The Town of Summerfield is roughly a week and a half from having neither a town manager nor any staff, and those involved in the dispute have begun to speak publicly about it. Mayor Tim Sessoms said the town is losing a wealth of experience that will be very hard to replace. One councilmember, meanwhile, said earlier this week that the mass departure could give the town a fresh start.
The turmoil began last weekend, when the entire town staff announced their resignations in protest of how the Town Council ended the employment of Town Manager Scott Whitaker. The council chose not to renew his contract and at first offered no severance pay. It later voted to give Whitaker six months of severance and to keep him on the town's insurance during that period.
On Wednesday, May 22, Councilmember Heath Clay weighed in through a press release. He described the situation in the small town of about 11,000 people, just north of Greensboro, as part of a familiar pattern. "Our town is not new to discord or making news headlines," he said. Summerfield has produced more drama over the past decade than any other small town in Guilford County.
Clay suggested the town has been under pressure from several directions. "Our town has been a target from several angles, making it difficult to see who is for or against us," he said. He added that recent news coverage and social media posts containing misinformation, along with their timing, "appear suspicious." He said he appreciates the staff's efforts over the years but is disappointed by their decision to resign.
In the release, Clay also said that "Discussion, differences, and questions are a part of any professional business." He assured the public that he has treated town staff with respect and offered them assistance, and he said he is not aligned with any single person but wants to serve all of the town's residents.
While others have left their roles in running the town, Clay said he will not. "I will not quit working for the people of this town," he stated. He acknowledged that his transition into office has not been easy but said he has been working through a long list of projects and challenges handed down from prior years. In his few months in office, he said, he has tried to support or fix policy decisions, with the goal of doing right by Summerfield.
Clay also pointed to a separate threat facing the town. Many residents have worried that the state legislature could de-annex roughly 1,000 acres of Summerfield so that developer David Couch can build a large residential and mixed-use development. Clay said he is now focused on that issue, and that other factors are also working against the town. He argued that residents and officials should be unified in actively fighting de-annexation, and he called the present an "unprecedented time for our beloved town of Summerfield."
Despite the upheaval, Clay said he remains optimistic. "A transformation brings new avenues and prospects for citizens, developers, and legislatures alike," he concluded. "In the coming days I'm hopeful the existing and interim staff will work together to continue services for the people of Summerfield."
