Friday, August 24, 2018

Fired & Hired Down in Claiborne County

The Claiborne County Board of Supervisors channeled the ghost of George Steinbrenner as they fired and then rehired Board Attorney Barbara Blackmon this week - after she sued them in federal court. 




Canton Attorney Barbara Blackmon sued Claiborne County in U.S. District Court this week after the Board voted 3-2 to terminate her representation of the county as Board Attorney.  She charged the board with wrongful termination, defamation, and violating her due process in the complaint.

The complaint states the Board hired Ms. Blackmon in February, 2012.  She claims an employment agreement executed on February 1, 2018 states that she is to serve as Board Attorney for one year.  The Board fired her on August 20.  The plaintiff argues she had no warning that she would be terminated, nor was she given an opportunity to address any concerns.   She posits that she has a "property right to her employment." (Hmm.... Perhaps Rudy should claim a property right in his CMU lawsuit.)


Ms. Blackmon was fired on Monday and sued on Tuesday.  She asked the Court to issue a temporary restraining order against the Board.  She withdrew the lawsuit without prejudice yesterday.

The employment contract does not appear to have a termination clause.  It states the county will pay her $3,725 per month.   The County will enroll her in PERS as well.  She charges $175 per hour to travel to and from the board meetings.  Claiborne County will pay her or Ed Blackmon $250 per hour for any extra or "special" work they perform.  Other Blackmon law firm attorneys will be paid $175 per hour while the paralegal will be paid $70 per hour.    The contracts states at the end:

This agreement shall be effective from and after execution and effective for one year.

34 comments:

Macy Hanson said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Macy, I doubt many of the jobs go to attorneys with a habit of using such a colorful vocabulary in public.

Anonymous said...

Don't mess with Barbara.The Blackmons know contracts, she's going to charge them for filing suit.

Anonymous said...

Does she still drive a Bentley? Maybe she'll be upgrading to a Lambo after this.

Anonymous said...

Barbara pulled the same stunt in Canton firing Espy and Warnock and subjecting the city of Canton to a huge lawsuit that is currently in federal court, and she validates Warnock course of action by doing exactly what he did and filed suit in federal court.

Anonymous said...

Another Blackmon Scam and abuse of the taxpayers.

Anonymous said...

Barbara is a crook.

Anonymous said...

Claiborne County fires their experienced County Administrator this summer and replaced her with someone with no County Administrator experience. The board down there isn’t very bright.

Anonymous said...

Let's hope she is not planning another gubernatorial campaign. Her last one was so classy, especially when she wore those huge Sunday School hat outfits and expensive lacquered hair-dos. She is a common grifter seeking more free money in exchange for nothing.

Anonymous said...

I'm friends with a county attorney. Not a great position to have. It is supposed to be a "part time" position. However, he is always involved doing county work and as a result his private practice is shrinking to an almost non-existent practice. He is constantly receiving telephone calls from board members asking questions, doing research, or generally chasing every rabbit that the board or its individual members have him chasing. (However, I'm not saying its not good money if the work is there.)

Remember, employees of cities and counties serve at the whim and pleasure of the boards. At any time, a city or county employee can be terminated. The exception, of course, appears to be when the employee has an employment contract (like Mrs. Blackmon).

Sorry for stating this, but its the truth. For those who have a different "opinion", you may now GO.

Anonymous said...

If Blackmon was white, she'd be in jail. A crook of the first degree.

Anonymous said...

Oh, the ignorance. Babs didn't run for Governor.

Macy Hanson said...

My phone auto corrected what should have been cushy. I did not intend to use that word. If that part of post can be edited, I would appreciate that being done.

Anonymous said...

It seems a lot of people just have hate in their hearts.

Anonymous said...

Hey, 12;10. I'm 11:17. You're correct. Babs ran for Lt Governor in 2003. I sincerely apologize for misspeaking. My bad. Like it amounts to a hill of beans in the relative scheme of things.

Anonymous said...

