Charlotte City Attorney Patrick Baker's last day with the city will be Dec. 31, according to a memo he sent to city leaders last week.
In late October, WFAE reported that Mayor Vi Lyles and a majority of City Council members had voted in closed session to "end" Baker's employment with the city.
City leaders had voted to allow Baker to either retire in the summer of 2025 or be fired immediately. The city had hired an attorney, Anthony Fox, to negotiate the terms of Baker's departure.
In October, Lyles sent council members a memo outlining what would happen next with Baker, who has worked for the city since 2019. That memo did not disclose the reason for Lyles' and the council's decision to end his employment.
But multiple City Council members who were part of the discussions said part of their discussion in closed session centered around Baker’s decision this spring to facilitate a public records request from WFAE about the city’s proposed transportation plan. They spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a confidential personnel matter.
WFAE had requested the draft legislation for a proposed transit authority and a new 1-cent sales tax. Under the state’s public records laws, draft documents are public records.
The city refused to release the document. After weeks of delays, Baker then sent WFAE a copy of the bill in order to comply with state law.
During Baker’s performance review in closed session last month, Mayor Pro Tem Dante Anderson told Baker that he had “leaked” the document, according to four people who were part of the discussion.
The release of a public document is not a leak — it’s required under state law.
It's unclear whether Baker will receive any compensation for his decision to leave. The Charlotte Ledger reported that Baker's employment contract calls for him to receive six months' pay, in addition to payment for unused vacation and sick leave. The Ledger said six months' pay for Baker is about $145,000.
