MOULTRIE, Ga. — News of former Moultrie Fire Chief Jeff Thibodeau’s resignation hit shortly before noon Friday with an announcement from the city.

Thibodeau had been put on administrative leave on Tuesday, June 9, because of an “offensive comment” posted this past weekend on his personal Facebook page. City Manager Pete Dillard said Thibodeau’s mistake weighed heavily on the fire chief’s conscience.

The post included a picture of George Floyd, whose death May 25 while being restrained by a Minneapolis police officer started weeks of protests. The image was stamped with an alleged rap sheet and other comments that implied Floyd deserved to have been killed. Thibodeau captioned it saying, “I’m just going to leave this right here. Don’t break the law and you’ll live to ses (see) another day.”

And while Thibodeau did remove the comment shortly after posting it, the city took notice and called his position as fire chief in question.

Thibodeau apologized quickly on his Facebook page. He wrote, “I sincerely apologize for a post I shared this past weekend. It was offensive, insensitive and unacceptable. I have spent the majority of my life protecting the lives and properties of all citizens. I am deeply sorry for adding to the pain suffered by all. I was wrong.” 

It wasn’t enough. Since the post’s occurrence, June 6, citizens began calling the city council and other officials including Dillard and Mayor Bill McIntosh.

Some of the comments received hit hard. Councilwoman Lisa Clarke Hill said citizens called her to say “if this is really that person, like if that’s their account, I don’t feel like they would protect my home if it burned to the ground or if it caught fire.”

However, comments like that hit the ears and eyes of Thibodeau too. It was the reason for his resignation, Dillard said.

“He felt like the community had lost confidence in the fire department and he feels — I feel — that confidence in the fire department [and] the city is very important,” Dillard said. 

Thibodeau had been in Moultrie for only about 10 months, so the city will be waiting a bit before advertising nationally for a new fire chief. 

The city has already named Battalion Chief Chad Killgore as interim chief. Dillard said he is sad to see Thibodeau go as he gave an “outstanding performance.”

“I hate it for the fire department because he tried to make strides, but he made a mistake,” he said.

In the wake of Thibodeau’s situation, however, some people have looked into Moultrie City Councilman Cornelius Ponder’s Facebook posts and called some of them into question too.

Two of his posts drew attention: One reads, “I’m convinced, in America we are now dealing with some KKKops!” The other reads, “Y’all still wanna March and pray? ‘It’s time to stand your ground, buy some guns and join the NRA!’ Stop asking people to stop mistreating you, make them stop! They been killing our people for over 200 years; it’s not going to stop, until we stop them!”

Both were posted May 26, one day after Floyd’s death. More recent posts show Ponder participating in marches for unity and justice, including a selfie with Colquitt County Sheriff Rod Howell and Moultrie Police Chief Sean Ladson.

According to the city’s social media policy, “It is the policy of the City of Moultrie that employees may use social media technologies. However, it is the responsibility of employees to ensure that such use does not cause a decline in public confidence in and/or respect for the City or the individual employee. Employees must exercise appropriate discretion, so as not to discredit the City or themselves as employees.”

That policy applies to employees like Thibodeau was. It doesn’t apply to elected councilmen like Ponder. 

On Friday, Ponder told The Observer his actions are recognized under the freedom of speech. He said he did not discredit any city officials or employees and he did not discredit anyone’s race either.

“I’m satisfied with the way I approached it. I still love them all, even those that don’t agree,” Ponder said. 

As far as him saying KKKops, Ponder said this is him calling out bad cops, white, black or otherwise. It is a reference to the protectors of the law that are breaking the law, he said.

It also brought up the question of what is the difference between what Ponder said and what Thibodeau said. Ponder said the difference is the audience. He is speaking to his own people about their conditions, he said.

“My post was not in attention to any other race. My post is addressed to us — to our [black] people — about our conditions,” he said. “I’m trying to be a leader of the black community.”

And that means that sometimes you have to have tough conversations. Thibdeau crossed a line, Ponder said, a racial line. 

Ponder likened what he said to what he says to his congregation as pastor: His message is for his congregation, not anyone else. 

So the question becomes how do you explain that to those who point fault? You can’t, Ponder said, because they’re looking to point fault with a closed heart rather than an open mind.

“Many people do understand what I’m posting,” he said. “I don’t have any other angle or energy toward any other race; it’s all conforming to my conversation with black people — the black community.”

He welcomes those who want to converse with him on the matter and has not deleted the posts nor his page.

Dillard has heard from citizens calling Ponder’s position into question, but he said that’s not up to him.

“The voters elect council members and that’s a voter decision,” he said.

As far emphasizing social media’s effect, Dillard said there will be more education on the matter.

“We’re going to spend more time educating or reminding all of the department heads and all employees about the significance of social media,” he said.