City employee under fire after explicit comments

SWIFTON, Ark. (KAIT) - Public profanity, a city employee paid with your tax dollars is under fire for using explicit words towards those he serves.

It all started because of discolored water in Swifton.

People in the town began to complain on social media, and the city’s water superintendent began to respond with profanity.

The water department supervisor in Swifton, Ryan Holland, responded to multiple people on social media, but the response was not friendly.

One quote says, “I’m glad you got a five-dollar tester you know nothing about.” Another stated, “I’m not apologizing,” when someone questioned his response.

“It’s upsetting,” said Weston Gates, Swifton resident.

After filling the bathtub, he was alerted by brown water to give his daughter a bath Thursday night.

He works in a profession where he deals with water daily, so he tested the water and posted the results on Facebook. He was concerned with what the results showed.

The response he received from the post he was not expecting.

“You have to treat residents of a city just like you would a customer and any kind of concern they bring forward to you is a genuine concern in their mind,” said Gates.

Holland responded that what Gates said was very unprofessional.

Some of his responses included curse words and demeaning language to residents.

“As a city official or a city employee, we’ve got to have some calmer heads and open up a topic of discussion instead of an argument,” said Gates.

I spoke with Craig Crider, mayor of Swifton, about Holland’s actions.

He said he spoke with Holland and thought it wouldn’t happen again, but he did not want to comment further.

Gates said that type of behavior does not build trust in city officials.

We contacted Holland and spoke to him on the phone Friday night.

We asked did he have any comments on what he had said to residents; he replied, “I made them.”

When asked if his comments were appropriate for a city official to make, he said he would not comment.

The city reminded residents on Facebook that the discoloration of the water was caused by hydrant testing.

The post stated the water would be that way throughout the weekend.

Gates said he understands the issue this time with the water, but this has been an ongoing issue in Swifton.