Cumberland Island superintendent leaves

The Superintendent of Cumberland Island National Seashore has left his job amidst questions about his leadership. A Park Service spokesman confirms only that Jerry Brumbelow is no longer employed by the Park Service.

Brumbelow was Cumberland Island Superintendent for four years until higher-ups re-assigned him to the Atlanta regional office about a year ago. A spokesman says, in Atlanta, he retained his title, but was effectively replaced on the coast with a series of interim superindentents.

His sidelining came amidst a controversy involving use of inmate labor on the island. Camden County Sheriff Bill Smith was using inmates for construction on a private home on Cumberland Island. Brumbelow allowed the construction to take place without a permit and also authorized use of a Park Service barge to haul building materials. Inmate labor then became a central issue in state and federal investigations of Smith's office.

Finding a permanent replacement could take several months.