Jefferson County Is on the Brink of Shedding Personnel Consent Decree
By Solomon Crenshaw Jr.
U.S. District Court Judge Lynwood Smith wished Tony Petelos a happy Halloween, one in which he would get more treats than tricks.
But the Jefferson County manager had already gotten a big treat when he heard Smith say that Jefferson County is “teetering on the edge” of being able to conclude the consent decree on personnel practices that has hovered over it for nearly 40 years. And it was a treat he was glad to get.
“Absolutely,” Petelos said after the status hearing this morning. “It’s been almost four decades, this consent decree, and we’re very close to bringing it to an end. It’s very positive. We’re very excited. Four decades is a long time.”
The county has been under the consent decree since 1982, after plaintiffs sued alleging that the county and other defendants had been discriminating based on race and sex with respect to recruitment, hiring, assignment, promotion, discipline and other terms and conditions of employment.
Joseph J. Sperber IV, an attorney with the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, opened the proceeding by saying that he had not expected the consent decree to continue beyond the end of the year. He added, however, that the vacancy in Jefferson County’s human resource department director’s position pushes back that resolution.
Sperber said he had hoped a new HR director could be in place this year. Jefferson County attorney Theo Lawson assured the court a candidate has been hired, but that candidate is working through an exit from current employment. The name of the new HR director was not disclosed.
During the hearing, it was initially suggested that the new HR director could be acclimated to the position within 60 days. Smith said 60 days was “ambitious” and offered 90 days as a more realistic target. He was told that the candidate had not previously worked in the public sector.
Smith said that candidate’s entry into a merit system makes for a “daunting learning curve.” He said Loren Oliver is the “best option” for guiding the new HR director. Oliver was assigned to monitor Jefferson County’s hiring practices. He previously was appointed as a receiver.
“You need to be a tutor now,” Smith told Oliver. The judge also urged attorneys for each side to communicate with one another as they work toward an end to the consent decree by mid-2020, “the sooner the better.”
“Getting it right is best worked out collaborately,” he said.
Former U.S. Sen. Doug Jones announces run for Alabama governor
Jones announced his campaign Monday afternoon, hours after filing campaign paperwork with the Secretary of State's Office. His gubernatorial bid could set up a rematch with U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, the Republican who defeated Jones in 2020 and is now running for governor.
Scorching Saturdays: The rising heat threat inside football stadiums
Excessive heat and more frequent medical incidents in Southern college football stadiums could be a warning sign for universities across the country.
The Gulf States Newsroom is hiring an Audio Editor
The Gulf States Newsroom is hiring an Audio Editor to join our award-winning team covering important regional stories across Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana.
Judge orders new Alabama Senate map after ruling found racial gerrymandering
U.S. District Judge Anna Manasco, appointed by President Donald Trump during his first term, issued the ruling Monday putting a new court-selected map in place for the 2026 and 2030 elections.
Construction on Meta’s largest data center brings 600% crash spike, chaos to rural Louisiana
An investigation from the Gulf States Newsroom found that trucks contracted to work at the Meta facility are causing delays and dangerous roads in Holly Ridge.
Bessemer City Council approves rezoning for a massive data center, dividing a community
After the Bessemer City Council voted 5-2 to rezone nearly 700 acres of agricultural land for the “hyperscale” server farm, a dissenting council member said city officials who signed non-disclosure agreements weren’t being transparent with citizens.
