Dark Secrets in the Halls of the City of Brookhaven
by PV
City of Brookhaven’s Secret Motto: “We treat our employees just like they are our indentured servants.”
Rumors have it that tomorrow night’s Brookhaven City Council Townhall meeting is going to be akin to being a political campaign love fest for current Mayor Jerry Max (“J Max”) Davis’s launch for his campaign for State House District 80, a Special Election to be held on July 14th. Two other announced candidates for this Special Election are Republican Attorney Catherine Bernard and Democrat Attorney Taylor Bennett.
From an email from the City of Brookhaven promoting this all-important event:
“The details of the Townhall are this: Thursday, May 28, at 6:30 p.m. at the Marist School Woodruff Auditorium, 3790 Ashford Dunwoody Road…Mayor Davis and the Council encourage and invite community members to participate in the discussion and question-and-answer session. [emphasis added]”
PV Muses: Golly, what kind of interesting questions will be asked? Here are just a few ideas:
1) “For what legitimate purpose did Mayor Davis obtain an aerosol can of Lysol and proceed to deliberately spray it on no less than two female City employees in his presence within the property of the City of Brookhaven on or about February 23, 2015?”
2) “Is this type of abusive behavior of females in the employ of Mayor J Max Davis typical of him and his dealings with subordinate females?”
Mayor J. Max Davis
3) “Do other members of the City Council feel this is appropriate behavior to engage in and cover-up?”
4) “Have any other members of the City Council engaged in the similar behavior of engaging in an unwelcome act that humiliated any employee, male or female?”
PV Explains the relevance of these questions: A couple of Open Records Requests were filed to obtain some information regarding an “incident” in which Mayor Davis, for some as yet unknown and bizarre reason, took a can of Lysol and sprayed it on the backsides of two clothed female employees of the City while in City Hall.
One document that was obtained had specific names redacted from it by the Brookhaven City Counsel, Tom Kurrie (more on him shortly): Memo from City Manager Marie Garrett to Human Resources Director Rick Stone.
However, our sources beyond the City told us that one of the employees whose dress was sprayed with the Lysol was former deputy city manager Susan Canon. “Former” because she resigned on March 16, 2015.
For those of you thinking “Big deal. Lysol. Who cares?” or similar, you should be made aware, perhaps (before you spray a can on your kid or dog), that Lysol is not a trivial thing to spray on any living entity. Here is a copy of a warning label on the back of a can of Lysol: Lysol Directions for Use
Note a few of the listed items:
“DIRECTIONS FOR USE: It is a violation of Federal law to use this product in a manner inconsistent with its labeling. Read the entire label before using the product.” Etc.
“PRECAUTIONARY STATEMENTS: Hazards to Humans and Domestic Animals.”
“Do not use on polished wood, painted surfaces, leather, rayon fabrics, or acrylic plastics. Do not use on silk, rayon acetate or satin fabrics.”
Note that nowhere does it say “Use for fun on female employees while in your city government office.” Therefore, Mayor J Max Davis used the product in a manner “inconsistent” with what the label states. Therefore, Mayor J Max Davis appears to have violated whatever Federal law governs the use of aerosol cans of Lysol.
Back on May 13th of 2015, The Neighbor Newspapers had an online story relating to this incident, and revealed the fact that a complaint had been filed with the Federal EEOC, alleging some kind of “harassment” by one of the employees in this incident involving Mayor Davis and a can of Lysol.
In the story, it describes the acts of the city attorney, Tom Kurrie, and his statement that he has “investigated” the complaints of sexual harassment of city employees and he determined that no such harassment had occurred. So, end of story? Not quite, and not even close.
You see, City Attorney Tim Kurrie is employed by the City, and was hired at the behest of Mayor J Max Davis…who got approval of the City Council for the hire. But, if anyone has ever observed a city council meeting (e.g., the meeting held on May 26th), the majority of city council members are political suck-ups to Mayor Davis. Essentially, it’s a Mutual Admiration Society and very little “independent thinking” is practiced in that city council.
