Turns out the Town of Walnut Cove has its own issues surrounding the dismissal of Police Chief Barry Conaway. And no one’s talking because —- you guessed right —– it’s a personnel issue:
“It is my contention that I was wrongfully terminated by the town manager,” Conaway said. “I was fully prepared to present my case to the Walnut Cove Board of Commissioners at the special called meeting on January 11th, but was not allowed that opportunity.
…..Homer Dearmin, the town manager, said he cannot comment on his decision to fire Conaway.
“It’s a personnel decision, and I really can’t comment on personnel matters,” Dearmin said. “The source of frustration for most folks is that they really don’t know what’s going on.
“It’s not that anybody’s being nefarious or tight-lipped,” he said. “We are bound by the law and out of respect for the former employee, we can’t comment.”
The Journal editorializes:
Good police chiefs are hard to find, especially in small towns such as Walnut Cove, where money is tight. If the board sticks by the decision to fire Conaway, it will have a hard time replacing him with someone of equal caliber.
And at this point, few could defend the town’s decision by saying that it had its reasons. Whatever those reasons are, however sound or senseless, the board is keeping them to itself. That leaves many taxpayers in the dark – and, understandably, angry.
Sounds all too familiar, doesn’t it?