by Robin Kemp
The Forest Park City Council has voted unanimously to hire Chiquita Barkley as the city’s new finance director.
Councilwoman Kimberly James made the motion and Councilman Allan Mears seconded it.
Barkley has been with the City of Atlanta Finance Department since 2018. She also has worked as Butts County’s controller since 2013.
From to , Barkley worked for the City of Atlanta as a senior administrative analyst, then from to
Barkley holds a B.S. in criminal justice and political science from Mercer University and an MBA from DeVry University.
Forest Park has been without a permanent finance director since approximately the end of October or beginning of November 2020, when Ken Thompson resigned, according to a whistleblower lawsuit filed against the city by Police Chief and then-Interim City Manager Nathaniel Clark. The suit also seeks damages from Councilwoman Latresa Akins-Wells for alleged slander.
