The political rift in Pine Bluff’s city government deepened sharply with the immediate resignation of Clarence L. Holman, the interim director of Inspection and Zoning, following a tumultuous City Council meeting where members voted to override Mayor Vivian Flowers’ decision to remove department director Mitzi Ruth of 46 years.
His letter of resignation, submitted Friday morning and effective immediately, was obtained by the Pine Bluff Commercial. The letter was addressed to Flowers, the Pine Bluff City Council and Director Mitzi Ruth. In it, Holman cited the events of the Jan. 8 special City Council meeting as the primary catalyst for his departure.
In the tense special meeting on Thursday, the City Council voted to override the mayor’s decision to remove Ruth, director of the Department of Inspection and Zoning, who had served the city for 46 years.
Ruth’s reinstatement was unanimously approved after Council Member Bruce Lockett sponsored a resolution to nullify Flower’s recent decision to remove her.
During the discussion, Flowers explained that the termination was not sudden but followed months of planning for Ruth’s retirement, which she had discussed since before Flowers took office. Flowers stated that an agreement was in place to hire a qualified replacement and have Ruth stay on to train him.
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“I have worked for over a year with the previous leadership,” Flowers explained. “And if I cannot trust the word of that leader … to operate in good faith, then I have to move on. We cannot continue to kick a can down the road.”
Flowers detailed how the new inspector is a mechanical engineer with a doctorate degree. The person has also taken on many of the director’s duties and has earned multiple professional certifications in a short time. Flowers stated the termination was a direct result of Ruth’s backtracking on her agreed-upon retirement date of Jan. 14 and making a subsequent meeting, where she refused to commit to a Feb. 1 retirement, “very contentious.”
Holman’s resignation letter suggests a deepening rift between the city’s executive and legislative branches. He characterized the previous night’s council proceedings as a “prolonged logomachy” — a dispute over words — that ultimately undermined Flowers’ authority to appoint a department director of her choosing.
“I find it no longer tenable to continue to serve in any capacity, where I feel uncertain and diminished by such actions,” Holman wrote, noting that his original hiring was predicated on the intent of eventually becoming the permanent director.
The resignation highlights significant professional fallout for Holman. He stated that he had “acted in reasonable reliance” on the stability of the role and the mayor’s appointment. Consequently, Holman said he declined multiple other employment offers to focus on the training and certification necessary for the director position.
“I have suffered the loss of several viable employment opportunities consistent with my credentials and academic qualifications,” the letter reads. Holman estimates this has resulted in the forfeiture of approximately nine months of professional advancement and income.
Holman criticized the current political climate within the city government, stating that effective leadership requires “clarity of authority” and an environment where administrative decisions are supported rather than “destabilized.”
“The events surrounding this Special Meeting have made clear that those conditions no longer exist in a manner that allows me to serve with integrity and purpose,” Holman wrote.
During public comment at the special-called meeting, the matter was divided.
Danny Walker spoke in strong support of the director and her reinstatement: “We have new hotels going up, a lot of infrastructure … If we take away the leadership, … somebody who knows zoning from top to bottom, it would be a catastrophe,” he said.
Alfredo Martin addressed the council about personal struggles with the department.
“What I’ve noticed is a lack of leadership, discipline, direction, and respect, and customer service.” However, Martin noted that with the help of the “new leadership,” he was finally able to get a permit.
Frederick Jackson, an investor in the city, recounted a costly and drawn-out experience with the department due to a misunderstanding of utility codes.
He concluded his statement by warning the council that the “type of adversity” he faced would discourage other business people from investing in the city.
Despite Flowers’ detailed account and concerns about future retaliation, the council passed the resolution to override Flowers’ decision.
The resolution stated that the council “finds that reinstatement is in the best interest of the city and its residents.”
Ruth was reinstated to the position of director of Inspection and Zoning, effective immediately.
“The events surrounding this Special Meeting have made clear that those conditions no longer exist in a manner that allows me to serve with integrity and purpose,” Holman wrote.
Despite the abrupt departure, Holman expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve Pine Bluff and noted he remains proud of the work accomplished during his tenure. He closed his letter with a hope that the city would move forward with a “renewed focus on cooperation” and “respect for established authority.”
Flowers later confirmed Holman’s resignation but declined to comment further. When The Commercial reached out to Holman for comment, he stated simply, “I am no longer an employee of the city effective today, and I have no further comment concerning this or any other issue.”
This story has been updated. It was originally published at 10:40 a.m. Friday under the headline “Zoning and Inspection employee turns in resignation.”