By Robin Postell

Quitman’s former City Manager, William Felts, claims he was fired due to racial bias in a federal lawsuit expected to go to trial in 2019.

Felts served as Quitman’s City Manager from May 2016 to January 2018. According to court documents, he alleges the City of Quitman has also halted paying his severance package payments. Felts believes this was in retaliation for him filing a civil rights complaint.

The lawsuit asserts that Felts and many other white employees, including the police chief and fire chief, were either fired or demoted due to racial discrimination by black personnel.

According to Felts’ attorney, Daniel Cole, of the Atlanta firm Parks, Chesin and Walbert, four are named in Felts’ lawsuit as defendants, which was filed on May 22 in the federal court for the Middle District of Georgia – Mayor Nancy Dennard and councilmembers Lula Smart, Robby Christian and Mattie Nellons.

Attorney Cole said, “This is a case of reverse discrimination.”

The lawsuit demands Felts’ reinstatement as city manager, back pay, medical insurance, pension, attorney’s fees, and damages both punitive and pain and suffering.