NATCHEZ — A local garden club has penned a letter to city officials in support of embattled Convention and Visitors Bureau Director Kevin Kirby.

In a letter to Natchez Mayor Butch Brown, Pilgrimage Garden Club President Bridget Green, President-Elect Regina Charboneau and 13 other club members defended Kirby.

Following a Feb. 12 heated discussion at the Visitor Center between Kirby and another member of the staff, Kirby was asked to leave the building.

Kirby’s wife, Bonnie, a PGC employee, was reportedly present at the incident.

The PGC letter reads, “As a board, we are united in our support of the CVB director.”

The club wrote that cooperation at the CVB is crucial during the tricentennial for both the club and Natchez tourism.

“There needs to be a professional board that is willing to work with the CVB director to realize the potential that we all see in him,” the letter reads.

The Natchez Convention Promotion Commission, or the CVB board, passed a resolution at its Feb. 29 meeting that rescinded all authority Kirby had to represent the commission.

Brown has said he spoke with Kirby about his wife’s involvement at the CVB, insisting that she stay away from the visitor’s center for all reasons except social visits.

The PGC’s letter suggests the problems at the CVB could be traced to the commission’s inability to form a relationship with Kirby at the beginning of his employment, which began in October 2014.

“It is not surprising to have failed communication when the CVB board was absent for months,” the letter states. “We feel the CVB board needs to be held accountable for disruption of the director’s daily and necessary duties. This entire situation is more than counterproductive. Their obstructive actions have stopped the momentum of progress cold.”

The letter goes on to assert the board was more or less uninvolved until “for unknown reasons beginning in late December, they became a micromanaging board.”

Commission chairman David Gammill said the PGC’s analysis is misinformed.

“The board has been involved continuously in my opinion,” Gammill said. “The issues in which require board meetings and attention in addition to our standard monthly meeting started to increase on Jan. 14 forward.”

The board lacked a quorum for the first three months of 2015, Gammill said, because of the departure of two commissioners.

The Natchez Board of Aldermen voted Maggie Fromm and Dennis Switzer onto the commission in summer 2015 after Mayor Brown recommended them.

“I think the commission has made every effort to address issues and items with personnel in a timely, equitable, thorough and complete manner,” Gammill said. “I do agree that the timing is very unfortunate. However, you don’t get to pick when issues and problems arise, and it’s the responsibility of the commission to address (problems) as soon as possible.”

Bonnie Kirby was formerly the PGC event coordinator and is now the club’s gift shop manager.

PGC President-Elect Regina Charboneau said Bonnie’s connection had nothing to do with the club’s support of Kevin Kirby.

“We like Kevin, we like the job Kevin’s doing,” Charboneau said. “The thing I like about him, he’s been very inclusive with everyone.”

Charboneau said Kevin Kirby had shown success in fostering cooperation between tourism entities in Natchez.

“It seems someone is angry with him on a personal level, not on a professional level,” Charboneau said. “It’s just kind of personality-driven, and sadly, I know all the personalities, as does the club, and we just feel like this poor guy, somebody’s railroading him. It’s just terrible that he’s had to defend himself like this.”