Charlotte City Council Considers Sexual Harassment Policy and Outside Investigation of Informal Complaint

According to WCNC news, Charlotte city councilman Patrick Cannon suggested that the city council adopt the city's sexual harassment policy in wake of informal allegations that a council member sexually harassed a city staffer. The city of Charlotte has a sexual harassment policy in place, but it does not include elected officials.

The allegations of sexual harassment became public when Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx sent out an email to all city council members with a reminder not to engage "in any form of sexual harassment towards them". When the email came out, city council members were perplexed. Cannon said there "is a gray cloud over the heads" of all male council members.

Council member Susan Burgess called for an outside investigation of the alleged harassment, but council member Warren Turner said such an investigation would be a waste of taxpayer dollars...especially since a formal complaint was never filed by the person. He said he believes it could be a violation of that person's privacy.

The entire council decided to further discuss an outside investigation at the April 12 meeting.

According to the Charlotte Observer, three city officials (who do not want to be identified) have pointed the finger at council member Warren Turner as being the one who was named in the informal allegation. The city staffer who made the informal complaint has been said to just want the issue to go away, which is one reason a formal complaint was not filed.

Councilman Turner has said he has done nothing wrong and he was the only council member to vote against an outside investigation. He was first elected to council in 2003 and he represents the west side of Charlotte. He works as a probation officer.

Councilman Turner represents my district and grew up on the street that I now live on. He has been very active in the community and works especially hard in trying to promote awareness of gang violence...and will go into the communities and work hands on with the youth as well as the neighborhood police.

It would be in Mr.Turner's best interest to vote for an outside investigation if that is what it will take to put the issue to rest. Until there is an investigation, there are going to be questions from the public he represents. By not agreeing to an outside investigation, it automatically makes Mr. Turner seem as if he has something to hide. If he doesn't, an outside investigation will reveal the facts. If he does have something to hide, perhaps it is something that the public needs to know.