PORTSMOUTH — City Council hired a new permanent city assessor and a new interim to replace outgoing interim Janey Culpepper after council members raised allegations of unspecified questionable behavior made against her.
Portsmouth’s city assessor’s office has been marred with turnover in recent years. Culpepper was hired as interim in March after the termination of her predecessor, Patrick Dorris.
Some council members said they were unaware Culpepper had vacated her position until just before they voted to hire a new permanent assessor and a new interim at Tuesday’s heated meeting. But the move also caught Culpepper off-guard. In an interview Wednesday with The Virginian-Pilot, she said she was neither fired nor did she formally resign before Tuesday’s vote.
Council member Mark Whitaker said a meeting with Culpepper took place outside of Monday’s closed session meeting with Mayor Shannon Glover, council member Bill Moody and others, which he called “improper” and “out of order.”
Culpepper confirmed she met with Glover and Moody after Monday’s closed session, where she was informed the council wouldn’t be hiring her permanently.
“I did tell them that I did not want to work for people who did not trust me and were bringing allegations against me. Did I submit a formal letter of resignation? No, I did not,” Culpepper said. “They did not notify me that they wanted me to remain on until the new person came … I have received nothing. Nothing in writing from City Council, period.”
Vice Mayor Lisa Lucas-Burke said Tuesday a “reputable source” shared concerns about Culpepper that she relayed to City Council members during Monday’s closed session. Moody said the “unfounded allegations” were being used to discredit Culpepper and hire other members’ preferred candidate.
Allegations of the questionable behavior levied against her were not disclosed at Tuesday’s meeting, but it was stated the city attorney’s office would be investigating. At least one issue seemingly stems from a request by Culpepper to have the city treasurer waive penalties and interest for a development group, which Culpepper told The Pilot Wednesday is “not that unusual.”
“I think it’s a bad situation that could have been easily resolved had they taken care of this on Monday night and called me in and talk to me like I would feel like a responsible council group should do,” Culpepper said. “I have done absolutely nothing wrong. I welcome an investigation.”
Culpepper was promoted to assessor in 2011 after working for the city for more than 20 years. She retired in 2017. Since she was rehired in 2023, the assessor’s office had taken on a review of city real estate assessments. While recent reassessments of residential properties shaved off more than $182 million in assessment value — lowering homeowners’ tax bills and the city’s tax revenue — reviews of commercial properties were rightsizing property values and identified additional revenues.
On Tuesday, the council voted 4-3 to hire Anthony George as the city’s next permanent city assessor, with a $130,000 salary and an April 1 start date. Glover, Moody and council member Mark Hugel voted against the appointment. The three were also unsuccessful in deferring the vote until the next City Council meeting in April, citing additional undisclosed concerns that the city attorney is also looking into.
Though not disclosed at the meeting, issues about George’s previous management in other offices in Washington, D.C. and Fulton County, Georgia were detailed in a 2012 Washington Post article, which states concerns about his attempts to lower property values without justification led to his termination in Georgia. He also was the subject of a federal discrimination lawsuit brought forward by several female appraisers, according to the news report.
Council members voted unanimously to appoint Victor Edwards as the interim, with a 10% pay raise.
Natalie Anderson, 757-732-1133, natalie.anderson@virginiamedia.com
