Tuesday, December 12, 2006

A Heads-up On a Developing Political Firestorm

Recently-fired Emerald City Human Resources Manager Dean Martinez was a vocal Boss Godfrey supporter in the autumn of 2003, as Boss Godfrey's re-election campaign was winding to a crescendo, according to this morning's Scott Schwebke story story. Nothing unusual about that we think. Mr. Martinez had been apparently jockeying for a Emerald City staff position in the new administration, a position which Mr. Martinez attained in 2004, when he was hired as Emerald City's Human Resources Manager. Buttering up your prospective boss is good politics, we believe, especially when the future Boss is a guy like Boss Godfrey, an insecure man who demands unyielding (and unflinching) loyalty from his underlings.

There's evidently been lots of water under the bridge since 2004, however. Mr. Martinez of course has now been summarily "terminated." Boss Godfrey and Mr. Martinez are now trading allegations in the press. Both Emerald City and Mr. Martinez are "lawyered up" too. This story has the makings of a good old-fashioned Emerald City street-corner political brawl, we think. We're certainly keeping our trusty barcalounger and popcorn readily at hand.

The first salvo in what we believe to be a developing public battle-royal was launched pre-emptively on December 9, 2006, with this Charles Trentelman story, in which Boss Godfrey and his minions took the public relations offensive. They announced that Mr. Martinez had been fired, and were quick to paint Mr. Martinez into a public relations corner, accusing him of all manner of terrible mis-deeds:

John Patterson, the city's chief administrative officer, said Friday, "As of Monday, Dean's employment with the city was terminated. He was terminated for cause, and generally for dishonesty, for misappropriation of public documents and for other missteps, other misconduct, I guess is the best word."
Aside from vague references to a "discrimination complaint," and the obtaining of "...some documents from the city to use to amend his initial complaint...," the Trentleman story was somewhat factually thin, with little information pertaining to substantive issues -- except for attorney Retallick's denial of his client's misconduct, and the general statement that the events revolved around the mysterious discrimination complaint .

Today's story however fleshes out the facts a bit more, we think. From today's story we learn this, among other things:

1) Mr. Martinez had apparently been pursuing a course of reviewing city personnel files, assembling evidence to establish allegations of preferential treatment for certain other department heads, in order to "prove up" his complaint.

2) The allegedly "misappropriated" materials were actually personnel files, documents that would be presumably accessible by Mr. Martinez in the course and scope of his job. The gravamen of the administration's allegations, aparently, is that he took these files home for copying, and "leaked" them to a "third party."

3) At least one of these files reportedly included information related to a "sexual harrassment complaint" which we can reasonably infer to have been internally "hushed up."

4) Mr. Martinez pending discrimination claim included allegations that he had himself suffered pay discrimination, allegedly on account of "race."

Our own confidential sources disclose that the facts heretofore reported are "just the tip of the iceberg," and that there still remains much to be revealed in connection with this story. In the same connection we're hoping to interview Mr. Martinez, who has a standing invitation to bring forth his side of the story here, assuming he can clear some kind of statement through his own attorney. Among other things, we've also learned from independant sources that Mr. Martinez had been a little too cozy with local union reps for Boss Godfrey's comfort, a circumstance which would have caused "job security" problems, even in the absense of a formal discrimination complaint. Mr. Martinez had reportedly been actively working to build up a relationship of trust between his own Human Resources Department and Emerald City employees, a situation which administration officials simply would not tolerate. As we all know, Boss Godfrey rules the Emerald City Republic with a fist of iron. From his lofty perch on the Emerald City Hall ninth floor, Emerald City employees appear no more significance than ants.

We post this article today as a heads-up to our readers. You can be assurred we'll be closely following this story as it develops -- which we believe it will.

In the meantime... the floor is open. Feel free to discuss this. or any other topic.

Update 12/13/06 7:05 a.m. MT: Yesterday's Scott Schwebke story refers to a Dean Martinez email in which Mr. Martinez "change[s] his tune about supporting a possible re-election bid by Godfrey in 2007. " Today's Std-Ex editorial page presents, in guest commentary form, what we surmise to be the full text of that earlier email message, in which Mr. Martinez expands his percipient complaints in further detail. It seems that Mr. Martinez believes that Boss Godfrey's "tight" government leadership culture presents a primary obstacle to achieving the diversity hiring goals which were announced upon Mr. Martinez's original hiring. Mr. Martinez is not the first, of course, to remark about Godfrey's apparent all-male, all white leadership hiring bias. Nor is he the first to take note of the vast dissonance between the public Godfrey "talk," and the objectively observable Godfrey "walk."

