From The Tribune staff reports
TRUSSVILLE — Trussville City Clerk Lynn Porter is leaving her post after more than 30 years.
During a City Council-Elect workshop on Friday, Oct. 20, 2020, Mayor Buddy Choat asked the Council-Elect to consider appointing Dan Weinrib as City Clerk. Weinrib is currently the City Clerk for the city of Tarrant.
Current Trussville City Clerk Lynn Porter said she was asked to leave and she has accepted a part-time job with the city of Springville.
“This wasn’t my plan and in my heart, I would like to stay,” said Porter. “But every clerk knows that they are appointed for four years at a time.”
Porter has been with the city of Trussville for 38 years. She has been the City Clerk for 32 of those years.
In 2013, Porter was elected president of the Alabama Association of Municipal Clerks and Administrators. She was chosen as Alabama’s Clerk of the Year by that organization in 2014.
“I’ve slowly come to grips with it and I have done my level best for 38 years to not be an embarrassment to the city or to myself and I don’t want to start that now,” Porter said while fighting back tears. “I think what’s in my best interest and what’s in the city’s best interest is to bow-out gracefully rather than start a roo-haha.”
But some City Council members voiced concerns about the way the issue has been handled. Choat said the job went through the Jefferson County Personnel Board and that Weinrib stood out as the most qualified candidate. Now it will be up to the new City Council to appoint the next City Clerk and Choat suggested Weinrib, based on his qualifications.
Councilmember Perry Cook said he did not like how the change was made. He did not specify what he was unhappy about.
Councilmember-Elect Ben Short said he spoke with Weinrib for 45 minutes before the workshop.
“My only concern was this being a council appointment,” Short said to Choat. “Obviously, I trust your judgment and you say this is the guy. After talking to him, I feel better about it but at the same token, Lynn, you’ve been here a long time and I have to put that into the equation as well.”
Short, Cook and Councilmember-Elect Jaime Melton Anderson said they want to meet Weinrib before voting on the appointment.
Councilmember Alan Taylor spoke up and said as a council, members should take into consideration the suggestions from those who work with the city every day.
“The people that work here day-to-day need to be the ones doing the hiring and the firing of the people,” Taylor said. “We confirm them through our duty but I tell you, me, as a city councilman, I don’t want to get into the hiring of people. I think that’s dangerous that we start hiring people that are going to work with personalities around the office.”
Taylor said he believes the hiring and firing should be handled by the mayor and the department heads. Porter added that other than the City Clerk position, the mayor is the authority for all employees.
“Technically, all the Council is doing when they approve those on the agenda is approving the pay scale,” Porter said.
Short said with the City Clerk position being appointed by the Council, he wants to make sure the right decision is made so there is room for checks and balances.
“I just have to be able to justify the way that I vote in my mind and for the citizens of Trussville,” Short said.
Porter plans to retire from Trussville at the end of the year, although she will be using accrued sick leave and vacation time. She said she hopes to come in on Fridays to help the new City Clerk and she said she will make herself available whenever she is needed. Porter starts her job with Springville on Tuesday, Nov. 3.
“It’s taken a lot of prayer and thought and crying and a whole lot of other things to kind of get through this,” Porter said.
Although Porter was not planning to retire at this time, she said she wants to leave peacefully.
“This has been really tough on me,” Porter said. “I have never dreaded coming to work until the last six weeks. I just feel very uncomfortable. Of course, like I said, my appointment ends and then the Council appoints somebody else. So, it’s not really my choice anyway.”
Porter also said the appointment of Weinrib will be a great opportunity for him.
“All of the clerks in Jefferson County know each other, so I know him,” Porter said. “This will be a very good thing for him.”
City Council members have been invited to meet Weinrib Monday morning. He is also expected to attend the new council’s first official meeting Monday evening, in the fireside room at the Trussville Civic Center. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m.
Mayor Choat declined to comment further on the City Clerk position.