Citizens maintain support for Capps

Published 12:28 am Saturday, September 18, 2010

From left, Hugh Vincent, Janet Vincent, Jennifer Moore, Dewey Phillips, Elizabeth Phillips, Melvin Hodge, Jennifer Hodge and Kenny Thomas show their support for ousted Murfreesboro Town Administrator Lee Capps. Staff Photo by Amanda VanDerBroek

MURFREESBORO — Citizens here are visually showing their support for fired Murfreesboro Town Administrator Lee Capps visually.

Messages urging the Murfreesboro Town Council to reinstate Capps are popping up all over town.

One sign owned by a business located on Main Street is, perhaps, one of the most predominate.

The large marquee sign that sits in front of Raye’s Detail Shop has become synonymous with displaying the names of individual who do not pay for services rendered. This week, however, Eddie Holley (owner Raye Holley’s husband) agreed to allow citizens to use it in their crusade to get Council to reinstate Capps.

Holley, who serves on the Murfreesboro Planning Board, believes council members should have handled the situation a different way.

“I do think firing him was wrong; there was a proper way of doing it,” said Holley.   

As a businessman, Holley said Capps should have had a probation period and a chance to correct any issues. He added town administrator is a position that takes time to get settled into.

“My opinion is that they should give him a second chance,” he said.

On Friday, a campaign by a group of Capps’ supporters began placing signs around town.

One sign went up in Hugh Vincent’s yard with his permission.

“I don’t have any personal agenda against anyone on the town council; I object to the way it was handled,” he said.

Vincent said he is a former businessman and employees should be given a set of guidelines to follow as well as a 90-day probation period.

“My concern is this will hurt the town and the (Chowan) university how it was handled,” he said.