Updated Feb 14 - The DEFACs saga continues...
"I cannot reveal my source." was Liz Tomlin's response to the Major Wendell Cofer when asked who sent her to Florida to get a letter from Ms Sadonna Gray.
If you have kept up with the saga (if not, start at the bottom of this page), you are aware in the September Board meeting, DEFACs Board member Mike Hollaway questioned the Board about an illegal meeting at the Library held in August by several Board members.
Then for the next meeting on November 14, a letter appeared at the front desk of DEFACs. This letter contained an accusation against Mr Hollaway submitted in February of 2004, almost 2 years before.
Mr Holloway questioned the authenticity of the letter and requested the Sheriff's office to investigate.
The investigation revealed some interesting information according to a report by Major Wedell Cofer of the Sheriff's Office;
Lacora Levens Handsford delivered the letter to DEFACs on the day of the Board Meeting but did not know anything about what the letter referenced. She also stated she accompanied Ms Liz Tomlin to Quincy, FL where Ms Tomlin made contact with Ms Gray and got the letter.
Ms Tomlin stated she would not say who sent her to Florida for the letter.
In an interview with Ms Sadonna Gray, Ms Gray stated that on that morning she answered a knock at her door and it was an elderly black female. Ms Gray stated that the "female explained that there were some racial incidents occurring in Decatur County, Georgia concerning Mike Hollaway and that she (Sadonna Gray) had information concerning that."
"Ms Gray stated that she is ill and under the influence of extremely powerful medications and that much of the day was a blur to her." Ms Gray did confirm writing the letter.
Ms Tomlin stated she felt this was a racial situation, that if Mr Hollaway had been black and Sadonna Gray was white the situation would have already been handled.
I spoke with Ms Tomlin on February 14.
Ms Tomlin did tell me that no one connected to DEFACs had sent her to get the letter.
Ms Tomlin also stated there were no other racial incidents other than this one she was aware of.
My Take
In speaking with Ms Tomlin I questioned the motives of the person that sent her to get this letter. I suggested to Ms Tomlin that the person that sent her for this letter would certainly have been aware of it early in 2004.
I stated if this person would have truly believed the incident had actually occurred, they would have, or should have, done something at that time.
Also, very unlikely to me
Even though Ms Gray stated the day she wrote the letter (Nov 14, 2006) was a blur to her because of extremely powerful medications, she is lucid enough to write in this letter Mr Hollaway had offered her scotch almost 2 years ago, not "a drink" but specifically scotch. Scotch was specifically included in the Feb 2004 letter. It is unlikely to me that if she had written this letter on her own ...
What Should Happen Now?
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Updated Jan 25 - How did we get into all this controversy?
This is what I have been able to piece together.
There was growing number of complaints made to the State of Georgia. In response, they sent a person or persons from the state offices to take a look at what problems we had here. B J Walker, the new DHR Commissioner, is committed to positive changes in the agency.
They found a troubled agency. Then, individuals outside the agency and/or involved in CASA, asked for a meeting with the state investigator.
The investigator was told there was generally a lack of cooperation from DEFACs personnel and some policies were not being followed. When a child is removed from a home, there must be a review every six months for open cases. This was not happening as it was supposed to. In some cases, a child's placement was moved just before the review was to take place, thereby canceling the 6 month review.
The common thinking is these problems were created over several years due to only having short term and temporary directors in place.
About this same time, the "Library Meeting" took place.
There is no question the meeting was held.
There is no question 3 or 4 board members were present.
There is no question DEFACs employees were present.
There is no question the Director was not included in the meeting.
My biggest concern about this meeting is not that it was illegal, but
What are Board Members doing bypassing the Director and dealing with employees directly?
Has this dealing with employees directly been happening regularly?
Their Role is defined below.
Appears they all need to attend board training again so they know their duties.
The State moves the newly placed Director because of the need to bring in some very experienced people to get the problems fixed. The Regional Director, Ms Linda Pope, was brought in. Then to help Ms Pope with the load, Mavis Moore, who has many years experience was brought in. They continue today to share the director's duties.
Several supervisors and employees get gone, either transferred, terminated or resigned.
Several Board members resign and one appointment by the County Commissioners was Mike Hollaway.
At his first Board Meeting, Mr Hollaway questions other Board members about this secret illegal "Library" board meeting. The meeting is "not remembered" by 2 board members but acknowledged by a third board member.
At the next Board Meeting, a 2 year old accusation surreptitiously pops up about Mr Hollaway. Mr Hollaway had volunteered his time in the past to be a CASA advocate for children. He recommended to the judge a woman's kids be taken and they were. It appears that in retribution, this woman made an accusation that Mr Hollaway made improper sexual advances. CASA managers concluded it was false and dismissed it.
