The Auburn City Council met to discuss and deliberate on the personnel appeal of the termination of Capt. Claire Manley on Dec. 20, 2007.

Manley was terminated from her position as Captain with the Auburn Police Department Nov. 5, 2007.

After hearing deliberations from both sides, the council made the unanimous decision to uphold Brown's recommendation to terminate Manley from the City of Auburn's police department.

Manley had worked for the City of Auburn for seven years, and prior to her position with the Auburn Police, she was with the Winder Police Department for 13 years. An independent investigation conducted by the Gwinnett County Sheriff's Department Professional Standards Unit was completed Oct. 30.

Brown said the investigation was a determining factor in his decision to terminate Manley. He also said that Manley showed a "lack of leadership, and an unwillingness and failure to address the problems" that were faced by the force at her time of employment.

According to Brown, Manley had performance issues and lacked in fulfilling the code of conduct required for her position. Manley's termination was said to be based on unsatisfactory performance and insubordination, and according to Brown, the results of the internal investigation pin point those two areas as being "areas of concern."

Brown also said that there were several complaints from other employees about the way they were being treated by Manley.

Manley was represented by Atlanta Attorney Joan Crumpler at the appeal. Crumpler said that the City of Auburn's personnel policy manual, which she said was "ironically written by Manley," calls for progressive discipline. Crumpler said that "there was no progressive discipline followed in this case." Crumpler went on to read an employee evaluation that was written on March 26, 2007 about Manley's work performance, that Crumpler argued was a positive evaluation. "No where in your own manual does it say you can up and fire someone, and that's what's going on here," said Crumpler.

No witnesses were called in the appeal.

In new business discussed at the Dec. 20 City Council meeting, there was a motion to approve the name change of the road to the side of the library that is currently called Water Works Way, to Paul Brown Lane. The motion was approved, and will now need approval from Barrow County before an official name change can take place. Paul Brown is president of the Friends of the Library, and has played a key role in the changes that have occurred. He has had a significant role in contributing time, funds and vision for the new library, and his wife, Council member Sally Brown, on behalf of her husband, thanked the board for this recognition.

A motion to proceed with the resolution of the Comprehensive plan was approved at the meeting. The Comprehensive Plan is not a law, or legal zoning, but rather a policy. MACTECH sent representative Lee Walton to the Dec. 6 council meeting to present the plan, and pursue an update of the plan with Barrow County as a joint plan. After Auburn submits any necessary changes to the plan, the draft will be reviewed, and modifications will be made. A final plan will then be presented for adoption by the city.

Council members approved to move interdepartmental funds in two different areas for the budget. Two accounts exceeded funds allocated in the budget, data processing and water meters. The funds in financial administration were at 22,827.96 and the motion was approved to move the money to cover the -15,216.26 in data processing. There was also an approval made to transfer funds from the water budget, which was at 381,270.85, to cover water meters, which was short 37,577.45.

The board also approved the closing of City Hall for Dec. 24 and Dec. 31.

There was a final proclamation given for Charlie Sewell and Mayor Harold Money. This was Sewell's, and Money's last regular Council meeting, and it is Money's end of term of Office with the City of Auburn. Sewell was presented with a plaque for his service and Mayor Money, who had received his recognition at an earlier meeting, was read a proclamation that was signed and sealed by the one and only Mickey Mouse. Sewell announced to the council and citizens that there were often city council members that served, and then disappeared after their service was up. He said with him, "You're not going to be that lucky."

Money announced to everyone how proud he was of Auburn, and that it will no longer be just a small town on the map of Georgia between Lawrenceville and Winder, but that Auburn will be a great city. He made sure to share that his fiftieth anniversary was just around the corner, and that he loved his wife very much. He also said that he knows who's boss. "she is," said Money.

Originally published Sunday, December 23, 2007