Former Augusta parks and rec director speaks out after departure

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Former Parks and Recreation Director Maurice McDowell is responding to what led up to his resignation.

Last month, Augusta commissioners approved his resignation and severance pay. He submitted a resignation letter on Feb. 13, effective that day.

This week, we’re still learning more about two investigations that led up to his departure.

His time in office was surrounded by controversy, which ended with his resignation, which he says was forced by city commissioners acting on advice from Augusta’s legal department.

“I wasn’t even given the opportunity for no suspension or anything. It was a part of a conversation that I had with … legal,” said McDowell.

The city’s equal employment opportunities office had looked into a claim by a city employee that McDowell harassed her.

A second investigation by an outside agency then heard from more city employees claiming they also had been harassed and discriminated against by McDowell.

That same investigation states he had engaged in unprofessional conduct, such as insulting or making fun of his employees, taunting them, and initiating inappropriate sexual discussions at work.

The city’s own EEO investigation says it couldn’t substantiate those claims but did find he discriminated by age.

McDowell says he was told to resign the same day the second investigation was given to commissioners, but feels the case against him wasn’t solid.

“I’m going to file a report against the attorney who did this because this is malpractice. He said it’s more probable than not. So in other words, basically what he’s saying is: You’re not innocent until you’re proven guilty. Six people said you did something, three people say you didn’t, and because it’s six versus three, we’re going to go with the six,” said McDowell.

Those witnesses go back to September of 2023.

Complaints in letters and emails accuse McDowell of toxicity and being hostile. Interviews with fellow employees gathered by these two investigations also mention favoritism to an employee who was a recreation associate.

Getting an iPad, building access, and a cellphone where others didn’t.

“You know why she did? Because she was the istrative assistant to the director and she had to work remotely some days. She needed to keep up with the director’s calendar,” McDowell said.

In the end, he says he’s moving on from Richmond County.

“They contradict themselves. I believe that speaks volumes. Again, I’m trying to put this behind me,” he said.

Commissioners approved moving forward with finding his replacement.

When we reached out to the city on his severance pay, following up with matching the findings of both investigations into McDowell and confirming if city staff wrote his resignation letter for him, they said, “We do not discuss personnel matters.”

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