The head of Little Rock's public housing authority will resign in July, after less than nine months on the job as its full-time executive director.
Anthony Snell sent an email to the Metropolitan Housing Alliance's board of commissioners Thursday stating that he would leave the post effective July 7, board Chairman Kenyon Lowe said.
The commissioners accepted Snell's resignation Friday afternoon with a unanimous vote after an executive session that lasted about 45 minutes. State law allows closed meetings "for the purpose of considering employment, appointment, promotion, demotion, disciplining, or resignation of any public officer or employee."
Snell was chosen executive director in October after serving in the role on an interim basis. Before that, he was the authority's deputy executive director for real estate.
He declined to comment on his resignation Friday.
Lowe said Snell's departure was unexpected and that the explanation he gave the board was unclear.
"He gave some reasons, but they're his reasons," Lowe said. "They just didn't make sense."
Lowe did not have the letter available at Friday's meeting.
The chairman said the plan to replace Snell -- whether the agency will search nationally or promote from within -- is up for discussion.
"We'll hash it out and come up with a plan," he said.
Vice Chairman Lee Lindsey declined to comment on Snell leaving, saying that Lowe spoke for the whole board. The housing authority implemented a policy after its December board retreat that statements to reporters would come only from the executive director and from the board chair.
The agency has undergone several changes in top leadership over the past couple of years.
In November 2018, director Rodney Forte resigned after nearly six years at the housing authority. He'd requested to stay through the end of the year, but the board voted to push him out the day he turned in his resignation letter.
In December of that year, then-interim director Marshall Nash fired Dana Arnette, a deputy director and chief operating officer. She later filed a lawsuit against the agency for wrongful termination and retaliation.
Nash resigned abruptly in April 2019, and Snell replaced him as interim director before his appointment to the post in October.
When the agency last sought candidates for executive director following Forte's resignation, the board settled on three finalists. One withdrew from consideration before her interview, and Florida housing administrator Nadine Jarmon declined the agency's job offer.
Asked about the turbulence in staff leadership in recent years, Lowe said he was focused on the agency's mission and goals.
"As long as the board has a vision, we'll go forward," he said. "That's all that matters."
Information for this article was contributed by Ginny Monk of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Metro on 06/06/2020