Documents detail events leading to Shuler resignation

GAINESVILLE - There was apparently more to the recent resignation of Gainesville City Manager Bryan Shuler than first reported.

Records obtained by AccessNorthGa.com under the Open Records Act show that Shuler was placed on paid administrative leave on Nov. 10 by Mayor Myrtle Figueras after he was accused of sexually harassing a female city employee.

"You are directed not to have any contact with any city employee during your leave of absence," the mayor wrote Shuler. "You are also directed not to discuss this matter with anyone while I am conducting my investigation. Lastly, please surrender your keys and Blackberry to keep in my possession while you are away."

The series of events leading up to the mayor's action and Shuler's eventual resignation began with an anonymous letter from a city employee.

That letter urged Human Resources Director Joan Sheffield and others to investigate what was referred to as a "hostile environment" for city employees and suggests that two people had been victims of such activity.

According to the letter, one of the alleged incidents occurred at a reception for a person whose named was deleted by city officials before it was turned over to AccessNorthGa.com. "Mr. Shuler was observed and commented on near the punch bowl where they were serving. (Name deleted) was clearly uncomfortable with Mr. Schuler so close to them. He was also leaning in toward (name deleted) and touching her arm and elbow."

The writer went on to say "I want this letter to serve as official notice that sexual harassment is occurring in the city workplace. It makes the entire city a hostile work environment since it is being done by the city manager."

The letter refers to "suspicious cell phone records in (the city finance department) that show calls to these two people late at night." There were also allegations of late-night text messages associated with the alleged sexual harassment.

A letter dated Nov. 4 to Mayor Figueras from Sheffield stated "the two people listed in the (anonymous) letter are (name deleted) and (name deleted)." The parties' phone numbers are also deleted, but Sheffield goes on to write, "I reviewed the bills very hurriedly for about an hour prior to seeing you today. I noted on some of the bills where these numbers repeatedly appear at unusually late hours."

Included in the documents turned over by city officials were 29 pages of letters and email records, mostly the latter, dealing with the matter. Among them: a series of emails between Mayor Figueras and city council members and other city officials beginning on Nov. 6 and concluding on Nov. 17, four days after Shuler resigned. The e-mail exchanges - some in the early morning and some late at night and sometimes on weekends - reflect the mindset of city officials as they tried to grapple with the gravity of the situation.

Mayor Figueras writes on Thursday Nov. 6 in a message to then-Assistant City Manager Kip Padgett "Can you stop by my home this a.m. as soon as you are free?"

In an e-mail to city councilmen Danny Dunagan, Bob Hamrick and George Wangemann on Nov. 11, two days before the meeting at which the council accepted Shuler's resignation, Figueras writes "...my prayer is that WE will be able to make decisions that consider the depth of all human lives that are affected, yet have strength to do what our oath requires in protection of our city."

The package of documents also includes city phone records dating from Nov. 15, 2007, to Sept. 14, 2007.

On the Saturday after Shuler's resignation, Padgett, who had been named interim city manager when Shuler stepped down, sent an e-mail to department heads titled "Expectations" and labeled "Private" and notes that "rumors have been swirling for days." It goes on to say, however, "the reason for his departure was a personal decision for Bryan and should be the concern of no one, except City Council."

Padgett added, "I am asking each of you to meet with your employees or division managers and remind everyone of their commitment to our city. Rumors will not be tolerated."

Shuler turned in his resignation three days after he was placed on leave, and the city council immediately accepted it. Shuler said in his letter of resignation that he was stepping down "in order for me to attend to my elderly parents in South Carolina who are in declining health, and later pursue other professional opportunities."

Efforts to reach Shuler late Wednesday for comment were unsuccessful.