Tensions flared Monday between Oktibbeha County Road Manager Fred Hal Baggett and District 4 Supervisor Bricklee Miller, spurred on by a disagreement about whether more than 300 hours of overtime for road workers during the winter months was necessary.
Miller, during Monday’s supervisors meeting, reported about 310 hours of overtime spread among 20 employees in the road department in those months. She said that amounted to about $6,200 in unanticipated costs.
Miller took particular issue with much of the overtime falling to truck drivers and employees in clerical positions in the road department, rather than foremen. She called the heavy overtime, including one pay period where some workers got as many as 20 extra hours, “excessive abuse.”
The dispute escalated later in the meeting, when Miller took issue with Baggett meeting with Board President Orlando Trainer and District 5 Supervisor Joe Williams, but not other supervisors.
“From their understanding, you were going to call the other supervisors and talk to us so we could gather our information,” Miller said.
Baggett fired back and accused Miller of being a bully.
“In your particular case, Ms. Miller, it’s very difficult to talk to you,” he said. “Personally, and this is my opinion, your persona appears to be, when I talk to you as of late, one of intimidation — a bully. So frankly, that’s why I have not communicated with you as of late, and you have not communicated with me, either.
“You call people in my office,” Baggett continued. “You talk to the foremen, but you don’t talk to me. So that goes both ways.”
Miller, speaking to The Dispatch after Monday’s meeting, called Baggett’s statements “rude” and “unprofessional.” She said he made the statements because she was questioning his use of taxpayer money.
“If questioning unauthorized spending of taxpayer money makes me a bully, then I’m guilty,” she said. “I was elected to oversee taxpayers’ dollars, follow the law, and that’s what I will continue to do.”
Trainer told The Dispatch his meeting with Baggett, on March 26, had been to discuss road work planned for his and Williams’ districts. He said he assumed Baggett would meet with other supervisors to have similar discussions because such meetings are routine.
Heavy rains caused overtime
At Monday’s board meeting, Baggett contended the overtime Miller spoke about was due to heavy rains.
“There was a week we had a lot of rain,” he said. “We had three roads that were washed out. When I say washed out, I mean they were impassible.”
Miller contended that Baggett should have let 911 call to report emergencies, which she said is how the process is supposed to work. Speaking to The Dispatch, Miller said 911 is supposed to report road emergencies to the road department by first calling the shop foremen, then the road manager, then the field superintendent, and then the general superintendent.
“I don’t have the notion that 911 has to call if we see something that has to be done, if it’s an emergency,” Baggett said. “I never held that notion.”
Baggett said 911 alerted him the weather was going to be bad and called his foremen and told them to ride the roads, which is what led to the discovery of the washout problems.
Trainer, during the meeting, disagreed that Baggett should have waited for 911 to call about specific roads.
“A lot of that discretion is up to the road manager,” Trainer said. “That’s his discretion to make that decision. He doesn’t have to wait until 911 alerts him of an emergency. If he sees an issue that needs to be addressed, he has that authority. Why would he sit and wait for someone to tell him to do something if he sees it needs to be done?”
Miller told The Dispatch she was concerned about what she saw as a breach of protocol. She also said she took issue with unanswered questions about who was overseeing the workers while they were out dealing with the road problems.
“There’s a protocol,” she said. “Yes, we had wet months, but with this excessive overtime, who was actually out there, supervising these people? We had a clerical person and a truck driver out there, but no foreman. Was Mr. Baggett out there? He said he had given them authority to ride the roads. He was not supervising the overtime.”
Baggett wouldn’t comment to The Dispatch after the meeting about his dispute with Miller.
“All I’m going to say is I think we can work it out,” he said.
Alex Holloway was formerly a reporter with The Dispatch.
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