Buncombe County Submitted: January 24, 2018 | Updated: February 21, 2018

County Manager Mandy Stone family members employed by the County

When the personnel ordinance was amended, County Manager Mandy Stone was supposed to return to the board to have employment of her relatives approved. I understand she has a brother who runs the inspections department and a nephew that was hired the day she became county manager. Has the board of commissioners retroactively approved employment of these men?

Status: Completed

Activity:

  • February 21, 2018 3:43 pm

    6 years ago

    Hi Michael,

     

    Sorry for the delay!

     

    Thank you very much for your assistance with the request.

     

    Have a great evening!

     

    Sunshine Request

    Status: Completed
  • February 2, 2018 10:45 am

    6 years ago

    from: Michael C. Frue <[email protected]>
    to: Sunshine Request <[email protected]>
    date: Fri, Feb 2, 2018 at 10:45 AM
    subject: Records request

     

    The following is provided in a response to a Sunshine Request on Saturday, Jan. 27, 2018, “County Manager Mandy Stone family members employed by the County,” in which the request was “When the personnel ordinance was amended, County Manager Mandy Stone was supposed to return to the board to have employment of her relatives approved. I understand she has a brother who runs the inspections department and a nephew that was hired the day she became county manager. Has the board of commissioners retroactively approved employment of these men?”

     

    Prior to Ms. Stone’s transition to County Manager, in an effort to be fully transparent, she disclosed to the Board of Commissioners on June 9, 2017, that she has two relatives that work for Buncombe County. Both were hired in compliance with the ordinance and under the former County Manager Wanda Greene. Specifically Ms. Stone has no direct supervisory or management role related to their hiring, work performance or the departments in which they work. In addition, Ms. Stone provided the following safeguards to the Board of Commissioners as follows:

     

    1. Ms. Stone’s brother, Matt Stone, is the Director of Permits & Inspections Office. He was hired before she was a Department Director or Assistant County Manager. He is directly supervised by the Assistant County Manager. Ms. Stone recuses herself from any personnel decisions related to his employment and those would be made through the Assistant County Manager and in consultation with the Human Resources Director and County Legal Staff. Ms. Stone would not be a party to any due diligence in respect to personnel decisions nor able to access his personnel records.

     

    2. Ms. Stone’s nephew at the time of this disclosure was employed through a temporary paid internship in the Public Safety Training Center. He has a degree in Criminal Justice and applied for and was hired without Ms. Stone’s knowledge or involvement. He reports directly to the Public Safety Training Center Director who reports to the Assistant County Manager. Ms. Stone was informed by former County Manager Wanda Greene and former Assistant County Manager/Planning Director Jon Creighton that the FY18 budget included classifying the position to a permanent FTE and it was recommended based on experience and experience that he assume this position. Ms. Stone stated that she had no role in that decision or awareness of the basis of the decision. In her role as the Health & Human Services Director/Assistant County Manager she had no interaction or authority specific to the position, budget, department in which he worked. Ms. Stone recuses herself from any personnel decisions related to his employment and those would be made through the Assistant County Manager and in consultation with the Human Resources Director and County Legal Staff. Ms. Stone would not be a party to any due diligence in respect to personnel decisions nor able to access his personnel records.

     

    Finally, Ms. Stone in open session on October 5, 2017 disclosed to the public and the board that she had communicated these relationships to the BOC and that they had approved these with her hiring as the County Manager. The safeguards outlined above are in line with the expectations of the current Personnel Ordinance.

     

    Kassi Day
    Public Information/Communications Coordinator
    Buncombe County
    200 College St.
    Asheville, NC 28801
    Desk 828-250-4119/Mobile 828-767-3226
    [email protected]

     

    Michael C. Frue
    Buncombe County
    Senior Staff Attorney
    200 College Street, Ste 400
    Asheville, NC 28801
    p. 828-250-4121
    c. 828-231-1572

    Status: Response Received from Government
  • January 29, 2018 5:04 pm

    6 years ago

    from: Sunshine Request <[email protected]>
    to: “Michael C. Frue” <[email protected]>
    cc: Lisa Eby <[email protected]>, “Kassi L. Day” <[email protected]>
    date: Mon, Jan 29, 2018 at 6:05 PM
    subject: Re: [External] Records Request: County Manager Mandy Stone family members employed by the County

     

    Thank you Michael and Kassi.

     

    Have a good evening!

     

    Sunshine

    from: Michael C. Frue <[email protected]>
    to: Sunshine Request <[email protected]>
    cc: Lisa Eby <[email protected]>, “Kassi L. Day” <[email protected]>
    date: Mon, Jan 29, 2018 at 5:04 PM
    subject: RE: [External] Records Request: County Manager Mandy Stone family members employed by the County

    Good afternoon –

    I will route this request to Kassi Day our Public Information Officer, copied on this email, for reply. I am still handling the requests related to Wanda Greene and the investigation, but this looks to really be a Personnel inquiry.

    Thank you.

    Michael C. Frue
    Buncombe County
    Senior Staff Attorney

    Status: Government Processing Request
  • January 27, 2018 5:28 pm

    6 years ago

    Hi Buncombe County Gov,

     

    We’ve received another new public records request via SunshineRequest.com for information that may be available in your office!

     

    Here are the details of the request:

     

    Subject: “County Manager Mandy Stone family members employed by the County”

     

    Message:

     

    “When the personnel ordinance was amended, County Manager Mandy Stone was supposed to return to the board to have employment of her relatives approved. I understand she has a brother who runs the inspections department and a nephew that was hired the day she became county manager. Has the board of commissioners retroactively approved employment of these men?”

     

    Thank you for your help with this request.
    Have a great evening!

     

    Sunshine Request

    Status:
  • January 24, 2018 8:07 pm

    6 years ago

    Submitted to Sunshine Request
    Status: Pending