Georgia city hires ousted Beaufort County parks and rec director for the same role
A former Beaufort County Parks and Recreation Director whose department was involved in the improper procurement of nearly $800,000 in playground equipment was hired into the same role, on an interim basis, in Rincon, Ga.
Shannon Loper worked as the Director of Parks and Recreation at Beaufort County for more than seven years before being fired in October of last year. Now, Loper will once again hold a similar title for Rincon, a municipality of 11,000 residents.
City manager Jonathan Lynn praised Loper’s track record and dedication to organization values and said Loper was open about the controversies in her previous position, providing emails and documentation that put the situation in a new light. “We believe Miss Loper was not given a fair process,” Lynn said.
In a text exchange, Loper indicated that she would make public the documents she provided to Rincon when her attorney would support the release.
Lynn said the city received around 12-15 applications from qualified candidates for the position, which had been open since October, but Loper’s experience put her at the top of the list.
Loper will carry the title of interim director until South Carolina’s Ethic Commission investigations are resolved. Loper is being investigated for two separate complaints, one for allegedly using county equipment to perform work on her home property and the other for allegedly hiring her son as a coach for a county-run cheerleading camp, according to the individual who filed the complaints.
While optimistic, Lynn admitted the findings could affect whether Loper gets the job permanently.
Loper’s termination from the county came on the heels of news that her department had approved purchasing nearly $800,000 in “handicapped accessible” playground equipment. It was installed at the Port Royal Community Center and the work was completed on July 6.
Assistant County Administrator for Development and Recreation Chuck Atkinson brought the issue to the county council’s attention, citing the violation of the procurement approval rules. An invoice submitted to the county for the $799,052 playground equipment is dated May 25, 2023, meaning the purchase was approved at least four months before it was presented to council. The expense associated with the equipment exceeded the $200,000 threshold needed for council approval by nearly four fold. When the council did review the playground on Sept. 25, months after the equipment was installed, the purchase was approved in an 8-2 vote.
Two weeks later, Loper was terminated by Interim Administrator John Robinson. At the time of her firing, the grounds for her termination were cited as “violated the Beaufort County policy manual,” according to Beaufort County.
Loper’s first day with Rincon was Jan. 30.
This story was originally published February 8, 2024 at 12:19 PM.
