During last week’s meeting of the Carthage City Council, City Recorder Jennifer Parker announced her resignation, effective December 20, 2019.
In her resignation letter, Parker specifically mentions the “inability to effectively perform [her] duties due to the toxic environment created by the Mayor.”
Parker addressed the council about her resignation after concluding her monthly City Recorder’s report.
“I hope the council will look into this issue,” Parker told the council. “Losing two recorders in eight months should be a problem, and I really hope it’s addressed.”
She encouraged the council to speak with department supervisors and other city employees.“This is not just me. I’m not just speaking for myself. I’m speaking for all of us,” she said.
In addition to her resignation letter, Parker submitted the following letter to the council:
Council members,
Along with my resignation letter, there are several concerns that I have for the City that I feel you need to be aware of. Issues with the Mayor, that if aren’t corrected, I feel you will lose so many more valuable employees.
I have been told repeatedly to talk to certain male council members “the way that I do” to convince them to change their mind on a vote if it is not what her agenda is. This is unethical and highly inappropriate.
I have been told to question everything, but I’m not allowed to question or voice my opinion if I feel things are incorrect, illegal, or unethical when it comes to her because “she is my boss and what she says goes.” This statement has been said to numerous supervisors when standing up to her. This created an extremely toxic work environment.
It is a constant issue to obtain her signature on checks. She refused to sign the last set of Fire Department fire call checks because she felt they “didn’t earn them.” It took two days to obtain her signature. This was at the same time she refused to sign a check for an American flag for the ladder truck. Mayor Smith also refused to pay Mr. Poindexter for use of the porta johns at the Carthage Market Fest. Employees and a member of that committee were told to tell Mr. Poindexter that we would not pay the $100 previously agreed upon because the City didn’t make any money.
One of my employees and myself were told to cut off electric services to The Spot, claiming that the issue was with a Council Member not cooperating with getting services changed over. At the same time, this Council Member was being told by the Mayor to wait to swap services over because she would be getting a donation for the deposit, but that the services would be cut off due to my employee saying it had to be. My employee does not have the authority to make that decision, nor did she.
It is an issue every month when a council member wants to put an item on the agenda that she doesn’t want to speak about. I have been told several times not to put an item on the agenda if she feels it doesn’t need to be. I have also been told to go against what the council votes on; for example, paying certain bills she doesn’t agree with.
When hiring for our City Cashier position, Mayor Smith wanted to hire a certain applicant that was her friend. I had no particular problem with hiring this applicant except for the fact that at the time their water service was repeatedly being turned off for non-payment. This would not have been appropriate for an employee that has to turn off services each month. She stressed the importance numerous times that we needed to hire this applicant due to their race and gender and it would look good on the City.
For the past six months, I have been chastised for being a working mother and caretaker for my family members. I have been fortunate enough to juggle the long hours, meetings, my child’s sports schedules, caring for my grandmother on Hospice, and my mother with Dementia. All the while being criticized for leaving work (after hours) to care for whomever and then returning to work later in the evening. When I asked to be off to take a family member for surgery, I was told to “have a member at church take them, that’s what they are there for.” One of my office staff was told the same thing with their family member prior to this.
The constant paranoia of the Mayor, false accusations and lies told by her (which she later will claim she does not remember saying), and hostile work environment have all been addressed with her numerous times with no remedy. I am saddened to leave and pray that this can be corrected for the sake of the City and the employees. Losing two City Recorders in a matter of eight months is detrimental to the functioning of the City. I can no longer take the personal risk of possibly being held liable for any of her behavior or lies told every day.
Jennifer Parker
12/5/19
Smith County Insider reached out to Mayor Sarah Marie Smith for comment but did not receive a response.
The City of Carthage is expected to post a job opening for the City Recorder position.
The Carthage City Council will also hold a special-called meeting at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 7, 2020, to further discuss the claims made in Parker’s resignation letter.
You can watch the full December 2019 Meeting of the Carthage City Council below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8s2zUm1PBoE
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