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COLUMBUS, Ga. — From a generous severance package being offered to police chief Freddie Blackmon, to an outright extortionary counter offer contingent upon a frivolous discrimination claim, to the chief’s acceptance of his retirement enabling a brighter future for the department, here’s all the muck that’s fit to print from the Columbus, Georgia area, along with a look at what to expect in the week ahead.
HERE'S THE VERY GENEROUS SEVERANCE PACKAGE OFFERED TO CHIEF FREDDIE BLACKMON
COLUMBUS, Ga. — After a years-long track record of demonstrated leadership failure and four professional studies showing the same, Blackmon has been offered a very generous severance package from the city. The package includes an astounding $250,000 lump-sum, healthcare until the year 2030, and his regular pension.
After years of quite literally destroying the department the man was supposed to lead, that’s an extremely generous offer.
Blackmon — like all city employees — is not entitled to any form of severance whatsoever. The offering is a mere courtesy on behalf of the city. City officials may choose to terminate any appointed city officer without cause at their sole discretion, in accordance with the City Charter.
While our city’s serial agitators may continue to claim that city council is somehow “making decisions without them,” those claims are self-evidently naive. Unlike the Sheriff, the position of Chief of Police is not an elected position, but rather an appointed one.
Explore the full story to see why city officials can choose to terminate any city officer at their sole discretion, along with a complete look at what Blackmon’s very polite (initial )offer contained.
HERE’S EVERYTHING WRONG WITH CHIEF BLACKMON’S EXTORTIONARY COUNTER OFFER FOR MORE SEVERANCE
COLUMBUS, Ga. — Police chief Freddie Blackmon delivered a ‘counter offer’ to the City of Columbus regarding his severance package, threatening to sue the city for discrimination if they do not pay what he demands.
The ‘counter offer’ was prepared and delivered by the law firm Buckey, Bala, Wilson, & Mew, LLP, from Atlanta, at Blackmon’s behest.
On the very first page, the document’s specific wording makes an extortionary threat to pursue a frivolous discrimination lawsuit if Blackmon’s demands for a higher severance package are not met. The manner through which the firm chose to word that threat likely presents a crime in the state of Georgia.
Explore the full story to see why that’s a crime, along with a very detailed explanation of the firm’s laughable claims made in the counter offer.
MAYOR HENDERSON CORNERED BY HIS OWN LIE; TRIED TO SAVE FACE INSTEAD OF CITY
COLUMBUS, Ga. — In perhaps the most embarrassing reveal of dishonesty throughout his entire tenure in office, Columbus mayor Skip Henderson has cornered himself with his own lie regarding police chief Freddie Blackmon.
Back on March 15, just one day after Blackmon presented his woefully-inept strategic plan to the city, Henderson personally presented Blackmon with a generous severance offering that gave Blackmon the opportunity to gracefully bow out of his position.
The severance offering itself is also indicative of just how incompetent Blackmon’s presented plan truly was.
Then, on March 16 — just one day after Henderson delivered the severance offering to Blackmon — Henderson gave an exclusive interview to WTVM in which he openly denied any possibility of Blackmon being removed.
Henderson knowingly lied to the entire city.
Henderson’s demonstrated dishonesty raises questions about his own integrity, character, and ability to place the needs of the city above his own vanity through the proper discharge of his duties as mayor.
Explore the full story to see how Henderson seeks to save his own face instead of the city he’s supposed to lead.
CITY COUNCIL CALLS SPECIAL MEETING FOR ‘PERSONNEL & POTENTIAL LITIGATION’
COLUMBUS, Ga. — Just hours before police chief Freddie Blackmon’s 5:00 p.m. deadline on Wednesday, April 5 to either accept or reject the generous severance package offered to him by Mayor Skip Henderson, the Columbus City Council called for a Special Meeting to be held in executive session on Thursday, April 6, at 3:00 p.m.
Explore the full story to see our live coverage of the meeting with up-to-the-minute information as it happened.
WTVM FALSELY REPORTED PROCEDURE FOR CHIEF’S REMOVAL; MADE PAST-TENSE POST BEFORE SPECIAL MEETING EVEN HAPPENED
COLUMBUS, Ga. — In an embarrassing Facebook post made on April 5, local news network WTVM made a past-tense social media post about a special meeting called by city council that had not yet occurred. The meeting was scheduled to take place the following day on April 6.
The article, published on April 5 at 4:55 p.m., also contained a falsely-constructed and heavily misleading narrative that incorrectly described the city’s legal procedure for removing a city officer from their appointed position.
Once the Muckraker pointed out WTVM’s suspicious faux pas in a series of two comments, the network deleted their Facebook post.
Later that evening, WTVM had pulled the article altogether; the article no longer appeared in searches on WTVM’s website at all. It appears to have been completely retracted.
However, the Muckraker had already screenshot the entirety of the article and its associated Facebook post before WTVM had the opportunity to delete the article. Since the article contained false information that the network itself redacted, we won’t be sharing it here to prevent its recirculation.
Explore the full story to see how a few tactful comments from the Muckraker caused WTVM to pull their false article from their website completely.
CHIEF BLACKMON ACCEPTS CITY’S SEVERANCE; NEW INTERIM CHIEF TO FOLLOW
COLUMBUS, Ga. —Police Chief Freddie Blackmon has accepted the severance offering from the City of Columbus, now due $400k plus additional benefits for his retirement beginning on April 30. Blackmon has also begun paid leave until that time, effective immediately.
