Former DOCO Administrator Mike McCoy starts job as Terrell Co. administrator

ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) - Former Dougherty County Administrator Michael McCoy is now the county administrator for Terrell County.

Tuesday is only McCoy’s second day on the job. And he says he’s just glad to be back doing what he loves.

“Leadership reached out to me, and I responded. And it was a win/win situation,” McCoy said. “I am a trained public administrator, with over 25 years of exemplary experience. I’ve been very successful, and I enjoy doing what I do. And this was a great opportunity for me to get back to work and apply my craft and serve the citizens of this community.”

You may remember that four Dougherty County commissioners voted to terminate McCoy three times from his role as Dougherty County administrator. The final separation notice cited “failure to exercise good judgment in his decision to appoint an Assistant County Administrator— without discussing the actions with the members of the Board,” as the reason for his termination.

“I think it’s a really good fact for Mr. McCoy because a jury is ultimately going to see all of this,” Attorney and former DOCO Chairman Chris Cohilas said. “And by one county choosing to hire Mr. McCoy, that really demonstrates that he’s a highly employable person, which then cuts against the allegations that he somehow performed his job incorrectly.”

According to an ante litem notice filed in July, McCoy is seeking $5 million from the county commission, and his attorney has alluded that there could be more lawsuits coming.

“If I were still chairman, I would be very concerned about this lawsuit. It’s very concerning,” Cohilas said. “The facts are very bad and very concerning for the county. It’s very concerning for the taxpayers. And folks need to pay attention to what their jobs are. As a commissioner, your job is to safeguard the people’s money.”

“It’s in the court system,” McCoy’s Attorney Maurice King said. “We’re still pursuing the claim to reinstate Mr. McCoy. Mr. McCoy had a contract that the county has refused to honor. So basically, he has to work. And secondly, under Georgia law, you have a duty to mitigate your damages. And this is a part of that mitigation until he’s reinstated.”

“That lawsuit does not appear to have been filed yet,” Cohilas said. “Separately from that, he has filed a petition in superior court to have a judge review the hearing, which the commission purported to have on his employment.”

Dougherty County Chairman Lorenzo Heard said in a commission meeting that McCoy would be paid through the rest of this year according to his contract, but McCoy says that’s not happening, prompting the move to Terrell County.

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