The city of Collegedale fired its director of parks and recreation, Traci Bennett-Hobek, citing “a pattern of conduct unbecoming of an employee and manager” after a disagreement between her and city planning department employees over tree placement spilled over into a broader argument.
Her firing contributed to an unsuccessful effort by one city commissioner to fire the city manager.
According to an incident report with statements from multiple city employees, on Feb. 10 Bennett-Hobek had been exchanging emails with Planning and Economic Development Director Kelly Martin and City Planner Kirsten Ert about new holes dug by the public works department for trees that would block areas of green space needed for outdoor programming.
By email, the department relayed to Bennett-Hobek that per her recommendation, they decided to fill the holes and asked for suggestions for new places for the trees, funded by a grant.
After failing to reach her colleagues by phone on Feb. 11, Bennett-Hobek went to Ert’s office with intentions to further discuss the placement of the trees. But the conversation took a turn, according to the incident report.