ROANOKE, Va. – A major shakeup in Roanoke City after two city leaders announced their resignation at Monday night’s city council meeting.
City Councilman Luke Priddy and City Manager Bob Cowell both announced their resignation which will go into effect next month.
Priddy will resign next month to take on a new role in Northern Virginia.
Cowell’s reason for resigning is unclear. His last day is scheduled to be June 7, then Mayor Sherman Lea will take on the role.
Cowell’s resignation comes after a current and former employee called on City Council and Mayor Lea to remove Cowell and Assistant City Manager, Brent Robertson.
In a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request filed by 10 News, we received copies of three emails where city staff called their working environment “hostile” and “toxic.” They also called Robertson “verbally abusive” and “physically threatening.”
10 News reached out to Roanoke City’s Community Engagement Office, where all our media requests have to go through.
We asked questions like if we could have a copy of Cowell’s resignation letter, and if the city manager was under a contract.
Also, what job title Brent Robertson has, and if he plans to retire this fall.
We were met with no answers.
The Community Engagement Office told us they forwarded our request to Councilmember Trish White-Boyd, who is the chair of the personnel committee and the City Attorney’s Office for a FOIA.
We have yet to hear back from city leaders.