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Mr. Chris Brady, City Manager, Mesa Arizona:
In the recent resignation of Debbie Driscol from the Neighborhood Outreach Department, we feel a paramount loss for that department and the neighborhoods across Mesa.
We have known and worked with Debbie for 7 years. She has brought Marlborough Mesa to heights we would never have known without her. She knows how important it is for the city to have good relationships with its neighborhoods.
Mesa neighborhoods are the very core of Mesa and no one knew that more than Debbie and she worked hard at building strong neighborhoods and leaders thru her communication skills. She was a relationship builder - a liaison for the City.
She has always enjoyed her job and it reflected in her happy-go-lucky attitude with the exception of this past year. Even then, she tried to remain upbeat when we were around -- all the while we knew something was not right.
She is truly an ''A Number 1'' ambassador and advocate for the City of Mesa and its neighborhoods.
We write this letter with great respect for Debbie and a heavy heart upon hearing of her resignation. What a huge loss for the City of Mesa!
Thank you for your time,
Jim and Alma Jones
almajones2006@cox.net
480-831-1525
602-321-1139
_________________
For those who did not get a chance to read the article in the Republic, it is the next post under this letter.
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Article from Republic
Mesa neighborhood outreach coordinator resigns
Filed discrimination complaint against supervisor a year ago
Justin Juozapavicius
The Arizona Republic
May. 20, 2006 12:00 AM
A popular city neighborhood outreach coordinator abruptly resigned Friday, nearly a year after she brought a complaint accusing her supervisor of discrimination and creating a hostile work environment.
Debbie Driscol, a 10-year employee, was also expected to sign a financial settlement with the city for an undisclosed sum.
Driscol said Friday she had a confidentiality agreement with the city regarding the complaint and didn't rule out returning to her job.
''The city has left the door open,'' Driscol said. ''I loved what I did for them.''
Deputy City Manager Paul Wenbert, who oversees the neighborhood services department, said the city is ''still working through some issues'' brought up by Driscol's complaint.
In an e-mail sent Friday morning to several neighborhood leaders with whom she'd worked, Driscol cited a desire to spend more time with her family as a reason for her departure.
''I will miss working with you, and I know you will continue to do wonderful things with your neighbors to keep the quality of life at the highest level possible in your neighborhood,'' she wrote.
Driscol brought her complaint last June to the Human Resources Department, accusing supervisor Lisha Garcia of discriminating against her and other employees because they were not Hispanic.
Garcia, Mesa's neighborhood services manager, did not return phone calls seeking comment Friday.
Shortly after the complaint, the city hired Phoenix-based Investigative Research Inc. to look into Driscol's claim, and the company produced an executive summary Oct. 17. Of 24 allegations cited in the document, 15 were substantiated or listed as unresolved by the firm's investigation.
The 35-page summary, heavily redacted and barely readable in some places, was obtained by The Republic on Friday through a public records request.
The allegations accused Garcia of telling a co-worker that she ''did not like or trust'' Driscol and ordering a job in the department re-posted in hopes of finding a Hispanic candidate, even though there was a candidate who would have been an appropriate hire, according to the summary.
Driscol's resignation came as a shock to several neighborhood group leaders, who said they constantly relied on her expertise.
''It's crushing and disheartening,'' said Linda Murphy, a neighborhood leader in Marlborough Mesa. ''She has an amazing amount of years of information and knowledge. She is like a walking Yellow Pages.''
Resident Alma Jones said Driscol '' IS the city of Mesa.'' ''She created awesome neighborhoods, that's all I have to say about Debbie,'' Jones said.
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Another Republic Article
Report suggests improper behavior by Mesa official
Inquiry results hint at bias in workplace
Justin Juozapavicius
The Arizona Republic
May. 23, 2006 12:00 AM
MESA - The city's Neighborhood Services manager was misleading ''about a number of allegations'' to investigators, was biased against non-Hispanics and micromanaged employees, suggests a report on allegations of workplace discrimination.
