Jeff Long is sworn in to the Catoosa County Board of Commissioners District 1 seat during the swearing in of elected officials ceremony, held in the Catoosa County Superior Court in Ringgold, Ga.

David Eubanks

Jeff Long tried to get his job back as public works director of Fort Oglethorpe, Ga., at an appeal hearing Tuesday night.

Two councilmen, Earl Gray and Clay Kissner, voted in favor of reinstating Long. But Mayor Lynn Long (no relation to Jeff Long) sided with councilmen Louis Hamm and Johnnie "Red" Smith to uphold Long's dismissal.

A standing-room only crowd was on hand for the contentious hearing. The council was still in closed session at 9 p.m. to consider the appeal that former Police Chief David Eubanks made of his firing.

The two long-time employees were dismissed on March 22 by interim City Manager Harold Silcox who was appointed shortly after the forced resignation of City Manager Ron Goulart.

Eubanks' and Long's attorneys, McKracken "Ken" Poston and Stuart James, filed a lawsuit against the city of Fort Oglethorpe Tuesday alleging their dismissals were illegal.

Read more in tomorrow's Times Free Press.