2/13/2008

By TIM UNRUH

Salina Journal

Salina Area United Way Executive Director Hampton McDowell said Tuesday that on Feb. 1 he was fired from his position with the United Way, effective Feb. 4.

McDowell, 63, who began with the United Way as a volunteer in 1995, said he was taken to a Salina restaurant on Feb. 1 by United Way board chairman Larry Fief and was informed that he was fired.

But McDowell said Fief also gave him the opportunity to resign.

"I did not resign," McDowell said.

Fief said Tuesday that McDowell was no longer the director as of Feb. 4 but would not say what led to the change.

"I'm not going to discuss personnel matters in the Journal," Fief said.

He said the United Way board on Monday named Janet Callarman as interim director. McDowell said Callarman had been director of the United Way's community initiatives.

Given two reasons

McDowell said he was given two reasons for his firing at the Feb. 1 meeting: that the United Way wanted to have a new executive director in place to go through the 2008 campaign and "that my staff had lost confidence in me. I had no idea that the staff was that upset."

He said there are two reasons listed in the United Way's personnel policy manual that allow staff to talk directly to board members -- one is to report discrimination or harassment and the other is to report accounting malfeasance.

"I said, 'Is it either of those,' and (Fief) said 'No,' " said McDowell, who'd been the director of the agency a little more than six years.

He said the 2007 United Way fundraising campaign missed its goal by $52,000, raising $1,196,000 million. The $1.2 million goal in 2006 was achieved, he said.

McDowell said he served as the board chairman in 1998 and was named interim executive director in 2002, replacing Ruth Ascher. He said the board made him the permanent executive director later that year.

McDowell said he informed the board in January that he intended to retire at the end of this year. Fief said the board did not approve the retirement date.

"I know that's what his plan was," Fief said. "We were beginning the phase of starting to look for a new director. The board had not made a decision at that time."

McDowell's retirement announcement came on the heels of a "very positive" personal evaluation by the board in December and some of the 19 agencies that receive United Way funding, McDowell said. He said the board gave him a cost-of-living raise that lifted his yearly salary to about $58,600.

"The only negative comment was that some people said I need to spend more time cultivating the top CEOs so their companies would give more money," McDowell said.

Severance pay

In a phone conversation with Fief on Feb. 4, McDowell said he requested severance pay.

"(Fief) said he had to go to the executive committee, which met Thursday morning (Feb. 7)," McDowell said.

Also Feb. 4, after speaking with Fief on the phone, McDowell said he drove to the Bank of Tescott and sent his United Way keys, credit card and a note through a sliding box, instructing the clerk to pass the items to Fief, who is the bank president.

"I bank there and had to make a deposit. I told him I was going to do it that way, and he said it was fine," McDowell said.

On Feb. 8, he said Fief called and said he was unable to assemble the board.

"He said he was sorry. I've got that phone call recorded on my answering machine," McDowell said.

Surprised, dismayed

Tuesday, McDowell e-mailed the Journal a copy of a letter he received Monday from Fief that informed him that the board had decided to move up his retirement by six months, citing the desire to hire his replacement by June 1.

The letter also reads that the board "wanted you to remain with the United Way through that transition. It was my understanding that you were going to consider this proposal over the weekend and get back in touch with me."

McDowell disputes that he was given the option of leaving this summer but rather understood that he was fired and that the board was to consider approving severance pay.

But the letter states: "It is unfortunate that we could not reach an amicable agreement with regard to your departure date. It is highly regrettable that after six years of service to the United Way, you made the decision to resign abruptly."

Fief wrote that he was both "surprised and somewhat dismayed" when McDowell turned in his keys and credit card on Feb. 4.

McDowell is accused in the letter of failing to fulfill his duties of his job, ceasing communication with United Way staff and refusing to report to work since Feb. 1.

"Based upon these actions, the United Way Board of Directors has no choice but to accept your resignation, effective Feb. 4," the letter reads.

Have to sell the house

McDowell said he was last in the United Way office at 128 N. Santa Fe on Feb. 3 to clean out his desk and finish some last-minute paperwork.

Enclosed with the letter were checks for accrued vacation time for $1,238.60 and $900.80 for time worked.

McDowell said he wondered if the letter was sent in an attempt to show he resigned, which "precludes me from going out and getting unemployment."

"I'm going to have to sell my house," McDowell said.

He said he is consulting with an attorney on the matter.

"If Hamp made application for unemployment, we would have to respond," Fief said.

n Reporter Tim Unruh can be reached at 822-1419 or by e-mail at tunruh@salina.com.