HAMMOND'S JOB "ELIMINATED" BY CITY
Deborah Hammond will no longer work as Parkville’s administrative assistant, effective Thursday, Feb. 7, The Luminary has learned.
“The position Miss Hammond filled is being eliminated,” the city said in a statement released Friday morning, adding that she “successfully completed the special projects assigned to her by the city and believes her help on the special projects has benefited the city.”
The Parkville Board of Aldermen met in a closed session at City Hall on Thursday at 6 p.m. to discuss the issue and emerged at just before 7 p.m. The aldermen agreed on the terms of separation and consider the matter closed. As The Luminary went to press, it was confirmed by attorneys from both parties that Hammond will receive three-months salary and benefits in the agreement.
The issue of Hammond’s employment came to light when The Luminary learned that the city had hired an outside juris doctorate to look into allegations of possible wrongdoing by city employees. Saying the issue was a personnel matter, city officials have refused comment on the matter but admitted the decision to hire outside consultants came during a closed session of the Parkville Board of Aldermen. The Luminary later learned that Hammond was placed on a “paid leave” pending further aldermen action in the matter.
While Hammond refused comment in the matter, her attorney Henry Cox said that an internal city memo alleging falsified timesheets from Hammond uncovered by The Luminary were nothing more than a “red herring” and that her position had simply been “eliminated.”
“We have been negotiating a transition agreement with the city,” Cox told The Luminary.
The statement from the city said that the decision was “not the result of any allegations or findings of wrongdoing and the issue of timesheets is a closed matter. The city considers this matter closed.”
FULL STATEMENT FROM THE CITY OF PARKVILLE
“Miss Hammond has successfully completed the special projects assigned to her by the city and believes her help on the special projects has benefited the city. The position Miss Hammond filled is being eliminated. This decision is not the result of any allegations or findings of wrongdoing and the issue of timesheets is a closed matter. The city considers this matter closed.”