BRISTOL, Va. — The Bristol Virginia City Council voted Tuesday to formally censure Councilman Michael Pollard for violating the council’s code of ethics and standards of conduct.
The censure is a formal statement of disapproval issued by the council against one of its members. This is the latest step in a controversy that has enveloped the council this year with most of the specifics withheld from the public and news media.
“Despite prior warnings, Mr. Pollard has admitted to making false statements about city staff with the intention of damaging their reputations,” Mayor Becky Nave said. “These actions are deeply concerning and undermine the confidence we, as a governing body, must have in one another to serve our community.
“The result of Mr. Pollard’s actions have resulted in a significant erosion in trust — not only among city staff and council members — but in our entire Bristol community,” Nave said. “We have received feedback from many city residents who have called for his resignation. While Mr. Pollard has issued a public apology, the potential harm his actions pose to the city is unacceptable and it is our responsibility to ensure the integrity and trustworthiness of our leadership.”
Specifically, the council asserts that Pollard criticized “colleagues, citizens or personnel, impugning their integrity”; violated the standard that personnel matters are to remain confidential.
The resolution further asserts that Pollard didn’t restrict his criticism of employees or colleagues only in private or closed meetings.
It asserts that Pollard spread “falsehoods” about city employees despite being warned “multiple times” but continued to “violate the code of ethics and standards of conduct.”
The vote was 4-0 with Pollard abstaining. He made no comment during the nearly 25-minute process other than to respond to questions from Vice Mayor Jake Holmes.
“I said something that I should not have,” Pollard said. “I violated several of the standards of conduct and said things I should not have. And I said those things in ways I should not have.”
In her remarks, Mayor Nave called the censure an “unfortunate situation” for the council and the city of Bristol.
“It is not a decision we take lightly nor was it one we wanted to make as it does not reflect positively on our community however we find ourselves with no other option,” Nave said.
The issue first arose Jan. 5 when Pollard posted on social media that City Manager/City Attorney Randy Eads had sent a Freedom of Information request for all text and social media messages that referenced him by name or title.
That came days after Pollard voted against Eads serving in those dual roles.
The following day, Pollard issued a lengthy public apology to Eads and his fellow council members through his social media channels.
“I apologize for publicly and privately breaching the City Council code of ethics, despite multiple warnings in closed meetings with the full council, for sharing information shared with me in private settings, for publicly criticizing and lying about city employees up to and including our City Manager,” Pollard wrote in the apology.
In response, Eads said he appreciated Pollard taking responsibility and looked forward to working with him.
However the council held a called meeting last Thursday, where they spent 2.5 hours in closed session — outside of the view of the public and news media — discussing “council member performance.”
Afterwards, they exited, voted that nothing else was discussed and immediately adjourned.
Several people spoke on Pollard’s behalf prior to Tuesday’s vote and one resident later called for him to resign. Another called for city leaders to come together.
“If we don’t come together, unified as one body, we are never going to get anywhere. We aren’t going to be prosperous; we’re never going to make it,” Rev. Jackie Nophlin said. “We need to come together and fight for Bristol Virginia, get things back rolling and keep us out of the red [ink].”
Some speakers referenced the apology and Eads response.
“I appreciate Mr. Pollard’s apology and the comment was made that Mr. Eads appreciated it and that satisfied him,” Holmes said. “However, the council had to act. Our staff do a tremendous job — at all levels — for the city. Mr. Eads was not the only staff person that something had been said inappropriately about or incorrectly about.”
Holmes went on to praise city staff and their work.
“Council should treat them with respect and we have seen a lack of that,” Holmes said. “There is no real bite to this. There is no punishment, no ding from this other than it is a public statement there are issues here.”
Councilman Neal Osborne said he appreciates Pollard’s “passion” for the city, but these incidents have “shaken the trust of city employees.” He also said Eads and one other city employee were disparaged by Pollard’s comments.
Twitter: @DMcGeeBHC