There are many times when the decisions one has to make as an elected official are difficult. It is encouraging knowing that people are paying attention and willing to let their thoughts be known publicly. Here are a few of the emails council members received in support of keeping our current city manager and trying to move on with the business of governing the city.

No one who has not been closely involved with the situations that have been going on in the city can know the whole story. So they need to take time to listen and learn before they take such harsh stands on what should be done. We need to realize that the media is in the business of selling their product and unfortunately the quality of what they produce is not the best all the time but more about just getting a story. People's lives are being impacted by the reckless way some of the information about their involvement in the police scandal has been put out there. And some of these people who have had their reputations attacked are victims of the cruelest form of misguided racism and misuse of power.

Strong leadership is not easy to provide and when a person has multiple bosses; getting the charge, doing the charge and getting it right is problematic at best if every time you try you get criticized. If you have ever been a supervisor and wanted the best out of your people, you know you had to show respect for your employees in order to get respect. You had to give clear directives with fair and measurable outcomes. And you had to be humane and not forget everyone is a human beings.

For this moment in time, the current city manager should be given the time and opportunity to run the city and deal with the difficult issues that have become a part of his task.  Micro managing will not work especially by people who have no real experts in running the day to day operations of a municipality. Let the people speak, let the manager run the city and the city council govern the city. And let us all work towards the greater good for Greensboro. TDBS08

EMAILS FROM CITIZENS

Dear Council Members: I am writing to express my support for City Manager Mitchell Johnson.  I had not felt it necessary until now as I had always assumed that reason would rise above rumor.  But it is clear that actions are now being taken to appease opinions based entirely upon half-truths at best. 

The unconditional grassroots support for David Wray began with the locking of his office.  It was obvious that this action was taken in order to secure any evidence pertinent to the ongoing investigation.  This should be considered careful and acting with forethought.  The transcripts reported in the paper demonstrated that Mr. Johnson spoke respectfully to Chief Wray.  Until everything could be clarified and complete trust re-established, Mr. Johnson chose to put Chief Wray on administrative leave, in the effort of preserving his employment and his pension.  He asked Chief Wray to please return to him with an explanation of untruths which had become unsettling.  Rather than explain, Chief Wray decided to resign.  He was not fired, as it has often been stated and as the "News and Record" recently reported in a headline.  Choosing to quit is in itself quite telling.  Running away from an opportunity to set the record straight and clear ones name is not the action of an innocent man.  I am not saying that Chief Wray is guilty of anything other than breaking the trust of his boss and possibly not serving as best he should in his position.  The Rhino Times has tried to prove innocence of a crime, but breaking the law is not necessary in order to be relieved of employment.  Mr. Johnson had been aware of unhappiness within the police department for some time, officers were uncomfortable with the leadership and morale was low.  This alone indicated trouble at the top, but Mr. Johnson had given Chief Wray the benefit of the doubt, continuing to give his support.  But when faced with evidence of unseemly activities and dishonesty Mr. Johnson acted with caution and care to arrive at the truth.  This should have been commended rather than condemned. 

Accusations and judgments have been made in the public based on sensational journalism in the Rhino Times.  This paper is not reporting facts and searching for the truth, they are publishing an endless saga of a fantastic (base word being fantasy) story.  They are enjoying the power of the press at the expense of a public employee doing his job.  Mr. Johnson has worked for the city for many years as his life long career.  He has dedicated his time, energy and talents for the benefit of our community.  His competency and commitment were valued by our previous city manager who not only elevated him to the position of assistant city manager, but placed him in the deputy position when contemplating his retirement.  The assessment and opinion of a respected public servant who observed and monitored Mr. Johnson's work over many years speaks volumes above that of individuals swayed by attention seeking writers and publishers.  The ridiculous conclusion of those who believe that Mr. Johnson should lose his job over an employee unable to locate a document misidentified in the request is quite unbelievable.  The fact that the suggestion to request the document originated from an attorney from the Rhino reeks of a set up to, at the very least embarrass someone and at the most egregious cost a good man, dedicated to a career in community service, his job.  For the council to take part is a disgrace.  There are many supporters of Mr. Johnson and the actions you are contemplating are further dividing our community.  Choose to be honorable.  Treat Mr. Johnson, and everyone else with whom you deal, with respect and dignity, assuming the best of intentions until proven otherwise.  Make assessments on the truth and move on.  There is important work to be done for our city that I am sure Mr. Johnson would like to get started on as should the council.

Sincerely, Dee Thompson 

Dear City Council members, I have known Mitch Johnson for many years as his career with the City of Greensboro has grown. Mitch is a man of great integrity who has a unique skill set to imagine and implement creative change. He came to this job with a vision to move Greensboro forward, and has been hobbled professionally and smeared publicly by an ugly political mess which he inherited on day one, but which he did not create. I can assure you he has acted in the best interest of Greensboro and with consummate professionalism at all times.

I think there are no good guys in the police department mess and Mitch had to choose quickly and professionally what was best for Greensboro. You can fire or discipline Mitch Johnson, but can you replace him?

Please think about what is best for Greensboro before you act. I will not be voting for any council members who can not support Mitch Johnson in the next election, not because he is a friend, but because I know he is a man of great integrity and a very strong manager.

Thank you, Jim Wynn

The editorial in today's paper expressed my thoughts.  What was done by Mitchell Johnson prior to your installation more or less had the full support of prior Council.  To fire Mitchell at this time is not prudent nor fair.  This Council should evaluate Mitchell based upon his performance during your tenure, with proper goals, etc established by you as outlined in today's editorial.  Greensboro does not need to be in a manager search at this time.  It would set us back significantly.  We have tremendous opportunities.  Let's move forward and capture them.

