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COLUMBUS, Ga. — The severance agreement signed by former police chief Freddie Blackmon became legally-binding and enforceable ten days ago on April 19, 2023.
Here’s a recap of some of the key terms within the fully-executed agreement, beyond the monetary payout of the severance package.
NOTE: The summary below is not legal advice, but rather a brief summary of what the plain English written on the paper seems to mean to us in our interpretation of Georgia Code Title 13. The items we have selected below may be of particular interest to some of our readers. Stay tuned.
RELIEVED OF DUTIES
Section 1 of the agreement states that Blackmon was indeed relieved of all duties on April 6, 2023. On that same date, he was placed on administrative leave. As of April 6, Blackmon no longer had any actionable authority as the chief of police; he could no longer issue orders or use official department letterhead.
EFFECTIVE DATE
Section 2 states that the agreement became effective — meaning it became legally-binding and fully enforceable — after what is known as a revocation period. After Blackmon signed the agreement on April 11, he had a seven-day window to withdraw his acceptance of the agreement. One day after that period ended, the agreement became legally-binding on April 19. The agreement has been and remains entirely enforceable as of that date.
RETIREMENT
Section 2(c) states that Blackmon’s separation from service was classified as a “retirement.”
CONDITIONS OF PAYMENT
Section 3 states that Blackmon’s entitlement to the payments and benefits set forth in the agreement are conditioned upon his compliance with the terms and conditions of the agreement.
The same section also explicitly states that Blackmon’s payments and benefits are over and above what he would be entitled to if he had been involuntarily separated from service.
RELEASE OF CLAIMS
Section 4 very clearly states that Blackmon agreed to waive and release just about any type of legal claim he could otherwise erroneously make against CCG, with the exception of a very select few required by the contract and federal law.
NON-ADMISSION OF LIABILITY
Section 5 states that the payments and benefits CCG was agreeing to pay to Blackmon do not imply any wrongdoing by CCG.
NO DISPARAGEMENT
Section 6 states that Blackmon will not make any negative, disparaging, or unflattering statements about CCG nor its elected officials or employees — to anyone.
The same sort of clause also prevents the mayor from making the same sort of comments about Blackmon. It also advises — but does not require — members of city council to refrain from making those same sort of remarks about Blackmon either.
RETURN OF PROPERTY
Section 7 states that Blackmon had returned any and all CCG property he had in his possession. The section lists a slew of items, but does explicitly state that Blackmon claimed to have already returned all memoranda, documents, files, and “any and all written or descriptive material of any kind belonging to or relating to CCG.”
THE FULL AGREEMENT
Here’s the full Severance and Release Agreement between Freddie Blackmon and the Columbus Consolidated Government, as signed on April 11, 2023.
Stay Tuned.
Facts are stubborn things — and we’ll keep publishing them, whether city officials like them or not.
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