Cabarrus will pay fired manager $1,000 more than he claimed county owed him
Cabarrus County will pay former County Manager Mike Downs $489,000 after he sued for unpaid compensation and severance.
The county will pay $1,000 more than Downs claimed he was owed in the lawsuit, according to the settlement agreement obtained by The Charlotte Observer from Downs’ attorney. The agreement also states Downs filed a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleging the county discriminated against him based on age after he was fired in January in a seemingly sudden move by the commission.
Downs’ lawsuit claimed he was owed $488,000 from the county, including unpaid severance for 18 months of his salary and a quarterly bonus. The suit also alleged Downs was entitled to 8% interest on the payment because it was delayed.
Downs served as county manager from 2011 until January. He was fired alongside former County Attorney Richard Koch, who had been in his role since 2006.
According to his termination letter, the decision to fire him was largely made based on his involvement with a $42 million purchase of an office building for the county. The decision to purchase the building for more than its appraised value has drawn criticism from current commissioners, though Downs’ lawsuit said that was the choice of the former commissioners, not him.
Downs isn’t the only county manager to be fired by the commission this year.
Cabarrus commissioners voted 3-2 in August to fire Downs’ replacement Sean Newton after just five months on the job. The commission declined to provide Newton with a termination letter, but his hiring had been controversial from the beginning after it was revealed he has an undisclosed business relationship with former Commissioner Chris Measmer.
Commissioner Laura Lindsey, who voted to fire Downs and against firing Newton, called the August vote a “witch hunt” and “political retaliation” for firing Downs.
Kelly Sifford, the county’s deputy county manager, was selected by the commission to serve as interim county manager, according to a Wednesday afternoon news release. Sifford will hold the position for two years unless the commission selects a replacement before then.
Sifford has worked at the county for 25 years including as assistant county manager, planning and development director and senior planner.
This story was originally published September 3, 2025 at 11:16 AM.
