SOURCE: SHE’D LIKE TO MEET WITH COUNCIL
For the second time in less than a year, the Town of Blackstone is without a Treasurer.
Karen Morris of Amelia, who began her duties last August, quit her $65,000-a-year Town Hall job suddenly last Thursday.
Mrs. Morris was hired last Summer among a field of 25 applicants, and she was among three interviewed by Council for the position. She brought to the position 30 years’ banking and branch manager experience — most recently at the former BB&T in Amelia and former Truist in Amelia.
Mrs. Morris had won praise for helping the Town select a new accounting software system to replace the Town’s 33-yearold Bright system, and also making large recoveries from past due meals tax accounts without having to take establishments to court.
She succeeded Brittany Morgan, who resigned in April after serving in the position since 2017. When Brittany Morgan left, she was making $59,488 annually at the time of her departure. She was a Certified Master Governmental Treasurer, had served as Town Treasurer since 2017, and had been employed with the Town since 2015. There were some reports last year that employees were hoping for a particular staffer at the time to succeed Ms. Morgan, and that there was disappointment when that didn’t happen.
Former Treasurer Morgan provided the Town four weeks’ notice but also included in her resignation letter claims that the Town Office was a toxic work environment, and that some elected officials expected and received advance notice that their Town utility accounts were Past Due. She also claimed that at least one elected official demanded to be addressed as “The Honorable” and that another told staffers that “all you white girls look the same.”
Mrs. Morris reportedly didn’t quit for those reasons. The Courier-Record made contact over the weekend with a family member of Mrs. Morris. “She loved the job, and she’s willing to talk to the Council. She’s praying about this and letting the Lord take the wheel.”
Efforts to learn precisely why Mrs. Morris resigned were unsuccessful. The family member did tell the Courier-Record, “I think she’d be happy to divulge everything to the Council. She’s trying to do this professionally.”
As of Saturday, no one from the Town had contacted Mrs. Morris, according to the relative, who did add that it took “a lot” for her to walk away from a job that she loved and enjoyed. “She’s upset over this. The last several days have been hard.”
Mrs. Morris has not tendered a resignation letter nor has Town Council met to formally accept her resignation.
There were reports last week that there was disagreement between some staff over Town policies and procedures versus actual practices. Multiple sources have told the Courier- Record that there is no suspected wrongdoing or any unethical actions on Mrs. Morris’ part. Some sources say that it was Mrs. Morris who expressed concerns about the way some matters were being handled in the office.
There have been reports of tensions in the Town Office — certainly not a new development on Elm Street — and that a Town employee filed a complaint against another employee leading up to Mrs. Morris’ abrupt resignation.
Mrs. Morris certainly is no stranger to the demands of public service in today’s environment. Her husband is Amelia County Supervisor “Benjy” Morris. Several sources have described Mrs. Morris as “professional” and “strong” — necessary traits to work in a high-profile local government position.
Blackstone Mayor Lafayette Dickens told the Courier-Record that how the Town proceeds has not yet been decided. “It will be a matter for the full Council to decide whether to look for someone within the employee pool or not, but we will be initiating the search for a Treasurer as soon as possible.”
For many years, Blackstone’s Town Manager also served as Town Treasurer. That practice stopped when a new Council took office in 2010. That Council at its first meeting split the duties from then-Manager Larry Palmore. Staffer Gweneth Procise was later named the Town’s first solo Treasurer. She was succeeded by Brittany Morgan after retiring.
Loading Comments