NEWSFLASH ABOUT THE BLACKMONS M.O.: The CMU Board (and any board Barbara represents) is getting bad legal advice from Barbara Blackmon. Hey but it works to the Blackmons advantage. Barbara gives bad advice which leads to CMU being sued and then Ed swoops in with boy wonder Bradford Blackmon to handle the litigation and run up $1m in legal fees. While the board pays and pays and pays and “somehow” forgets WHO landed them in the mess to begin with.

Anonymous said...

It is "'shark' week" yet? Asking for a neighbor.

Anonymous said...

Mississippians are still waiting for her to concede the lt governor's race to Amy Tuck.

Anonymous said...

I can tell you this much, Canton ain't got shit on corruption compared to Claiborne and Jefferson Counties.

Anonymous said...

11:37, I'm assuming that your friend asked for the position as County Attorney - it wasn't thrown on him against his wishes. So, because that retainer client takes up a lot of his time costing him other clients, he is now forbidden from giving up the gig and going back to his office waiting for folks to walk in?

I didn't think so. Yes, it is a demanding job - that's why they get paid some good money, along with every now and then nice little 'extras'. Sorry, not going to cry many big tears for your poor friend that has to do all this 'extra work' - once it gets to be too big of a burden, I trust he will find some way to get out from under this involuntary servitude.

Anonymous said...

How is an independent contractor a part of the public retirement system. I wonder what the IRS would say?

Anonymous said...

Claiborne County has barely 9000 residents. Blackmon is soaking that county.

Anonymous said...

Tater and Gunn have "independent contractors" on their staffs and part of their reasoning was that the state didn't have to contribute to PERs. Google it up. Fair is fair.

Anonymous said...

5:21 PM The system is flooded with both Republican and Democratic attorneys, family members, and politically connected people who are in PERS and the State Health Plan because they work "part time" for a county, city, commission, board, agency, whatever. Some go to board meetings which last 1 to 2 hours a month but that gets them in a system where they will get a state pension and their entire families will be eligible for low cost state group insurance through Blue Cross at rates lower than the private sector.

Anonymous said...

If she was the attorney since 2012, she drafted the contract. Likely didn’t advise of the lack of a termination provision. I’d counter sue and file a bar complaint.

Anonymous said...

The Blackmon, especially Barbara, just need Jesus. She had better hope she asks for forgiveness before she has to meet him face to face.

Anonymous said...

5:21 - it doesn't matter what the IRS would have to say. This is Reddy Eddie and Babs Blackmon we're talking about here. Everybody know they're untouchable and Teflon coated. Shit don't stick to them ! !!!

Anonymous said...

The PERS enrollment seems like the biggest scam in all of this. The hourly rates would be reasonable for a competent attorney.

Anonymous said...

She’s not an independant contractor. She’s an employee with a one year employment contract.

Anonymous said...

Y'all just jealous, the Blackmons are taking it to the bank, and y'all trying to invest with Lamar to catch up.I bet they weren'tdumb enough to do it.

Anonymous said...

Pers is for employees of public agencies;not for for persons hired as a independent contractor. No way that this is legal.How is this allowed by IRS?.There are tests and rules for employees vs, contractors.There are some tax shelters going on that are not legal.Plus Mississippi tax payers are being screwed.

Anonymous said...

Her employment contract is voidable for any reason.

It is not a guarantee.

Watch....Barbara will receive a letter telling her she is fired.

Someone else needs a job in Port Gibson it seems

Anonymous said...

When you elect people who are incompetent and/or just show up for meetings rather than do due diligence, this nonsense is what you get.

Most of the corruption in MS is rubes being conned or rewarded for helping the con.

Anonymous said...

"Pers is for employees of public agencies;not for for persons hired as a independent contractor."

Pay attention here, Luther. She is not an independent contractor. She is an employee with a one year contract that has a termination clause. She wrote the damned contract and it is what it is.

Furthermore, you do not HIRE an independent contract. You HIRE an employee. You contract with an independent contractor and issue a 1099 and you do not pay benefits, retirement or otherwise.



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