Ellis fires COO over relationship with county employee
- 9/2/10
- Categorized in: DeKalb News
DeKalb County Chief Operating Officer Keith Barker was fired today (Sept. 2) after he told CEO Burrell Ellis he had an improper relationship with another county employee, Ellis said.
Ellis said he decided on the termination after Barker, who is married, told him about the relationship. No complaints had been filed with the county, Ellis said. County officials said the employee is in the county’s watershed management department. She has not been fired, Ellis said, and the relationship occurred earlier this year.
“I felt [the relationship] didn’t meet the expectations we have for senior staff,” he said at a press conference today.
Barker’s termination is effective immediately and he will receive six months severance pay, Ellis said. Barker’s salary is about $200,000 a year.
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