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Sears terminated by Russellville council

After a three-hour executive session Monday night, the Russellville City Council voted to terminate Parks and Recreation Superintendent Chad Sears effective immediately.

Leeman Mosely was named interim superintendent and will fill that role while the search for a new director is pending.

Councilman Gary Cummings made the motion to terminate Sears. The motion was seconded by Councilman Jamie Harris. The vote in favor of termination was 5-1, with Cummings, Harris, Councilmen William Nale and David Palmer and Mayor David Grissom voting yes and Councilman Arthur Elliott voting no.

Sadly, I make this motion to terminate Chad Sears immediately for cause concerning his abilities to perform his duties. I move we make the position available and ask that Leeman Mosely be temporarily appointed Parks and Rec Superintendent until the position is filled,” Cummings said.

Sears attended Monday's council meeting and spent a good part of the three hours meeting with the council in executive session. A Russellville High School graduate, Sears attended the University of North Alabama, where he played football through 2000. He signed with the NFL's Buffalo Bills and was assigned to NFL Europe's Amsterdam Admirals in 2002.

He worked for the parks and recreation departments in Florence and Muscle Shoals before accepting the job as Russellville Parks and Recreation Superintendent in 2006.

Through a source familiar with the Sears' investigation, the Franklin Free Press has learned that allegations were made that Sears, who is an hourly employee, turned in hours beyond what he actually worked. Although there were other concerns raised, the payroll issue was the primary one considered by the council, the source said.

At one point during the executive session, Russellville Police Chief Chris Hargett was asked to accompany Sears to the Russellville Recreation Center to pick up some records requested by the council.

Elliott, who serves as the city council liaison to the Parks and Recreation Department, said he had not received citizen complaints about Sears' performance. Elliott said he had been contacted by two councilmen about concerns they had received about Sears' job performance.

I do not think termination was warranted,” Elliott said. “There were some issues discussed that I thought could have been handled by alternate disciplinary measures.”

Grissom declined to comment on the termination, citing a policy not to discuss personnel matters.

Cummings said he believed termination was the only appropriate action based on what the investigation showed, although he declined to comment specifically on what the allegations were.

It's our policy not to talk about employment issues in a public statement,” Cummings said. “If I did not feel like the action was justified, I would not have done it. There were so many factors involved that it was time to quit kicking the can down the road.”

Efforts by the Franklin Free Press to reach Sears for comment Monday night and Tuesday were unsuccessful.

 

 

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