Resident Files Lawsuit To Remove Jere Wood From Office

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Roswell, GA -- A longtime Roswell resident is petitioning the Fulton County Superior Court to oust longtime Mayor Jere Wood from office.

Michael Litten said he filed the suit on Wednesday, which contends Wood disobeyed the city’s charter when he decided to seek a third term in 2005.

Litten describes himself as a former support of Wood. He met the mayor when he was involved in the Carriage Station Homeowners Association, which was fighting a large development on property that’s now home to Olive Garden on Holcomb Bridge Road.

At the time, Wood was a community activist and spoke out against the proposal on behalf of the neighborhood.

“I developed tremendous respect for him,” Litten said.

So much respect that he backed Wood when he decided to unseat longtime Mayor Pug Mabry in 1997. Litten recalls Wood ran on two platforms: “stop the sprawl” and term limits.

Wood was subsequently re-elected to a second term in 2001, a third term in 2005, a fourth term in 2009 and a fifth term in 2013.

City spokesperson Julie Brechbill said the city does not comment on pending litigation.

The mayor’s decision to run for a third term, Litten said, sent him “over the edge.” Litten, who is a certified health coach, said he decided to run against Wood as a write-in candidate in 2005. He lost the bid, but he continued to push back against politicians serving in office for long tenures.

Litten contends the city amended Chapter 3, Section 50 of its charter in 2010 disqualifying anyone who has served three or more four-year terms to run for the office.

The section does state “no person who has been elected to three or more four-year terms of office as mayor shall be eligible for election to the office of mayor.”

According to minutes provided by the city of the Jan. 20, 2010, City Council meeting, the resolution to impose term limits had to be approved by the Georgia General Assembly.

When Council member Jerry Orlans asked if the current term could be applied rather than starting after that tenure, City Attorney David Davidson said no because “when a law is created, it cannot go backwards.”

Davidson added that the limits would go into effect after Wood’s term. The mayor brought forth the term limits resolution, the minutes show.

“He stated the city of Roswell had gotten to the size where the next mayor should be a full-time position, and a mayor who is not concerned about maintaining his/her position in office as they are in getting things done,” the minutes state. “He felt term limits would encourage that.”

A Fulton County Superior Court judge will hear the case and decide whether it has merit to continue, Litten said.

Litten, who said he support newly elected Council members Donald Horton of Post 3, Marcelo Zapata of Post 1 and Mike Palermo of Post 2, said he hopes his actions send a message that becoming a career politician is “not good.”

“It creates a rottenness in our system,” he said.

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