CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – Several City Council members offered strong criticism of City Attorney Lance Baker during a heated meeting that lasted late into the night Thursday.
The discussion came as part of a resolution to fire Baker, submitted by Ward 11 Councilwoman Ashlee Evans. Evans’ resolution referenced a number of ethics complaints submitted by Blackhorse Pub & Brewery owner Jeff Robinson against Baker, as well as Baker’s demeanor at January’s meeting, which Evans called obstructive.
Evans specifically referenced an exchange between Baker and Ward 8 Councilwoman Wanda Allen.
“I just don’t think that someone in his position should lack objectivity when talking to people on the council about things. Bringing emotion in there is not appropriate,” Evans said before the meeting, which lasted six hours, ending just after 10:30 p.m.
Evans was not alone in her complaints, with Ward 6 Councilwoman Wanda Smith calling Baker “disrespectful.”
“I have discovered in my interactions with attorney Baker in the last seven years, his attitude and behavior has been disrespectful to some council members, especially me,” Smith said. “Also, he used persuasive words and manipulative terms in a skillful manner to support his agenda. And sometimes, he fails to do what is asked of him in a timely manner for some council members.”
Richard Garrett (Ward 1) shared similar concerns, suggesting that Baker had been slow to provide information and to add their resolutions to the council’s agenda.
Allen claimed that, after asking for financial reports related to the city’s legal fees, Baker accused her of being “in with (Jeff) Robinson.”
Robinson, owner of the Blackhorse, has a longstanding lawsuit against the city and has filed multiple ethics complaints against current and former city officials. Robinson also serves as treasurer for Leadership Project, a local political action committee that endorsed several city councilors’ campaigns in November 2020, including those of Evans and Allen.
Not the ‘politician personality’
Ward 4 Councilman Wallace Redd and Ward 7 Councilman Travis Holleman came to Baker’s defense. Holleman dismissed the complaints as “silly,” and Redd suggested that some of his fellow council members were reacting to hurt feelings.
“I believe that (Baker) has been most abused employee over those years that he has been here,” Redd said. “Maybe Lance does not have the politician personality, maybe he’s not there to be the feel-good, gooey personality type, but he has done a good job, maybe too good. He has won lawsuit after lawsuit. Perhaps he’s won the lawsuit against the wrong person, and that’s why he finds himself in this situation.”
What comes next
Deputy City Attorney Jeff Goodson addressed the council during the meeting to explain what happens moving forward according to the City Code.
According to Goodson, “disciplinary actions against city department heads are the purview of the mayor; in this case, City Mayor Joe Pitts, with the City Council only serving an appellate role at the end of the process, should an appeal be requested by Baker.”
“The bottom line being, and I say this just as respectfully as I can, is that the proposed resolution here is illegal,” said Goodson.
Multiple council members expressed frustration with Goodson’s explanation of the City Code.
Allen suggested that the City Charter gives the Council the power to approve the appointment of a city attorney, and thus the firing as well. Allen asked for a second opinion from an outside attorney.
The City Council will hold its next regular session on Thursday, Feb. 4.