Police department legal issues

Dunwoody Preservation Trust names new leader

Dunwoody native Noelle Ross will serve as the new executive director for the Dunwoody Preservation Trust, an organization dedicated to saving and sharing Dunwoody’s history. Former Executive Director Suzanne Huff left the trust last fall, and Ross will replace Cowen Harter, who has served as interim director since Huff’s departure.

“We’re growing and changing fast and felt that Noelle’s experience as a team builder in a variety of environments made her a great fit for this newly expanded position,” said Board President David Long.

Ross has held leadership and human resources management positions for the past 16 years, and she has worked as a teacher and director of children’s choral groups. She graduated from the Marist School, holds a B.A. in music from Oberlin College, and is a composer and a classical singer who performs with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus. City spends $400K on police department legal issues

The city of Dunwoody has spent more than $400,000 on legal services related to employment matters within the Dunwoody Police Department, according to invoices obtained by Reporter Newspapers.

In October of 2020, the Dunwoody City Council approved a contract with the law firm Elarbee, Thompson, Sapp, & Wilson to provide legal assistance with a lawsuit and complaint related to issues with former Dunwoody Police Department Lt. Fidel Espinoza. Earlier in 2020, multiple officers accused Espinoza of sexual harassment, including claims that he demanded sexual favors for work benefits and solicited nude photos.

According to city spokesperson Jennifer Boettcher, as of Feb. 10, 2022, the city had paid Elarbee $422,417 since May 2020, but not all of that cost is related to lawsuits or complaints involving Espinoza.

A records request of the invoices from May 2020 to Feb. 11, 2022 revealed that the city has paid the law firm $408,706.25 for employment-related matters with the Dunwoody Police Department. Most of the invoices were heavily redacted and did not specify if they pertained to a case or issue related to Espinoza. Read the full story at reporternewspapers.com.

— SAMMIE PURCELL