Gwinnett Daily Post | Questions linger on Duluth manager firing

DULUTH — Former Duluth City Manager Tim Shearer was given an opportunity to resign before he was terminated last week.

Shearer, who was the first person to bear that title for Duluth after the city shifted its governance in 2011, wrote in an email that he could not say anything “untruthful.”

“First, I am not trying to be difficult or anything so hopefully council does not take it that way,” Shearer wrote in an email to City Attorney Steve Pereira on Oct. 3, the day before the council voted to terminate his contract without providing an explanation.

“Having to make a decision on the fly like that, I thought about what you said about how with a resignation I can say whatever I want about why I resigned and that the conditions of severance would be the same under either scenario,” Shearer continued. “I could not in good conscience say anything untruthful about resigning, so termination seemed the cleanest most forthright course of action.”

Shearer, reached on his cellphone this week, did not elaborate on the council’s reason for termination.

“I’ve been professionally managing cities for over 20 years, and in city management, there are times when things do not work out,” said Shearer, who took over the Gwinnett city after holding a similar position in California. “I respect the council and their decision.”

via Gwinnett Daily Post | Questions linger on Duluth manager firing.