Controversial and delayed Columbus Council appointee is sworn in after crucial vote

In a unanimous vote Tuesday, the Columbus Council changed a city law to help a retired police officer who sued the city and won 14 years ago to finally be appointed to council despite controversy .

Despite the Columbus Consolidated Government ’s pension board declining in June to recommend amending the CCG employee pension plan, the council voted to do exactly that Tuesday — Byron Hickey refused to finish his swearing-in process without such a change.

The CCG charter considers councilors to be part-time employees — and they are paid like it, earning around $22,000 per year. But they have the option to participate in the city’s health insurance plan, and about 8% of their pay automatically goes to the pension plan because it considers councilors to be full-time employees.

If Hickey accepted the council’s appointment to serve as the District 1 representative without this amendment, his pension would have been suspended. So this amendment allows Hickey or any other CCG retiree to still receive their pension payments while serving on the council.

Bruce Huff of District 3 is the only councilor who expressed concern about the amendment during the June 18 council meeting or to the Ledger-Enquirer. He questioned the wisdom of the amendment making an exception for only city councilors instead of all elected offices. Huff reiterated that concern during Tuesday’s meeting, but he voted for the amendment anyway.

“(Due to) time restrictions, District 1 needs a representative, and he will be sworn in this morning, and we will move forward,” Huff said, “but I’ll be checking into that situation to see if we can’t do something (to expand the exception) in the future.”

Why Byron Hickey’s confirmation took so long

Nobody mentioned this conflict in city law when the council appointed Hickey on May 28 to succeed the late Jerry “Pops” Barnes and fill the remaining two years of the four-year term. Barnes, who died April 14 at age 80 from an undisclosed illness, was the District 1 representative on the 10-member council for 17 years.

A week after he was appointed, and the same day the city’s probate court judge swore him into office, Hickey received an email from CCG human resources director Reather Hollowell informing him that his city pension would be suspended while he served on the council. That’s because the city’s pension ordinance considers councilors as full-time employees, despite the charter treating councilors as part-time employees.

That’s why Hickey’s other half of the swearing-in process, the one that was supposed to be conducted by a superior court judge at the June 4 council meeting, was indefinitely postponed. But nobody would explain why at that point.

At the June 11 council meeting, two of Barnes’ children criticized the six councilors who voted to appoint Hickey. They refuted the narrative that Barnes was mentoring Hickey to be his successor.

Allen had nominated one of Barnes’ children, licensed professional counselor Simeone “Simi” Barnes , to fill her father’s seat, but the council didn’t vote on that motion because a majority already had approved Hickey.

In 2010, a federal jury awarded Hickey $306,000 in a lawsuit claiming the city officials discriminated against him because he spoke out against racial and gender bias.

Hickey reacts to the Columbus vote

After the council’s unanimous vote Tuesday, Chattahoochee Circuit Superior Court Judge Arthur Smith conducted the oath of office for Hickey, and the audience gave him a standing ovation.

“First, I want to express my gratitude and give all praise and glory to God and my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, for blessing me with this opportunity to serve on the Columbus Consolidated Government city council,” Hickey said after he took his seat and joined the other councilors at the dais. “To the Mayor, Mr. city manager, Mr. city attorney and madam clerk of council, I extend my sincere thanks to each council member for their support and vote on my appointment for the seat of District 1 and amending the pension ordinance.

“I’m eager to work alongside all of you for the next two years.”

Then he honored Barnes.

“He was a devout man of God who deeply cared for his constituents, our city and our country,” Hickey said. “His leadership, especially in advocating for the poor and less fortunate, was unparalleled. I recognize the significant legacy Councilor Barnes has left, and if it’s God’s will, and by His grace, I aspire to serve with the same dedication and success. Once again, I am humbled and thankful to God for this opportunity to serve and be a blessing to the community and the constituents of District 1. Thank you and God bless.”