Ex-employees: Fearful culture plagues museum

A group of former Museum of York County staffers has banded together to speak out against museum management, saying a hostile work environment discouraged them from sharing concerns about threats to historic sites and artifacts.

Top directors brushed aside the views of archaeologists and historians while they pursued ambitious plans for new venues, the group contended in interviews, documents and an appearance before York County Council members last week.

"If you didn't support upper management's ideas, then you were basically cut off," said former chief curator Sam Thomas, who resigned in 2006. "One of the most famous comments was, 'You're not being a team player.' That was the standard label everyone was hit with if they questioned anything."

Museum director Van Shields and other museum officials disagreed, saying employees were encouraged to speak up. They point to the museum's staff turnover rate, which they say is lower than that of similar nonprofits.

Rift over riverfront site

A key focus of the former employees' concerns: Plans for a state-of-the-art riverfront museum and home sites on land where experts discovered Catawba Indian relics and burial grounds.

Former staff archaeologist Annette Snapp said top directors pressed forward despite knowing the 400-acre site may have been home to remnants of a significant Native American village. No development has occurred, with the project on hold amid the recession.

Snapp said her dismissal in March 2007 came after she spoke out about the need for a full archaelogical survey. Tensions boiled over on a trip to Columbia with museum director Van Shields to talk with state officials about the property.

"During the trip, Van drove 80 mph and spoke loudly and aggressively, blaming me for the situation," Snapp said in a statement of grievance. "Van began immediately telling me that, 'This is not the Annette Snapp project.' He said this twice and when I said I did not understand... he said that I needed to be a team player."

Shields and other museum officials disputed the employees' portrayal of the work environment. In a sit-down meeting with The Herald on Friday, Shields and top assistants said they welcome a free exchange of ideas and opinions.

Recent criticism, Shields said, is coming from a handful of departed staffers in "an overt attempt to try to paint a picture that's not there."

"You kind of have to consider the source," said human resources director Julie Voges. "They are ex-employees."

Shields acknowledged driving 80 mph for parts of the trip to Columbia and said he has been known to raise his voice.

"I think I've made my mistakes sometimes in communicating with my own staff," Shields said. "I think I've learned from my mistakes."

Snapp was fired for continued insubordination, according to a notice of dismissal provided to The Herald. Supervisors say Snapp's disruptive behavior culminated on March 14, 2007, when she interrupted a meeting at Historic Brattonsville and got into a heated exchange.

The report states Snapp struck deputy director Owen Glendening on the back as he was turning to walk away. Snapp remembers it differently: She said it was more of a "see you later" shoulder tap.

Shields said museum officials always intended to do the archaeological work Snapp wanted. In the area set aside for development, an agreement with the developer called for the company to survey the property and ultimately protect sensitive areas. The museum foundation would oversee that work.

Former staffers have come forward as York County leaders prepare to take a close look at the museum, which has faced questions about delays on high-profile projects.

At the center of the discussion is Shields, whose strong-minded personality has earned admirers and critics over his 14-year tenure.

"He is an emotional guy," said Rock Hill businessman Gary Williams, a member of the museum's foundation. "To me, he's an open book. He's never kept anything back. If anything, he probably shares things too quick. He gets so excited."

Ex-employees say they feel compelled to speak up about what they remember as a dysfunctional workplace.

January Porter, an assistant staff archaeologist, recalled planning for a trail at Historic Brattonsville called "Veils of Time" that would take visitors past scenes from different periods in history.

Museum directors resisted attempts to study and document artifacts at sites along the trail, said Porter, who worked for one year on a contract basis. A full archaeological survey has never been done.

"You're not supposed to have an opinion," Porter told The Herald. "If they decide something's going to be done, that's how it's going to be. If we did weigh in on it, then we were complaining. And we were causing a problem."

At Brattonsville, records show the museum was awarded a $39,250 grant last year from the National Park Service to study the Revolutionary War battlefield where Huck's Defeat occurred. Other archaeological field work started in May, according to records.

