Updated May 23 at 5:30 p.m.
Councilmembers in College Park voted to fire and immediately replace the city manager during a city council meeting earlier this week.
The city fired Dr. Emmanuel Adediran on Monday. He served as interim city manager before being permanently hired last fall.
The council voted 3 to 2, approving Adediran’s termination. The motion to fire him was made by Councilman Roderick Gay.
From the dais, Gay listed several alleged reasons for Adediran’s on-the-spot removal.
“Willful misconduct that has caused harm to the employer, Actions constituting dishonesty and … conduct not becoming of this office, and willingly disregarding the ethical standards, including apparent conflicts of interest,” Gay said.
The city said in a statement that there will be no further public comment on the personnel matter.
In a recent statement sent to WABE, Adediran listed some of his accomplishments while serving as city manager and also addressed the actions taken by the city.
“The circumstances of my departure and now false allegations being made by some are distressing to my family and I … we are familiar with the blame game and seeking injury to another’s reputation in effort to protect your own,” Adediran wrote. “As the fourth City Manager in three years for the City of College Park, I suspect I am not the problem.”
Adediran states he plans to continue working in public service and wishes the city the best.
Adediran’s hiring was met with protest from College Park residents last year. Several residents said they weren’t properly notified of the other potential candidates at the time.
They also questioned his qualifications and performance while in the interim city manager role.
“If we wish to regain a minimally functional government, his selection will only add fuel to the fire,” said Julie McGouirk during a town hall meeting called by the city ahead of Adediran’s hiring.
At the time, Adediran also fell under scrutiny by the Georgia attorney general’s office.
The former city manager forced the public out of a council meeting called to censure College Park Mayor Bianca Motley Broom. The meeting led to outbursts of disapproval by the audience, pushing Adediran to “clear the room.”
Despite Mayor Bianca Motley Broom calling out “skipped steps” during the hiring process, Councilwoman Jamelle McKenzie said there was support for making Adediran’s position permanent.
“If I had gotten … people that said that they did not want to add Adediran, my decision would have been impacted by that,” McKenize said in a 2024 interview with WABE.
Still, McKenzie’s support didn’t waver following the recent layoff. She spoke against the timing of the decision.
“Here again we see the illustrious leaders of the City of College Park government doing stupid stuff,” McKenize said Monday. “I’m not really opposed to change. I just believe, like the Bible says, there’s a time for it. And this is not the time.”
Adediran left promptly after the vote came down.
It’s unclear when the position will be permanently filled again, but Lindell Miller, who previously worked in College Park’s purchasing department, will serve as interim city manager.
