In a swift and surprising move, the College Park City Council has canned its city manager, Stanley Hawthorne, after less than a year on the job, amid shrouded circumstances that officials are remaining tight-lipped about. Hawthorne, who started his role on April 3, 2023, found himself out of the gig as of last week, following a council vote which was captured on video during a turbulent meeting.
The council's decision came down swiftly tonight, with video evidence from the City of College Park Government Facebook page documenting the critical moments. The abrupt firing happened after Mayor Bianca Motley Broom's attempt to adjourn was overridden by two council members, who insisted there was unresolved business from the executive session. "Excuse me, we are not adjourned, we did not get a consensus out of executive session, I don’t believe," Councilman Joe Carn stated, according to WSBTV.
Following Hawthorne's demand for an explanation for his termination "for cause," he was brusquely informed he would receive details from the city attorney. However, Hawthorne later revealed to FOX 5 that no such explanation was forthcoming. "There is no cause," Hawthorne stated. "My contract is very clear on how I can be terminated for cause." The voting process to sack Hawthorne took less than ten minutes.
While the council adjourned a specially called meeting that saw the vote to fire Hawthorne rescinded and his resignation accepted instead, the terms of his departure were met with silence. Even Public Works Director Dr. Emmanuel Adediran, now the interim city manager, ceremoniously installed in Hawthorne's place, is stepping into a role shadowed by unanswered questions. Requests for comment made to city officials and the city attorney have been consistently declined, per witness accounts.
Hawthorne discloses a touch of disappointment while looking back at his truncated tenure with College Park. "This community deserves the very best," Hawthorne told FOX 5 in an exclusive interview. "I’m sorry I won’t be a part of helping to complete that mission."
