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The drama unfolded on Thursday, June 4, in Sullivan County when the village of Monticello Department of Public Works Interim Supervisor Ray Jones resigned after being caught on video calling the employee the "n" word, said Monticello Mayor Gary Sommers.
A small group of protestors gathered in front of City Hall on Thursday to complain that Jones was allowed to resign instead of being fired.
The incident, which had come to light in May, was being investigated by the mayor and was also being handled through the union after the aggrieved employee filed a grievance.
"I wanted to fire the employee," Sommers said. "But, when you are dealing with the union there is a long process that has to be followed under the law before any actions could be taken."
Jones, who has worked for the village for more than 20 years and had no prior complaints in his personnel file since being hired, "saw the writing on the wall" and instead stepped up and resigned, the mayor said.
"He knew if he attended counseling or training and kept his job under union protection that none of the employees would work with him," Sommers said.
With the current unrest across the country surrounding the death of George Floyd in a police-related case, the use of the word was particularly troubling to the mayor.
"I would rather send an employee to counseling that would help change their point of view or feelings toward a particular group or person, then fire them and have the behavior continue," he added.
But if counseling doesn't work, or the person is in a position of authority, Sommers said the employee should immediately be fired.
"This has been a sensitive case with a lot of factors to deal with," he said. "People don't understand that I could not just walk in and fire Jones."
The mayor is hopeful that residents will come to understand that he was not protecting Jones', but instead doing his job.
"This is a stressful time for all right now," he said. "Hopefully we can move forward and learn."
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