Mayor Hattie Edwards presents signed resolution honoring National Headstart Month to Angela Jones, Greene County Headstart Director

Mayor Hattie Edwards of Eutaw dismissed three city police on Monday for insubordination and “lack of respect for the position of mayor”. The three officers are Lonnie Glenn, Robert Clayton, and Rodriquez Jones.
After sending each a letter of termination, Mayor Edwards said she found that city ordinances provided the fired officers ten days to request a hearing by the Eutaw City Council to appeal their termination. The Mayor then revised her letter, placing the three officers on administrative leave, with pay, for ten days, pending their request for a hearing.
Edwards said, “ I am still the Mayor until November and these officers violated city ordinances and policies and took actions which were in conflict with our policies. They also tried to belittle and harass me which is not proper behavior for the police.”
Edwards said, “ When I gave Robert Clayton his letter, he said to me, don’t you know that I have been in the military and I know about explosives.” The Mayor said she considered his statement a threat and reported it to the Sheriff and other law enforcement officials.
A large crowd packed the City Council chambers at Tuesday night’s regular council meeting. Many were there to find out about the situation with the police. The Council held an executive session and would not discuss the police terminations in the public session pending the potential hearing with the officers.In the public comment section, several residents rose and said they were worried about public safety with half of the police officers suspended and not enough police to protect public safety. Channel Glenn, wife of one of the officers stated, “This is a politically motivated attack by Hattie Edwards because I actively and openly campaigned for Raymond Steele, her opponent in the election, who was successful and takes office next month. Edwards ought to resign right now and let Steele take over.”
Sheriff Joe Benison of Greene County issued a statement saying that his department was prepared to lend whatever assistance necessary to help with law enforcement in the City of Eutaw. District Attorney Greg Griggers promised similar assistance from his 17th Judicial District law enforcement task force.
In other actions, the Eutaw City Council:
• Approved a resolution honoring national Headstart Month and 49 years of CSP of West Alabama providing services to Greene County’s low-income children.
• Tabled action on a proposal from CoBank to provide interim financing for the construction of the Eutaw water system improvements. The proposal provides the financing at 1.2 to 1.5% interest during the construction phase. Once construction is complete and USDA approves that the project was built to specifications, the construction loan will be repaid by USDA. Councilman Joe L. Powell requested time to read the bank’s proposal.
• Replaced two members, Larry McGhee and Kenyatta Gordon, who had resigned from the Eutaw Municipal Airport Authority, with Chris Beeker Jr. and John Darden.
• Paid bills and claims submitted for the month of September.