Then the letters began. See below.
Who knows where all this is going to end up, but no doubt it will be for the better.
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Updated Jan 11 - What has the Board done Good?
One would hope that even with all the negative publicity and questionable actions the DFACs Board of Directors have accomplished in the last couple of months, there must be some good things they have done.
I am not aware of any positive actions by the Board, so below is an email I sent on Monday night to the Chair and Vice Chair of the Board.
As of Friday morning I have not had any response whatsoever.
I really did expect something back, but, oh well.
To: Calvine Rollins; Danny Burke
From: Larry Steiner
Subject: Interview Request
Hello,
I am requesting an interview with one of you.
The purpose of the interview would be to address the current negative perception of the DEFACs Board and to give you the opportunity to let the community know some of the good things the Board has achieved.
I am available any afternoon or evening, at your convenience.
Updated Jan 8 - What does the DEFACs Board do?
With all the back and forth, what the DEFACs Board is actually supposed to do is valuable in accessing some of the information provided.
See the Role of the DEFACs Board
In reading through the role, I was struck by
Board Members should also play a role in helping the county office deal with controversial situations that affect the attitude of the community toward the agency.
Board Members should be constantly alert for public relations opportunities with the media
Updated Jan 4 - Another Library Meeting
We have received information there was a 2nd meeting held at the library where DEFACs Board members were present.
August 3 - This one has just surfaced. We understand the meeting space at the Library was reserved by Calvine Rollins, DEFACs Board Chair.
August 17 - This one was previously revealed by Mike Hollaway.
Updated Jan 2 - Were they really serious or what?
In their November 14 meeting, as reported below,
The Board voted, after a motion by Mr Burke and a 2nd by Mr Hollaway, that the received documents be forwarded to and investigated by the District Attorney and the County Commissioners.
And then
Vice Chair Danny Burke made an issue of these documents received in his letter of Dec 30.
But as of Tuesday afternoon, January 2, 7 weeks later,
The District Attorneys office had not received "these documents" nor had the County offices received "these documents".
So were they really serious about this or what?
Perhaps they know that many have already looked at these documents and dismissed them as questionable in their truthfulness.
Updated Dec 30
Vice Chair Danny Burke has also responded to Mr Hollaway's statements where Mr Burke says "Now, I have concluded that the DFCS board does have a big problem" obviously referring to Mike Hollaway.
Letter from Danny Burke
Posted on Dec 29
Chairperson Calvine Rollins says the board has functioned properly without controversy until Mike Hollaway was appointed to the board. Ms Rollins also states Mr Hollaway does not understand his role as a Board member.
Mike Hollaway says the Board is not without problems stating the board had an illegal closed meeting on August 17 and within a week, the DEFACs director was transferred. In the October Board meeting, Mr Hollaway asked about this closed meeting. Here is our article with video of a portion of that meeting, DFCS Board has Illegal Closed Meeting?.
We have been told this transferred director was attempting to make some major personnel changes at DEFACs. Ms Linda Pope, the regional director for DEFACs, then came in and took over the leadership of our DFCS office on a temporary basis. Those personnel changes then happened. We asked Ms Pope about major personnel changes in a video interview with her in mid October.
So what happens for the next Board meeting on November 14?
Well there was a special called meeting on November 27 for the sole purpose of correcting the November 14 meeting minutes before being distributed to media. Minutes were corrected to state;
"Ms Rollins passed out a letter that was received by a DFCS staff person at the front desk just prior to the meeting."
The minutes were also corrected to state that Ms Rollins stated;
"There was no DFCS Board meeting on August 17, 2006."
So what is this letter that was handed out? Mr Hollaway was previously a CASA volunteer. CASA volunteers are the appointed advocate for children through the court and government agency processes until their case is resolved. The letter included an accusation against Mr Hollaway that had been alleged a couple of years ago, investigated and dismissed at that time, regarding a CASA case. It surreptitiously reappeared just before the Board meeting.
The Board voted, after a motion by Mr Burke and a 2nd by Mr Hollaway, that the received documents be forwarded to and investigated by the District Attorney and the County Commissioners.
We also understand the State Attorney General's office is looking into some of this mess. In addition, Major Wendell Cofer of the Decatur County Sheriff's office, is investigating Mr Hollaway's allegation that the cover letter left at the front desk of DEFACs contains a forged signature.
Then the letters
Letter from Mike Hollaway
and the
Response from Calvine Rollins
Comments in Talk Bainbridge Here
