By GARETT VALCOURT
GARETT VALCOURT | The Advertiser
The City of Bonifay has confirmed the termination of City Clerk Rickey Callahan.
The separation followed a 21-day period during which Callahan was presented with a proposed separation agreement and placed on paid administrative leave.
According to public records, Callahan’s leave began April 25 with an option to sign a separation agreement by 5 p.m., May 19.
The agreement would have entitled him to an additional 90 days of pay and continued health benefits. If Callahan signed the agreement, it would waive potential legal claims he could make against the City, “specifically releasing, among other claims, any claims under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967…”
The agreement explicitly stated that failure to execute the document by the deadline would result in immediate termination of employment. Mayor Larry Cook issued a letter on May 20 to formally confirm Callahan had not accepted the agreement and that his employment had officially ended as of 5 p.m. the previous day.
“Your administrative leave status ended yesterday, May 19, at 5:00 p.m., which is also when your employment with the City of Bonifay ended,” Cook wrote in the termination letter. He further noted City personnel would follow up regarding any accrued leave or final benefits owed, closing with, “I know you are unhappy with the situation, but I sincerely wish you the best in your future endeavors.”
The City did not give a reason for Callahan’s termination; however, the proposed separation agreement emphasized the document “was not an admission of wrongdoing by either party.” It also included non-disparagement clauses and confirmed that Callahan had been appropriately compensated up to that point.
The City of Bonifay has not yet announced any interim or permanent replacement for the position, nor has Callahan’s termination been officially acknowledged in a council meeting since its occurrence. Bonifay City Council is set to meet again in regular session Monday, June 2.
Callahan, who has since retained an attorney, states he is not at liberty to discuss his termination or the circumstances surrounding it.
Click above to read the separation agreement proposal from the City of Bonifay.
Staff Report 