogtrop and Green, said the town manager was told he was suspended because of deficiencies in a July 2010 memo.

Town attorney Seth Thompson said a number of reasons factored into suspending Dickerson, but he would not cite specifics.  Lester said Dickerson was suspended for failing to fulfill his duties as town manager.

Dickerson sues the town

Dickerson’s suspension came after he filed suit against the town relating to rumors that town employees had seen the town manager and human resource generalist Julie Powers in Dickerson’s office recliner.  Milton Police Chief William Phillips testified during a hearing about his own alleged misconduct in July and August 2009 that Dickerson was lying on his back with his shirt undone and his secretary was on top of him.  Newlands said in an email he would never suspend a town employee based on rumors.

Dickerson and Powers filed suit against the town Aug. 20, 2010, claiming Phillips’ statements were slanderous and malicious.  Dickerson and Powers claimed Betts and Abraham investigated the rumor and found it to be false, yet they remained silent during Phillips’ hearing, allowing the public to believe the rumor was true. Phillips, Abraham and Betts are named in the suit;  no trial date has been set.

Phillips also sues town

Phillips and his wife, Debbie, also filed suit against Milton. On Feb. 28, Phillips’ lawyer, Bruce Rogers of Georgetown, filed a lawsuit seeking damages relating to Phillips’ 2009 suspension and hearing. Phillips’ suit names Dickerson, Abraham, Betts, Councilpersons Noble Prettyman, Joan Martin-Brown and Deanna Duby, former Councilwoman Mary Hudson and former Mayor Don Post.  The suit does not specify how much Phillips is seeking in damages. Phillips did not wish to comment on the suit.

In the complaint, Phillips alleges he is entitled to punitive and compensatory damages as a result of his suspension and investigation.

According to the suit, Post, Dickerson and council created a hostile work environment for Phillips by repeatedly harassing him and discriminating against him in his official capacity. The suit says Phillips’ suspension came as a result of disagreements with Post, Dickerson and council over management and operation of the police department in violation of his right to freedom of speech.

Phillips also alleges statements made by the defendants during his public hearing were false and slanderous.  Due to Phillips’ suspension and investigation, the suit alleges he suffered public humiliation, ridicule, emotional distress, loss of income and damage to his career.  As a result of the persecution of her husband, the suit also claims Debbie suffered loss of company, cooperation, affection and aid.

Betts, Prettyman and Hudson voted to successfully reinstate Phillips as chief of police in September 2009.  Duby voted against Phillips’ reinstatement.  Abraham and Martin-Brown did not participate in the vote.

“It’ll go through the courts, and they’ll decide,” said Post, who was mayor at the time of Phillips’ suspension.  Post said he had not yet reviewed the lawsuit or received a summons to appear in court.

Betts did not wish to comment.  Abraham said she had not been served and, to her knowledge, the town had not been summoned.