City Manager Artie Bryson responds to allegations
By Barb Pert Templeton
At an Aug. 18 meeting of the Algonac City Council Councilman Michael Bembas asked to add a closed session meeting to the agenda to review the conduct of a city employee. His request was seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Dawn Davey.
“I’d rather discuss these things behind closed doors then in a public forum,” Bembas said.
Mayor Rocky Gillis reminded the council that adding an agenda item had to be a unanimous decision. When a vote was tallied Gillis and Councilmen Jake Skarbek and Ed Carter voted no, while Davey and Councilwomen Wendy Meldrum and Cathy Harris voted yes. The item was not added to the agenda.
The reasons offered for those casting no votes was the fact that the city attorney was not present.
In a phone interview on the day after the meeting Bembas expressed exasperation at the refusal of his fellow council members to hold a meeting to discuss issues at city hall. He noted it was the third time in as many weeks that a meeting was cancelled or just denied.
Bembas, who has served on city council for nearly a decade, went on to state the following concerns related to Bryson’s conduct and issues at city hall:
· He alleges Mr. Bryson has used conduct unbecoming a city manager by his treatment of female employees – alleges “gender harassment” “yelling at and demeaning these women” using them as an excuse for things not getting done when they had nothing to do with whatever the issue was at the time. (Bembas stated that he interviewed all four female employees including Clerk Lisa Borgacz prior to her recent resignation.)
· He has concerns for how money is being spent – not theft – but charges for things not approved by the council including questionable employee travel costs, not taking bids on projects or getting approval from council – just hiring workers himself. Employees getting raises that were not planned and council wasn’t informed.
· Allegations of drinking with employees (after hours) at the DPW Department – specifically claims he has a photo of Mr. Bryson pouring said alcohol into paper cups for employees
· Bembas also alleges the city manager wants to get his friends and family on the payroll. Example not putting the clerk opening on the MML page just putting it on Facebook so there will only be local applicants.
“I’m not picking on Artie, these are things I would ask any city manager, this is not a personal vendetta,” Bembas said. “In fact, I (originally) thought with his experience and knowledge of the community he would fit in here.”
Algonac Councilman Michael Bembas.
Bembas stated that if he doesn’t get the opportunity to speak on these matters behind closed doors soon, he will be hiring an attorney himself to pursue the matter. He also said if there’s no meeting, he will start posting things on social media once a week sharing what he’s been seeing.
“We are at the point where we really need some transparency,” Bembas said.
When contacted by phone on Aug. 19 Mayor Pro Tem Dawn Davey said she has been contacted by several employees about issues at city hall so that’s her main concern.
“Our responsibility as council members is to address concerns brought to us by city staff,” she said.
City manager responds to allegations
In an email to Bryson on Aug. 19 Blue Water Healthy Living asked the city manager for his responses to some of the things Councilman Bembas has alleged.
He replied via email and broke the topics into sections offering lengthy replies, some that were edited slightly for space.
“I have difficulty responding to several of the allegations attributed to Councilman Bembas because they are broad accusations without specific incidents, dates, expenditures or other facts identified,” Bryson began. “If specific allegations are provided to me, I will respond to them directly and provide documentation where appropriate.”
Algonac City Manager Artie Bryson.
Treatment of Female Employees
I categorically deny that I have engaged in gender harassment or mistreated employees because they are women. I have never yelled at the female employees at city hall, and I am unaware of a specific incident supporting the allegations being made. If Councilman Bembas is alleging that I engaged in gender harassment, demeaned an employee, or blamed an employee for something she did not do, then I believe he should identify the specific incident so that I have a fair opportunity to respond.
As city manager, part of my responsibility is supervising employees, establishing expectations, evaluating performance and making changes to city operations. Employees may not always agree with those decisions, but disagreement with management decisions is not gender harassment.
City Spending, Travel, Hiring and Employee Raises
Again, I need specifics to meaningfully respond.
I do not know what “questionable employee travel costs” Councilman Bembas is referring to. I have never charged the city for my own travel expenses during my tenure as city manager.
I am also unaware of city projects or expenditures that I have improperly authorized without required council approval.
If Councilman Bembas identifies a specific purchase, project or expenditure that he believes was improperly authorized, I will gladly address it and provide the applicable documentation.
Hiring city employees is an administrative responsibility of the city manager under the city’s form of government. Employee wage adjustments made this fiscal year were provided for within the city’s adopted budget.
Alcohol at the DPW
Councilman Bembas reportedly claims that he has photographs of me pouring alcohol into paper cups for employees at the DPW. I have not seen the photographs he is referring to.
Hiring Friends and Family
The allegation that I am attempting to put friends and family on the city payroll is simply false.
There was previously a rumor that I intended to hire my nephew at the city’s water plant. That was never my intention. My nephew owns and operates his own business, Champion’s Auto Ferry, and has never been a candidate for a position at the city’s water plant.
The suggestion that the city clerk position was intentionally advertised only on Facebook to restrict the applicant pool to local candidates is also incorrect. The city clerk position is currently advertised through the Michigan Municipal League.
Conditions at City Hall
There have been changes in expectations and management practices since I became city manager. Not everyone will necessarily agree with every change I make. That is part of managing an organization.
I understand Councilman Bembas interviewed four female employees. I do not know why he selected that particular group. If the purpose is to assess employee morale under my administration, I believe any assessment should consider employees throughout the organization, including DPW, the Fire Department and other city operations.
My responsibility as city manager is to make operational decisions based on what I believe best serves Algonac residents and taxpayers.
Employee morale is important to me, but maintaining existing practices simply because they are preferred by employees cannot take priority over providing good public service.
My Relationship with Councilman Bembas
I believe Councilman Bembas and I have significant disagreements regarding the proper roles of an individual council member and the city manager.
Early in my tenure, Councilman Bembas attempted on more than one occasion to persuade me not to place matters on the council agenda because, according to him, I did not have the votes for them to pass. My response was that whether a motion passes or fails is ultimately council’s decision. My responsibility is to bring appropriate matters before council and allow the seven-member council to deliberate and vote. Interestingly, matters I was told did not have sufficient support subsequently received council approval.
On one occasion, Councilman Bembas entered a city staff meeting and confronted me in front of employees, yelling and using profanity. Multiple individuals witnessed the incident. Despite that experience, I have tried to keep disagreements between Councilman Bembas and me professional and focused on city business.
If Councilman Bembas believes I have violated City policy, the City Charter, purchasing requirements or standards of professional conduct, I welcome having the specific allegation identified and reviewed through the appropriate process.
I will answer specific questions and provide records where appropriate. What I cannot reasonably do is defend myself against generalized accusations without being told what specific conduct I am alleged to have committed.
My focus remains on doing the job I was hired to do and continuing the progress we are making for the City of Algonac.
Note: See Part 2 of this story to read Mayor Rocky Gillis’ response to similar issues.