Councilman: 'We have lost quality people'

The comments have prompted a range of responses from York County Council members, with some calling for action and others questioning whether these are typical frustrations of ex-employees.

"There's a vast number of good people who are not there anymore that have been let go due to this regime," said Councilman Joe Cox, a frequent museum critic. "We have lost quality people in some cases."

Cox noted several specialists moved on to similar posts in other museums, schools and institutions.

"If these people were so inept that we had to terminate them," Cox said, "how did they get jobs in their profession?"

Snapp is now a colloquium coordinator at Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers. Porter is curator of archaeology and collections for the Lincoln County (N.C.) Historical Association. Thomas is chief curator for the Cobb House museum in downtown Athens, Ga.

Fears over speaking up

Six ex-employees traveled to York last week to share their concerns at a televised County Council meeting. They spoke on behalf of others, said Cindy Jenkins, a visitor services manager from 1986 to 2008.

"Former employees have told me they are unable to speak up due to their current employment," Jenkins told council members. "Employees are told up front not to go to the CHC board or they will be immediately terminated."

Not true, says Shields and his team, pointing to a set of written policies that lay out a chain of command. If employees violate that chain, they might be counseled about proper procedures, but not terminated.

Many on the museum's 75-person staff have been hurt by what they view as false attacks, said Jeannie Marion, deputy director of marketing and visitor services.

"We've had a lot of staff that have seen that video (of the county council meeting) and gotten very upset," said Marion. "It's a distraction. And it's affecting a lot of morale right now."

Museum officials provided The Herald with information about employee retention. As of last year, the average tenure was just shy of eight years. The annual turnover rate is 11 percent, which is 8 percentage points below the average of non-profits, the officials say.

The taxpayer-funded museum organization is under scrutiny on other fronts:

The price tag for a children's museum in downtown Rock Hill has climbed to $1.2 million, causing supporters to pursue $300,000 in private donations to close the gap. The Junior Welfare League donated $150,000 last week.

Plans were pursued and then aborted with Cherokee Investment Partners, a nationally known development company that was brought in to develop the property.

The property was donated to the commission by Jane Spratt McColl, wife of former Bank of America Chairman Hugh McColl Jr.

Rick Owens, a preservation specialist from 2004 until he was fired in 2010, said he was involved in early planning to bring the children's museum to a historic bank building in downtown.

After reviewing the old People's Bank space, compiling constructioncost estimates and surveying similar venues around the region, Owens said he became convinced the building was too small to fit the number of visitors needed to support its budget.

Shields and Glendening "were determined to go ahead anyway because the city of Rock Hill wanted a museum closer to downtown," Owens said.

With space for 60 users at a time, the children's museum is projected to be revenue-neutral or slightly profitable, Shields and Glendening said. Planners trimmed the number of play zones from five to four. Some attractions are vertical, meaning they take advantage of the space.

The museum, designed to appeal to children up to age 6, anticipates annual attendance of between 15,000 and 20,000.

Motz: A board governs

the museum

York County officials are taking steps to make the museum more accountable, Council Chairman Buddy Motz said. Museum officials have been told to draft a written document laying out specific goals and timelines for projects.

In dealing with personnel, elected officials are limited in what they can do because the museum is governed by a board, Motz said.

"People who are dismissed from their job, it's just a natural tendency not to blame yourself, but to blame your employer," Motz said. "If there is an issue out there, I'm sure the board will address it."

Motz added, "How are we (council members) going to know why they were let go?"

Thomas, the former curator, said concerns voiced by former employees deserve attention if county officials are serious about reforming the museum. At stake, he said, is the stewardship of York County's historic places and artifacts.

"If they're going to be dealt with in what seems to be a cavalier manner, a lot of that heritage is going to be lost," Thomas said. "The people of York need to see more of what is actually happening behind the doors."

This story was originally published May 24, 2010 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Ex-employees: Fearful culture plagues museum."