BAKERSVILLE — Sara Ross, the former Director of the Mitchell County Department of Social Services, has filed a contested case in the North Carolina Office of Administrative Hearings regarding her dismissal this past August.
At the Mitchell County Board of Commissioners regular session on Monday, Nov. 2, County Attorney Lloyd Hise spoke about the case and what the commissioners, who also comprise the Board of Department of Social Services, can now expect.
Hise said after the county was informed of the case, County Manager Tim Greene contacted the County Commissioners Association who in turn hired the county an attorney, Sean F. Perrin, through the Charlotte office of Womble Bond Dickinson, a trans-Atlantic law firm.
Hise said Perrin specializes in employment law and worked with the county several years ago regarding another DSS dismissal.
The hearing of the case will be held during the first week of February in Waynesville. Hise said DSS Board Chairman Steve Pitman and Commissioner Matthew “Vern” Grindstaff would likely have to go because they conducted the pre-dismissal conference with Ross.
“Of course, anybody can be subpoenaed to this court hearing,” Hise said. “And if you are subpoenaed, you have to go.”
Hise added that he and Greene traveled to Gray, TN to talk with BCTI, the IT company the county uses that was imperative in the dismissal of Ross, to discuss what they knew about the case.
“They gave us some pretty good information,” Hise said. “Pretty interesting conversation to me about what they knew about what went on and why they thought it was going on.”
Hise said the people involved with the case at BCTI would be willing to talk with Perrin and testify in the case, however, they would expect to be paid for their time through their contract with the county.
Ross was dismissed by the DSS Board unanimously on Aug. 25 after an investigation into misconduct and a pre-dismissal conference.
She was placed on investigative leave during the regular DSS Board meeting on Aug. 3 after questions about her conduct were raised regarding a possible contract with an IT company and a possible extra leave day for DSS employees during the Independence Day holiday.
The details of the investigation have yet to be disclosed to the public, but were presented to the board by County Manager Tim Greene in a special closed session on Aug. 18. At that meeting, the board began the process of removing Ross from her role.
Ross was hired for the role in late 2018 and started in the position on Jan. 1, 2019. She replaced former Director Paula Holtsclaw.
Charles Vines, former Mitchell County Manager and current Mayor of Bakersville, is currently serving as the Interim Director of DSS.
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CLARIFICATION: In this story it was reported that former DSS Director Sara Ross was dismissed by the DSS Board unanimously on Aug. 25. The vote was unanimous among those present to vote at the meeting. According to the official meeting minutes from the county, the motion carried by a 4-0 vote. However, Commissioner Danny Burleson was unable to attend the meeting and thus was not present to represent the fifth vote.
While some background to the DSS Director's dismissal is included in this story, readers can gain more background information about this story by reading the following stories:
- DSS head placed on paid investigative leave - Aug. 4, 2020
- Commissioners approve steps to dismiss DSS head - Aug. 18, 2020
- DSS Board dismisses director - Aug. 25, 2020