In the meeting held on May 26th, Councilman Bates Mattison actually gushes his support of Mayor Davis’s announced candidacy for State House 80, and tells the gathered throng from the dais that he will be voting for Davis. (Note to Bates: Stock-up on some Lysol!)
Here’s an interesting fact about the EEOC: The federal laws governing workplace harassment are not merely relating to “sexual” advances. In City Attorney Tom Kurrie’s mind, he may be of the mistaken belief that “Sexual harassment” only involves sexual advances or comments relating to the act of having sex. That is patently incorrect.
From the EEOC Website, here’s the snippet that is relevant and revealing: “Harassment is unwelcome conduct that is based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information. Harassment becomes unlawful where 1) enduring the offensive conduct becomes a condition of continued employment, or 2) the conduct is severe or pervasive enough to create a work environment that a reasonable person would consider intimidating, hostile, or abusive.”
“Sex” in this law in the context of the City of Brookhaven incident is in reference to the gender of someone, not the act of sex.
Going back to the ORR letter written by Marie Garrett to Rick Stone, on the 4th line, mid-page, Garrett writes “As I understand it, it was unsolicited behavior. It left ____ very uncomfortable.”
Something that is “unsolicited behavior” would be interpreted in federal law to be “unwelcome conduct.”
Is Garrett lying in the letter about what the employee(s) told her? Not likely.
Are Tom Kurrie and Mayor J Max Davis lying about what happened? Very likely, and Davis’s act of spraying the Lysol on the employees has now caused an EEOC complaint to be filed (which will cost all of the Brookhaven taxpayers to defend or settle).
BUT…this isn’t the first time of documented acts by J Max Davis resulting in harm against someone else. Back in 1989, Jerry Max Davis, II (i.e., J Max Davis) was arrested and charged with a DUI. He pleaded nolo contendre on the case.
In this particular 1989 case, his acts caused harm to another individual as the result of a traffic mishap. Our sources say the victim was very badly hurt, and possibly left paralyzed. There was a settlement agreement back then, however, that sealed the victim’s lips as to the extent of his injuries suffered in the accident.
One would think that after ruining someone else’s life in your earlier days that one might learn how to act right in the time-span of 26 years, right? Wouldn’t normal people think that they should ‘straighten-up and fly right’ to live a life where you don’t deliberately cause other people harm? Especially people in your employ who have no political power over you, while you have all the power over their lives?
One would also wonder how many other “incidents” there have been with Mayor Davis that have been covered-up or where people have looked the other way for his behalf? Back in December 2013, a special “coin” (similar to a challenge coin) was minted and handed-out to key Brookhaven residents and Friends of Mayor Davis in celebration of the city’s founding.
However, rumor has it that the City Council and Mayor Davis worked-out some sort of secret deal with the Brookhaven police whereby any holder of this special coin, while in the city limits of Brookhaven, would be given, essentially, “diplomatic immunity” whenever they violated the law (speeding or otherwise), and all they had to do was show the Brookhaven LEO the special coin, and they would be told by LEO “Yes, Sir/Ma’m. You are free to be on your way.”
Soooo…anyone with the special coin, while being in the city limits of Brookhaven, could continue to beat their dog, their wife, their mistress, or whatever, and merely flash the secret coin sign, and ta-da! No Brookhaven police report is taken, no arrests are made? Brilliant, Mayor Davis. Truly, brilliant. No wonder there are certain people who will support you regardless of how badly you govern or mistreat others. That kind of loyalty has been clearly bought.
In Conclusion
In this race for HD 80, look for all the old-timey male (and, likely, some idiotic females) Republican city council members, state senators, state reps (and former ones as well), and other political “dignitaries” (e.g., Phil Kent, Dick Williams, former DeKalb GOP Chair Bob Dallas, et al.) to use their names, or their political information broadcasting assets, to throw behind J Max Davis to support him…and know this: Whoever comes out in support of a total imbecile like J Max Davis (yeah, you have to BE an imbecile to spray a can of Lysol on someone else) must also either treat employees or females the way Davis did/does, or they think it’s hilarious and think nothing is wrong whatsoever about it.
Those kinds of dinosaurs will be obviously begging for attention…and PV promises that they will get far more than they ever bargained for.
