Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts Jr. has finally addressed a complaint filed against him by District 1 Councilwoman Gloria Gray that was submitted to City Manager Mark Weinberg.
Gloria Gray called for the investigation into Mayor James T. Butts Jr. for creating what she calls a “hostile work environment” with fears for her safety.
Gray wrote the letter in late September to the attention of Interim City Manager Mark Weinberg where she asks that the investigation be conducted by an “independent party not under the mayor’s purview.”
Mayor Butts actions are not consistent with the values, code of conduct, ethics or State or Federal laws.”Councilwoman Gloria Gray
The mayor spends thousands of taxpayers dollars to fund investigations of city employees by his campaign donor John Harris with Harris & Associates, who was also named in a settlement demand letter by his now former aide/girlfriend Melanie McDade.
The mayor’s remarks were emailed to all city employees on Dec. 2 at 8:31 a.m. in an email titled “Transparency”.
Transparency Defined – An ethic that spans science, engineering, business, and the humanities, transparency is operating in such a way that it is easy for others to see what actions are performed. Transparency implies openness, communication, and accountability.
My message to you last week recapped another year of remarkable progress in Inglewood. The City’s leadership, management and virtually all employees have worked very hard for a decade as a cohesive team. This has resulted in building financial strength, producing economic growth and prosperity for our residents (rising home values, Property Tax rebates) and small businesses ($3.4 million in Champions grants); and the ability to provide rapidly rising wages and benefits for our City workforce. These achievements can be attributed, in no small part, to City Council meetings that are conducted in a business-like manner rather than theatre, and to the absence of political drama. There is truth to the adage, “Teamwork makes the dream work”.
I am now taking the action of writing to you regarding a personnel complaint lodged against me by Council Member Gloria Gray who took office in February of 2023. The formalized written complaint is the first personnel complaint that I am aware of between any members of the City Council in my 13 years serving as your Mayor. It alleged that aspects of my management and communication style have on occasion been offensive to the Councilwoman. The complaint was filed in October of this year to the City Attorney and City Manager. It should by long standing City practice have remained confidential to protect the complaining party and the reputation of the target of the complaint. However, shortly thereafter, a facsimile of it was sent to a local news throw away (who published it and wrote a doom and gloom hyperbolic story questioning City leadership). This was done by the Councilwoman or agent(s) acting on her behalf. I am certain of this because a journalist forwarded to me a text sent to her dated November 16th; from Councilwoman Gray to that journalist with a link to that original local publication of the unverified complaint seeking further printing in her paper. This is not truth seeking or transparency.
In a matter such as this between elected officials, an employer-employee relationship does not exist, nor do many of the statutes or rules of that structure apply. However, in deference to the request of Councilwoman Gray, and to ensure that her civil rights were not violated, the City Manager initiated an inquiry into the complaint. The City Manager used the services of a prominent attorney, a designated Super Lawyer (Super Lawyers is a designation of top-rated practicing attorneys selected through extensive evaluation. She was awarded this distinction for 2010 – 2011, 2020 – 2021, 2023) with extensive experience and expertise in personnel complaints, without prior ties to the City who was referred to Mr. Weinberg by our City Attorney.
The investigator interviewed Councilwoman Gray (on three separate occasions) and myself. Her notification of findings to myself and Councilwoman Gray are attached.
I have been advised by the City Manager that this matter is now closed.
Typically, a complaint of this type and its outcome would be held confidential. However, for reasons unexplained, in late October, Councilwoman Gray’s confidential complaint email/letter found its way into the press. This is highly irregular and unprofessional. It has put a one-sided and unsubstantiated narrative into the public domain and our workplace. Councilwoman Gray was notified 14 days ago of the findings that her complaint was deemed without substance. I have patiently waited for her to publish or communicate the truth in the substance or the manner in which she leaked/publicized her complaint. That wait has been in vain. Therefore, as a public figure, and as the target of the complaint, it is both my right and my responsibility to preserve confidence and transparency in City leadership by sharing the results of the impartial and independent inquiry into this complaint with you, the employees of our organization.
