Blount County residents are calling for Dean Calvert to resign as commissioner after someone exposed Calvert’s recorded conversation using racist language. Calvert has since apologized for his statement, but that didn’t help Birmingham Water Works from pulling a contract that cost Blount County Deputies around $17,000 a year. The conversation can be found below. At one point, “Dean” says, “Them <plural of the N-word> is just throwing them together,” referring to homes being built by an African-American contractor. There were also many vulgar sexual references regarding women in the conversation.
The Blount County Sheriff’s Office provides security at two locations for Birmingham Water Works, and by canceling the contract, this will significantly impact the deputy’s livelihoods. Often this contract helps recruit deputies to the Blount County Sheriff’s Department. According to Sheriff Moon, many officers are already taking a pay cut to work for Blount County, and this contract with B.W.W. (Birmingham Waterworks) was one of their main tools in recruitment.
If Calvert is to resign, many believe that Birmingham Water Works will consider bringing the contract back to the table.
You can find the petition for the resignation of Commissioner Dean Calvert by clicking here:
