$100K payout for fired city manager raises eyebrows in College Park

COLLEGE PARK, Ga. - College Park residents have raised concerns over a $100,000 severance package paid to former City Manager Lindell Miller, who served in the role for about two months.

City council approved the payout by a vote of 3-1 on Monday, after Miller accused council members of pressuring her to break the law while on the job.

"They are running the City of College Park like an episode of The Sopranos," said James Walker III, a College Park resident and vocal critic of the council members.

Miller had previously told FOX 5 she wanted the Georgia Bureau of Investigations to look into City Hall.

What we know:

City Council unanimously appointed Miller in September and voted to fire her in November. 

Miller previously stated she believed she was fired because she resisted pressure to break the law and waive fees for the redevelopers of the former Chelsea Gardens complex. 

She told FOX 5 she had proof that laws were broken, providing emails she said were from Council member Tracie Arnold, attempting to pressure her.

"I call upon the state attorney's office, the GBI, and law enforcement, to perform an investigation to determine if there were any possible kickbacks regarding Chelsea Gardens since we know that the condemning of the property was not done properly," Miller wrote in a statement following her termination. 

The details of the severance agreement have not been made public, but residents accuse the council of writing a check to keep her quiet. 

Miller did not return multiple requests for comment for this story on Thursday.

"Where do you find that position where you're on the job for [less than] 90 days, and then they come back and pay you $100,000?" Walker III said.

Mayor Bianca Motley Broom, who is often at odds with the council, said in a social media video after the vote that nothing in Miller's contract had required a severance that large. 

"If I had a vote on that item, I would have voted no," Motley Broom said, adding that Miller's contract "was silent on any severance before reaching the 91-day mark, meaning the city was likely not required to pay her anything."

The other side:

City spokesperson Gerard Walker declined to comment, citing personnel confidentiality.

Council members Joe Carn, Roderick Gay, and Tracie Arnold did not return emails requesting comment. 

Mayor Pro Tem Jamelle McKenzie defended the payment on her Facebook page.

"I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that we did the right thing by compensating Ms. Miller with this $100,000," McKenzie said in a Facebook video. "Even though I voted in favor of the termination, I still had problems with the way Ms. Miller was terminated."

RELATED:

• College Park council fires city manager in shock vote during fiery meeting
• College Park city manager fired amid Chelsea Gardens controversy
• Fired College Park city manager claims wrongful termination, seeks reinstatement
• Fired College Park employees allege retaliation for upholding ethics
• College Park agrees to pay ex-city manager $139K in severance pay, damages
• Why are College Park officials leaving City Hall? Residents demand transparency
• College Park mayor files federal lawsuit against city
• Residents divided as rift between College Park mayor, city leaders deepens

The backstory:

Miller is not the only city manager to leave College Park under scrutiny. 

Earlier this year, the city council voted to terminate Dr. Emmanuel Addieren. 

Prior to his tenure, City Manager Stanley Hawthorne received $140,000 after being fired less than 10 months into the job. 

His predecessor sued for wrongful termination after four months.

Walker questioned the circumstances of Miller’s payout.

"It just raises every eyebrow in College Park as to why you have so much proof, you have so much evidence," Walker III said. "You come out, speak about it, and less than a week later, you get paid $100,000."