Embattled Pendergrass Police Chief Rob Russell is being replaced, but will continue to serve as the town’s administrator.
"The mayor has decided to replace me in that (chief’s) position,” Russell said this week. “I will stay on as city administrator."
He said his salary will be changed, but he doesn't know how much yet. The town began advertising for a new police chief over the weekend. No city council meeting has been held on the move.
RUSSELL
Russell out as Pendergrass chief
Russell also resigned last week as city attorney for the town of Nicholson.
In comments to the media when the scandal broke, Mayor Monk Tolbert said he stood behind Russell “100 percent.”
Russell is the central figure in allegations by three whistleblowers that Pendergrass officials had engaged in widespread corruption. The group presented evidence that accused Russell of having used the city credit card for personal items, of having fixed tickets as favors for certain people and knowingly misusing taxpayer SPLOST funds for items that didn’t qualify for SPLOST spending.
Just three weeks ago, Mayor Tolbert fired four people, saying the city has serious financial problems. Two of the whistleblowers claim the firings were really in retaliation for their having gathered evidence of wrongdoing in the town.
Since the firings, the city has hired back a former policewoman who had a sexual harassment lawsuit pending against Pendergrass. That lawsuit was quickly settled by the mayor after he received the whistleblowers’ evidence. He setted the case for $20,000 in attorney fees and the rehiring of Becky Davis for three years. The mayor settled the lawsuit without any city council vote.
The hiring a new chief of police would be the second full-time position filled since the firings. The city clerk’s job remains open and will also have to be filled by a certified person at some point.
For complete coverage of the Pendergrass allegations, see the August 19 issue of The Jackson Herald.
In comments to the media when the scandal broke, Mayor Monk Tolbert said he stood behind Russell “100 percent.”
Russell is the central figure in allegations by three whistleblowers that Pendergrass officials had engaged in widespread corruption. The group presented evidence that accused Russell of having used the city credit card for personal items, of having fixed tickets as favors for certain people and knowingly misusing taxpayer SPLOST funds for items that didn’t qualify for SPLOST spending.
Just three weeks ago, Mayor Tolbert fired four people, saying the city has serious financial problems. Two of the whistleblowers claim the firings were really in retaliation for their having gathered evidence of wrongdoing in the town.
Since the firings, the city has hired back a former policewoman who had a sexual harassment lawsuit pending against Pendergrass. That lawsuit was quickly settled by the mayor after he received the whistleblowers’ evidence. He setted the case for $20,000 in attorney fees and the rehiring of Becky Davis for three years. The mayor settled the lawsuit without any city council vote.
The hiring a new chief of police would be the second full-time position filled since the firings. The city clerk’s job remains open and will also have to be filled by a certified person at some point.
For complete coverage of the Pendergrass allegations, see the August 19 issue of The Jackson Herald.
The only way for Pendergrass to come out not stinking on this is to put Bill in that position. ASAP
Kudos to the whistleblowers. Like most normal people, they most likely knew what kind of fight they were going up against with this such close-knit incestuous bunch running the City.
But right now the Sheriff, GBI or FBI needs to take that office over. What's it going to take to get justice here? STOP THIS CORRUPTION NOW SOMEONE PLEASE!
Having watched this story unfold the past few weeks I have been thoroughly puzzled with what has been happening in Pendergrass, Ga. However, upon looking at what is going on from a different angle, I have figured out what is really happening. Pendergrass Georgia is going to become a Reality T.V. show, and it is going to be called The Rob and Monk Show in Spendergrass, Ga!
Lets be honest we have several main “characters” involved here and it only makes sense that this is what is going to happen to the good area. Let’s see if we can list the characters out. We have Rob Love-Muscle Russel along with his sidekick, and we have Monk No Funk Tolbert who sees everything and admits to nothing.
Now let’s not get too upset with these good people, they hold well respected positions within the community. For example Rob is the Mis-Manager of city funds in the good town of Spendergrass with Monk being the all knowing Lawsuit Pay-Mayor of the good town. But what really makes the mind wonder is what Monk really meant by “this is just some witch hunt” when he and Rob were talking to Fox 5 I team. I mean I was under the impression that they were true “wiz”ards. I suppose that Monk was really thinking that the whistle blowers were after Hilda Gee. That is the only logical conclusion when looking upon the statement made to Fox 5.
Still, do the good citizens of Pendergrass know that their good town is going to be renamed and be made fun of on national TV? I don’t know to be honest with you, but I can say that some are starting to realize where that pressure from down under is cumming from when either Rob or Monk is standing behind them with both hands on their shoulders! The people have been told “Don’t worry, this will all blow over and go away”. What these “characters” really mean is that they want to “ride it out” on the “backs” of the good people of Pendergrass.
So to conclude, whenever a Pendergrass citizen walks up to you and wonders why their city is in financial difficulties, or is laying off city officials for no apparent reason, all you have to say is “If you feel sudden lower back pressure with two hands on your shoulder, and turn around and see a Cowboy Hat then surely it is Smiley Melvin Talbert. If you turn around and see a larger than life Humpty-Dumpty with large Coke Bottle glasses, then it is Rob Mis-Manager Russel.”
Informed Citizen