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HOPE MILLS — A former Hope Mills police administrative assistant has been charged with violating the privacy of employee personnel records, the New Hanover County District Attorney's Office said.

Melissa Smith was charged late Tuesday afternoon with the misdemeanor as part of an investigation into recorded conversations between town employees that were leaked to former Mayor Eddie Dees.

Benjamin R. David, the New Hanover County district attorney, said he decided to charge Smith based on the investigation presented to his office by the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office. The charge is a Class 3 misdemeanor, which carries a possible $500 fine.

"This charge stems from allegations that Ms. Smith improperly disclosed personnel information in her capacity as an employee of the town of Hope Mills," David said in a news release.

The town has scheduled a special meeting of the Board of Commissioners for 11 a.m. Friday to discuss the investigation.

Smith was served with a criminal summons by the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office, the New Hanover County DA's office said.

Smith could not be reached. Her husband, Richard, said his wife would not comment on the matter.

David said in the news release that his office "remains open to the possibility of additional charges being filed against other individuals if further evidence comes to light in the course of this ongoing investigation."

Reached by phone, David said he would not comment further.

The recordings came to light in June 2010 when Dees said a flash drive recording of conversations between town employees was left anonymously in his mailbox.

Some of the recordings included conversations between Town Manager Randy Beeman and Police Chief Robert Hassell.

Beeman apologized for his comments on the recordings. It later came to light that Beeman had criticized Dees and town Commissioner Tonzie Collins for what he perceived as interference in administrative matters.

Dees and Collins denied the allegations.

In October 2010, Beeman survived a move to fire him by a 3-2 vote.

Dees said that on the advice of the N.C. League of Municipalities, he turned the recordings over to Town Attorney John Jackson, who turned them over to the Cumberland County District Attorney's Office.

District Attorney Billy West said he referred the investigation to New Hanover County because of a possible conflict of interest with his office. West said one of his assistant district attorneys had a family member who worked for Hope Mills.

According to town human resources records, Smith worked for Hope Mills from July 1997 until August 2010, when she resigned.

Dees, who was defeated in a re-election bid in November, said the charges surprise him.

"I thought it might be covered under a whistle-blower act or something like that," he said. "My impression was that whoever released it was trying to right what they saw as a wrong."

Dees said he thinks the recordings might have originated from the police department but that he had no idea Smith might be involved.

Hassell, who has resigned his job effective Jan. 13, referred questions to Jackson. Jackson could not be reached for comment.

Collins, who denies he has interfered in administrative affairs, requested Friday's special meeting of the Board of Commissioners.

Collins has repeatedly asked Jackson for updates on the investigation. At the board's meeting Monday, Jackson said he expected charges to be filed.

"It's coming to a close, exactly what I wanted," Collins said.

Jackie Warner, who was elected mayor in November, said she does not know any specifics of the investigation and she would not comment because it remains open. Beeman declined to comment.