Former County Worker Claims Burchett Knew About Severance Deal

After months of silence on the severance pay controversy, former Ragsdale Communications Director Susanne Dupes came out firing on Wednesday.

Dupes, along with former Library head Larry Frank and former Public Works director Bruce Wuethrich have been the targets of criticism - along with former Mayor Mike Ragsdale - since August, after reports surfaced that they were getting tens of thousands of dollars in severance pay for resigning days before Tim Burchett took office.

The public outrage became so great that upon taking office, Mayor Burchett put a stop on the severance checks. Telling the trio - if you want the money, you're going to have to sue us.

And it hasn't stop there. The Burchett administration is also seeking to reclaim severance pay from Barbara Zuber, a former Finance Department employee - who was essentially laid off.

County Law Director Joe Jarett has also been instructed to look at other past severance packages paid to County employees, and where appropriate get that money back too.

All of this, of course, has been cheered on by the public which argues public workers should never get severance pay. And Tim Burchett has been the recipient of alot of public goodwill as a result.

But now here comes Dupes.

She says Mayor Burchett and his Chief of Staff Dean Rice not only knew about her severance package, but initially agreed with it.

In an e-mail to Six News, Dupes writes: "I have retained counsel, Wanda Sobieski. Yes, Mayor Burchett and his Chief of Staff, Dean Rice did agree to the severance package in advance. You can confirm that with Mike Ragsdale."

So far, Ragsdale isn't speaking, but if Dupes' allegation is true, the Burchett administration's decision to suddenly not honor the deal certainly should be explained.

What could've caused Burchett to change his position, if in fact it did change? 

Did he have an honest change of heart over the issue?  Or was he simply following the crowd; and when the crowd became outraged, so did Burchett.

It's possible, he simply underestimated the impact of  the disclosure of these severance packages and agreed to them, as a courtesy to former Mayor Ragsdale..

If that's true, he should say so and explain  himself. 

And if it's not true and that he never agreed to any of this, Burchett would be well served to tell the public.

Dupes also sent letters to three County Commissioners: Richard Brigss, Ed Shouse and Mike Hammond.

In the letter, Dupes says Mayor Ragsdale granted her $17,492 in severance in August because he said the new mayor, Tim Burchett, was going to eliminate her position.

But Dupes says instead of eliminating it Mayor Burchett  "simply restructured" it.

"I don't know whether he preferred a male, a younger person (I am 54), a person with less experience and qualifications or a person without a disability. Mayor Burchett and I have served on the board of the Epilepsy Foundation of East Tennessee for several years and he is fully aware that I live with epilepsy," Dupes wrote.