Jackson County, Georgia, town Mayor and Councilman resigns amidst racial discrimination scandal
Hoschton Mayor Theresa Kenerly resigned Saturday during a special called meeting in the Jackson County town.
The City Council approved her relinquishment effective 1 p.m. Sunday.
The resignation came just days after Council chairman Jim Cleveland saying he‘d rather leave office on his own terms than face voters in a recall election in January,2020.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution [AJC] reported seven months ago into claims that an African American candidate for city administrator was amused by Mayor Theresa Kenerly because of his race
According to interviews and subsequent court testimony, Kenerly held back the resume of the only black finalist for the job. She later told a council member she did so because ''the city isn't ready for this''
Before his resignation, Cleveland backed the mayor’s policy. “I understood where she was coming from,” he said. “I understand Theresa saying that, simply because we’re not Atlanta. Things are different here than they are 50 miles down the road.”
“I’m glad that it’s over,” said Pete Fuller, chairman of the Jackson County Democratic Party. “I think this is probably the best resolution we could have. It has brought a lot of people together. It has helped show there are more people who are not bigoted, are not stuck in the past, and it shows that Hoschton and Jackson County as a whole is changing and has changed.
Members of the Jackson County Republican along with the Democratic parties and residents organized a recall campaign and a recall election for Jan. 14 to boot them from office.
Kenerly appealed the recall campaign with the Georgia Supreme Court. The court declined to hear her petition.
Dale Hall, the city's current city administrator was also removed by votes instead of accepting his resignation.
In November, voters elected Ledbetter and Shantwon Astin to seats on the City Council. Ledbetter, who is white, and Astin, who is black, campaigned together on bringing back the honor of the city.
Councilwoman Hope Weeks, the one elected official in the city with any tenure, said she is relieved by the mayor’s decision to resign rather than face recall.
“I’m really looking forward to 2020,” she said. “We’ve got some great people on staff and we will be up to the challenge. We are all going to grow and learn so much over the next few months.”
Ledbetter said he only intends to hold the position of pro tem until the council meets in January, when he expects to hand over the duties to the more experienced Weeks. He said he took the position as a strategic move until Kenerly’s resignation so Weeks would not be accused of seeking the mayor’s seat.
Voters will have a change to elect a new mayor and fill Cleveland’s vacant seat in a special election held at the same time as Georgia's party primaries.
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