The complaints against Lisha Garcia were made last June by Debbie Driscol, a popular neighborhood outreach coordinator who took her case to the city's Human Resources Department.
Driscol, a 10-year employee, resigned abruptly Friday, a move that came as a surprise to community leaders.
''They'll never be able to replace Debbie Driscol,'' neighborhood activist Irene Pine said. ''Debbie never saw color. Debbie has a heart as big as the state of Arizona.''
After Driscol filed the complaint, the city hired Phoenix-based Investigative Research Inc. to look into the claim, and the company produced an executive summary Oct. 17. Mesa paid more than $8,700 for the investigation.
The 35-page summary, heavily redacted and barely readable in some places, was obtained by The Republic on Friday through a public records request.
The city is still preparing the detailed report of the investigation, estimated to be 125 pages.
Of 24 allegations cited in the document, 15 were substantiated or listed as unresolved by the firm's investigation.
Some of the other findings:
?• Garcia's conduct has led to perceptions that she is biased.
?• Garcia has taken public stances on political issues.
?• Garcia told a co-worker that she ''did not like or trust'' Driscol.
?• Garcia ordered a job in the department reposted in hopes of finding a Hispanic candidate, even though there was a candidate who would have been an appropriate hire.
Garcia did not return several phone calls Friday or Monday seeking comment.
City Manager Chris Brady, who took the post Jan. 1, said he didn't receive the report detailing those allegations until Friday, when Driscol resigned.
''I don't think I was given the significance or the depth of the outcome of that report,'' Brady said Monday.
Brady took over from Mike Hutchinson, who retired after nearly 30 years with Mesa.
Driscol said she had a confidentiality agreement with Mesa regarding the complaint and added the city had left the door open for her return.
In an e-mail sent Friday to several neighborhood leaders with whom she'd worked, Driscol cited a desire to spend more time with her family as a reason for her departure.
''I will miss working with you, and I know you will continue to do wonderful things with your neighbors to keep the quality of life at the highest level possible in your neighborhood,'' she wrote.
This week, the city was expected to offer her a financial settlement for an undisclosed sum, but City Attorney Debbie Spinner said she could not confirm that.
Mesa hired the Phoenix firm a few years ago to investigate allegations of sexual harassment made against former Mesa Library Director Patsy Hansel.
Hansel resigned in 2003, months after the city settled a claim for $87,000 with an employee who accused Hansel of harassment.
Before going to work for Mesa, Driscol was the youth and special-events coordinator for Chandler.
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City official denies ....
City official denies allegations of bias
Justin Juozapavicius
The Arizona Republic
May. 24, 2006 12:00 AM
A city official accused of workplace discrimination said Tuesday that she has never made any personnel decision in her career based on racial bias.
Neighborhood Services Manager Lisha Garcia also confirmed that the city had hired a management coach to help her deal with employees and ''make sure the real message of who I am'' got out.
''This is something I thought was in the past,'' said Garcia, referring to a complaint made last June by popular Neighborhood Outreach Coordinator Debbie Driscol. advertisement
Driscol, a 10-year employee who resigned abruptly Friday, accused Garcia of discriminating against her and other workers because they weren't Hispanic.
In an interview Tuesday over speakerphone that included City Attorney Debbie Spinner, Garcia praised Driscol's hard work and popularity among neighborhood leaders and said she would take her back.
''I would hope if she did come back, we could work on communication issues,'' Garcia said.
Some of Driscol's claims appear to be supported by a report prepared last fall by a Phoenix investigative agency hired by the city.
A 35-page summary, released to The Republic through a public-records request, suggested Garcia was misleading ''about a number of allegations'' to investigators, was biased against non-Hispanics and micromanaged employees, among other findings.
Driscol has been bound by a confidentiality agreement regarding the complaint but said the city had left the door open to her return.
This week, Mesa was expected to offer her a settlement for an undisclosed sum, but Spinner could not confirm that.
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