Human Resources Director Tina Crellin wrote the following resignation letter to Mayor Bruce Chuluda and City Administrator Jerre Bryant on Sept. 13:

It is with great emotion that I write this letter to you in the midst of the present turmoil. As I have reflected on my last decade with this organization, I have no regrets about my personal and professional commitments as an employee and citizen of this great City. My efforts and desire to better serve this community through developing a healthy and high functioning organization have been an integral and a significant part of my life. I was hired as the Human Resources Director for the City in late 1997 by Democratic Mayor Ken Lefebvre who was looking for a strong HR Director to assist the City in changing the culture of the organization into a more professional and business-like operation where employees were governed by fair, consistent and unbiased policies and standards rather the favoritism that results from family and political relationships and pressures. To say that this has been a difficult and personally challenging task is a monumental understatement. During my tenure here, I have had the opportunity of working for three different Mayors, of both political parties, and two different City Administrators; all of which have continued this effort in their own way.

Given the scope of my role in compliance, policy, and contractual enforcement, I am often in the position of being the communicator of “bad news” or saying “no” to employees. There is no doubt in my mind that there is a certain percentage of the employee population which is uncomfortable with negative feedback on performance and adherence to policy. This is a necessary component of affecting positive change within and for the organization. As you can attest, I have kept both of you regularly informed of my activities and developing employee situations. I have always acted on employee matters with the full knowledge of the Mayor’s Office and with our legal counsel’s review as necessary. My authority and approach have not changed during my tenure and I have never received any negative feedback on my performance from either of you or your predecessors. In fact, I was nominated for Employee of the Year by former Democratic Mayor Esty and later appointed Interim City Administrator by him while we sought a replacement for the position.

For more than a year, I have brought my concerns regarding the inappropriateness of City Councilor Foley’s interference in personnel matters to you and legal counsel’s attention. Despite a number of discussions with the Mayor’s Office and City legal counsel, Councilor Foley has continued to solicit and incite employee negativity against me and the administration; interfere in union contract negotiations; directly counsel an employee in dispute negotiations with the City to go after more money from the City; and defame my professional reputation. I have found these activities outrageous and well outside the scope of authority and appropriateness for an official elected by the people to serve. On Aug. 15, I asked the Mayor’s Office to schedule a meeting with Councilor Foley to discuss my concerns directly with him and he refused. On Aug. 16, I filed a formal complaint with the Mayor’s Office regarding my inability to effectively do my job in the face of the divisiveness and hostility of Councilor Foley’s continued actions. Councilor Foley’s response was an extremely aggressive, retaliatory, and defamatory attack on me personally and professionally with the filing of two formal complaints against me on Aug. 28. If these concerns have such weight, why were they never brought forward to the Mayor’s Office to be addressed until I filed a formal complaint against Councilor Foley? All the while, Councilor Foley was constantly present in my workplace, not on legitimate business but simply hanging out to further intimidate and attempt to gather evidence against me. Councilor Foley is not an employee but an official with a very narrow scope of authority on financial and policy matters. I continue to be adamant that an employee’s rights and protections under the law should not be eclipsed by the harasser’s political status.

In a great need for relief from the harassment and emotional and physical toll of Councilor Foley’s hostility, I felt forced to file a temporary Protection from Harassment Order with the Court system on Sept. 4. While some may think this action unusual for the Human Resources Director, I was significantly disadvantaged because of Councilor Foley’s elected official status and his total disregard for appropriate protocol and boundaries. There was a reluctance to take action against an elected official because of the political backlash that would ensue. As shown by the aggressive public comments and disregard for the sensitivity and confidentiality issues by certain elected officials, these concerns were valid. The fact that some City Councilors publicly support and condone Councilor Foley’s egregious actions, even after they were advised by the City’s legal counsel of the legal risk they are creating for the City, sends a clear message. There is a political agenda at work on the eve of this year’s election season.

As you are both aware, I have been wrestling with some challenging health issues over the last year. The emotional and physical stress from the hostility of the present work and political environment has taken a significant toll and has put me out of work completely on a medical leave under my doctor’s care. In the best interest of my health and the organization I care so much about, I have no choice but to write this letter, which is a direct result of being constructively discharged from my employment. The total disregard for fair process and procedure has created an untenable and hostile situation that I do not have the physical strength to work through at this time. That being the case, my last day of employment is Sept. 14.

Despite the current state of affairs, I feel very privileged to have had the pleasure of working with both of you and a number of other fine professionals in my time with the City. Please let me know if I can be of any assistance in the transition.

For a complete copy of Human Resources Director Tina Crellin’s separation agreement, go to www.keepmecurrent.com.