Peabody loses another key employee
Staff writer
Following up on the sentiments she voiced at a Peabody City Council meeting June 4, police secretary and municipal court clerk Beth Peter made her sentiments even clearer Monday.
“Today, as of June 10, I am turning in my resignation as police clerk,” Peter said as she passed a letter to the council. “You are losing employees right and left or firing them.”
After former Police Chief Travis Wilson left, she said, no one asked how she was. She felt she was in the dark.
Wilson’s resignation May 28 was encouraged by the council. He later said he thought there would be no happy medium between the way the council wanted the police department operated and the way he wanted to operate it.
Treasurer Lori Pickens resigned the same day as Travis Wilson.
“Do you remember what I said at the June 4 meeting?” Peter asked council members. “That was the last comment I made before I walked out: ‘I’m very sorry for your council right now.’”
The day Peter told council members she was sorry for them, the council fired Wilson’s wife, City Clerk Jylle Wilson.
Peter gave two weeks’ notice. June 24 will be her final day.
Jonathan Clayton-King, husband of council member Christopher King, was appointed interim city clerk June 4.
Peter, the Wilsons, and Pickens are not the only city officials to leave.
Public works director Zac Thackston resigned March 11, giving 30 days notice. He now works in Newton.
Travis Wilson remains a candidate for sheriff. That race will be decided in a primary election Aug. 6. He is running against Jeff Soyez, both on the Republican ticket.