Former Port City United employee disputes county commissioner's account of conversation

A conversation in downtown Wilmington led to one county commissioner reporting feeling threatened and a Port City United employee ultimately being dismissed from his position.

But Anthony Brumm, a former community outreach worker with Port City United, said the conversation was intended to humanize Port City United employees and that he assured the commissioner he wasn't attempting to intimidate him.

"I went and took a little walk around downtown ... and as I was coming back up to the office, I happened to cross paths with the commissioner," Brumm said, referring to County Commissioner Dane Scalise.

The Port City United Office is located at 320 Chestnut St., Wilmington. Brumm said he had been in the office that day updating his resume and sending out job applications in the wake of Port City United's undetermined fate.

More: New Hanover commissioner tells radio host he was threatened by a Port City United employee

Scalise was already engaged in a conversation, so initially, Brumm said he didn't approach the commissioner. As Brumm continued walking, he noticed Scalise behind him, and turned around to introduce himself.

"I said 'Hey I'm Anthony ... I'm one of those guys you've been talking about on the news on the mediation and outreach team, I'm one of those gang members,'" Brumm said. "I started to talk to him about how ... the things he's been saying sound pretty dehumanizing because you're not referencing us as any kind of people, you're just referencing us as gang members."

Brumm said Scalise tried to cut him off.

"I began to tell him ... some of us had made some mistakes in our lives, but we're out here really trying to rectify those things and make the community a safer and better place for everybody," Brumm said. "He began to interrupt me as I was saying these things, so I asked him not to interrupt me."

After that, Scalise became what Brumm described as "more energetic" and he said he wasn't going to be intimidated by Brumm.

Brumm said he told Scalise his intention was not to intimidate him or even to try to change his mind about his stance on Port City United, but just to humanize the employees Scalise had been referring to.

"He said, 'I'm not scared of you' and I said, 'Good (because) I'm a man of God. You shouldn't fear anybody but God,'" Brumm said.

The conversation continued, with Scalise mentioning the arrests of the two Port City United employees earlier this year, Brumm said.

Brumm said he reiterated to the Scalise that he wasn't attempting to sway his perspective and that whatever ultimately happens with Port City United was up to Scalise and other county commissioners. In response, Brumm said Scalise asserted his authority as county commissioner.

"I said, 'Yeah, but not for long. You could be voted out of that position,'" Brumm said.

Scalise questioned what Brumm had meant by that statement, Brumm said.

"I said, 'You're an elected official. The election is coming up. You can be voted out of that position,'" Brumm said.

Scalise previously cited Brumm's statement that he 'won't be county commissioner for long' and the interpretation of Brumm's final parting words, 'be safe out there,' as an attempt to intimidate him.

Brumm said Scalise had left out details in what had been said, noting that he told the commissioner to 'God bless and be safe' and not to 'Be safe out there.'

Scalise reported the conversation to New Hanover County human resources. Brumm said he was brought in by the county to make a statement on what had transpired and was told he would hear back from the county following an investigation when a decision had been made.

"The next day I received a call notifying me that they made a decision to dismiss me from my position," Brumm said. "I was surprised because I felt like they was taking (Scalise's) word over mine. But at the same time, that didn't surprise me either."

Brumm said the county's decision to dismiss him from his position with Port City United felt unfair.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Port City United employee disputes commissioner's account of conversation