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is definitely a 'juicy' story, and I'm sure many of the Ogden A-team are not too comfortable with the situation that is before them.

I think the sexual harrassment complaint has not been completely brushed up, internally, either. The employee at question still works for the City and from what I understand has been problematic for the City since the original incident(s) a number of years ago. Why he's been allowed to stay around is anybody's guess.

Can't wait for more details as this is just another glimpse into the not so wonderful world that Godfrey has helped create w/in the City.

Anonymous said...

This brings back memories of an answer to a GRAMA request on certain RDA officials which included Scott Brown's employment.

Now I know why it included a statement that he had been cleared of sexual harrassment.

Get a copy for yourselves.

Anonymous said...

Those of us in the military have a time-tested policy which is;
NEVER SCREW AROUND THE FLAGPOLE.

Anonymous said...

I confess I'm inclined to side with the Martinez fellow, based on the currently-revealed facts.

And it's interesting that Godfrey and his lemmings first launched this assault on Martinez with a full broadside, accusing him of dishonesty isn't it?

Kinda like the pot calling the kettle "black."

There's a diseased criminal rats-nest operating in the innards of Ogden City, right up to the ninth floor throne-room.

The "Son of Perdition" poses as a "faithful saint," and powers on with his transparent pro-Peterson vision!

And the faithful and fact-unelightened LDS parishioners continue to support "Dear leader," because he's been ordained by the Church hierachy as an "ordained leader."

God wouln't have put him in an important position if he were corrupt, right?.

Isn't that the argument for the Mormon Faithful?

Don't forget "The Church's" most important doctrine: Free agancy.

Boss Godfrey has chosen to lie, cheat and steal to promote his legacy.

We do hope that good Mormons will take Godfrey's perpetual lying into account next November, and keep his self-serving legacy into account.

We also do hope Mr. Martinez will be able to convince his attorney to tell his story here.

We won't hear the truth from the Godfrey-lackey Std-Ex propaganda organ either, until we push the issue.

Time and again WCF forum brings the real issues to the forefront.

We hope the gentle readers don't fergit to throw in their own 2 cents.

Tnanks for a dose of reality, Weber County Forum!

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said to,Word To The Wise

I'm not LDS nor am I a fan of Godfrey, but I personally don't see Godfrey's actions having any relationship to or because of his religious affiliation. If anything his actions distance himself from the good LDS members that I know and care about. I also don't think people follow him because of his affiliation to the church though I am sure he tries to gain support from members within the community. The church members know to beware of a wolf in sheeps clothing. People are starting to see him for what he is and those traits are found through out the world, not just Ogden. People here are just nicer about it, he'll find out what they really think at election time and then he'll just fade away and never understand what happened.

Also I want to let the family of "Dian" know that she is in my prayers today and will be until I hear that she fully recovered. God Speed.

Anonymous said...

I think it best to let the sotry come out, just like it says it will. Until then, nothing is anything but speculation.

I was extremely sorry to hear of Dian's passing this afternoon. Her writing and person will be sorely missed and my thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends. She was an asset to the community.

Anonymous said...

The post from "Word to the Wise" appears to be written by someone who:
#1) Doesn't know LDS Church doctine, (agency isn't free)
#2) Can't spell, (agancy?)
#3) Couldn't wait to write "Propoganda Organ" in their entry, but then OOPS! the newspaper prints a whiney piece written by none other than Mr. Martinez!

Word to the Wise doesn't appear to be wise.

Anonymous said...

Even though I never met Dian I appreciated her great contributions to the community. I suspect many others feel the same way. Her many hours of selfless service will be sorely missed.

OgdenLover said...

Danny's comments sum up my thoughts as well. My condolences to her family and friends.

Anonymous said...

Word to the Wise,
Such rubbish. The LDS Church does not condone dishonesty in it's rank and file members, and certainly not in it's leaders.

I can't think of ANY church that does!

Why would you bring the church into this discussion?

Anyone who behaves as Godfrey and his 'in the know' supporters do, are being dishonest, corrupt, disengenuous...LYING...all on their own agency.

Don't misjudge any church because some members are behaving badly. We each make our own choices, in spite of what we may know to be right.

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