This email below arrived with an attachment I can't upload here because it is in an incompatible format. However, the attachment included an Open Records request filed by Christopher Trower on August 5 "to inspect and copy all public records of the City of Atlanta related to the policies and procedures for termination of City of Atlanta employees working in the Department of Planning and Community Development". The letter also stated that "My understanding is that these records must be made available within three business days of the date of this request."
On August 18, thirteen days later, not three as required by law, a response was received from Joan Hudson, Business Manager with the City of Atlanta, which stated that the policies governing employees performing in a classified position can be found on the City's Web site but that these policies do not apply to unclassified employees who serve as employees-at-will.
With that understanding, Tom Coffin's recent promotion to an unclassified position now appears to be a highly calculated one, and possibly not in compliance with the City's standard HR job grading procedures, as Linda Trower notes below:
From: Linda Trower
To: Mary Norwood
Cc: jmaddox@atlantaga.gov ; khall@atlantaga.gov ; ccmitchell@atlantaga.gov ; hlwillis@atlantaga.gov ; jsheperd@atlantaga.gov ; ilyoung@atlantaga.gov
Sent: Tuesday, August 19, 2008 2:10 PM
Subject: Fw: Emailing: Open Records Law Request
Dear Mary--- thanks for getting the Tom Coffin firing/Tree Ordinance enforcement investigation to the CD/HR Committee. It's a start.
My open records request was finally answered. It appears Commissioner Cover and Director Maslamani considered Tom to be an unclassified employee. If that were the case, none of the above provisions would apply. I hope the CD/HR Committee will challenge this assertion.
I have reviewed the material in Code of Ordinance City of Atlanta, Georgia sec. 114-84 (definition of an unclassified position) and it would appear that neither the field arborist or senior arborist position would fall into that category.
Thank you,
Linda Trower
Concerned Citizen
On August 18, thirteen days later, not three as required by law, a response was received from Joan Hudson, Business Manager with the City of Atlanta, which stated that the policies governing employees performing in a classified position can be found on the City's Web site but that these policies do not apply to unclassified employees who serve as employees-at-will.
With that understanding, Tom Coffin's recent promotion to an unclassified position now appears to be a highly calculated one, and possibly not in compliance with the City's standard HR job grading procedures, as Linda Trower notes below:
From: Linda Trower
To: Mary Norwood
Cc: jmaddox@atlantaga.gov ; khall@atlantaga.gov ; ccmitchell@atlantaga.gov ; hlwillis@atlantaga.gov ; jsheperd@atlantaga.gov ; ilyoung@atlantaga.gov
Sent: Tuesday, August 19, 2008 2:10 PM
Subject: Fw: Emailing: Open Records Law Request
Dear Mary--- thanks for getting the Tom Coffin firing/Tree Ordinance enforcement investigation to the CD/HR Committee. It's a start.
My open records request was finally answered. It appears Commissioner Cover and Director Maslamani considered Tom to be an unclassified employee. If that were the case, none of the above provisions would apply. I hope the CD/HR Committee will challenge this assertion.
I have reviewed the material in Code of Ordinance City of Atlanta, Georgia sec. 114-84 (definition of an unclassified position) and it would appear that neither the field arborist or senior arborist position would fall into that category.
Thank you,
Linda Trower
Concerned Citizen
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