The recently suspended city administrator of Inver Grove Heights has been given a to-do list of things meant to “grow professionalism” and build trust with city workers.
The city council met last month behind closed doors to evaluate the job performance of Joe Lynch, who was investigated after a female coworker he supervises filed a complaint with the city in August, alleging that he made a sexually suggestive remark and called her names.
The investigation by a city-hired law firm concluded that Lynch violated the city’s Respectful Workplace Policy on two occasions. The council handed down a three-day, unpaid suspension Dec. 19.
City Attorney Tim Kuntz said this week that the council’s recent evaluation of Lynch focused on “increasing communication in the administration department. They felt that communication could be enhanced, improved.”
During the meeting, the council decided that the administration department ‘s supervisory structure should remain unchanged, Kuntz said.
As the city’s top worker, Lynch oversees 165 full-time employees, including six department heads, and several part-time employees. Lynch, city administrator since 2006, did not return calls for comment.
At the meeting, the council gave Lynch, who was in attendance, guidelines, directions and suggestions, according to summary written afterward by Kuntz. They include:
- Lynch should increase communication channels with those he supervises, including through weekly meetings.
- Lynch and department members should “strive to create an atmosphere of trust building and positive interactions and engage in professional relationship building.” Lynch must keep the council informed on progress.
- An independent consultant acting as a facilitator should train and coach Lynch and department staff on additional steps that can be taken to “build trust and foster positive interactions by building professional relationships.”
Kuntz said this week the consultant has not yet been hired and that he was unsure what it could cost the city.
According to a 65-page report of the investigation by Everett & VanderWielm, a Rosemount law firm, Lynch admitted to telling his coworker that she was acting “like a child” and a “teenager” and to “grow up.” The name-calling, which took place over two days in early April, came after she objected to Lynch reassigning a member of her staff.
Lynch’s use of “child” and “teenager” was disrespectful and violated workplace policy, which prohibits offensive behavior — defined as inappropriate comments, name-calling and disrespectful language, according to the report.
Lynch’s second violation was a “sexual innuendo” he made to the co-worker, according to the report.
On July 9, shortly before a council meeting, Lynch approached the co-worker in the presence of another employee and complimented her on a dress she was wearing. He asked her if she was going on a date that night. She said she did have a date, but was going to take the dress off — meaning that she planned to change beforehand, according to the report.
Although Lynch admitted he knew what she meant, the report said, he responded with “something along the lines of, ‘You’re going to take your dress off for your date already?’ ”
According to the report, the comments were “objectively offensive” and “carried the unmistakable implication that (she) intended to engage in sexual activities while on her date.”
The council determined other allegations that either were in the complaint or addressed in the report were either “not substantiated” or had “insufficient evidence.”
Lynch was paid a little more than $153,000 last year. His salary for 2019 has yet to be determined, Kuntz said.
Everett & VanderWielm charged the city about $45,000 to investigate the woman’s claims, according to city records.