The personnel files of five workers laid off by the Hamilton County Clerk's Office in January show three had mixed records -- some poor performance reviews and complaints, but also some accolades.
The remaining two received generally positive performance reviews.
Pamela Patton was the most senior of the laid-off employees with 19 years in the office. Her file included several letters from taxpayers praising her work and positive notes in her performance reviews.
But the file also included notes describing Patton, 49, as frustrated about lack of career advancement and someone with financial problems. The file notes that she borrowed money from at least one co-worker, and that people twice came to the office asking her to repay money they said she owed. Patton said she repaid the money. The file shows her wages were garnisheed after she filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy.
There's also a police complaint filed by her ex-husband alleging Patton made harassing phone calls to him. The complaint later was dismissed.
Patton questioned why that information was included in her report, saying it pertained to personal issues outside of the workplace.
"They nitpicked with me," Patton said. "I did my job ... I hung in there. I went through pure hell. I was at the age where I couldn't just put up with another job."
County Clerk Bill Knowles' office provided copies of the laid-off employees' files but declined to comment.
Patton and another laid-off worker, Monica Hubbard Hardwick, said they have filed discrimination complaints with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission over their layoffs. Hardwick alleges discrimination because of disability, a brain injury. Patton's claim alleges race, age and wage discrimination and a violation of her human rights.
Knowles has said he believed the layoffs were fair and had to be made because fee collections plunged in his office during the recession.
Fee slowdown
The clerk's office collects fees for vehicle registrations and various licenses. County records show that in fiscal 2008, Knowles turned over $553,000 in excess fees -- money left after paying for operation of the office.
In 2009, excess fees were only $89,000. In January of this year, records show Knowles asked for $155,000 from his excess fees in two separate requests to cover operating expenses. Knowles has turned over at least $8.18 million in excess fees to the county since he was elected in 1974, records show.
Four of the laid-off employees -- Nina Kvestad, Felecia Mason, Patton and Hardwick -- worked as intake specialists, waiting on the public and handling motor vehicle transactions. The fifth, Phillip Eskew, worked in the miscellaneous tax division.
Some of the laid-off workers said it's unfair that they were not offered part-time work that was made available to Knowles' son, Finley, from January 2008 to April 2009. Finley Knowles, the office's chief administrative deputy, took part-time status and kept his county health benefits while he started his own business.
From the files
Eskew, who started in 1995, had notes in his file criticizing him for tardiness and poor behavior. There was one e-mail from a taxpayer thanking Eskew for helping him with a transaction.
In January 2009, business manager Susie Holloway wrote to Eskew that he had received his "worst evaluation ever" and said if he did not show improvement, "termination will be considered." In a follow-up e-mail, Eskew promised he would improve. The file does not contain any more recent evaluations.
Eskew did not return a message seeking comment.
Kvestad was hired in 2007. She acknowledged she had problems early in training, including tardiness. Kvestad does not own a car and said she depended on others for rides to and from work. Her 2008 review shows her excelling in nearly every other aspect of her job.
Her training reviews showed she had early struggles, including telling one customer his paperwork "smelled like pot," which management said was "unprofessional."
Kvestad agreed and apologized.
"That's a very difficult job," Kvestad said in an interview. "Once you get the hang of it, it's all good. That was a lot of information to take in all at once; I had a little difficulties when I first started."
Hardwick, hired in 2005, received positive letters from taxpayers and generally positive evaluations.
"Monica is very professional with her customers," one evaluation comment reads. "She always greets them with a smile and goes out of her way to help them."
Mason was hired in 2008. Her review that year noted her potential and included only minor criticism.
"Felecia gives great customer service," her evaluation reads. "She is polite, makes calls for customers, works with management for resolution and faxes documents if necessary."