Today's Salt Lake Tribune story confirms that the Godfrey administration is attempting to turn up the heat on former Emerald City Human Resources Director Dean Martinez, who first blew the public whistle on Business Development Manager Scott Brown.
OGDEN - Ogden police are investigating whether the city's former human resources manager, Dean Martinez, stole the city's personnel file on Scott Brown, the business development manager.Whistleblowers like Mr. Martinez have a tough time of it in our Brave New MattGodfreyWorld, where Boss Godfrey rules with a fist of iron. If any of our gentle readers are doubtful about this, simply ask Matt Jones about it.
The investigation - based on a complaint by Brown - will be conducted by Detective Rick Childress, Lt. Tony Fox said Monday.
Brown did not return calls to his office and cell phone on Monday.
Martinez acknowledged taking Brown's personnel file to his home, but said he was within his rights because Ogden managers frequently take work home.
Martinez was fired in December, the same week that city attorney Gary Williams retrieved Brown's file from Martinez's home in Roy.
City officials said Martinez was fired for taking city property - Brown's file - and for dishonesty, but Martinez claimed he was fired because he was about to blow the whistle on Mayor Matthew Godfrey's tolerance of alleged misbehavior by Brown.
Martinez previously told The Salt Lake Tribune that he had learned in his two years at the city that pornography allegedly had been found on Brown's computer and that Brown had been accused several times over the years of sexually harassing female employees and verbally abusing subordinates.
Rather than discipline or fire Brown, Martinez said, Ogden administrators rewarded him. City officials, including Williams, have refused to discuss the allegations because they involve personnel matters.
And buried midway through Reporter Kristen Moulton's article we find these very interesting revelations:
"Martinez previously told The Salt Lake Tribune that he had learned in his two years at the city that pornography allegedly had been found on Brown's computer and that Brown had been accused several times over the years of sexually harassing female employees and verbally abusing subordinates;"Whereas it had been previously reported by the Standard-Examiner that Mr. Brown had been involved in a only single sexual harassment complaint, today's Kristen Moulton article suggests multiple such alleged offenses, possibly as many as three.
and,
"Three former Brown subordinates contacted by the Tribune in January substantiated Martinez's allegations about Brown's behavior toward them."
This new information of course corroborates the most recent Dean Martinez statement, which we posted here yesterday.
It was a nice news lull, while it lasted.
Let's hear from our gentle readers.
Update 3/13/07 1:23 p.m. MT: Per the request of Gentle Reader Marv, we link here two articles from this morning's Standard-Examiner, which pertain to Emerald City politics:
Utah may loosen restrictions - Ogden was example of how eminent domain shouldn’t be used
Ogden councilman denies allegations of dirty politics
Have at it, outta town readers.
