(Brighton, TN) News Channel 3 received emails about Brighton’s mayor hiring city workers for a personal construction job.
A city truck and a car with government tags were parked at a construction site on Kenwood Avenue Wednesday.
One worker said, “We all work for the city.”
He later retracted his statement and said, “I don’t work for the city. I am a contract laborer.”
All four workers told News Channel 3 they were laying a house foundation, but wouldn’t say who it was for.
Finally, one worker told News Channel 3 behind a city truck that the work was “for the mayor’s son.”
He told us to call Mayor Jeff Scott.
“They work for the city, but they are not employed today or yesterday or any this week,” said Scott.
Scott didn’t want to go on camera.
He says he is paying two city employees to lay the foundation for his son’s new home.
He said they took vacation days to do the work.
“It’s just something I thought was totally innocent,” said Scott.
Scott said records would show the city workers he hired did not clock in these past three days, but couldn’t get a copy of that until tomorrow.
He also couldn’t provide any receipts, because he hasn’t paid them yet.
As for those city vehicles we saw, Scott said, “As soon as I saw him, I told him I would rather him not have it down here.”
Some Brighton residents were concerned city vehicles were used by employees on vacation.
“I would be very upset knowing my tax dollars were spent like that,” said one resident.
“I didn’t think it was a big deal for them to go down there,” said Scott. “He just used that car I guess to come down there. I don’t know. I didn’t tell him not to. I guess I should have.”
Brighton’s policy states employees can drive city vehicles as long as they stay within Brighton, but nothing about when workers are on vacation.
The mayor said his hired help is not using any city tools or equipment.