At the last regular Signal Mountain Town Council meeting for both Mayor Charles Poss and council member Susannah Murdock, the council continued to deal with a contentious issue. The terms for the separation agreement of Town Manager Matt Trollinger were discussed. Mr. Trollinger came to Signal Mountain in April this year and since has purchased a house and his wife had a baby. The terms for his employment included 12 days of sick leave and 12 days of vacation. He used that time off for the birth of his child and to attend his brother’s wedding.
At a special called council meeting, he said his understanding was that he was dismissed because he abused his leave time, plus when he left some documents had not been signed. He said he had arranged for Matt Justice to fill in and continue running the city. After a special meeting, when he learned the city’s intention to give him notice of a separation, Mr. Trollinger hired an attorney who negotiated a separation agreement with Signal Mountain’s Town Attorney Harry Cash. At the called meeting on Oct. 10, the council did not accept the settlement agreement and asked attorney Cash to renegotiate with terms that included reducing the payments to Mr. Trollinger.
Following that last meeting, Mayor Poss said he saw some hateful threads on Facebook and misinformation. He said he is available by phone or email, yet he was not contacted. The council members faced backlash from the community on Facebook after that meeting - in particular Vice Mayor Elizabeth Baker. She said she knows everyone would not agree with her, but that at that meeting people only heard part of the story. By Saturday night, she said, “Hate jumped off Facebook to me and my family.” And she said her child was shamed, but she was trying to do what she thought was best for the town.
Councilman Andrew Gardner cautioned citizens to be careful with information they get off of Facebook, saying it is divisive to the town. He said the five members on the council are trying to run the town the best way that is possible with decisions made on solid information. Attacking a child is unacceptable, he said.
Citizens who spoke cited not knowing what the separation was based on, and only receiving bits and pieces of the story. One speaker said he had heard of no job issues to cause a termination, and that the town should honor the agreement that had originally been signed. Another citizen said there should be a focus on transparency and communication since emails and the website claim meetings will be streamed and that minutes must be available, but neither have been regarding the city manager’s separation. Interim City Manager Matt Justice took the blame for that. The whole problem is because nobody knows what happened, said another resident.
At the regular town council meeting on Thursday, attorney Cash reported that he had transmitted that offer to Mr. Trolliger’s attorney and other terms were added. That version of the agreement was presented to the council on Monday night. Both the town and Mr. Trollinger will voluntarily accept the resignation. There will be a clause for the prohibition of disparaging remarks and no negative discussion at public meetings and to the press. And he will be given three months of pay from Oct. 15 until his resignation is accepted, minus eight days.
Attorney Cash will present those terms and report back to the council at another special meeting on Friday at 4 p.m. The council will vote on that agreement at that time. Mayor Poss said the meeting will not be streamed but is open to the public.
Council member Murdock said, “We have lost sight of civil discourse." She said the council was trying to do what was best for the community and that she wants to be kind, even if she disagrees with someone.