Respectfully, Trip Brown

Before tonight's meeting, I hope you will take a few minutes to read a thoroughly researched and balanced account of the Wray situation, Mitch Johnson's response to it, and the subsequent media distortion. (www.YESWEEKLY.com-- January 9th and 15th editions)

Mitch Johnson is a man of integrity and honesty who has served Greensboro for over twenty years. He handled the Wray departure appropriately-- and with careful fairness and discretion.  Mitch deserves the respect and support of City Council.  Greensboro cannot afford to lose his knowledge and experience.

Please support Mitch Johnson, shut the door on the Wray case, and look forward, not back: Greensboro faces many important challenges in the next five years which deserve your attention.  

Thank you. Lynne Alexander

I would like to express my support for Mitchell Johnson.  I think he has a difficult job that he is trying to do within the limits of the city's legal expectations.  I hope the entire council will be supportive of his efforts to resolve a difficult issue that he inherited.  I appreciate the time and energy that you are giving to leading our city.  Please give Mr. Johnson your support.  I think it would be a mistake to lose his experience and knowledge base about Greensboro.Thank you.  I look forward to seeing the outcome of today's meeting. Carol Davis

I am writing in strong support of Mitch Johnson as City Manager. I know him to be a person of integrity who would not knowingly lie or mislead anyone. I think he is doing a fine job and should be allowed to continue. He has shown dignity and calm in the face of vicious and petty name-calling and scapegoating. He is an intelligent and dedicated public servant for whose service we should be grateful. Mr. Johnson needs the Council's positive support and guidance, especially now, in this super-charged environment. To do otherwise will only feed the negativism that threatens to further divide the City and divert attention from the real issues. We can and should do better than bicker and create partisan divisions in the City's Bicentennial Year. It's time to unite and look to the future, not live in the past.

Thank you for listening. John Alexander
(30+ year resident of Guilford County)

I am aghast that City Council would even consider firing the City Manager.  Greensboro has become a divided community not because of Johnson's actions regarding David Wray, but because some in the community are more concerned with sowing the seeds of mistrust and conspiracy for their own personal gain.  I don't know if they get some sick satisfaction from being divisive or if the financial gain that comes from controversy is sufficient.

What would be reprehensible is for our elected leaders to cower before the negative forces in our community.  Please make a strong statement, by retaining Mr. Johnson, that Greensboro is going to move forward into a positive future.

Mayor and City Council, As you cast your vote deciding the future of Mitch Johnson, his wife, and three children, please be sure you have investigated the facts and can assure yourself that he is not a scapegoat for an issue that stems from a previous city manager. Mitch Johnson's fate is being handled too publicly and without respect.

I write in support of my friend and fellow Rotarian, City Manager Mitchell Johnson.  Mitchell is highly capable, honest, and hard-working.  He has devoted a career to Greensboro and its citizens.  From practically day one in office, and under difficult circumstances, Mitchell has dealt with a variety of novel problems that would be daunting to the most experienced of managers, while continuing to run the business of the City.  Mitchell has the confidence and support of his department heads and other employees.  He is a problem solver who gets things done.  He is fair-minded.  He works with others collaboratively and effectively.  Please give Mitchell the benefit of every doubt.  He has faced a steep learning curve and done a good job for our city. He deserves a fair shake.  Many thanks, too, for the service each of you provides to Greensboro.   Sincerely, Bob Cone

Council Members: I am writing to voice my support for City Manager Mitchell Johnson and to share my concern about opinions expressed about him within the council. From my point of view, everything that Mr. Johnson has done with respect to the Greensboro Police Department has been entirely appropriate to a very difficult and disappointing situation.

He was confronted with a police chief who he felt was not being honest with him about matters involving the department. The evidence that we have available to us strongly suggests that he had every reason to believe that. He also had in his possession a very critical--if not scathing--report about the department from a reputable and experienced investigative firm. Placing the police chief on administrative leave pending further investigation was, in my opinion, the right thing to do and I struggle to see what alternative might have been open to him.

Given that the police chief had asked a deputy to "secure" the much discussed and sought after black book in the trunk of his car, I also don't see what alternative Mr. Johnson had to locking him out of his office. He could not, in the face of that, trust that other information pertinent to the investigation would not be hidden or destroyed.

That David Wray decided to resign, rather than explaining his actions to the citizens of Greensboro, was his own decision,not Mr. Johnson's. 

The central issue in this whole affair is that Mr. Johnson had evidence that the chief of police had not been honest with him with regard to important matters within the department. That central issue is not one which, to my knowledge, David Wray or any of his many apologists have dealt with adequately, if at all. Most of what has been written on this subject in the Rhinoceros Times has avoided that central issue and has been written without any pretense of objectivity. One would hope that the members of our city council are able to see through such things. The vast majority of what has been written on this subject is simply irrelevant to the decision that the city manager was forced to make.

The decision to place the police chief on administrative leave was not about race. It merely involved race. I think that all of us would be blind, however, not to see that racial animus has fueled a great deal of the backlash against Mr. Johnson. That, sadly, is the reason that this issue has had such legs and it makes the council's leadership all the more important.

It would have been all too easy and all too common for our new city manager to have turned a blind eye to the problems that were brought to his attention within the police department. It would have been much more convenient to simply avoid them. If he falls victim in this whole affair, it will send a message to this community and to the world around us. Greensboro deserves better. Mr. Johnson made a principled decision in a very difficult situation. He deserves our praise, not our condemnation. Sincerely,  Griff Thompson