Former Villa Rica mayor hired as new deputy city manager against some taxpayers' wishes

VILLA RICA, Ga. - The Villa Rica City Council voted this week to hire their former Mayor to be the new Deputy City Manager.

And now some Villa Rica taxpayers are protesting the decision, demanding that the new Deputy City Manager and City Manager resign.  

A small group of Villa Rica taxpayers gathered outside City Hall on Friday, waving signs to passing cars, demanding their resignations. 

City Manager Tom Barber recommended the City Council hire their former mayor, Gil McDougal, to be Villa Rica's Deputy City Manager. 

McDougal was just defeated by current mayor Leslie McPherson in their 2023 election.  

Tuesday the City Council voted 3 to 2 to accept Barber's recommendation and hire McDougal.

Former Villa Rica mayor Gil McDougal

But the Villa Rica residents who came out to protest say they don't want the former mayor back in the city government they voted him out of.  

"We voted him out for a reason, he wasn't getting the job done," said resident Joshua Evans. 

Current Mayor Leslie McPherson is alleging that this is a way for McDougal to subvert the election results. 

"This is nothing more than a blatant way of trying to come in and weasel his way back into government," she said.  

But City Manager Tom Barber says hiring McDougal had nothing to do with politics. 

"I needed help. And his expertise is exactly what I need right now," Barber said.

Villa Rica City Manager Tom Barber

Barber says his former Deputy Manager left in October, at a time when he says he needs help more than ever.  

Barber says thanks to the City's proximity to I-20, Villa Rica’s population is projected to grow by 50% in the next 3-4 years. 

He says McDougal's experience as mayor makes him a perfect fit to help manage the city's growth. 

"What we're trying to do is make this place ready to grow because we're about to add a lot of population here… he has relationships in the community and outside the community with the school board, with the commissioners...his experience, I can't bring somebody in here and duplicate that," Barber said. 

But Mayor McPherson doesn’t accept that explanation.

"This is very much about politics. How can you deny that? When you had a November election where in a 2 to 1 ratio  they said no to this man and his policies," she said. 

But during Tuesday’s meeting City Councilmember Matthew Momtahan pointed out that McDougal would not have the same political power as a Deputy City Manager then when he was Mayor.

But the taxpayers who protested are questioning the legality of the Council’s decision. 

"I'm not sure that it's legal. There is a clause in our city charter that prohibits a mayor or council person from holding an appointed, compensated office within one year of the expiration of their term. We're certainly within that one year period," said Villa Rica resident Kristi Chastain. 

But Barber says the City Attorney has said since this is a hired position and not an "appointed" position, the city charter does not prohibit it. 

But Mayor McPherson and others are disputing that claim. 

She has vetoed the Council’s decision, although it’s unclear whether her veto can actually undo the decision. 

"My lawyers are looking at every legal avenue and option that we have," McPherson said. 

And these Villa Rica voters say they're going to keep protesting until McDougal is gone from city hall again.