Hogle's notes reveal ongoing issues

Bradenton attorney H. Hamilton “Chip” Rice Jr. will conduct an independent investigation of allegations that Longboat Key Planning, Zoning and Building Director Monica Simpson, who was placed on paid administrative leave Friday, Oct. 14, created a hostile work environment.

According to an Oct. 19 letter sent to Rice by W. Reynolds Allen, the town’s labor attorney, the investigation will likely include a review of Simpson’s personnel file, notes from a preliminary investigation conducted by Police Capt. Bill Tokajer and interviews with Simpson and those who worked alongside her — including former Town Manager Bruce St. Denis, who resigned last month.

The investigation will likely find glowing remarks in Simpson’s personnel file. Simpson’s last annual review was in 2004, when she held the position of planner. In that evaluation, then P&Z Director Jill Jeglie described Simpson as “exemplary,” a “self-starter” and someone who “excels at everything.”

But Tokajer’s notes from interviews with employees who worked under Simpson — who became P&Z director in 2006 — tell a different story of Simpson as a manager.

Eight employees told Tokajer that Simpson was verbally abusive.

Seven said that she creates a stressful work environment.

Five “said that they are in fear or terror to ask any questions because of the abusive reactions.”

Four described her actions as “explosive.”

“She was a great co-worker but has poor management skills,” Tokajer wrote that one employee said.

“There use (sic) to be a respect at the office but it is gone,” another said.

Ongoing issues
The notes and calendar of Longboat Key Police Chief Al Hogle, who served as acting town manager until Oct. 17, were released in response to a public records request. They give the following account of the events that led up to the investigation of Simpson.

At 9:30 a.m. Friday, Oct. 14, a P&Z employee “reported that he wanted to discuss something with me that had been troubling him for a long time. Basically, he advised that he had been the victim of verbal abuse and is being bullied by his supervisor (PZB Department Head Monica Simpson).”

He told Hogle that Simpson routinely yells at “almost everyone on her staff” but that her management style is “particularly harassing to him.”

A second employee came to Hogle shortly after the first employee left his office, saying he wanted to confirm his co-worker’s account. That employee told Hogle that Simpson used profanity and described her office management style as “extremely embarrassing and a detriment to the town of Longboat Key.”

He told Hogle of an incident in which he had questioned the filing work he was assigned, which he felt was below his pay-grade status.

“She yelled at him something to the effect, ‘Any [expletive] monkey can do that job,’” Hogle wrote. “PZB Employee No. 2 advised that he replied something to the effect, ‘Then get one.’”

The employees’ meetings with Hogle weren’t the first time that issues with Simpson were documented. According to Hogle’s notes, PZB Employee No. 2 met with human resources to discuss his issues with Simpson.

“(Human Resources Director Lisa Silvertooth) advised that she had talked with Bruce St. Denis about the problem and that the problem seemed to be continuing,” he wrote. “She confirmed that Heather Vogel (of Vogel & Vogel, who conducted town of Longboat Key employee surveys for three consecutive years) had put something in writing after the last interview with the employees and that the town manager should place Simpson into anger management training.”

Hogle’s notes state that St. Denis instead instituted a zero tolerance policy for Simpson about abusing employees.

Hogle’s notes state that he contacted Allen at 10:30 a.m. that Friday and wrote that he feared putting the town into liability if it didn’t take immediate action to protect employees. Allen agreed that Hogle could use Tokajer to conduct preliminary interviews with employees to determine whether a formal investigation was necessary. Allen sent Hogle a suggested statement for Tokajer to read at the beginning of each meeting with employees, stating that participation was voluntary and that Simpson was being investigated for a personnel matter and not a criminal one.

At 1 p.m., Hogle met with incoming interim Town Manager David Bullock to give him an overview of the situation.

At 3:45 p.m., he called Simpson to advise her of the investigation.

At 4 p.m., Hogle met with P&Z staff to notify them of Tokajer’s investigation.

Tokajer began his interviews that afternoon.

At 8 p.m. Town Attorney David Persson called Hogle after a P&Z employee contacted him. Hogle wrote that Persson suggested that an outside interviewer might better handle the matter but concurred that Tokajer was an acceptable choice “as long as we did not see proof beyond a reasonable doubt, but rather a fact-finding mission to determine the next best step.”

Tokajer interviewed eight P&Z employees over the next two days, according to his notes.

Hogle met with Tokajer Sunday morning. They then participated in a conference call with Persson and Allen, along with Bullock, who participated only as an observer. Hogle wrote that the group advised him to put Simpson on administrative leave with pay. Hogle then began calling commissioners alphabetically to advise them on the situation.

But commissioners expressed concern with the speed at which Hogle acted. Mayor Jim Brown called an emergency meeting last Monday afternoon. Brown said at that meeting that his suggestion was to put Simpson on a two-week leave while an independent survey was conducted. He argued that Hogle and Simpson could both be considered contenders for the long-term town manager role, which added to the appearance of impropriety. But commissioners Lynn Larson and Hal Lenobel defended Hogle, arguing that he had acted within his role as acting town manager. The commission voted 5-2 to remove Hogle from the role of acting town manager and appointed Susan Phillips, assistant to the town manager, to serve until Nov. 1, when Bullock assumes the role of interim town manager.

To be continued
Simpson, who was hired by the town in 2001 and receives an annual salary of $104,520, remains on administrative leave.

On Oct. 18, Phillips sent Simpson a letter outlining her current standing.

The letter states that an offer from Hogle for three months’ severance in exchange for Simpson’s resignation is withdrawn. Simpson currently cannot enter Town Hall without Phillips’ permission and must go through Phillips to contact town employees. She must remain available by cell phone during normal working hours.

The letter states that Simpson will have the opportunity to respond to allegations and present her allegations to the town manager.

According to Allen’s letter, the town hopes to have the investigation completed no later than Nov. 15.

Employee issues
The 2011 Town of Longboat Key Employee Survey conducted by Heather Vogel, of Vogel & Vogel, included the following findings. (The Planning, Zoning and Building Department’s 10 employees and Management Information Systems Department’s four employees were grouped together in a single category.)
• “While still a challenge area at 62%, Town Hall MIS/PZB experienced a 10% jump in satisfaction with feedback.”
• “Town Hall MIS/PZB has seen a steady decrease in leadership satisfaction since 2009, dropping 24% over the two-year period.”
• “Job satisfaction scored highest in Public Works (94%) and lowest in Town Hall MIS/PZB (69%).”
• “Town Hall MIS/PZB (-13%) and Police (12%) experienced a significant reduction in teamwork satisfaction.”

Capt. Bill Tokajer's interview notes: