From the Chattanooga Times Free Press: An Athens City Council member who is also a certified counselor had his license revoked by a Tennessee state
From the Chattanooga Times Free Press: An Athens City Council member who is also a certified counselor had his license revoked by a Tennessee state board after allegations he made inappropriate and sexual comments to a female client.
Adolphus H. “Dick” Pelley, a certified professional counselor since 1986, had his certificate to practice revoked by the Tennessee Board of Professional Counselors, Marital and Family Therapists and Clinical Pastoral Therapists, for making comments of a sexual nature to a female client in August 2021, according to the board’s order.
“The board found this professional counselor’s unethical conduct violated the 2014 American Counseling Association Code of Ethics,” the order states. “As such, revocation of his certificate to practice professional counseling is the appropriate discipline.”
When contacted by phone, Pelley declined to comment on the order or its allegations.
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At the time of the incident, Pelley was a counselor working in neighboring Cleveland, according to the order filed Oct. 6.
The client attended two sessions with Pelley, Aug. 13 and 17, 2021, and then sent an email to his office in Cleveland detailing “several inappropriate comments” Pelley made, the order states. He was terminated the next day for lack of professionalism, lack of professional competency and violation of ethical codes.
Pelley told the female client to stand in front of a mirror, grab her breasts and shake them while exclaiming that she’s “a hot piece of a–,” according to the order. Pelley also told the woman “not to sleep around,” and when the woman told Pelley she didn’t attend church, he imposed his religious values on her “by going on a rant.”
Pelley also told the woman she should go back to school and “get a real job,” the order states.
According to the state Department of Health’s license verification site, Pelley’s certificate issued Nov. 24, 1986, is now listed as “revoked.”
The city mayor and vice mayor said they would seek legal advice before taking any action against Pelley.
“It is very concerning,” Mayor Steve Sherlin said in an email. “It will require some inquiry and investigation as to what problems could arise from this.”
Vice Mayor Larry Eaton echoed those feelings.
“I just found out about this,” Eaton said in a phone interview. “It’s highly concerning, but I’m going to have to rely on our legal counsel for the city of Athens and what the charter states before any steps can be taken.”
Pelley, who has been on the council for more than 20 years, was reelected in November 2022 along with newly elected Sherlin and Eaton, who were voted into leadership by fellow council members the same month.
Pelley has had other troubles this year.
In August, a McMinn County Circuit Court judge ordered sanctions against Pelley and his attorney after accusing them of falsifying documents in their attempts to legally remove a mayor from office.
Pelley filed an ouster petition in August 2022 seeking the removal of then-Mayor Bo Perkinson over allegations Perkinson blocked Pelley from participating in a council meeting.
Pelley’s petition, filed by Knoxville-based attorney Van R. Irion, included a list of 17 petitioners in the suit against Perkinson. It sought Perkinson’s suspension pending a trial on his ouster.
Circuit Court Judge J. Michael Sharp found six or more of the “petitioners” testified Irion was not their lawyer, they didn’t know what the petition sought, hadn’t met Irion until the day they provided testimony considered in Sharp’s order, and when some signed a document to participate, they didn’t know it was to become part of a petition to seek Perkinson’s removal.
Sharp ordered Pelley and Irion to pay more than $55,000 in Perkinson’s attorney fees and court costs.
