East Ridge Mayor Reacts To Curtis Adams Resignation

County Commissioner Curtis Adams has again resigned as City Manager of East Ridge.
Adams resigned earlier this month, citing strained working relations.
He later agreed to stay until a replacement could be found.
In a letter Thursday, he said he could not do it.

WDEF News 12's Mandy Odom has reaction from the East Ridge Mayor, who was shocked by a letter he didn't receive.

"Well, I'm shocked and surprised that the resignation letter came to me, you know, this way, to receive it from a member of the press instead of having it come to me directly from him."
Mayor Mike Steele was also surprised at some of the things Commissioner Adams wrote in his letter, what he calls "attacks".
Adams starts the letter with, "After 5 months of trying to work with an unbearable and impossible situation, I have decided I have no choice but to leave East Ridge City Government. I first agreed to stay until we found a qualified City Manager but I don't have the heart to be a part of bringing an innocent, out-of-town, well-meaning person to East Ridge when he or she would face the same back biting, sneaky, under-mining operation I faced."
Adams goes on in the letter to describe what he found lacking in East Ridge and the controversy over a proposed 47-cent tax hike.
Mayor Steele admits they disagreed, but he always supported Adams just not his style of doing things.
He says Adams didn't care if he made people mad about the tax hike.
Steele says he likes peace and chooses to use a different approach than forcing people to do something.
"Curtis knows what went on. The people will have to decide between me and him as to which tried to do it the right way and the appropriate way to try to keep from stirring up the community, you know causing problems, you know. People know the difference."
Steele says he'll let his record stand for itself.
"I'll do what I think is right, and he'll do what he thinks is right and you know we'll move on."
In East Ridge, Mandy Odom WDEF News 12.
Mayor Steele says despite how the letter came to him, he considers Commissioner Adams resigned and will move on in finding a replacement.