Dr. Susan Thomas, Ph.D., Public Information Czar for Mayor Dan Coody, submitted her letter of resignation yesterday. That was a smart personal public relations move, giving the appearance that it had nothing to do with the possible outcome of today's election and for getting out of a terrible situation in which she had found herself in recent years. Doing her master's bidding in some rather unpleasant deeds could not have been enjoyable nor healthy for one's self-respect.
In her letter of resignation, Dr. Thomas said her new job with the Texhoma Council of Governments "offered the potential for career advancement while also allowing me to be closer to my family" in Texas. She also said it had been a pleasure to serve the citizens and the “wonderful community” of Fayetteville. Apparently, she did not say it had been a pleasure to serve Dan Coody by taking control of the Government Channel, denying responsibility for the $68 million sewer plant debacle, and arranging daily ribbon-cutting ceremonies for every new speed bump.
When asked about the resignation of Dr. Thomas, Coody said he wished her luck. Then he threw in the salt by adding that he had no plans to replace Thomas with the comment that "this is not on our front burner." That is bureaucrat-speak for "Don't let the door knob hit you in the ass."
Dr. Thomas is not the first of Coody's top staff to jump ship. Planning Director Tim Conklin left for Springfield, Missouri, to take a job in transportation planning for Ozarks Transportation Organization. Gary D. Dumas, Coody's $112,000 Director of Operations, has been looking for jobs elsewhere, as far away as Wisconsin. Most recently, he failed to make the three finalists for a job in Fort Smith.
We wish Dr. Thomas well in her new postion and hope that she has learned from her experiences here what not to do or let happen again.
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