Ousted City Treasurer Kate Farmer has apologized for the “drama” she brought to Chattanooga in an apparent plea to reclaim her position from which she was fired this week.
Farmer’s hiring was rescinded by the city council in a 7-1 vote on Tuesday. In a statement addressed to the community and sent to the media on Saturday, she apologized for any harm caused to the city when she was hired and then immediately placed on leave.
Council members were upset that there was no disclosure of issues between Farmer and police officials at her former job in Guernsey, Wyoming – disputes that spilled over into three ongoing federal lawsuits. Farmer, 37, was to have an $80,000 annual salary in Chattanooga.
“These are troubling times for us all and I am very sorry to have filled your newspapers with drama and for any doubt that may have been cast by this,” Farmer wrote to the community. “My sincerest apologies to all the city officials for the difficult position they have been placed in. I respect and admire these public officials and I am truly sorry for any harm I have caused. There are a lot of reasons this transpired the way it did but none of them should allow any fault to be directed towards the leaders of your community.”
In the lawsuits, Farmer is accused of hacking into and disseminating emails with information regarding a criminal investigation involving other city employees and then, along with other Guernsey officials, firing the officers in retaliation.