SOUTH FULTON, Ga. — The city manager of South Fulton, Tammi Saddler Jones, resigned this month following several contentious back-and-forths with some members of City Council over the last year.
Those issues included dueling accusations of creating a hostile workplace environment within the 4-year-old city government, allegations of millions in misplaced federal aid money, and implications of meddling with and undermining the city manager's authority by councilmembers.
In a brief statement, the city said it had accepted Saddler Jones' resignation, and that the city and the now-former city manager "have resolved all differences."
"We have accepted the City Manager's resignation and thank her for her service to the City," the statement said.
11Alive obtained Saddler Jones' resignation letter, which was similarly brief, saying she was submitting her resignation effective March 1 and that, "I appreciate the opportunity to have served as the City Manager for the City of South Fulton."
Neither document touches on the simmering tensions around city government that preceded Saddler Jones' resignation.
Departure of the city HR director
The issues stretch back as far as a year ago, when the city's HR Director, Niki Graham, was conducting a city corruption investigation into a police lieutenant. A lawsuit filed this February alleges that in the midst of that investigation, "a false allegation was unfurled" in February 2022 against Graham and that Saddler Jones took three months to investigate the allegation, "despite a dearth of any supporting evidence" before reporting to Graham on May 2 it "had no merit."
Nonetheless, the suit states, Graham was directed by Saddler Jones to take "emotional intelligence training" as a corrective action stemming from the allegation, "despite finding the complaint was groundless."
The suit alleges that Saddler Jones told Graham she faced "internal pressure from political forces in South Fulton" - specifically from Councilwoman Helen Willis - under threat that the City Council would dismiss her, which it has legislative authority to do, if she did not terminate Graham.
11Alive reached out for comment to Councilmember Willis, who provided the same city statement that all differences have been resolved.
Graham then initiated a "Hostile Work Environment Notice" on May 3 complaining about interference in her investigation, according to the lawsuit, and a day later Saddler Jones sent a memo to South Fulton Mayor khalid and the City Council outlining an alleged phone conversation with Willis.
The memo alleges Willis "stated that Ms. Graham was 'meddling into police business' and that she needs to leave the city to go to another agency."
The memo also implicates the alleged political pressure referenced in the suit, noting that the city manager position has the authority for hiring and firing department heads and other employees - but that the City Council has hiring and firing authority over the city manager itself.
"...You also stated that while you and the other council members cannot say anything directly to Ms. Graham, you can say something to me, as City Manager and that I'm going to have to do something... Your statement implies an ultimatum concerning my employment if I don't do what you all are suggesting," Saddler Jones' memo stated. "It is improper to attempt to influence, persuade, threaten or pressure me into making personnel decisions at your behest or the behest of other council members."
According to the suit, following these exchanges, Graham began to be sidelined in the city government, "increasingly excluded from meetings involving city business that would normally require the presence of the HR Director."
In one instance, the suit directly implicates Saddler Jones allegedly preventing Graham "from conducting an investigation of employee complaints within the Finance Department, although leading inquiries into complaints by city employees was one of Ms. Graham's core job duties."
Graham resigned on Aug. 26, nearly four months after first complaining about an alleged hostile work environment. The suit characterizes the resignation as "an involuntary decision based on the extreme stress" of her situation. She was soon after announced as the city of Milton's HR director.
Departure of the city's development director and allegation of misplaced money
Tensions again emerged between Saddler Jones, Willis and another councilmember, Natasha Williams, earlier this year.
At a Jan. 24 council meeting, Saddler Jones brought forth a request to hire, by contract, the consulting firm Clarke Patterson Lee to help run the city's Community Development and Regulatory Affairs (CDRA) department following the resignation of its director, Derek Hull (the exact reasons for the resignation are unclear).
In discussion about the proposal, Councilwoman Willis in particular said she was "very concerned" about the state of city projects and how they would be handed off with Hull leaving, and suggested retaining him on a kind of freelance basis to ensure continuity of projects - a suggestion supported by some of the other councilmembers.
"I want to thank Mr. Hull for his service, but short stay, cause he hasn't even been here a year, but he has made a true impact and he has his hands in a lot of projects," she said.
(See 2:33:55 of the council meeting here for discussion about the proposal to contract with Clarke Patterson Lee.)
Saddler Jones countered that she believed the deputy director of the department, who had once earlier served as interim director, could keep things running smoothly along with the consulting firm reinforcing operations.
"I will take recommendations under consideration, but you know this council has charged me, through the charter, with managing the day-to-day operations of the city. So I hope that whatever decision I make, I would have your support," she said.
The contract would have been for $32,000 a month for six months. Saddler Jones' request was voted down, 4-3.
In a Feb. 6 letter to Mayor khalid and the City Council, Saddler Jones expressed grievance with the outcome. She further alleged sharp friction with Willis and Williams - including a "disparaging tirade" in one email from Councilwoman Williams - following her decision to hire an interim director for the Community Development and Regulatory Affairs Department.
11Alive reached out for comment to Councilmember Williams as well, who also provided the same city statement.
Saddler Jones' letter accused Willis and Williams of violating the city's Decorum Ordinance and Healthy Workplace Ordinance, saying they had accused her of ignoring City Council input and attempting to, in a quote attributed to Williams, "bully, threaten, intimidate and terminate anyone who dares to come to us with anything other than rainbows, unicorns, and pixie fairy dust about how piss poor this city is being run administratively, operationally, and financially."
A week after Saddler Jones sent that letter, Willis and Williams announced an intended press conference to discuss "concerns over city management" and the city being "unable to reconcile $1.9 million in federal CARES Act funding" as well as failure to comply with federal guidelines on a nearly $1 million Community Development Block Grant.
“One of the reasons why our residents voted for local control was to get things done for the neighborhoods that were largely ignored. We make no apologies for having high and tough standards, and we will not allow negligence and incompetence to hinder our progress,” Willis said in a statement at that time.
Saddler Jones, in her Feb. 6 letter, alleged City Councilmembers "routinely overstep their authority and use intimidation to get their way," and that "my work environment has become so hostile that it is becoming untenable."
Less than a month later, she resigned. There has not yet been any signal from the City of South Fulton about an interim or permanent replacement.
