Robbinsville issues response to lawsuit; case continued
Robbinsville – Former Town of Robbinsville Interim Finance Officer Michael Richardson’s small claims case against the municipality’s aldermen Debbie Beasley and Kenneth Hyde was continued to Tuesday, Jan. 2.
“I was hoping to get it over with today,” said Hyde.
Richardson, Beasley and Hyde were present Monday to resolve the suit. The original magistrate – Kendall Williams – appointed a Clay County magistrate to the case because of a conflict of interest with the alderman’s attorney, Vicki Teem. However, magistrate from Clay County could not arrive on Monday.
Richardson is suing the alderman for unpaid wages, unpaid sick leave, vacation and holiday bereavement; along with a breach of his temporary work agreement.
Richardson is seeking a maximum of $10,000, plus interest and reimbursement for court costs.
Richardson claims his paid sick time off was previously approved in August for his Oct. 14 wrist surgery, in a temporary work agreement. Richardson’s grandmother also passed away during this time and he applied for bereavement pay. His suit alleges he did not receive it.
The amount owed from Oct. 24 – Nov. 15 is $5,720, according to the Complaint for Money Owed filed to the Graham County Clerk of Court office.
The board met on Nov. 15 determined that Richardson breached an agreement and voted to terminate him, according to an email from Town of Robbinsville Attorney Leo Phillips.
The Star asked Phillips what the breach was and he declined comment.
When originally asked about Richardson, employees at the Town of Robbinsville were resistant to answer. They were advised by Phillips not to comment on Richardson or the suit.
Town of Robbinsville Finance Director Linda Parton and Town of Robbinsville Mayor Shaun Adams later came forward to speak on the matter.
Mayor Adams
Adams wanted to clear up that he did not yell at Richardson on July 31. From Adams’ perspective, he noticed that Richardson was having a meeting with another employee.
Adams asked what was happening.
“He (Richardson) said they were going over the comp time policy,” recalled Adams.
Adams said he does not completely remember if Richardson was upset or not. He noted that Richardson did leave that day.
According to Richardson, he quit on July 31 because Adams thought he was having an unapproved meeting and reprimanded him, “yelling,” according to Richardson. Richardson contested that an employee simply walked into his office to ask a question.
This was before Richardson’s temporary work agreement was created and signed by Beasley and Hyde.
Originally, Richardson was supposed to work from May 22 – July 28, to help with the pre-audit and budget. Those projects were not finished in that time, so that is why Richardson was still working on July 31.
Richardson then returned to work during the first week of August and the temporary work agreement was approved, with the timeframe of Aug. 7 – Dec. 31.
Adams also wanted to address the signing of the Robbinsville Tourism Authority director’s checks.
During the authority’s July 25 board meeting, the members discussed pay for then-board chair Debbie Beasley.
Richardson wrote the authority’s checks. The board approved Beasley’s last pay and discussed having Adams sign the check.
Adams said he is not comfortable signing Robbinsville Tourism Authority checks and he has felt this way for a while.
He first made this clear in July 2022. A July 8, 2022 email from former finance officer Sonya Webster states that the mayor nor Webster were not comfortable with signing the checks.
“All municipality employees and elected officials have the right to refuse to sign checks that they are uncomfortable with signing,” Webster’s email said.
She also suggested that more check-signers should be appointed.
Richardson did ask Adams to sign the authority’s checks and Adams refused; he contends it was because of the kind of worker Beasley was listed as on the check was not accurate.
Adams still feels like more check signers are needed on the authority.
The current designated check-signers for the Robbinsville Tourism Authority are board member Dirk Cody, Hyde – who is now serving as the authority’s chair – plus Adams and Parton.
Finance director
Richardson “created a hostile work environment,” according to Parton. Other employees in the office noticed his behavior as well.
Patron noted his abrasive behavior after the first week of working with him.
“He was supposed to be training me and would leave me in the dark,” said Parton. “He would purposely confuse me and make me question myself.”
Richardson worked closely with Parton and she did not like how he treated her, contending that he would act superior to her and others in the office.
Parton felt like he was a threat to her job.
During his time as interim finance officer, Richardson proposed a new job position for himself as town administrator for the Town of Robbinsville. He created a document proposing a work schedule, compensation and other considerations.
Under the miscellaneous consideration, he included, “The finance director will be replaced with a part-time accounting clerk. This should save the town about $60,000 a year.”
Richardson proposed a hybrid position where he would be present two days a week in the office or a city function; the other three days, he would work virtually.
He proposed an annual salary of $67,600.
Richardson was not granted the new position.
Parton thinks Richardson suing the alderman is bizarre and not justified.
“Don’t use his opinion toward the town hall to judge,” Parton said.
“The town is not like how he’s trying to portray it.”