Curtis Adams

Though he had agreed last week to stay on as East Ridge city manager, Hamilton County Commissioner Curtis Adams said Thursday he’s not going back to the job.

“I just got tired of wrestling with it,” he said. “I’m gone.”

Mayor Mike Steele and John Anderson, the city attorney, had declined to accept his resignation last week, Mr. Adams said. They asked him to stay on to help pass the budget and find a new city manager, he said.

Mr. Adams has faced criticism from City Council members and residents regarding a proposed 47-cent property tax increase, the first tax increase in East Ridge since 1995.

The increase would go toward budget items such as increased pay for city employees and police officers and lighting and signs for Camp Jordan, Mr. Adams has said.

Earlier this month, Vice Mayor Jerry Petty called for Mr. Adams’ ouster as city manager.

The final straw was Mr. Steele’s suggestion that the tax increase be lowered to 32 cents, Mr. Adams said. He said it became “impossible” to pass the city budget.

“I don’t know how they’re going to get anything passed,” he said. He said Mr. Steele “changed his mind too much.”

Mr. Steele said his main goal now is to get the budget passed by the end of August. That’s when officials must send the city’s tax rate to Hamilton County Trustee Carl Levi, he said.

Still, the mayor said he has spoken to three retired city managers, one of whom could serve in an interim capacity for a few months.

Mr. Steele said advertisements soon would go out for a nationwide search for a new city manager.

He said there was no vote at the East Ridge City Council meeting Thursday night on the resignation.

“I did not have a resignation that was addressed to the city of East Ridge,” he said.

The council did, however, approve the minutes of the July 12 meeting in which Mr. Adams announced his resignation, Mr. Steele said.

He said Mr. Anderson said accepting the minutes would settle the matter.

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