CHARLOTTE -- This week as Deputy City Manager Ron Kimble announced his retirement, Charlotte's new city manager Marcus Jones said he already found his replacement with Sabrina Joy-Hogg.
"We will have some budget challenges so to bring someone in with a strong budget background and she has a proven track record, I think it's a win win for everyone,” said James Mitchell, Charlotte City Council.
Joy-Hogg has more than 25 years experience working in state and local government. Most recently, she worked with Jones in Norfolk, Virginia as the Chief Deputy City Manager overseeing administration and finance.
"I think with all of us, we want to put people around us that we're comfortable with and we have some experience with and i think sabrina fits the bill and more important to me, she fits a niche we really need -- operation and budget experience,” said Mitchell.
But there's another former Norfolk City employee who isn't too happy with Jones.
Recently John Andrews filed a federal lawsuit against Jones, individually, and his official capacity as Norfolk's city manager. In the lawsuit, Andrews said he was fired in retaltion for raising ethical concerns about a federal program meant to help veterans
Councilman James Mitchell said he and other city officials knew about the lawsuit before they hired Jones. He said it was discussed during a closed door meeting.
“I think for us we have to validate how substantial that was, was that going to prevent marcus from doing a good job and we didn't see it as having a bearing on him being a good city manager for our city,” said Mitchell.
The city of Charlotte declined to comment about the federal lawsuit against Marcus Jones in Virgina.