JONESBOROUGH, Tenn. (AP) -- The Washington County Election Commission Administrator has fired an employee and demoted another over an open meetings issue.

Administrator Connie Sinks told The Johnson City Press it was a trust issue, saying information was sent to the three commission members under a hand-written cover letter about a November meeting for which no public notice had been given. It wasn't clear whether the meeting took place.

The letter was found among documents that were set to be shredded.

As a result, Sinks fired administrative assistant Rebecca Vines and Maybell Stewart was stripped of her title as office manager and her pay was reduced. The newspaper reported Vines wasn't available for comment, but Sinks said Vines said she did nothing wrong.

At Friday's Election Commission meeting, the three members denied they received the letter or attended the meeting it referred to.