Crockett City Council approved issuing a check totaling $3,250 to contractor Woodrow Jones to satisfy hours he submitted while performing director duties, but the meeting revealed continuing disagreement over the terms and documentation of his engagement.

Council discussed competing accounts of Jones’s start date, hourly logs and whether he was hired as a city employee or as a contractor. City staff told the council the matter stemmed from multiple verbal understandings and inconsistent written records: an application filed by Jones requested a $65,000 annual salary, but staff later said they had received references to $72,000 in emails and conversations. City staff repeatedly told the council the only written compensation figure on file was $65,000.

City staff said Jones provided a 1099 tax form (referred to during the meeting as a “10 99”) and that payments were being processed as contract payments. Staff also said Jones had provided a written note claiming he would receive one year’s severance pay if terminated; staff said that severance amount had not been approved by council in writing.

Council considered competing tallies of hours. One councilmember said the hours submitted totaled 138 hours; staff described prior checks and partial payments, and council members said a previously-issued check had not yet been delivered to Jones. After discussion, a councilmember moved to approve the payment based on the hours the director had turned in; another councilmember seconded the motion. The motion carried on a voice vote.

Council members directed staff to accept the timesheet-based payment “in good faith” while leaving any disputed additional claims to a future appeal. Staff noted Jones already has an existing appeal in the workforce commission process and that any separate appeal related to pay would be handled through standard procedures.