Long time Augusta employee will leave early after forced resignation of her boss

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – Lisa Sherrouse has spent more than 45 years in Augusta government, and all of those years working with former Finance Director Donna Williams, but Sherrouse now says she will leave next month following the commission action Tuesday.

“I don’t feel like I can continue with the governmental institution with a clear mind and a clear heart,” said Sherrouse, the City Accounting Manager.

On Tuesday, Sherrouse’s long time boss, Finance Director Donna Williams was called into a commission legal session and was forced to resign with no advanced warning.

“Absolutely devastated. We all were just blindsided, and if that was the intent for it to be kept quiet, they did a very good job of it,” Sherrouse said.

Sherrouse says what also troubles her is the way the long-time employees were treated; they publicly were directed into a meeting room and given the news their resignations were wanted, and in Williams’ case, after 45 years on the job.

“You take pride in what you do. To be politically assassinated was uncalled for. It was unwarranted, not just uncalled for but unwarranted,” Sherrouse said.

“In a hallway crowded and fired in that way were you behind that or was that a proper way of doing this?”

“Of course, not. I was not behind that. I was not aware of that. I was not aware of how the process was being handled. Of course not,” said Mayor Garnett Johnson.

Williams being let go has impacted morale in the entire finance office.

“It is like experiencing a death,” Sherrouse said.

Sherrouse had planned to work through the end of the year and help with next year’s budget, but that’s not going to happen now.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJBF.