DATE: Friday, October 3, 1997               TAG: 9710030670
SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY MATTHEW DOLAN, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE                        LENGTH:   73 lines

HOUSING AUTHORITY VOTE KEEPS FALKNER OUT OF POST

Douglas Falkner won't be rejoining the Redevelopment and Housing Authority.

The Authority's board of commissioners, voting 6-3, quelled an effort to rehire Falkner, its former executive director who worked at the Authority for six months.

The board also voted unanimously to offer Falkner three months' worth of his $71,000 annual salary and health insurance and 30 days' use of his staff car as a severance package.

But Del. Lionell Spruill Sr.,D.-Chesapeake, who arrived at the meeting after the quick, open-session vote and was unable to speak, said he will ask the city attorney to investigate how the board terminated Falkner.

``At City Council's next meeting, I am going to ask them to fire all six (commissioners) who voted against him,'' said Spruill, who supported Falkner's reinstatement.

Spruill said he was calling for the commissioners' removal because they did not allow public comment at Thursday's special meeting before the vote.

Voting for Falkner's termination were commissioners Althea W. Gallop, Elmer L. Jackson Jr., Robert L. Samuel Jr., Charles F. Sanford III, Helen L. Spruill and Marjorie A. Arrington. Authority Chairman Roland L. Thornton and commissioners John E. Hayslett and John A. Burke voted against the motion.

Reached at home after the vote, Falkner said he thought the board made the wrong decision.

``As I said earlier, I am going to ask an attorney to see what I can do,'' he said. When asked if he still intended to sue the Authority, Falkner said, ``Absolutely.''

According to his termination letter from the board's attorney, Falkner was fired because he subjected the Authority to possible litigation resulting from allegations of sexual harassment, racial discrimination and an effort to pay someone to take a college class for him. Falkner has denied those allegations.

``While some may argue that Mr. Falkner's actions were a bit inappropriate, we must consider, `Do they want the dismissal of a very energetic and dedicated employee?' '' Lionell Spruill wrote in a prepared statement. ``Would it not be more appropriate to issue a letter of reprimand . . . and make another evaluation at a later date?''

Thornton said Thursday night that the ``consensus'' vote taken at a Sept. 22 meeting to fire Falkner was ``not legal,'' requiring another vote.

``He was not dismissed until the vote was taken today,'' he said.

Samuel disagreed, saying that the early vote had been properly taken.

``I think we did the best we could. I think we have to move forward now. We are going to be able to put this behind us,'' Samuel said.

The board voted to hire a professional search firm to help replace Falkner. For now, Theresa Brewer, a former Hampton Housing Authority employee, is interim executive director.

According to several commissioners, Falkner was fired by a 5-to-4 vote on Sept. 22 in executive session. The vote was ratified by consensus in an open session immediately following.

Another special meeting was scheduled for Thursday. Several people, including former Vice Mayor Hugo A. Owens, attended the meeting to speak.

But before Thornton could open the floor for public comments, Arrington interrupted.

``I make a motion that Mr. Falkner be terminated,'' Arrington said. The motion was seconded and the board voted in favor of Falkner's termination.

Thornton and several other commissioners said that race had never been a factor in Falkner's dismissal.

``I have received two letters on this point . . . but how could have it been racist with blacks and whites voting against Mr. Falkner and blacks and whites voting for Mr. Falkner,'' he said.

Jackson, the only commissioner who changed his vote on the firing, said he thought it was only way to go given activities over the past three weeks.

``(Falkner's) tenure and leadership have been destroyed. I voted the way I did for the good of the commission, for the good of the Authority,'' he said. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo

Chesapeake's Housing board OK'd former director Douglas Falkner's

severance package.

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