"We tried to be as gracious as we could, but we got to the point that enough was enough," Mallonee said. "This lady has misused her office to fulfill her personal agenda. A person in public office should not do that."

On Tuesday, Mark J. Harris, a county Republican committee member, said Napier's demotion is directly related to an alleged "hit list" of employees that majority commissioners Joe Kantz and Malcolm Derk were accused of having when they took office.

Napier at that time said Kantz and Derk "were given a negative impression of me before I ever came into office."

She said the Republican commissioners had reprimanded her for sending an improper e-mail.

Derk said Thursday her failure to file homestead-farmstead information for the county played a role in her demotion.

A revised classification level and a 37.5-hour work week, in addition to a period of probation, took effect for Napier on May 20.

Wendy K. Cook, a full-time employee in the assessment office, was named acting chief assessor.

n E-mail comments about this article to tpursell@dailyitem.com.