County Settles With Employees, Cancels Hearing

FAYETTEVILLE — Washington County officials cancelled a public grievance hearing Friday requested by a former jail corporal after the sheriff fired her citing allegations of sexual harassment and lying.

Any allegation of sexual harassment or lying to investigators were removed from Tiffaine Scott’s termination letter, but her record will still reflect she was fired, her attorney Jim Rose said.

“She is being terminated from the Sheriff’s Office officially because “her services are no longer needed,’” said Rose quoting Sheriff Tim Helder’s new termination letter.

Helder fired Scott and three other employees about two weeks ago after a months-long investigation. Scott and two other employees appealed the firing by requesting a public hearing before the Quorum Court’s Personnel Committee.

“Three out of the four ended up resigning as opposed to termination,” Helder said Friday. “I’m not mad at anybody. I don’t want to damage people. I just wanted it to be clear they don’t need to be here anymore.”

Helder last week said two employees made sexual harassment complaints against Scott, Deputy Mercedes McReynolds and Detention Officer Brandy Shipley.

The complaint prompted an internal investigation that lasted four to five months, Helder said.

Helder said other violations were uncovered, including sleeping on the job, retaliation and lying, during the course of the investigation.

A fourth deputy, Brian Walton, resigned after one of the three others accused him of making racist comments, Helder said.

George Butler, Washington County attorney, said last week an internal investigation determined Walton didn’t make racist comments, but had a conversation with someone who did. The comments, according to Butler, weren’t directed toward anyone and the allegation was “unfounded.”

Shipley and McReynolds chose to resign instead of being terminated and dropped their public hearing request last week.

Rose and Butler said Scott refused to resign because she felt doing so would be admitting to the allegations.

“Quite frankly, she didn’t want her job anyway,” Rose said. “She didn’t want to work for those folks anymore.”

Scott and McReynolds were employed by the county more than six years, according to personnel data. Walton was employed for more than eight years and Shipley almost three years.

“I wish the best for them and I obviously think the sheriff’s office will be healthier,” Helder said.

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