Newspaper Page Text
From page one
board would likely meet next
week. Rev. Hankerson hopes the
convention will now go in a more
positive direction.
Termination
From page one
Since the hearing, LeDuc said
the grievance committee has up
held the police department’s fir
ing of Conoly and the city man
ager subsequently sent Conoly a
letter confirming his “official ter
mination.”
“His actions occurred while he
was off duty, which means he was
not officially a part of the police
force,” said LeDuc, who serves in
an administrative position equal
in authority to conventional may
oral roles.
The city manager says what
could have been a racially
inciteful incident, has since been
calmed by the city’s swift actions.
Immediately following the occur
rence, he, along with new police
chief Pete Frommer and person
nel director Stanley Quarels, met
with Aiken NAACP president, the
Rev. David Walker, revealed
LeDuc. “We realized how serious
of a situation this was. And ironi
cally, even before this happened,
we had already made plans to
meet with Rev. Walker. It just so
happened the timing made things
happen a little sooner,” said
LeDuc. “Our communication lines
are open, and we plan to meet on
a regular basis.”
LeDuc said city police officers
had already been taking diver
sity training in order to better
respond to all segments of the
community .
Rev. Walker and the NAACP
has stayed close to the Drum
ming family, and had planned to
release an official statement on
March 3 regarding the group’s
present stance concerning the
case. At press time, the report
had not been released.
The incident started when the
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Investigations began when Mrs.
Lyons set fires in a $700,000 wa
terfront home purchased b 7 her
husband and Ms. Edwards. -
Rev. Lyons remains free on bail
pending his sentencing hearing
where he faces three to seven
yearsin prison. A federal trialis,
also, scheduled for April in which
heischarges on April on 54 counts
whichinclude tax evasion, money
laundering and extortion.
Drumming sisters’ car and
Conoly’s vehicle conflicted at a
yield section on Whiskey Road
and Conoly allegedly became up
set when the sisters tailgated his
vehicle. He then reportedly
stopped the Drummings’ vehicle
and ordered the women out of
their car. After failing to recog
nize the plain-clothed Conoly as a
peace officer, the older sister then
proceeded to drive away.
An upset Conoly then report
edly caught up with the sisters
and upon approaching their car,
smashed the driver’s side win
dow with a night stick, injuring
Laprell, the driver, and sprayed
peppered Mace inside the car,
according to published reports.
Following an internal investiga
tion by public safety, Conoly, a
21-year policeman, was fired from
his job three days after what was
described as “unbecoming con
duct.”
Shawn Hammonds, attorney for
the Drumming family, offered
minimal comment.
“Wedon’t want to hurt our case,
or say anything that would ad
versely affect the outcome of the
trial. However, his(Conoly’s)lack
of remorse is disturbing. He could
have at least apologized or some
thing along that order. But that
never happened,” said the Au
gusta-based attorney.
Hammonds said the case is now
in the hands of Aiken County
Second Circuit Solicitor Barbara
Morgan and his legal team will
wait for the trial proceedings to
occur. Conoly is represented by
Aiken attorney James Whittle.
“All we want is for a reason
able, fair minded jury to look at
medical and police reports to see
if justice was done. That’s all ev
eryone wants-to see justice,”
added Hammonds.
City / Region
Recreation chief looking
tosecond, third best prospects
By Adrienne Turner
AUGUSTA FOCUS Staff Writer
] AUGUSTA
Tom Beck, Director of the Au
gusta Recreation and Parks De
partment, is once again faced with
the challenge of finding a director
for Augusta’s new $4.9 million
natatorium that is scheduled to
open in four weeks. This after the
motion to hire a director salaried
at $36,000 failed twice at the Au
gusta Commission meeting on
Tuesday.
A motion to approve the employ
ment of Patricia M. Darlington,
Assistant Athletics Director for
o
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Sports Medicine at Georgia State
University, asthe Augusta Aquatic
Center Director was an item on
the Augusta Commissions consent
agenda, one of 29 items intended
to be approved with a single vote.
Commissioner Lee Beard stopped
the vote and requested an explana
tion from city administrator Charles
Oliver as to why the candidate is
proposed to start at a mid-grade pay
level of $36,000 as opposed to the
entry-level salary of $28,336.
Mr. Oliver recited a list of the
candidates qualifications, includ
ing her having been the head ath
leticstrainer and director of aquat
ics at Davis & Elkins College for
AUGUSTA FOCUS © MARCH 4, 1999
seven years. However, he could
not offer Mr. Beard and adequate
explanation.
Commissioner Ulmer Bridges
requested that the item be re
opened for discussion. Both heand
Commissioner Bill Kuhlke are con
cerned that with the impending
Georgia games in addition to the
centers scheduled opening at the
end of this month, there is much
work to be dene by the director
and, therefore, one should be ap
pointed rather quickly.
Some commissioners are not
supportive of bringing anyone in
at mid-level pay scale until other
current government employees
have been adequately compen
sated. However, the mayor nor the
city administrator made any at
tempt to address these issues.
Mr. Beck stated on Wednesday
that “top interviews won’t come at
thissalary.” He states that whom
ever they choose to accept the en
try-level salary will be significantly
less qualified.
Mr. Beck added that if they are
unable to locate a candidate, he
may have to transfer some staff to
the center temporarily. However,
he emphasizes that the move would
be temporary because those staff
members have otherjobs that need
to be performed.
3A