In a precedent-setting arrangement,

former Peachtree City Clerk Nancy Faulkner has received six months' salary

$22,179 as part of a brokered agreement between her and the city as part

of her resignation. In addition, the city has agreed to pay her $7,500

for tuition to a paralegal school. The city also will pay an undisclosed

amount for her health insurance, city documents show.

The financial agreement was

approved by Mayor Bob Lenox but was not mentioned by the city last week

in a press release announcing Faulkner's resignation. The matter never

reached the full five-member council.

Faulkner this week said the

money a total of $29,679 was not paid to buy her silence.

"This is not a monetary

payment to make me shut my mouth," Faulkner said. "... I never

would have signed anything like that."

Faulkner said she offered to

resign partially because she felt a lack of job security. She referred

to notes of conversations with council members kept by City Manager Jim

Basinger dated last year referring to a plan to fire her as city clerk.

Overtures from council to change

the role of the city clerk also helped Faulkner decide to resign, she

said.

"They want the clerk to

have less communication with council and be more clerical in nature,"

Faulkner said, adding on the other hand that "... I don't feel like

I'm being run off."

Faulkner approached City Attorney

Rick Lindsey several weeks ago about developing a compensation package

for her if she decided to resign, both confirmed. The negotiations were

handled through Lindsey and Mayor Bob Lenox, who has the power to make

personnel decisions and enter agreements, Lindsey noted.

Faulkner did not initiate or

conduct the negotiations "in a threatening way," Lindsey said.

Although Faulkner approached

Lindsey about the compensation package, she said a friend with sources

at City Hall had contacted her several weeks before and indicated that

the city might be willing to work out such an arrangement.

The matter was never brought

to council for discussion, although council members were made aware of

the mayor's final decision, Lindsey said.

Faulkner said she was originally

concerned about having insurance coverage after she resigned, and six

months insurance coverage for her was built into the resignation agreement.

Also, the city agreed to pay up to $7,500 for Faulkner to attend a paralegal

school, according to the agreement, which was obtained by The Citizen

Tuesday.

The agreement also indicates

that both Faulkner and the city agree "that neither have any claims

or potential claims against the other and both will hold each other harmless

from any and all claims."

Betsy Tyler, the public information

officer for Peachtree City, said in a statement that the "conditions

of the package are certainly within the norm in private industry based

upon Ms. Faulkner's longevity and position."

Tyler also confirmed that the

city has not offered a compensation package to other employees in the

past.

Faulkner, whose last day with

the city was Friday, has already begun working at her new job in Fayetteville,

which has lower pay and no benefits. But she was pleased that the compensation

package will allow her to go to paralegal school, she said, because she

is interested in that field.

Faulkner said it was difficult

for her to leave the city, but she will remain in touch and "won't

be totally away."

"I loved being city clerk

and working as a part of the city's team," she said.