Tyrone N. Butts
APE Reporter
East Point city manager suspended for remarks
East Point City Manager Tom Barber has been suspended for a week without pay for commenting on the city attorney's hairstyle and making other remarks she found offensive.
"She accused me of racial discrimination, sexual discrimination and sexual harassment," Barber said at home on Thursday, denying those allegations.
City Attorney Cynthia Cartwright, an African-American who wears her hair tightly curled and often in a bun, could not be reached for comment.
Barber admits telling Cartwrigh
that co-workers were making fun of her hair. He also acknowledges calling her a pit bull and joking that he did not want to hire Assistant City Attorney Juniata Ford because he couldn't spell he
r na
me.
In a memo to the City Council in January, Cartwright
interpreted those remarks as racist and sexist. The city hired an outside law firm to investigate, then suspended Barber this week.
Barber said his intention was to let Cartwright know that people were laughing behind her back. "Nobody else was going to tell her," he said.
He said he called her a pit bull to describe the way she does her job. "I think for an attorney, that's probably a compliment."
When Cartwright sought to hire Ford as an assistant, Barber said, he joked that he wouldn't hire anyone whose name he couldn't spell. "It was just a joke," he said. "We went ahead and hired her."
Barber said he has apologized to Cartwrigh
t, intended no offense and just likes to "bust on" his co-workers. He said Cartwright is upset with him because he interviewed a job candidate to replace her in November.
Mayor Patsy J
o Hilliard w
ould not discuss the matter in detail.
"While I do not condone his remarks, Mr. Barber has provided outstanding leadership over the
past year and recognizes his mistake," she said in a written statement.
Barber said he may not bother returning to work Monday, because his contract expires March 25 and the council is seeking a new city manager.
**********
What happened to free speech in this country? n-ggers, that's what!
T.N.B.
East Point City Manager Tom Barber has been suspended for a week without pay for commenting on the city attorney's hairstyle and making other remarks she found offensive.
"She accused me of racial discrimination, sexual discrimination and sexual harassment," Barber said at home on Thursday, denying those allegations.
City Attorney Cynthia Cartwright, an African-American who wears her hair tightly curled and often in a bun, could not be reached for comment.
Barber admits telling Cartwrigh
that co-workers were making fun of her hair. He also acknowledges calling her a pit bull and joking that he did not want to hire Assistant City Attorney Juniata Ford because he couldn't spell he
r na
me.
In a memo to the City Council in January, Cartwright
interpreted those remarks as racist and sexist. The city hired an outside law firm to investigate, then suspended Barber this week.
Barber said his intention was to let Cartwright know that people were laughing behind her back. "Nobody else was going to tell her," he said.
He said he called her a pit bull to describe the way she does her job. "I think for an attorney, that's probably a compliment."
When Cartwright sought to hire Ford as an assistant, Barber said, he joked that he wouldn't hire anyone whose name he couldn't spell. "It was just a joke," he said. "We went ahead and hired her."
Barber said he has apologized to Cartwrigh
t, intended no offense and just likes to "bust on" his co-workers. He said Cartwright is upset with him because he interviewed a job candidate to replace her in November.
Mayor Patsy J
o Hilliard w
ould not discuss the matter in detail.
"While I do not condone his remarks, Mr. Barber has provided outstanding leadership over the
past year and recognizes his mistake," she said in a written statement.
Barber said he may not bother returning to work Monday, because his contract expires March 25 and the council is seeking a new city manager.
**********
What happened to free speech in this country? n-ggers, that's what!
T.N.B.