Case Name: Carolyn WESTBROOK v. GREENVILLE COUNCIL ON AGING
Court: Mississippi Supreme Court
Jurisdiction: Mississippi
Decision Date: 1992-04-15
Citations: 599 So. 2d 948
Docket Number: No. 89-CC-1198
Parties: Carolyn WESTBROOK v. GREENVILLE COUNCIL ON AGING.
Judges: ROY NOBLE LEE, C.J., HAWKINS and DAN M. LEE, P.JJ., and PRATHER, SULLIVAN and PITTMAN, JJ., concur.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 599
Pages: 948–951

Head Matter:
Carolyn WESTBROOK v. GREENVILLE COUNCIL ON AGING.
No. 89-CC-1198.
Supreme Court of Mississippi.
April 15, 1992.
Stella Terrell, Yazoo City, for appellant.
Wayne 0. Lee, Greenville, for appellee.

Opinion:
McRAE, Justice,
for the court:
I.
In this appeal from an administrative agency, the outcome determinative inquiry is whether the findings and decision of the Board of Review of the Mississippi Employment Security Commission are supported by substantial evidence. The appeals referee found Carolyn Westbrook guilty of disqualifying misconduct and denied her benefits. On appeal, the Board of Review reversed the appeals referee's decision.
The Circuit Court of Washington County reversed the Board of Review and denied benefits by order dated September 5, 1989. From that order, Westbrook appeals. We affirm.
II.
Carolyn Westbrook had been employed as Executive Director of the Greenville Council on Aging for ten months when she was discharged on October 13, 1988, for repeated acts of alleged misconduct connected with work. She was discharged by unanimous vote of the 21-member Board
The Council on Aging depends upon the United Way and the South Delta agencies for funding. The Board had received numerous complaints regarding Westbrook's aggressive performance and action. Due to her inability to get along with people at these funding agencies after having been warned, it was the Board's decision to terminate her services.
The Council on Aging Board had discussed with Westbrook her temper, hostile relationship and lack of rapport with these agencies, and had stressed to her the importance of cooperation. However, complaints continued to be made regarding Westbrook's performance.
Westbrook herself admits that she could not get along with the people at United Way and South Delta Planning and Development District. She made the comment that "she had to set the ladies straight at United Way." And while the Board was impressed with Westbrook, they felt her inability to exercise reasonable control over her aggressive tendencies hindered her performance.
The evidence also showed that West-brook made a statement to a newspaper suggesting that four of the Board members had conflicts of interest and should resign. She in fact reported one such member to the Ethics Commission, and she had refused or failed in her responsibility as Executive Director to pay interest on a note due at Sunburst Bank. This note was made by the Council on Aging in order to pay the salaries of its employees.
III.
The scope of review in appeals from decisions of an administrative agency is:
When an administrative agency has performed its function, and has made the determination and entered the order required of it, the parties may then appeal to the judicial tribunal designated to hear the appeal. The appeal is a limited one, however, since the courts cannot enter the field of the administrative agency. The court will entertain the appeal to determine whether or not the order of the administrative agency (1) was supported by substantial evidence, (2) was arbitrary or capricious, (3) was beyond the power of the administrative agency to make, or (4) violated some statutory or constitutional right of the complaining party. This rule has been thoroughly settled in this state, (citations omitted)
Mississippi Employment Security Commission v. Ballard, 228 So.2d 361, 362 (Miss.1969).
There was little, if any, factual dispute between Westbrook's testimony and that of the board president, the former board president and the board's secretary. After several hearings with the board in which certain complaints from funding agencies were discussed, President Johnny Ashcraft, Jr. concluded that the following led to Westbrook's discharge: her temper, her very aggressive and hostile nature in working with people, in particular, the personnel of the Greenville United Way and South Delta Planning and Development District.
We have little trouble concluding that Westbrook has been shown by "substantial, clear and convincing evidence" to be guilty of "conduct evincing such willful and wanton disregard of the employer's interest as is found in deliberate violations or disregard of standards of behavior which the employer has the right to expect from his employee." Shannon Eng. & Const. v. Emp. Sec. Com'n, 549 So.2d 446, 448-50 (Miss.1989) Wheeler v. Arriola, 408 So.2d 1381, 1383 (Miss.1982).
This is disqualifying misconduct within the meaning of Miss.Code Ann. § 71-5-513(A)(1)(b) (Rev.1989), and accordingly, we affirm the Circuit Court order denying unemployment compensation benefits to Westbrook.
AFFIRMED.
ROY NOBLE LEE, C.J., HAWKINS and DAN M. LEE, P.JJ., and PRATHER, SULLIVAN and PITTMAN, JJ., concur.
BANKS, J., dissents by separate written opinion joined by ROBERTSON, J.