City Hall denies allegations
By Stephanie Brien
Journal Times | Posted: Tuesday, July 22, 2008 12:00 am
RACINE - Mayor Gary Becker's administrative assistant since 2003, Sandra Tingle, last week sent the city attorney allegations of sexual harassment against City Administrator Ben Hughes.
Becker is defending Hughes and stressed that the allegations against Hughes are untrue.
Tingle is a former board member of the local Democratic Party of Racine County and is married to former Racine Alderman Frank Tingle.
Sandra Tingle's attorney, Nola Cross, sent a letter to the city attorney's office Wednesday alleging sexual harassment. On Friday, the mayor told Tingle it was her last day on the job, Cross said.
"I don't think I have ever seen such swift retaliation," Cross said. "It's very clear and rapid retaliation for raising an issue of sexual harassment."
In an interview Monday with The Journal Times, Becker declined to confirm Tingle was fired, but said she no longer works at City Hall. Becker said Tingle knew her termination was coming and that it was not a result of the sexual harassment allegations.
Becker said he sent Tingle an e-mail July 8 letting her know that the 11th would be her last day. She asked to stay until July 18 and Becker said he agreed.
"For her to say the first she heard of it was the 18th is not even close to reality," Becker said.
Becker said Tingle's status as a city employee was a personnel issue and would not comment on it. "It's not for me to tell people why someone moved on," Becker said.
Tingle has worked for the mayor since May 2003 and Hughes started as city administrator in October 2007.
Scott Letteney, of the city attorney's office, backed the mayor.
"The fact that Ms. Tingle doesn't work here anymore has nothing to do with the letter from Ms. Cross," Letteney said.
Becker said this is the first complaint he has heard about Hughes.
"It was so brand new it was bizarre," Becker said.
According to Tingle's letter to the city attorney, she alleges Hughes talked to her about his sex life and played favorites with certain female employees.
Hughes denied ever discussing his sex life with Tingle or any city employee. "The fact that it was not formally filed should speak volumes," Hughes said.
Becker and Hughes explained that the two of them acted as direct supervisors to Tingle and, therefore, established her work expectations.
For instance, Hughes sent Tingle correspondence saying she was to answer all incoming phone calls, even while on the phone. She was to put people on hold to do so. On rare occasions she could allow calls to go to the city attorney's office, but if she did not comply she would be terminated, the correspondence stated.
Tingle alleges Hughes treated her unfairly and that other co-workers did not receive such mandates. Hughes and Becker explained that Tingle received the mandate because she works for them and other administrative assistants do not.
In another instance, Tingle alleges that she received an overnight bag and chocolates from Hughes. Hughes said he never gave Tingle an overnight bag and explained the chocolates.
Hughes said around Christmas last year he received a box of chocolates from a bank representative and later dropped them off with Tingle to share with the entire staff.
Cross will be filing a formal complaint with both the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Wisconsin Equal Rights Division, she said.
After the complaints are filed the agencies could choose to hold a hearing or the case could go to court, Cross said.
"People have a right to protect themselves in their work places… and in Racine people's legal rights are in jeopardy," Cross said.