Jones County Board suspends employee Kim Adams with pay pending investigation after heated public comments

The Jones County Board of Tax Assessors voted to suspend employee Kim Adams with pay through Dec. 5, 2024, pending a personnel investigation and directed her to surrender county keys and identification and to arrange retrieval of personal items.

Member Sherilyn offered the motion, saying, “I offer a motion that miss Kim Adams be immediately suspended with pay through December 5 due to insubordination pending further investigation.” The motion was seconded and carried by hand vote; the transcript does not record individual named vote tallies.

The motion also directed that Shannon Wagner meet with Adams on Nov. 19 to retrieve any personal belongings and that Adams be asked to appear at the Board of Assessors regular meeting on Dec. 5, 2024, at 4 p.m. The suspension was described at the meeting as with pay and pending further investigation; the board did not publish a written investigative finding at the time of the vote.

Why it matters: The suspension came after an extended period of public comment and dispute over operations in the tax assessor’s office. Several speakers at the meeting criticized the board’s handling of staff complaints and questioned whether the office’s practices on property valuations and procedures had complied with state guidance. The personnel action effectively pauses an employee while the board or county conducts follow-up.

Public comment and context: Multiple residents and elected officials addressed the board before the votes. John Wood, who identified himself as a district commissioner, urged clearer written policies for public comment and noted that people appointed to serve on boards receive training, saying board members have “6 months to have your 40 hour course” and calling for written procedures for taxpayers.

A resident who gave her name as Elizabeth Williams told the board to focus on objective measures, saying, “Numbers don’t lie,” and urged officials to “look at the numbers” when making decisions about valuations and policy.

Commissioners and other speakers discussed an earlier arbitration proceeding and sales-ratio figures. Commenters and at least one commissioner said the county’s median sales ratio had risen (one speaker cited a rise from about 31.4% to 33.9% in recent measures, and others said an arbitrator’s decision increased a ratio by two percentage points), but several speakers cautioned that those increases still left the county below recommended targets. Those factual claims and numerical figures were reported at the meeting by participants and are described here as they were stated on the record.

Board procedure and immediate next steps: During the meeting the board’s legal adviser (on the record as legal counsel) and others clarified that a quorum and majority requirements depend on the total authorized board size (a total board size discussed at the meeting was between three and five members) and that several votes earlier in the session had been taken when only two members raised their hands; the board therefore restated five items later in the meeting so that all three present members could vote.

The board did not release a written investigative report at the meeting; the suspension order specified retrieval logistics and the Dec. 5 appearance but did not include other disciplinary outcomes. The county has not provided additional documents or timetables beyond what was stated on the record.

Ending: The suspension is effective immediately and lasts through Dec. 5 unless the board extends or modifies it after further action or investigation. The board scheduled the regular meeting on Dec. 5, 2024, where the personnel matter may be revisited.