WEST POINT — The West Point Board of Selectmen fired former interim electric department superintendent Shasta Plunkett again Thursday.
The board met for its second April meeting and voted 4-1 to cut Plunkett, with Ward 4 Selectman Keith McBrayer casting the lone dissenting vote. Ward 1 Selectman Rod Bobo, who voted against firing Plunkett in March, declined to comment on the reason he changed his vote.
The board voted to fire Plunkett in March at a special-called meeting, but Mayor Scott Ross vetoed the firing, saying the meeting was illegal due to improper notice. During its first April meeting, the board voted unanimously to take the interim superintendent title from Plunkett, returning him to duty at the electric department warehouse and working as a lineman. Chief Administrative Officer Randy Jones, who serves as general manager to the Water & Light Department, has been fulfilling superintendent duties.
Jones was on vacation during the last meeting, but recommended Plunkett be stripped of the interim title via written correspondence.
The city of West Point has a job opening posted for the superintendent job, but Plunkett was the only person to apply for the job.
Plunkett has been at odds with the board for months. He is one of several current and former city employees with Equal Employment Opportunity Commission complaints pending against the city.
In his complaint, Plunkett claims racial discrimination on behalf of the board. He also claims Ward 5 Selectman Jasper Pittman and two unnamed selectmen have had their power cut off in the past for not paying their bills and that Pittman told him explicitly selectmen should not be required to pay their bills.
Plunkett was also tried and acquitted on charges of disturbing the peace in October related to an incident in which an electric department customer accused Plunkett of harassing him regarding an overdue bill.
Pittman says multiple complaints have been received regarding Plunkett.
Jason Browne was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
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