Yancey, in a brief interview, said she was not familiar with the exchange between Butts and Hicks and said she was surprised by the inquiry. When asked about online posts listing her as a contact person for a First Baptist women’s ministry breakfast or as a minister presiding over church events, she referred all questions to Hawley.

Hawley declined to address the disagreement between Butts and Hicks or Yancey’s involvement with Jones’ church.

Yancey, the former county administrator in Charles City County, “has a strong financial and management background and has worked in several city departments over many years,” Hawley said in an email.

“Even once, in 2013, she was asked by the director of social services not to accept a promotion she had landed with the city library to stay on at DSS to help the department through some challenging times,” she continued.

Butts said Yancey was moved to his office as Hicks and others worked to restructure the city’s beleaguered social services agency.

Yancey has worked for the city twice, according to Hawley: for three years ending in 1999, as an analyst ultimately making $42,149 annually; and beginning in 2009, when she was hired as a deputy director at the Department of Social Services making $108,000 annually.