Council to Study Possible Discrimination Probe

A bitterly divided City Council has directed the city attorney to explore options for an outside investigation into accusations by City Manager Phil Hawkey that council members discriminated against non-minorities in hiring during his eight-year tenure.

Hawkey told the council Monday that he stands by the allegations of reverse discrimination and interfering with hiring described in a letter his attorney sent the council last month.

“I am confident that everything in the letter, understood in its proper context, without unbalanced rhetoric and political grandstanding, is accurate,” he said.

The Dec. 15 letter seeking a $1.5-million settlement came after a council majority voted to fire Hawkey, possibly as soon as June. Five days later, Councilman Sidney Tyler switched his vote and created a new majority to keep Hawkey until October 1999.

Hawkey on Monday questioned why council members did not demand a probe when they received the letter. “I have been publicly goaded to file a discrimination action, but threatened in private that I would be fired if I did so,” he said.

Council members Joyce Streator, William Paparian, Paul Little and Mayor Chris Holden voted to explore a possible investigation. Holden said Hawkey’s accusation seemed to be directed at him and Streator, African Americans who voted to fire the city manager.