SOUTHPORT — The City of Southport announced its parks and recreation department director will voluntarily retire this fall. However, a source familiar with the matter claims she was forced out.
Director Heather Hemphill is set to retire Sept. 1, the city announced Tuesday, July 14. She has been on paid administrative leave alongside two other employees since the State Bureau of Investigations began its probe into missing finances from Southport’s parks and recreation department in March.
While the city explained her retirement was voluntary and unrelated to the ongoing SBI investigation, the source explained both claims were false.
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“They gave her an option to retire or get fired,” they said, referring to City Manager Noah Saldo.
Port City Daily asked the city to confirm but was told again that she voluntarily retired.
The decision for Hemphill to retire has been a topic for weeks. Though the source said the investigation has not been completed, the city determined, while Hemphill did not have any direct relation to the alleged crime, her lack of oversight as head of the department presented an issue. Hemphill oversaw four administrative employees and the parks and recreation programs.
The investigation into the parks and recreation department began on March 11 as Hemphill was entering into her 27th year of working with Southport. Previous estimates for the investigation by the SBI suggested it could take a year or two to conclude.
Roughly $17,000 was found missing from the department’s funds resulting in all employees being put on leave, effectively shutting down the city’s programs for the interim. Former program director Maureen “Cookie” Moore resigned after the investigation began while Hemphill and the other unnamed employees remained on leave.
Because of her management title, Hemphill was held responsible for any improprieties happening under her watch. Recent budget sessions, additionally, prompted a push for Hemphill’s retirement, the source said, as the parks and recreation funds became a hot button topic among the aldermen. Some argued to cut the department’s funding, though the final budget was $734,000 and cut only the program director position, keeping Hemphill’s and both the positions of the unpaid employees.
Hemphill could not be reached for comment on her retirement announcement Tuesday.
The two remaining employees were transferred from paid leave to unpaid leave on June 26, according to the source, to save the city additional funds. The city confirmed the two employees have now been placed on unpaid leave. According to city personnel policy, non-disciplinary unpaid or paid administrative leave is permitted while an investigation is ongoing, as well as the transfer of paid status to unpaid status, though bears no connection to funding.
The other two parks and rec employees have an opportunity to return to their positions, while Hemphill will not. She submitted her “notice of retirement” to the human resources department on June 10, the city told Port City Daily.
The source further explained chatter continued among city officials to keep her on for longer to provide overlap between Hemphill and whomever takes over the position. However, the city manager was “unwilling to honor” the request, the source explained, worried about the loss of Hemphill’s “institutional knowledge.”
The investigation initially raised concerns about the future of the department and its activities. In recent budget discussions, only one vacant position from the department was cut.
Because Hemphill’s position is still budgeted for, the search for a new director will begin soon, according to the city, though a set date has yet to be decided upon. In the meantime, the attendant for the now-open City Gym will report to the grounds maintenance supervisor, the highest ranking employee in the department; that person will report to Saldo.
[Ed. note: The article has been updated to clarify the unpaid or paid leave designation is not related to funding and to clarify which position was cut from the department.]
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