While Blackmon’s retirement will officially begin on April 30, he has also accepted a paid administrative leave, beginning immediately after the signing of the agreement on April 6.
The announcement came after a special meeting was called by city council with only a single item on the agenda: a “motion to go into executive session to discuss matters of personnel and potential litigation.”
After entering the closed-door executive session at 3:04 p.m., a handful of local residents waited in the lobby for the council to reconvene.
Immediately after reconvening, Mayor Skip Henderson introduced the city attorney, Clifton Fay, who then read the following resolution into the record:
WHEREAS, the council of Columbus, Georgia has recently discussed a severance agreement with Columbus Police Chief Freddie Blackmon;
WHEREAS, Chief Blackmon has indicated his formal acceptance of the Severance Agreement;
NOW, THEREFORE, the Council of Columbus, Georgia hereby resolves:
The resolution was then put for a vote to the city council, which passed unanimously. At that moment, the future of Freddie Blackmon’s tenure as Chief of the Columbus Police Department was sealed.
Every member of city council then stood to provide Blackmon with a standing ovation for his 37 years of service to the city.
Mayor Henderson also thanked Blackmon in a short yet sincere statement.
Immediately following the expressions of gratitude from city officials, Blackmon turned and exited the council chambers.
The meeting was then adjourned at 4:19 p.m.
Explore the full story as we begin to take a look at what comes next for the Columbus Police Department, along with a special message for our City’s Finest.
A MESSAGE TO THE OFFICERS OF THE COLUMBUS POLICE DEPARTMENT
COLUMBUS, Ga. — Sentiments are beginning to reveal an optimistic future for the Columbus Police Department, with the words of the city’s mayor now supporting the principles of the Muckraker’s own published approach for building a newly-unified and highly-effective police force.
Yesterday, we opened our story with a message to our City’s Finest. Before we get to the details of this article, we would like to take the opportunity to republish our message again today as it heavily relates to the article below.
To the men and women of the Columbus Police Department:
Over the past several months, you have tested your mettle against unprecedented levels of violent crime. Still, you have held the line.
Through the austere challenges presented by the absence of unified leadership, you have courageously found ways to lead each other. You held the line.
Against staggering odds the likes of which would have utterly destroyed the will of most, you valiantly chose to wear your shield anyway and defend our city. You held the line.
NOW HEAR THIS: From this day forward, there has never been a better time to be a Columbus Police Officer.
You have proudly and bravely held the line. Now it’s time to move that line forward, together.
Will you lend our city your expertise, your wisdom, your professionalism, and your insights?
Will you help guide our city to best harness your power?
Will you help us to seize this rare opportunity to build the single best Police Department in the nation?
If that sounds like a vision worthy of your pristine martial talents, it would really mean a lot to have your hand in its creation.
There has never been a better time to be a Columbus Police Officer.
Our city looks forward to watching your success.
Explore the full story to see how the city is starting to shape a strong foundation for a unified Columbus Police Department.
THE WEEK AHEAD
The Columbus city council is scheduled to hold a regular meeting this coming Tuesday, April 11, 2023 at 9:00 a.m. The meeting will be held on the second floor of the C. E. “Red” McDaniel City Services Center located at 3111 Citizens Way, Columbus, GA 31906.
After the definitive conclusion of Freddie Blackmon’s tenure as Chief of the Columbus Police Department, we would expect at least some discussion or announcement to take place surrounding this topic — though none is currently listed on Council’s agenda.
There are, however, several speakers listed to address Council during the public agenda section of the meeting. Of the eleven total speakers scheduled, no less than six of them are planning to address a topic regarding the Columbus Police Department.
In addition, the City Attorney’s agenda contains an ordinance to revise and restate Articles III and VII of Chapter 16B of the Columbus Code of Ordinances, seeking to update the procedures for ‘certain personnel actions’ that also pertain to ‘probationary employees.’
The city Attorney’s agenda also includes a lengthy list of items centering around the rezoning of particular properties throughout the city, as well as the second reading of an ordinance pertaining to coin-operated amusement machines, among other items.
You can view the entire agenda for the upcoming meeting here.
If you’d like to publicly address the Columbus City Council about a topic you feel is of interest to our city, you can apply through the city’s website here.
A Look At Personal Safety
As the Columbus Police Department continues to unify under its new leadership model, violent crime is still likely to exist at higher levels than we would all like — even in what have previously been thought of as the “safer parts” of our city.
We at the Muckraker want to encourage our readers and their loved ones to remain hyper-vigilant as they go about their daily lives.
Based on lifetimes of experience and the combined professional careers of us at the Muckraker and our associates, here are what we consider to be the most important ways Columbusites can make themselves “hard targets” to avoid becoming a crime victim:
Back Our Blue
In closing, we at the Muckraker would like to thank the outstanding men and women of the Columbus Police Department who continue to shell out for the safety and well-being of our city each and every day, despite the abhorrent temporary conditions they are currently forced to work within.
“All police officers are entitled to outstanding leadership.”
Our city cannot thank you enough for what you do for us.
If you’re out and about throughout the week and see one of our city’s brave and valiant police officers, be sure to thank them. We’d bet it would mean an awful lot to them.
Residents are strongly encouraged to express their concerns and condolences for the brave men and women of the Columbus Police Department by emailing Mayor Skip Henderson directly at SkipHenderson@columbusga.org, while cc’ing their respective city council members on the email.
Facts are stubborn things — and we’ll keep publishing them, whether city officials like them or not.
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