Wood rescinds city manager resignation

Aug. 22—Crossville City Manager Greg Wood rescinded his resignation after the city council tabled discussion on the matter at a special-called meeting last Tuesday.

In a letter to Mayor James Mayberry dated Aug. 19, Wood said he felt it appropriate to rescind the resignation he submitted Aug. 11.

Wood remains on a paid suspension as the council continues an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the brief closure of the Village Inn, a motel turned low-income housing complex off Main St., on July 27. That investigation launched Aug. 2.

Wood wrote that his resignation "was submitted with the understanding, that before the investigation had made any significant progress, I was to be terminated for cause with the poison pill alternative. I was led to believe that my reputation with Council had been damaged to the point that even without the results of the investigation, I would be terminated. That does not seem to be the case. I have no doubt of the public's support based on the many message, phone calls, and emails I have received."

Members of the council received a preliminary report on the investigation the evening of Aug. 10. Chattanooga law firm Robinson, Smith and Wells are conducting the investigation, but it is not expected to complete interviews until some time this week.

According to documents reviewed by the Chronicle, officers with the Crossville Police Department met with individuals from the city fire and codes department and Cumberland County EMS prior to serving a search warrant at the Village Inn.

As officers entered the unit named in the warrant, a report of the fire safety inspection says "poor living conditions" were observed and inspectors with the fire department called to evaluate the unit.

The inspection spread from the first room to the adjoining units and then to the rest of the complex.

Those reports cited numerous issues from concerns about the structural integrity of concrete balconies, the safety of stairs, clutter outside and inside units, and unapproved cooking appliances.

According to Crossville Fire Chief Chris South's report, "We found a lack of safe sufficient fire escapes from both buildings, absent or non-functioning fire alarms to notify occupants of a fire, the building was dilapidated and unsafe structurally to inhabit until further evaluated, numerous electrical shock hazards and potential ignition sources that present a hazard to life and health and high probability of fire, and flammable storage in the means of egress in several areas of the structure."

Citing a law for dangerous building conditions and portions of the 2018 International Fire Code, South said he made the decision to discontinue electrical service to the complex that evening. About 130 residents in the 44 rented units were told to leave the scene, with various nonprofit, government and faith organizations contacted to provide assistance to the displaced people.

Owner Dr. Robert "Buck" Wood disputes the report of the building being unsafe. He and property manager Steve Threet have said they have made numerous repairs to the facility in the past weeks, and both dispute a need to immediately close the complex.

The Village Inn was reopened the next day with the city citing a "procedural error" in the closure. City Attorney Will Ridley has said the matter should have "been taken through proper due process in a court system before they occurred."

The following week, the council suspended Greg Wood.

Ridley said he learned of the closure from social media after it had occurred. He added he had relayed the need for due process to "the actors involved on four previous occasions."

In his resignation letter, Greg Wood said the closure "was carried out contrary to my instructions to contact the city attorney prior to any execution." However, he added, "in my capacity as the city manager it still falls upon my shoulders to take responsibility."

Wood has told the Chronicle he was not in the office the day of the closure due to scheduled medical appointments.

The Crossville City Council is scheduled to meet Friday in a special-called meeting.

At press time, the agenda only included the hiring of a new city attorney as Ridley will take a new position as Circuit Court Part I judge for the 13th Judicial District Sept. 1.

The meeting begins at noon.

Heather Mullinix is editor of the Crossville Chronicle. She covers schools and education in Cumberland County. She may be reached at hmullinix@crossville-chronicle.com.