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Morningside Civic Association/NPU-F Weighs In

Attachment to a broadcast email sent by Charlotte Gillis, Board Member for MLPA and NPU-F :

July 31, 2008

Dear Mayor Franklin,

I understand that Mr. Tom Coffin, Senior Arborist and one of our most valuable city employees (from the perspective of tax-paying citizens who want their trees protected), was fired on July 29, 2008 by Mr. Ibraham Maslamani. Based on information I have received, there was no appropriate process by which a supervisor (Mr. Maslamani) informs an employee (Mr. Coffin) of performance problems and advises that employee of the required changes necessary to keep the job. I have worked with Mr. Coffin for over six years in my capacity as the Chair of the Environmental Affairs Committee for Morningside Lenox Park Association (MLPA) and as the Chair of the Tree Committee for NPU-F. I am fearful that the efforts of Mr. Coffin to bring the Arborist Division and its staff into compliance with the City Tree Protection Ordinance led to his dismissal. Please see the attached file with data regarding the performance of the Arborist Division.

Mr. Coffin was the City Arborist assigned to my Morningside neighborhood for several years, until this last year when he was transferred to the Buckhead neighborhood. During that time I had many occasions to work with Mr. Coffin on various tree protection issues involving residential and commercial locations. I do not exaggerate when I tell you that I have not seen more exemplary service from a city employee. Mr. Coffin is extremely responsive, knowledgeable and fair, even when his “fairness” has not always been in my favor. Mr. Coffin always upholds the Tree Ordinance, letting neither his personal interest in protecting the trees nor the pressure of the development community influence his decisions.

The level of respect and trust that Mr. Coffin has built among the many citizens of Atlanta who want to protect the environmental quality of their neighborhoods makes me curious as to the true cause for his firing. The City of Atlanta, and especially your administration, has worked very hard to obtain qualified staff to make this city world class in all respects. Your commitment to environmental issues and the quality of our air and water –which are directly linked to our tree canopy--convinces me that you would support an employee as conscientious and hard working as Mr. Coffin.

I hope you will be able to correct this matter as soon as possible. I do not see this firing as being of any benefit to the city, our environmental quality or our neighborhoods.

Thank you for your time and attention to this matter.

Sincerely,
Charlotte Gillis
Board Member for MLPA and NPU-F

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