Union County
Sun Valley students milk competition for all it’s worth page 12
Runner of the Year:
LEXI KING page 19 Serving Indian Trail, Marvin, Stallings, Waxhaw, Weddington and Wesley Chapel
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Volume 9, Number 50 • Dec. 11 to 17, 2014
Parade returns to
union county by Josh Whitener josh@unioncountyweekly.com
The annual Union County Christmas Parade returned to downtown Monroe on the afternoon of Sunday, Dec. 7. The event included vendors, dozens of floats, high school marching bands, demonstrations from dance and ROTC groups, nativities, horses, favorite Christmas and winter characters and a special visit from the Man in the Red Suit and his eight reindeer as the grand finale. Take a look back at this year’s parade through the photos on page 4. Josh Whitener/UCW photos
Former Indian Trail staffers come forward with allegations of mistreatment by Ryan Pitkin ryan@unioncountyweekly.com
INDIAN TRAIL - Following a closed-session meeting that ran more than two hours on Tuesday, Dec. 9, the Indian Trail Town Council responded to the town’s now-retired tax collector’s letter of complaints against town manager Joe Fivas and other staff by apologizing to those against whom the allegations of mistreatment were made. The letter, written by 14-year town employee Janice Cook, was read aloud by Mayor Michael Alvarez during the public comment forum of the Nov. 25 council meeting. In the letter, Cook describes an atmosphere of disrespect and intimidation among
town staff since Fivas became town manager in March 2010. In a response formed Tuesday night and read aloud by Alvarez, the council referenced to the town’s rules for public hearings, in which commenters are not allowed to reference specific persons. Cook’s letter spoke negatively about her working relationship with Fivas, along with the town’s finance director, human resource director and other staff. Despite the fact three former staff members have sent letters supporting Cook’s allegations since Nov. 25, the council’s response on Tuesday did not reference any further investigation into the matter, and instead stated elected officials would be adequately trained on the town’s public comment policy so that
similar events don’t occur in the future. “Moving forward, we have confidence in the town manager, his leadership team and his other employees, to continue to move Indian Trail into the future,” the response reads. Following the meeting, Fivas said the council would begin discussing proactive solutions for staff discontent during upcoming meetings. The response was supported by four of five councilmembers on Tuesday night, but vehemently opposed by Alvarez and Mayor Pro Tem David Cohn, who apologized to the residents of Indian Trail instead of those named in the letter. “There was absolutely nothing illegal done, and I think (the council’s response) is going to
make things worse,” Cohn said. “If there are more employees, I want them to let us know. You’re free to say what you want to say.” Cohn said he would have liked to see a nonpartisan group investigate the individual allegations against town staff and he felt like the council was sweeping things under the rug. “I hope when it’s all said and done, every person who works for Indian Trail gets to voice their opinion, good or bad,” he said. “It’s hard to speak out when you have a fear of losing your job.” Alvarez agreed that an investigation should have taken place, saying in any other business he’s worked in, an investigation would have (see Indian Trail on page 5)
INDEX: News Briefs, Scores, 6; Crime Blotter, 7; Education, 10; Honor Roll, 14; Home Sales, Faith, 15; Calendar, 18; Sports, 19; Classifieds, 23
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