Two more Augusta employees set sail Tuesday, but are sure to land on their feet, thanks to the city’s built-in golden parachutes.
The commission voted to accept the resignations of Rachel Mack, deputy general counsel and the city’s No. 2 lawyer, and Timothy Weegar, director of operations and public safety at Augusta Regional Airport.
The commission approved paying both six months’ salary and benefits, if they sign a release and remain available for consultation over the six-month period.
Mack’s resignation, which is effective July 12, follows that of General Counsel Wayne Brown, who resigned last month and received a six-month severance package.
Mack had been with the city for almost nine years and was deputy general counsel for almost three. She served as attorney for Richmond County Board of Elections, and defended the city in city human resources and liability cases. At The Augusta Press’ last count, Mack was the second-highest paid in the law office after Brown, making $137,000 in 2022.
The city has a recruitment process for department directors, but hasn’t discussed filling either law office opening. In the office are about five other staff or senior staff attorneys.
Weegar had been at the airport since 1997 and has served as its interim director. He was the airport’s second-highest paid employee under Director Herbert Judon and made $128,950 in 2022.
Commissioner Wayne Guilfoyle complained about media coverage of the golden parachutes, which the commission itself created years ago on the advice of former administrators and mayors, but reduced in 2019.
“What would happen if the body said no?” Guilfoyle asked.
Brown said the city would likely be violating the contracts under which the eligible employees were hired.
Not all resigning employees have sought the payment. Former administrator Odie Donald II, who resigned after 14 months to take immediate employment at the Atlanta mayor’s office, did not request one.
Most do. Earlier department directors and administrators had severance pay built into their contracts, but in 2007 the commission formalized a policy on guidance from former administrator Fred Russell. Called a “recruiting tool,” the policy afforded up to 12 months of pay and benefits to top staffers who resigned or were fired without cause.
In 2011, the commission re-codified the policy in the city Personnel, Policies and Procedures manual, identifying particular “senior executive staff” eligible for up to a year’s pay, based on years of service. In 2019, the commission capped the payouts at three months, but at that time some 38 hired under the old policy were already eligible for larger severance amounts.
The policy excludes elected officials, as well as employees serving in SES roles on an interim basis, such as Interim Administrator Takiyah Douse. But Douse would be eligible from her permanent role as Central Services Director.
Other covered positions include the clerk of commission, deputy administrators and the directors of Augusta Regional Airport, Daniel Field, elections, Daniel Field, compliance, animal services, planning and development, parks and recreation, transit, utilities, EMA, finance, engineering, human resources, housing and community development, information technology and 911.
Among those working for elected officials include the sheriff’s chief deputy and colonel and the chief deputy tax commissioner and assistant tax commissioner.
In the city law office, the general counsel, deputy general counsel and all staff attorneys and senior staff attorneys are eligible. Also eligible are the prison warden and five at the airport: operations director, engineering and maintenance director, fire chief, marketing director, aircraft services director and finance director.
