Former Rogers City Treasurer and CFO Jerry Hudlow was fired abruptly last month by Mayor Greg Hines, but Hudlow doesn’t want his ties with the city to be completely severed.
Hudlow is one of six men serving on the board of directors for the Rogers-Lowell Chamber of Commerce this year. Directors are nominated by committee and approved by the membership at large. He is also one of three men on the chamber’s audit committee.
When Hudlow’s employment ended with the city of Rogers – a member of the chamber – his chamber membership ended as well. But as we understand it, Hudlow has paid his own membership dues ($125) in order to keep those duties.
"I’ve poured my blood, sweat and tears into this thing for 10 years now, and I will continue to do that," Hudlow told us.
Hines fired the 59-year-old Hudlow for "repeated and unchanged behavior as unbecoming of a city employee", according to a Personnel Action Report.
The document produced by Hines on May 14 described six instances collectively termed "a series of ethical and professional errors that are incompatible for continued employment with the City of Rogers."
The most interesting of those complaints was that Hudlow was rumored to carry a handgun in his briefcase to City Hall each day.
"I recently became aware of rumors that Mr. Hudlow brings a handgun to city hall daily in his brief case," Hines wrote in the report. "Several employees when asked confirmed either the rumor or in one case confirmation that in years past Mr. Hudlow has shown the gun on at least two occasions while in his office.
"While I have no idea why Mr. Hudlow would feel compelled to bring a firearm onto the city hall campus, I do know it is a violation of state statute and against the law."
Hines, a former lawman himself, might well have had an idea had he simply asked, "Jerry, do you carry a pistol with you when you come to work?"
Why question co-workers and not question the subject of the rumor?
Hudlow said all of his business contacts had remained "very supportive" since his dismissal and added that there was more to come regarding his ouster.
"It is not anything I can talk about at this point, but there is more to the story," Hudlow said, adding he might still contest his termination. "It is still something I am considering, and I should make a decision probably by the end of the month."
Hudlow said he was updating his resume and hopes to continue his career in northwest Arkansas.
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