Middle Tennessee town axes third top-ranking official in less than a week
A third high-ranking Millersville city official has been dismissed, bringing the total to three this week after the abrupt firing of the city manager and attorney.
Millersville police Chief Robert Richman said he was fired Friday by Interim City Manager Tina Tobin.
"I've never seen such a mess," he said by phone. "I didn't really even get an opportunity to really even do anything before having my feet cut out from under me."
Richman, who recently moved to Millersville from Texas, was sworn in as the city's fourth police chief in December. He joined the department after it came under scrutiny and investigation by the Tennessee Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission last year. The chief and assistant chief at the time resigned from their positions in July during the investigation.
Richman's firing comes after a tumultuous commission meeting Tuesday, where two commissioners said they were blindsided by a decision by Mayor Tommy Long and two other commissioners to fire Scott Avery as city manager.
The reaction to the decision was swift. Many residents and city employees expressed confusion about the decision during the public comments period. Others expressed anger at not being given an adequate reason for the firing.
Long simply said that because Avery was employed for more than 12 months, under the city's charter, he is not required to give a reason for the decision.
In the same meeting, Long, Vice Mayor Milton Dorris and Commissioner Alisa Huling voted to appoint Tobin as interim manager, minutes after her résumé was provided to the officials.
Wednesday morning she fired city attorney Jack Freedle, who'd been outspoken out the decision to fire Avery and begged the commission to reconsider in an effort to avoid any impropriety.
Commissioners voted unanimously late last year to hire Richman, who had more than 30 years of law enforcement experience and had retired from the Austin Police Department.
"I got the same surprise Scott Avery got," Richman said. "I didn't even have the courtesy of someone coming up and telling me in person. I literally received a phone call and then subsequently followed up with an email saying they just want to go in a different direction."
Richman said he's committed to Millersville, and now that he's a private citizen, he's not afraid to make his opinions known on city actions.
"I sold my home, uprooted my family and came here to the city of Millersville after each of them voted to bring me here," he said. "I feel worse for the citizens of Millersville because they deserve better. These citizens deserve more. I am one, too, and I deserve more."
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Millersville police chief axed 5 weeks in, 3rd official cut in 3 days
