DATE: Friday, September 26, 1997            TAG: 9709260792

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY MATTHEW DOLAN, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE                        LENGTH:   97 lines

HOUSING DIRECTOR'S DISMISSAL QUESTIONED SUPPORTERS BELIEVE RACIAL DISCRIMINATION LED TO FALKNER'S FIRING.

Three housing authority managers whose complaints led to the firing of the executive director had told the authority's governing body that they were willing to work out their differences if he remained on the job, a confidential memo states.

In addition, two black commissioners on the Chesapeake Redevelopment and Housing Authority say they believe that if the executive director had been white, he would have been reprimanded, not terminated.

After investigating sexual harassment, racial discrimination and mismanagement allegations against Executive Director Douglas Falkner, Commissioner John A. Burke concluded in a memo to his fellow commissioners that termination was not necessary.

``After speaking with all the employees involved, with the exception of Mr. (Richard) Bartlett, there seems to be an `air of willingness' to not forget, but go on with the business of the Authority,'' the commissioner wrote in the memo, dated Monday.

Falkner gave the memo to The Virginian-Pilot. Burke was unavailable for comment Thursday.

Meanwhile, some community leaders and authority employees have questioned why Falkner was fired. Those questions may arise tonight at a special board meeting to discuss a possible severance package for Falkner.

Other commissioners have not publicly given their reasons for Falkner's termination. Employees have been barred from speaking on the matter.

Authority Chairman Roland L. Thornton, still angry over the 5-4 vote to oust Falkner, thinks race was a factor.

``My gut feeling . . . is that if Mr. Falkner had been a white man, they would have slapped him on the wrist,'' Thornton, who is black, said Wednesday.

Thornton also criticized Commissioner Marjorie A. Arrington and Commissioner Althea W. Gallop, who are also black, for their votes against Falkner. The pair, he said, were joined in their effort to oust Falkner by Charles F. Sanford III, Helen L. Spruill and Robert L. Samuel Jr., who are white.

Commissioner John E. Hayslett, who also supported Falkner, said, ``I am of the opinion that Mr. Thornton is correct. I have my reasons, but I don't want to tell you.'' Hayslett is also black.

Thornton denied that his statement should indicate that there were specific racial motivations behind Falkner's firing. ``It's the real world that we live in . . . and it's time we started protecting our own.''

Arrington said race had nothing to do with her vote.

``He said what?'' Arrington asked. ``I disagree with (Thornton's) statement. I would have voted against him no matter what color. It had nothing to do with color or race.''

Gallop declined to comment Thursday.

Burke's memo offers some additional insight into the board's deliberations.

After a discussion with Falkner, Burke wrote that the executive director had pledged to discuss the employees' complaints about excessive workloads and other issues.

``Sexual conversations will stop, even if someone else started the conversation. . . '' Burke wrote. ``There would be no problem in seeking counseling if the board decides he should enter into a counseling program.''

Burke wrote that Falkner also agreed to discuss any title changes and reorganization for staff would be discussed with the board before any action would be taken.

Falkner has said that he believed proposed personnel changes, which would have reduced salaries for authority directors Brenda Willis, Margaret Freeman and Bartlett, were the impetus for employees contacting the board with their problems. He also has admitted that he asked Willis out for a date.

``Mr. Falkner is more aware that his role as (executive director) prohibits personal relationships with staff. . . '' he wrote. ``Additionally, he will no longer discuss one employee's performance/problems with another.''

According to Burke's memo, Willis, Freeman and accounting manager Sheila Martin told the commissioners they would be willing to continue to work for Falkner.

Only Bartlett, the authority's director of design and construction, told Burke that he would not work ``. . . with Mr. Falkner because of his distrust.''

Falkner and Thornton have said that Bartlett was angry after the board canceled a contract Bartlett supported for a $108,000 laundry room project for a public housing community in favor of Falkner's construction plan costing around $30,000.

Falkner should have been kept on, Burke recommended, with several stipulations:

That his evaluation be delayed for an additional two months;

That he be suspended if any further improprieties occurred;

That he enroll in management courses to alter his management style;

And that the four employees who made allegations about Falkner be protected from retribution.

them,'' he wrote.

Tonight's meeting of the authority's board of commissioners - the fourth in less than two weeks - will begin at 6 p.m. at the authority's headquarters at 2133 Smith Ave. MEMO: The printed edition contained a partial sentence at the end of the

article which was improperly left in during the editing process. ILLUSTRATION: STEVE EARLEY/File color photo

Douglas Falkner would have kept his job had he been white, some say. KEYWORDS: CHESAPEAKE REDEVELOPMENT AND HOUSING AUTHORITY

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