The Mid-Coast Solid Waste Board of Directors of Rockport, Maine announced earlier this month they have contracted with Tokunboh- Baridi Nkokheli to oversee operations at their regional waste treatment facility.
Known as Baridi Nkokheli during his time with the city of Fort Smith as landfill manager, was terminated in December 2015 by then acting city administrator Jeff Dingman for “violation of personnel policies and the code of business conduct.”
According to an anonymous source, Nkokheli allegedly received a "glowing recommendation" from someone with the city of Fort Smith during the hiring process in Maryland despite threatening to file an unlawful termination lawsuit after his dismissal in 2015.
Nkokheli claimed he was fired for insubordination over an unauthorized demotion and "unauthorized use" of city equipment. Dingman said the firing was for a loan from a city vendor associated with the landfill who later stated he made the loan in an effort to " to maintain favor for the city’s business ".
Nkokheli, an African American, never filed the lawsuit, but there was a minority faction on the Fort Smith Board of Directors that opposed the termination and speculated on how the public would "perceive" the situation in terms of "possible discrimination" by the city.
Nkokheli, who currently lives in Baltimore, will move to the Rockport area in August to manage the facility for the four town communities of Camden, Hope, Lincolnville and Rockport. He was hired at an annual salary of $75,000.
Today in Fort Smith intends to attempt to ascertain who in Fort Smith City government gave Baridi the alleged"glowing recommendation" during the hiring process by contacting Rockport city officials on Monday.
