Georgia Town Mayor Resigns After Police Force Dispute

The mayor of Cohutta, Georgia, resigned on May 15 after firing the town's entire police department earlier in the month. The town council later reinstated the officers and scheduled a meeting to select an interim mayor. Ron Shinnick, who had served as mayor since 2014, submitted a resignation letter that cited family health concerns outside the town.

The letter did not mention the police department action. Shinnick, 70, had dismissed the police chief and 10 officers by May 6.

A sign posted in the town of roughly 930 people directed residents to call a county non-emergency number for police services. Shinnick later stated that he acted after officers posted comments on social media. A police sergeant said the dispute involved a complaint officers raised about Shinnick's wife, Pam, who had served as town clerk before being fired in January.

The local news outlet WTVC reported that Pam Shinnick faced accusations of fostering a hostile work environment. A formal complaint also stated that she retained access to payroll systems and officers' personal information after her firing. The town council held an emergency meeting on May 8 and voted to reinstate the police department.

Town attorney Bryan Rayburn stated that Shinnick's actions did not follow the policies and procedures of Cohutta's governing charter. The council had considered demanding Shinnick's immediate resignation but did not do so. Shinnick's resignation letter described his time as mayor as one of his life's great honors and expressed confidence that the town would continue to thrive under new leadership.

A notice on Cohutta's government website said the town council would detail plans and a selection process for an interim mayor at a Wednesday meeting. Cohutta is located just south of the Tennessee state line, about 100 miles northwest of Atlanta. The former mayor did not immediately respond to a request for additional comment.