9-1-1 Center controversy is back on Fayette agenda for Thursday

The controversy about personnel complaints at the Fayette County 9-1-1 Center will be among the agenda items at the Feb. 22 meeting of the Fayette County Commission. Though discussed at length at the Feb. 8 meeting in public comments, the item for consideration by commissioners was tabled for Feb. 22.

Above, Nicole Smith, former 9-1-1 Center employee, brought the original complaint to the commission during public comment at a December meeting. Photo/Ben Nelms.

The agenda item pertains to discussion and action related to the complaints and investigation of the working environment of the 9-1-1 center.

Public comments at the Feb. 8 meeting, with nearly 20 speakers, came with people having their say on both sides of the complaints leveled against 9-1-1 Director Bernard Brown, those dealing with county employee personnel records being posted on social media by Commissioner Steve Brown and accusations of improper words and actions between various current and former 911 employees. Many of those speaking were current or former 9-1-1 employees.

Some from the audience supported the posting of the personnel file postings, while others felt those actions, while apparently legal, were nonetheless unethical and not based in fact. Many of the comments came from former and current 9-1-1 employees.