Brookhaven City Councilmember Bates Mattison will step down as the executive director of Brookhaven Innovation Academy at the end of May.
Mattison was hired as the state charter school’s executive director in November, making him BIA’s first employee. According to an email from Dr. Laurie Kimbrel, head of school, the position of executive director is no longer necessary.
“Bates has done a great job and fulfilled his duties well and, therefore; at of the end of May, he will resign and the position of executive director will no longer be necessary,” Kimbrel said in an email to parents and supporters.
Mattison will continue to work for BIA as a part-time independent consultant through June and July to manage fundraising and community outreach projects, Kimbrel said in the email.
“The board appointed Bates on a contractor agreement to be the temporary executive director so that essential tasks that must take place between the approval of the charter up until school opening could be overseen by a full time staff member who cares deeply about the mission and vision of BIA,” Kimbrel said in the email.
Mattison was hired in November as the interim executive director, leading Brookhaven’s then-mayor Rebecca Chase Williams to ask for a independent legal opinion to determine if there was a conflict of interest in him serving as a council member and BIA’s executive director. An attorney determined there was no conflict of interest.
BIA is the new public charter school created by the City Council and set to open in August in Norcross. The state approved its charter last year and the school is now an independent nonprofit with a largely private board. City Councilmember Joe Gebbia was a member of that board before he resigned to do away with any appearance of a conflict of interest.
Mattison filed for bankruptcy earlier this month.
Awesome, now the school will have a chance!