Probe into racism claim advances
Allentown City Council member accuses city of attempt to ‘intervene’
Allentown City Council on Wednesday pushed forward its call for an investigation into allegations of racism in City Hall.
But a memo from the city’s legal department prompted one council member to accuse the city of attempting to “intervene” in the process.
A city spokesperson disputed the accusation and called the memo, which advised investigators not to interview city employees or view confidential personnel files, “standard procedure.” She said the city is in full support of the investigation.
The proposed investigation follows the abrupt departure of the city’s newly hired human resources director, who alleged he was wrongfully forced out of his job last month, and a public letter in July from members of the NAACP detailing alleged racism and discrimination among City Hall workers.
The letter accused Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk and other city leaders of ignoring reports of racism among city employees.
City Council earlier this month unanimously supported a resolution to use funds from council’s budget to pay for the investigation. At that meeting, several city employees said they had personally faced discrimination, and at least one had filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
The ordinance that council advanced Wednesday begins the process of hiring an outside investigator.
Before the preliminary vote Wednesday, deputy city solicitor Adam Rosenthal, on behalf of the city’s legal department, recommended several limitations to how council should conduct the investigation.
Based on the city’s legal analysis, Rosenthal
said, investigators should not interview former or current city employees; have access to confidential personnel files or privileged communications between the solicitor’s office and other employees; or make any specific recommendations for employee action.
A City Council investigation, according to the city’s home rule charter, has the right to subpoena witnesses, take testimony and require the production of evidence, Rosenthal said.
Council member Ed Zucal said Rosenthal’s statement is an attempt to intervene in the investigation.
“They’re trying to play intimidation, which doesn’t work with me,” Zucal said before the meeting.
City spokesperson Genesis Ortega disputed Zucal’s accusation, and said Rosenthal’s statement is a standard legal analysis.
“We’re not intervening,” Ortega said. “We fully support the investigation, we’re not saying we don’t want it to happen.”
Before the vote, Ortega detailed some of the employee initiatives the mayor is launching, including diversity, equity and inclusion trainings and employee satisfaction surveys.
Members of the public, including city employees who say they have faced discrimination, criticized the legal memo and called on the city to move the investigation forward.
“There is a lot of people who are going through stuff here, and we have to have this investigation happen,” said Karen Ocasio, an Allentown human resources generalist who said she has been bullied and discriminated against by co-workers. “This is just a way to just sweep it under the rug again, trying not to let the investigators speak to people to let the truth out.”
“If there is nothing to hide there should be a thorough investigation,” Allentown NAACP Secretary Barbara Redmond said. “Every person involved in the investigation should be interviewed.”
Council members unanimously moved the ordinance to a committee meeting for further discussion. Zucal said that meeting will take place in the next several weeks.