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City manager doesn’t understand dismissal

By JOHN THOMPSON
jthompson@TheCitizenNews.com

For more than 40 years, Doug Bennett has always prided himself on being a good employee.

But in the last three weeks, Bennett’s perfect work record was blemished when he was abruptly fired as city manager for Grantville.

“This just came totally out of the blue. I don’t understand it,” Bennett said.

The City Council met July 28 in a special called meeting to discuss one issue. Bennett said after the issue was resolved, Mayor Billy Tucker asked if there was any other business to discuss.

City Councilman Doug Jewell made a motion to terminate Bennett and it was passed over the mayor’s objection.

“I think this violates their charter, because you are only supposed to discuss what was advertised on the agenda,” Bennett added.

He also thinks the city violated its own personnel policy because he had never received a verbal or written warning about his job performance. Bennett served as city manager for four years, but prior to that he served a long tenure in the Fayette and Coweta school systems.

“I just want my name back. it looks really bad when you go to apply for a job, and you have to say you were fired from your last one,” Bennett added.

He said that he had never received any sort of warnings throughout his entire work history, and wants Grantville to give him a hearing on the issue.

While he doubts he would ever go back to work for the city, Bennett does want to continue working somewhere.

“I’ve got two children and I’m not ready to retire.”