HAMLET — The city is searching for someone new to run the Hamlet Depot and Museum following the termination last week of its most recent director.
City Manager Jonathan Blanton posted the job listing on Facebook Thursday morning for museum manager and downtown coordinator.
According documents obtained through a public records request, Stephanie Thornsbury was let go on Dec. 20 for failure in performance of duties and assignments, unsatisfactory work over a period of time, failure in personal conduct and disobeying a supervisor’s orders.
In the termination letter, Blanton, citing a 2017 performance evaluation, said he had previously told Thornsbury to “eliminate the presence of family members” at the museum complex during business hours “in the interest of professionalism.”
According to Blanton, Thornsbury’s mother was not only at the Visitor’s Center but was answering the telephone and running the museum on Dec. 6, the day of the Hamlet Christmas Parade.
Blanton also said that Thornsbury, as downtown coordinator, failed to attend scheduled meetings — including those with the Hamlet Business Development Association — “which led to failed coordination of consecutive nights” for Christmas on Main and Old Fashion Christmas, as well as submitting invoices late.
“Not attending meetings furthering City business, not successfully coordinating with local civic groups for important annual events as specified in your job description, and not promptly forwarding invoices to the City’s Finance Officer is construed as work habits that impeded proper delivery of services to the citizens of the city,” Blanton wrote.
The city manager additionally cited issues regarding Thornsbury’s timesheet, including indicating working on Nov. 23 and Dec. 3, the latter of which had been requested off, and later removing those hours following inquiry from the human resources director.
In the “employee’s remarks” section, Thornsbury wrote: “I do not agree w/the termination.”
When reached for reaction Thursday, Thornsbury said, “I don’t have any comment at this time.”
In the interest of full disclosure, Thornsbury has also been a contributor to the Richmond Observer.
Blanton said the position was created in the mid-2000s when the city received a grant from the N.C. Department of Transportation to move the depot. Part of that deal, he added, was that the city would have to employ a museum director for 25-30 years.
Four people have held that position. Thornsbury, who was hired in June 2016, was the last of three directors hired by former city manager Marcus Abernethy during his two-year stint as Hamlet’s top administrator, according to Blanton.
He said the museum will be open by appointment until the city can hire a new curator.
The job is advertised both on Facebook and with the N.C. League of Municipalities.
“Naturally, someone with roots to Hamlet would be ideal,” Blanton said, but city could hire a qualified applicant from outside the county.
Blanton said the city plans to start reviewing applications within the first two weeks of the new year and hopes to have a new director in place by February.
