The Chattahoochee Hills city manager still has a job, despite repeated calls from some residents to terminate him.
Jay DiPasquale, the city manager who started work at the south Fulton city in July, has been accused of pushing out well-liked police chief Matthew Rook. At a specially called meeting Thursday, residents recounted confrontations they have had with DiPasquale, including one at a local charter school. The standing-room only crowd urged the city council to at least suspend him from his post.
Instead, council members voted to further investigate the charter school incident. Several people have said DiPasquale harassed people at the Chattahoochee Hills Charter School, intimidating parents and staff by stopping the carpool line for reasons that are unclear. The council scheduled another meeting for New Year’s Eve.
“We’re furious with the city council’s decision,” said Rebecca Williams, a member of the Chattahoochee Hills Charter School school board, who had hoped DiPasquale would be relieved of his duties. “I’m very frustrated. They don’t seem to be taking any other complaints seriously.”
Di Pasquale could not be reached for comment Friday, but said previously that he “absolutely did not” harass people at the school.
The resignation earlier this month of Rook set off a wave of passion in the community. Hundreds of residents signed a petition to bring Rook back. "Reinstate Chief Matt Rook" signs dot the landscape.
Rook could not be reached for comment, and DiPasquale would not discuss the police chief. But Rook’s personnel file shows three October reprimands from the city manager. The former chief was reprimanded for allegedly directing an officer not to speak to DiPasquale, for his use of social media related to city business and for improper use of the city credit card. He was ordered to turn in the credit card immediately.
Rook appealed the reprimands in letters to DiPasquale and the city’s mayor, saying DiPasquale overstepped his authority and interfered in police work.
Two other officers resigned from the seven-person force before Thursday's meeting.
“Everyone’s morale is so torn up,” Nathan Allen, who quit the force this week, said previously. “The new city manager basically came in and destroyed our morale.”
And on Thursday, another officer threw his badge at council members, saying, “I cannot and will not continue my employment with this city.” That officer’s job status is unclear.
Mayor Tom Reed did not respond to requests for comment about the police force or DiPasquale.
"I'm hoping he'll resign," said Susan Tillander, who moved back to the city after a year in Virginia because she missed the community. "I couldn't imagine how he could show his face in Chattahoochee Hills."
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