City Attorney Resigns

City Attorney Brian Anderson agreed to resign his post Tuesday in lieu of being fired by a council that was lined up against him.

Anderson became embattled May 12, when Mayor Mike Davis drew up a resolution to fire Anderson based on leaks from two city executive sessions regarding a redevelopment project in Georgetown.

Anderson agreed to resign Tuesday and agreed not to pursue any legal recourse against the city. In return, he received two months salary and benefits worth $29,000.

"No one is above the law," said Councilman Terry Nall, who voted with the 6-1 majority to accept Anderson's resignation, although he said he was "very reluctant" to agree to two month's salary.

Denis Shortal was the lone dissenter on the vote. He said he was in favor of parting ways with Anderson, but that he couldn't justify paying out the severance package.

Anderson's termination ends the first chapter in a city leaks investigation. Bob Wilson, a former DeKalb County district attorney, was hired at the beginning of the year to uncover the source of leaks from city executive sessions.

Wilson's report concluded that Anderson and Councilwoman Adrian Bonser leaked information about the redevelopment project in Georgetown, now called "Project Renaissance," because they didn't support the plan.

Anderson is alleged to have leaked information to Dunwoody Crier publisher Dick Williams, who denied Tuesday that Anderson was the leaker. Williams said he deduced what was being talked about in executive sessions based on public comments by City Manager Warren Hutmacher.

The council has given no indication yet of how it will handle the allegations against Bonser.

The city has spent more than $25,000 on the independent investigation so far, and has authorized up to $50,000.