Leadership Void In Tontitown

Daily Operations Left Without Experienced People

Tommy Granata in a 2010 file photo
Tommy Granata in a 2010 file photo

Resignations Wednesday left Tontitown without experienced day-to-day leadership.

“The mayor has cleaned out his desk and the recorder/treasurer we appointed hasn’t been sworn in, as far as I know,” said Sunny Hinshaw, council member. “It scares me to death.”

Meeting Information

Tontitown Work Session

The Tontitown City Council is scheduled to meet Tuesday at 7 p.m. for a budget work session.

Tommy Granata and the elected recorder/treasurer, Kara Jo McKinley, resigned at Wednesday’s City Council meeting. The council also moved the administrative assistant position, making employee Cathy Mantegani an office manager supervised by Ken Bailey, head of the building department, Hinshaw said.

Mantegani worked as the administrative assistant under Granata for only 30 days, Hinshaw said.

Granata, whose surprise resignation was the final action of the meeting, said he wouldn’t return. Granata resigned in August 2011, but returned at the request of the council.

“Nothing has changed,” Granata said Thursday. “There’s no reason for me to come back.”

Granata said his resignation came out of frustration with obstacles to conducting city business created by opponents.

“You think you can do some good for the community, but they won’t let you,” Granata said.

Granata said Mick Wagner, the former executive director of the city’s Water and Sewer Department, led his opponents. Wagner is now chairman of the Tontitown Planning Commission.

Wagner said he had no comment on Granata’s resignation.

The council appointed Alicia Collins as the new recorder/treasurer. Granata said Collins threatened to sue the city after personal information, including her Social Security number was emailed to council members. The situation occurred after Collins applied to be appointed to the recorder/treasurer position in 2012 after another resignation.

The city has gone through about seven recorder/treasurers in six years.

Hinshaw questioned Collins’ eligibility for the position since she is an employee of the Water and Sewer Department.

According to Arkansas Code 14-42-107, no council member or elected official can profit from a contract with their city. The Arkansas Supreme Court has ruled that employment is considered a contract for this purpose, said David Schoen, an attorney for the Arkansas Municipal League.

The council could pass an ordinance allowing Collins to hold the recorder/treasurer office, Schoen said.

Granata said he didn’t want to work with Collins after the threatened lawsuit and after she filed a Freedom of Information Act request for thousands of city email.

“That’s just a slap in my face,” Granata said.

Granata said he considered resigning in November because of the time requirements of the job. Dealing with problems in Tontitown was becoming a full-time job, he said.

“I’ve got a business of my own to run,” Granata said. He owns the bowling alleys in Springdale, Rogers, Bentonville and Fayetteville.

The council can appoint someone to fill the remaining two years of Granata’s term or call a special election.

Alderman Clint Penzo, who supported moving the administrative assistant position, said he’s not sure which option he prefers.

“I expect the council will appoint someone,” Hinshaw said. “I’m not sure who.”

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