News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Smithville officials plan to address a woman’s complaint about employees at Green Brook Park.
Joann Hargrave has started a petition demanding changes to park staff. She said several citizens have noted instances of verbal harassment by park employees.
“People ended up posting comments on the petition that I created. This one woman got yelled at for holding hands with her husband,” Hargrave said. “People are told on multiple occasions that their kids are not allowed to run or get loud. One woman got bashed for breast feeding her child while being covered up with a blanket.”
One female employee allegedly threatened to ban Hargrave’s child from the park after he fell from a piece of playground equipment this month. Hargrave said citizens have stopped visiting the park because of bad experiences with the employees.
“People don’t want to come to our park anymore. It should be a beautiful place for our kids to play,” Hargrave said. “It’s not right that they get treated that way. My son was almost in tears because he thought he would not be allowed to come back to a park until the day he died.”
Hargave voiced her complaints during the Smithville Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting on Monday. Mayor Josh Miller said during the meeting that he’s already worked to address some of Hargrave’s complaints.
“After you called me the other day I did get with public works,” Miller said. “He addressed the situation, and since then we did have two resign from the park. That’s where it stands right now.”
Smithville aldermen will hold a future workshop to address the complaints and consider changes at the park.
