Tempers flare at Columbus Council over aquatic center hiring process

Columbus Councilor Pops Barnes, a vocal (man is he vocal!) supporter of the Columbus Aquatics Center and City Manager Isaiah Hugley swapped words Tuesday morning as council was debating the proper role of a citizens advisory commission in running the facility.

Barnes obviously thought the administration wasn’t willing to seek sufficient input from private citizens on the commission of hiring the proper person or company to run the place.

“I think more attention needs to be brought to what they are telling us,” Barnes said. “Mr. city manager, that’s common sense. And I think that you, Dr. (James) Worsley (parks and rec director) and anyone else in this government who will not take the advice and direction of individuals involved in this are being foolish. I’m getting tired of this whole situation.”

Hugley responded that several departments, including Parks and Rec, have had advisory committees and they have been involved in hiring.

“If I may say, I just want to be clear that we have not been foolish. We have allowed in the past advisory representatives (from numerous departments) to be involved in hiring processes,” Hugley said. “So it has not been done foolishly. It has been done with their involvement. I just want to be clear about that.”

Hugley said he has no problem with the advisory commission having input in the hiring process, but he would not be comfortable handing the process over to them.

“I have no issue with that,” Hugley said. “But it sounded as though you were abdicating our responsibility of hiring and passing it on to an advisory commission.”

Barnes responded by saying he stood by his opinion of the administration’s “foolishness,” slammed his hand onto the council table repeatedly and said, “What’s the problem. What is the problem?”

“Councilor Barnes, Councilor Barnes,” Mayor Teresa Tomlinson stepped in. “We’re all very frustrated, but I don’t know that it’s fair to place all of the frustration on one person.”

“That’s my opinion, and I’m expressing it,” Barnes said. “That’s my opinion.”

This story was originally published April 14, 2016 at 3:42 PM with the headline "Tempers flare at Columbus Council over aquatic center hiring process."