Fired Fulton Finance Director Patrick O’Connor hired in College Park

Patrick O’Connor was hired by College Park. JOHN SPINK/AJC FILE PHOTO

Patrick O’Connor was hired by College Park. JOHN SPINK/AJC FILE PHOTO

Patrick O'Connor, the Fulton County finance director who was fired after recordings surfaced of him disparaging county leaders, was hired by the city of College Park.

When O'Connor was fired in 2015, he had been the finance director for nearly two decades, but had been asked to serve as an interim county manager. He was fourth in a line of six interim and permanent county managers between Dec. 2012 and March 2015.

O'Connor sued the county, claiming his firing was in error and he should be entitled to back pay, or should get his job back. He took his case to the Georgia Supreme Court, which said in September that he was an at-will employee and could not demonstrate a "clear legal right" that he should have kept his job as finance manager after being dismissed as interim county manager.

In a statement, College Park said O’Connor is a “well-seasoned professional.” O’Connor said he’s enjoying his new position.

“It’s pretty much all over with,” O’Connor said of his dispute with Fulton. “I’m happy now. The past is the past.”

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