The Curious Case of CEIDC’s Carolyn McKnight

By Greg Ritchie

Messenger Reporter

CROCKETT –  Amidst all of the uproar surrounding Crockett Economic and Industrial Development Corporation (CEIDC), there was one name lost in the shuffle. The Messenger was hesitant to report further on this person, so as to not add more stress to what must have been a difficult year-and-a-half during her paid administrative leave. After the recent moves to take Executive Director James Gentry off paid administrative leave, it’s time to introduce our readers to one of the missing, yet most important pieces of the CEIDC puzzle: Gentry’s Executive Assistant Carolyn McKnight. 

McKnight was caught up in the scandals involving CEIDC by default, not accused of anything, but sent on paid administrative leave along with Gentry in early 2023. She began to work for Gentry in May 2018, during another push to reform or even do away with the corporation. She had worked with and for Gentry all that time, until the paid administrative leave left her in limbo – and recent events have not cleared things up.

McKnight has steadfastly refused to speak on the record with The Messenger, although we have reached out multiple times to offer her a platform to tell her side of the story. No records have surfaced that she was ever interviewed by officials from the state attorney general’s office during their investigation – something which seems odd, given that she ran the books for CEIDC for several years and surely has a unique point of view on the whole episode. 

McKnight’s name never came up during the long debates about Gentry’s fate, leading some to speculate why she was not returned to work status along with Gentry. During the recent CEIDC meeting, Precinct Three Councilwoman NaTrenia Hicks moved to table what to do with McKnight, asking for time to see if McKnight could make a lateral move and work for the city. It was clear to all, Gentry and his allies did not wish to see McKnight return to CEIDC, although the reasons are still unclear. 

During the later city council meeting, council members voted to remove McKnight from paid leave and allow her to go back to work, although after a long and confusing debate.

“Mayor and Council,” Hicks said at the council meeting. “I move to remove the paid administrative leave status of CEIDC Executive Assistant Carolyn McKnight and to laterally transfer her to assume a position as a City of Crockett employee in a department with similar job duties she currently performs. Nominated by the City of Crockett Administrator and approved by Crockett city council.”

The motion was quickly seconded by Precinct Two Councilman Darrell Jones, before Hicks had even finished reading the full motion.

The City of Crockett Administrator himself, John Angerstein, seemed confused. 

“What do you mean, ‘nominated?’” Angerstein asked Hicks. “You’re saying you’re going to transfer her, and force me to nominate her…”

“To assign her to another position,” Hicks interrupted. Angerstein then asked to what position. 

Hicks responded maybe to the city water division, to which Angerstein countered, “Do you think the utility clerk position has the same the job description or qualifications?”

Answering, “Similar,” Hicks seemed to not understand the implications of “transferring” an employee from one entity to another. Crockett Mayor Dr. Ianthia Fisher began to explain the jobs were not even close, before being interrupted by Jones.

“We have a motion and a second on the floor,” Jones interjected. 

“We have a Mayor also,” Angerstein answered, leading the Mayor to continue her explanation, telling the council they cannot just move an employee from CEIDC, paid from CEIDC funds, to the city, which comes from the city budget. 

“A person would have to be terminated from CEIDC and then apply for an open position with the city,” Fisher said. “These are two different entities; it is not legal to just move a person from one to the other.”

“We would have to follow EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) rules,” Angerstein explained. “We would have to post the position, interview and hire the most qualified person for the position.”

Recommending the council remove McKnight from paid administrative leave, Angerstein explained they, as the CEIDC board, could then later determine her fate, along with Gentry. Angerstein explained the city could not legally interfere in this way in the internal matters of CEIDC. 

After a long pause, Hicks said she would leave her motion the same, with no changes. Angerstein said he recommended the council not vote for an illegal motion. 

“Maybe it’s not illegal,” Hicks said. 

“I guarantee you it is,” Angerstein answered. “That’s what I am paid for, to give you proper advice.”

“I want her (McKnight) to get her job back,” said Precinct Four Councilman Elbert Johnson. 

Only Hicks and Jones voted for the motion, which failed. Hicks re-read her motion, being corrected by the mayor the second part with the “lateral” change in jobs, to which the mayor repeated, “That’s illegal – you can’t do that.”

Johnson made a simple motion to remove McKnight’s administrative paid leave, which Precinct One Councilman Dennis Ivey seconded. Hicks and Jones did not bother to vote no, which was nevertheless taken as a “no” vote and Mayor Fisher broke the tie, giving McKnight the go-ahead to go back to work. 

CEIDC had tabled the motion, but the city had approved it. What did this mean? Was McKnight cleared to return to work or not? After contacting city leaders, it turns out that since it was the city (and not CEIDC) who placed her on paid administrative leave, only the city could reverse it, and did. It is now up to CEIDC and Gentry himself as to what to do with her.

The questions, however, still mount. The Messenger has learned McKnight did reach out to Gentry and ask when and where she should report to work, but was told she should wait until an office is prepared. Is she still being paid or is she now counted as ‘absent without pay’ while she is not called into work? Was she returned to work only to brush her off to some city position or is the plan to fire her altogether?

Gentry’s own status is still very vague; The Messenger has reached out to city officials to ask if he occupies the CEIDC office at the Crockett Civic Center. Rumors persist Gentry has taken up an office at a different location, but it is not known if that was approved and if or when he plans to return to the official CEIDC suite of offices. Angerstein replied late Tuesday, Aug. 13 that he is unaware of the location of Gentry’s office, since he is not occupying the official office at the civic center, and referred us directly to Gentry for clarification. 

We asked if someone is manning the CEIDC phones, should a potential business person want to contact CEIDC, and were informed all CEIDC calls are still being routed via city hall, with city officials contacting Gentry using his mobile phone. 

We also asked if Gentry has an official city or CEIDC email, as sources said Gentry uses a private email address for public correspondence. Angerstein confirmed this, informing us he also contacts Gentry via a personal email. 

The Messenger will update this story as events unfold. 

Greg Ritchie can be reached at [email protected]