There’s been a parting of the ways between the Oxford Chamber of Commerce and its executive director, and each side has a different tale to tell about what happened.

Nicole Stirrett was fired from the position she had held since July 2015.

She was the fourth director the chamber’s had since February 2007. Two of those previous directors, Amy Alder and Holly Bills, were fired in May 2008 and February 2014, respectively.

“This is a very sad situation that happened with the chamber’s executive director,” wrote Chamber President Deb Uren in a prepared statement, representing the chamber board of directors, that was emailed to this reporter on Sunday, June 24 in response to an earlier interview request.

Stirrett claims she was fired June 13 following a stormy encounter initiated by Uren.

“I was blindsided,” she said. “There was no warning.”

In the chamber’s official statement, Uren explained the chamber board “had a few concerns that were brought to our director and she was in agreement.”

“(On June 13), after discussing (these concerns) with her once again, she walked out of the office,” Uren wrote. “After her leaving that day, there were a few things that were done that were not in the best interest of the chamber.  This led to the chamber board calling a special meeting and the result of this meeting (was) a unanimous vote to terminate the executive director.”

When asked to provide specifics regarding these “few things that . . . were not in the best interest of the chamber,” Uren indicated the board chose to not comment “on any details.”

Stirrett sat down with the Leader last week to provide her version of what happened.

“I’m basically just telling my side of the story,” she said. “I’m not being vindictive. I’m just setting the record straight.”

According to her, she was sitting in the chamber office on June 13 when Uren “walked in and was very combative.”

“I told her that we need to talk. I don’t know what I’ve done wrong,” Stirrett said.

She said the two of them then had a private meeting during which Uren informed her that “I wasn’t doing my job and that I wasn’t downtown or in the office when I said I was.”

“I haven’t been in the office because a good director is not supposed to be in the office all day,” Stirrett explained. “I’m out visiting different members. I was collecting different donations for the golf luncheon. I was constantly out and about.”

Stirrett claims the discussion “got very ugly,” so she told Uren “this conversation is over.”

In response, she claims Uren told her, “I expect your resignation.”

“I said, ‘no,’” Stirrett continued. “We went back to the (chamber) office and she basically shut the door on me and told me to give her my passwords and get out. So, she fired me right on the spot.”

In a follow-up email to this reporter on June 25, Uren stated this was not true.

“No board member alone would have the authority to ‘fire’ an employee and nothing like that was said to the director,” she wrote. “Therefore, it was necessary for a special (board) meeting to be called the following week and all was discussed as stated in our previous statement.”

Prior to this incident, Stirrett claims there was “nothing whatsoever” to indicate that the chamber leadership was displeased with her job performance.

“No one ever came to me and said, ‘You’re not here. You’re not doing this. Why aren’t you in the office?’” she said.

Stirrett noted that whenever she was out of the office, there was a sign posted to let visitors know “I’m out meeting with chamber members.”

When it came to her bosses, she said, “I always made sure that they knew where I was. I can prove every place I’ve ever been. It’s not like I’m holding back information from them.”

Uren did not provide any specifics regarding why Stirrett was terminated.

“Many times a situation between an employee and employer (is) best not repeated in the public media,” she wrote in the chamber’s official statement. “It is in that regard that we choose to not address specific actions (from) the past and only discuss future emphasis. The chamber is moving forward in a positive manner and looks forward to the future.”

Looking back over her performance, Stirrett believes she did a lot to improve the chamber and “dig (it) out of a hole.”

“I’ve signed up over 100 new members,” she said, and implemented various “membership levels.”

She said she forged working relationships with the Downtown Development Authority, Polly Ann Trail and the Career and Technical Education program at Oxford High School.

Stirrett is also proud of the fact she went “above and beyond” to find charities for the chamber to partner with, re-branded the Women’s Expo, organized joint mixers with other chambers and created the Speaker Series.

“I’ve done all of this and it’s just not enough (for the chamber leadership),” she said.

Uren, in the chamber’s official statement, was complimentary of Stirrett’s work.

“(She) has done a good job in organizing our Christmas parades, the Women’s Expo, our monthly Coffee Connects, ribbon cuttings and mixers, just to name a few (things),” Uren wrote.

Stirrett feels “hurt” by what’s happened with the chamber. “I’m more heartbroken than anything,” she said.

She wishes someone from the chamber board had talked to her prior to the June 13 incident.

“If there’s an issue, I’d be more than happy to resolve it,” Stirrett said.

The only silver lining has been “the outpouring of support from the community,” which Stirrett described as “amazing.”

“Friday morning (June 15), my phone was blowing up because I wasn’t at (the chamber) golf luncheon,” she said. “People were just in shock and they didn’t understand.”

Despite the way things ended with the chamber, Stirrett wants people to know she harbors no ill will toward Oxford itself.

“I just want the community to know that I love them and that I support them,” she said. “I will always believe in the chamber. It is a good thing. I might not believe in the board, but I believe in what the chamber has to offer.”

“I just want to move on with my life. I love the town. I love all the businesses,” Stirrett added.

Uren noted that during the chamber board’s special meeting, “it was voted unanimously to ask our current office administrator to fill the position of interim director.”

To contact the chamber, send an email to info@oxfordchamber.net or call (248) 628-0410.