The Councilwoman’s complaint and method of distribution is personally perplexing and disappointing. We have known each other for many years and to my belief, shared for more than a decade a warm and cordial relationship. A relationship, I until now believed would have invited open and honest communication before surreptitiously launching an uninvestigated complaint into the public domain. To this day, she has never contacted me regarding this issue. I will continue as always to discharge my duties in a professional manner to serve the best interests of the City, its residents and employees.
It is unclear why the letter from the law firm of Doumanian & Associates was sent to the mayor’s personal email address and not his official one with the city of Inglewood.
Letter-to-Mayor-Butts-and-Gray
2 Comments
Please read the attachment to the original article !!
It is interesting that the letters are not written to city administration or the city council as a whole but instead to the Butts and Gray.There should have been one response to the City reflecting findings.
NEWS FLASH : This is not a personal issue between to once friends rather a workplace harrassment or hostility issue impacting every employee and every resident should a lawsuit result.
Sadly the “investigator” appears to believe that if there was once a cordial business relationship there would never be option that that the relationship could ever devolve to less than mutual respect. – However everyone has seen that people and therefore relationships change – especially if one person determines they are more important, or perhaps more entitled than the other.
The Attorney goes great lengths to point out that Butts had in the past attended a community meeting/gathering at Gray’s home – as if from that day forward that appearance should stand as proof of his continued goodness and inability to be anything less than charming.
Let’s be real !!! Often “Gatherings” are viewed as “networking” opportunities by elected not as lifelong commitments or indications of long term close – knit relationship.
What person on planet earth has not witnessed a couple meet, date, maybe even marry, and then for assorted reasons the “mystical glow of wonderfulness” dissipates and bad behaviors become routine rather than rare and divorce proceedings reveal that which once glittered was fools gold.
Consider that Auntie or Uncle who rumor has it “isn’t always” a bad actor but has his/her bad days – many more bad than good.
FOR MORE INSIGHTS perhaps we should ask about the “investigators” background….Her actions in a costly to Burbank School District case reflects she may not have been all that unbiased.
It is a long read but Matthew Heller in “Think Twice Before Suing This School District” relates some behaviors most might find far less than appropriate for any attorney.
For starters this is not the first Elected or Councilwoman who has experienced or shared workplace issues of concern in interactions with James Butts.
Judy Dunlap was regularly treated in a less than professional manner both during public meetings and in halls where others could hear insulting and demeaning comments directed toward her from James Butts.
Additionaly former City Clerk Yvonne Horton was verbally treated with disrespect during meetings.
To any who have witnessed council meetings in person or watched them via video the attitude of hostility toward any who question or simply do not praise is the common behavior of James Butts.
Those who seek his favor (aka a payroll increase/bonus and or contract) of course have learned the best way to avoid being a victim is to go along with the badgering/insults and deny seeing/hearing bad behavior when they witness other being treated poorly.
A certain amount of foolishness would be needed to believe that Weinberg or the current attorney would be able to hire anyone could sincerely promise that any negative responses would be confidential and that retaliation would not follow for any but glowing responses.
(Melanie was the golden girl until she said no more and was quickly reclassified as determined unsuitable for continued employment.)
Perhaps if Butts had not instructed the editing of the council meeting video where he told a resident to “Go Choke Yourself” he might not have such a failure to speak truth image.
Sorry folks, truthfulness is no the common go to for James Butts. Remember, he says people voted for the Stadium but it NEVER APPEARED ON A BALLOT.
Open and Transparent meetings can not define Inglewood meetings where both elected and residents are treated rudely and insulted if comments do not please the Mayor.
Open meetings welcome inquires and opposing opinions and publicly viewed debate.
Exchange of various opinions is not theater rather an means arriving at good government.