Four Graham Employees Terminated, Records Cite Drugs and Performance

The city of Graham dismissed four municipal employees over the past year and a half, according to personnel records provided to The Alamance News. The terminations span public utilities, police and recreation roles, and were accompanied by a series of additional personnel actions including three suspensions and one demotion disclosed to the newspaper.

The most recent dismissal occurred October 3, 2025, when wastewater plant operator Timothy Twitty, a 13 year city veteran hired June 18, 2012, was removed under the city policy described in records as a "zero tolerance" substance abuse rule. Tonya Mann, Graham’s public utilities director, notified Twitty that a breach of the policy "constitutes grounds for immediate termination." Records list Twitty’s salary before dismissal at about $63,380 annually and indicate use of "cannabinoids" was the basis for the action.

Earlier in 2025 the city dismissed two employees for unsatisfactory performance. Police officer Lyle Lance was terminated March 28, 2025 after an internal investigation concluded he had "demonstrated inefficiency, negligence, or incompetence" and had used city property in a "careless, negligent, or improper" manner. Lance had joined the force September 21, 2020 and earned about $57,280 annually. On March 5, 2025 the city also dismissed Derrick Evans, a 24 year old athletic facilities technician who had admitted substandard performance at a pre disciplinary conference. Evans had been on the recreation staff since April 22, 2024.

A November 27, 2024 dismissal involved police officer Ashley Reyes Mendoza, who was accused by then chief Mary K. Baker of "detrimental personal conduct" and of failing to "conduct their private and professional lives in such a manner as to avoid bringing reproach or discredit upon the department." The department’s policy labels such breaches "conduct unbecoming." Reyes Mendoza had been hired January 16, 2024 and earned about $60,144 annually before her departure.

The Alamance News obtained the records as part of an ongoing series on public sector disciplinary actions, and the city manager Megan Garner provided copies of the dismissal notices. Under North Carolina’s Public Records Law, local governments must release personnel actions and separation letters that explain terminations, a requirement that allows residents to assess how municipal employers enforce workplace standards.

For Graham residents the dismissals raise questions about operational continuity, public safety staffing and oversight of workplace conduct. The terminations also underscore the role of transparency in maintaining trust between local government and the community it serves.