| Sources |
- [S76] Atchley Funeral Home Records, Volume III, 1974-1986, Larry D. Fox, (Smoky Mountain Historical Society), 14 Aug 1982.
William George Hill obituary
- [S23] Atchley Funeral Home, (http://www.atchleyfuneralhome.com/), 1 Oct 2005.
George A. Deckard obituary
- [S106] The Mountain Press, 10 Dec 2005.
Former city employee: Nepotism policy unfair
By: JEFF FARRELL, Staff Writer December 10, 2005
SEVIERVILLE - A former police dispatcher here is questioning the city's nepotism policy after she was dismissed when the city learned of her marriage to a police officer shortly after his death.
Public Information Officer Bob Stahlke confirmed Karen Roberts was dismissed Tuesday for violating the policy.
Stahlke said Roberts has requested a disciplinary review, and said city officials could not comment on her specific situation or on the nepotism policy while that review continues.
Sevierville's nepotism policy states that "close relatives" can't be employed by the same city department or work in the same building.
"When two employees become married to each other, and the result is that those two married persons then would be working within the same department or same building ... one of them will be required to terminate his or her employment with the City of Sevierville," the policy states.
Roberts said that she married Officer George Deckard in February 2004, a month after the policy was revised.
She and Deckard had lived together, with the city's knowledge, since July 2002, and decided to marry after he became ill, she said.
They married in Hawaii, but didn't tell anyone about the union after coming home, she said.
Shortly after that, Deckard was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Both he and Roberts took an unpaid leave of absence when his health began to fail, and Roberts said city officials knew she was taking the leave so she could take care of him.
Deckard died in October, and Roberts said city officials learned of the marriage at the funeral. His obituary listed her as his wife and caregiver.
She said she returned from the leave and worked as a dispatcher for five days this month before Chief Don Myers dismissed her Tuesday.
"For them to fire me after the employee had left the building, in essence, is horrible, I think," she said.
Roberts said she thought the policy wasn't consistent, since it allows employees to live together out of wedlock, but won't allow married couples to work together.
She said she didn't know of any employees directly violating the policy; other close relatives working for the city would were not affected by the policy because they were already working together before it was implemented; the policy is not retroactive.
- [S131] Divorce Record.
Husband's Name Wife's First Name Wife's Maiden Name County Court Date of Divorce File #
DECKARD GEORGE A GLORIA J PRIVETTE SEVIER CHANCERY 08-12-2003 20041
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