Quincy rejects recreation director appointment
QUINCY — The Quincy City Council rejected the appointment of a controversial former mayor as recreation director.
The search committee recommended Patty Martin, who campaigned against the use of industrial waste in fertilizer during her term as mayor. A book was written about the her titled, “Fateful Harvest, the True Story of a Small Town, a Global Industry and a Toxic Secret.”
The city started looking for someone to fill the position in October after creating the position in September. The director is responsible for handling activities throughout the city, such as the Quincy Aquatic Center and tour buses.
City staff talked about the position a few years ago, but there wasn’t money available for it, Mayor Jim Hemberry said in a previous meeting.
“I stand behind my decision to appoint Patty,” he said. “I think a lot of people in this room have either forgotten or aren’t aware of what she did before she was the mayor for this community. She donated a selfless amount of time to this community.”
Martin put together a program similar to what the city plans to create, Hemberry said. People are focusing on her time as mayor and missing the reasons for appointing her.
“My goal from the very beginning has always been to make this (recreation) program a success,” he said. “I honestly think the best person to get that job done is Patty.”
Dick Zimbelman, a Quincy resident, said if the city hired her as recreation director, she would use the position to serve her agenda.
“I was shocked when I first heard this. I thought someone had pulled a dirty joke on me,” he said. “I couldn’t believe with the problems we had when this candidate was mayor … Nobody can control her. I don’t think the whole council is capable of controlling this lady.”
Zimbelman said Quincy went through some bad times while Martin was mayor and doesn’t want to see the taxpayer’s dollars spent to serve her agenda.
“I’m sorry to admit I backed her when she first ran, but I found out that I was wrong,” he said. “I tried to argue with her. The woman will tell you, she’s going to do this, she’s going to do that, and she’ll turn right around and get on her campaign and go the other way.”
Port of Quincy Commissioner Curt Morris said no matter who is chosen to fill the position, the person needs the support of the community, or no matter how good the program is, it will fail.
“It’s going to take a lot of work,” he said. “Somebody is going to have to have help. Will this person be able to get that help together and do they get the support of the community?”
Councilmember Scott Lybbert said Martin wouldn’t be able to get enough support from the community to be able to do the job.
“I back you (Hemberry) 100 percent on everything you’ve done so far, but I think you’ve taken a left turn here. It’s just way off base,” he said. “I think this would be heading in the wrong direction. I think we need to take some more time.”
Lybbert suggested advertising to find another person to fill the position.
“We’ve went this long without one, I think it would be better if we just wait,” he said. “I still think we really need one. As much as I understand the motivation behind this, her talents and skills, I agree. I just think there’s a lot of baggage.”
Hemberry said the city needs to hire a pool manager and contract for the tour buses this year, because there isn’t enough time to find another person to fill the position.