COVINGTON, Ga. — The Newton County government reportedly has settled employment discrimination claims that will give two former top officials a total of more than $1 million.
Former county manager Lloyd Kerr was awarded $575,000, and former county attorney Megan Martin awarded $500,000, in the settlements reached Aug. 10 and Aug. 11, according to a report by the Newton Citizen newspaper.
Without citing a source, the paper reported that the settlements will be paid by the county’s liability insurer, Charter Oak Fire Insurance Co., and the county admits no liability in connection with the claims.
Kerr’s $575,000 settlement will give Kerr $373,745.36 — $93,436.34 in back pay and $280,309.02 in compensatory damages — and Kerr’s attorney $201,254.64, the newspaper reported.
Martin’s $500,000 settlement amount gives her $325,000 — $81,250 in back pay and $243,750 in compensatory damages — and her attorney $175,000, according to the report.
The Covington News filed an open record request with the county government Thursday for copies of the settlements. However, the information in the settlements could not be confirmed by the newspaper's Friday afternoon press time.
Kerr claimed breach of contract for the county not conducting a salary study of other counties before setting his salary. Both Kerr and Martin also claimed employment discrimination by the Newton County Board of Commissioners. They also made individual claims of racial discrimination by the Board's three Black commissioners, including J.C. Henderson, Demond Mason and Alana Sanders, in alleging each had made statements publicly and on social media about their desires to hire Black employees for the two positions.
The Newton County Board of Commissioners did not renew Kerr's contract at the end of 2021 after almost six years in the position. The Board hired Jarvis Sims as interim county manager earlier this year.
Martin was part of the Jarrard & Davis law firm and was assigned to represent Newton County for six years before she was not hired for a newly created position of in-house county attorney in 2021.
She parted ways with the law firm soon afterward, and among her allegations in her claim was that Sanders contacted the firm about Martin’s application for the position in an attempt to have the firm terminate her.
The in-house position has never been filled and Jarrard & Davis still represents the county in legal matters.
This story will update at covnews.com.
