Police Investigating Altercation Between City Manager and Citizen

A disagreement after Monday night's city council meeting between Johns Creek's city manager and a resident has led to an investigation by police.

According to the police report filed by Gerald J. Bush of Treford Court on Oct. 7 a few hours after the incident, "a group of residents, council people and city officials" had gathered outside on the sidewalk to talk when John Kachmar, the city manager approached the group and began speaking to a woman later identified as Christy Johnson.

Kachmar was responding to an earlier incident during the City Council meeting in which Johnson had addressed the city council about a road project affecting her neighborhood. During the meeting Johnson complained that she had not received any information from the city despite numerous attempts.

Kachmar said the city has a file full of phone call records and emails to her about the project.

"I came out and she (Johnson) was standing there and saying she had not been contacted," said Kachmar. "I replied 'that's a lie.'"

According to the police report Kachmar then left the group and was heading to his car when Bush responded telling the city manager he didn't think his response was appropriate and used some very explicit language to convey his displeasure with Kachmar's comment.

At that, Kachmar and Bush had a heated exchange. Bush told police he believed Kachmar was "trying to provoke him into a physical altercation," and claimed that Kachmar poked him in the chest.

"We called each other names," said Kachmar. "But there was no assault."

According to the report Bush filed, the exchange was witnessed by a fairly large group, including Brad Raffensperger, Christy Johnson, Major Thompson and David Kornbluh.

Kachmar said he believes the whole thing was politically motivated. He told Patch Johnson and Bush are both supporters of Mayor Mike Bodker who is being investigated by the City Council over allegations that Bodker has violated ethics rules while in office.

The incident is currently being investigated by the Johns Creek Police Department, said Rosemary Taylor, Communications Director for the city.