NATCHEZ — An apparent argument between the city’s top tourism official and some of his staff members late last week prompted the mayor Tuesday to investigate the matter.

CVB Director Kevin Kirby is expected to return to work today after being asked to leave Natchez Visitor Reception Center premises Friday after an alleged, heated discussion between Kirby and other members of the CVB staff.

Natchez Convention and Promotion Commission attorney Christina Daugherty said Tuesday night at a commission meeting the incident involved a disagreement between Kirby and other members of the staff.

Daugherty said David Gammill, president of the NCPC, which oversees the CVB’s operations, told Kirby to leave the premises following the heated discussion.

Daugherty said whether Gammill or the commission had the power to fire Kirby was currently in question.

In an email obtained by The Natchez Democrat, Natchez City Attorney Hyde Carby addressed CVB employees and members of the commission Tuesday, saying Natchez Mayor Butch Brown was looking into the incident.

“Today the mayor was given information related to an incident that occurred this past Friday at the visitor center,” Carby wrote in the email. “He is gathering information from all staff before taking any action. Please be prepared to cooperate with personnel and the mayor’s office in this regard. Please refer to the city’s personnel policy for more information.

“In the meantime, please be aware that Kevin Kirby will return to the visitor’s center tomorrow so that the CVB’s business may continue while this inquiry is completed. Please conduct yourselves as normal.”

Carby said Kirby had not been fired.

“This is a personnel matter that the city is handling,” Kirby said after Tuesday’s meeting of the Natchez Convention Promotion Commission.

Commissioners spent several hours in an executive session Tuesday.

Gammill said the meeting was to discuss personnel matters regarding Friday’s incident, including employee performance.

Mayor Brown said Tuesday evening Kirby had not been fired.

“The only one that can fire him is me,” Brown said. “I can tell you he hasn’t been fired.”

The executive branch of the City of Natchez’s government — the mayor — administers Kirby, Brown said, and therefore Kirby’s employment comes under the mayor’s evaluation.

Brown said he mentioned the incident in a brief meeting Tuesday at city hall with Carby and some members of the board of aldermen. The meeting did not meet a quorum requirement to take any action or be considered a public meeting, the mayor said.

Brown said he was not in town Friday and had not met with Kirby since the incident.