Page 15 - Florida Sentinel 9-2-16 Online Edition

Local
Two City Employees Retire After Sexual Harassment Complaint Filed
Two employees of the Tampa Water Department retired last week rather than be fired over complaints from a co-worker who said she received un- wanted text messages had to deal with in appropriate com- ments and worried about los- ing her job if she complained.
Timothy E. Johnson, 49, a utility technician with the City for 17 years, and Ronald Calderoni, 54, a senior team leader and 32-year employee, both retired.
Had the two men not retired they would have been dis- missed according to Kimberly Crum, City Human Resources Director.
Johnson and Calderoni had received excellent and out- standing ratings in past per- formance reviews, but officials with the City said their actions amounted to sexual harass- ment that created a hostile work environment in the de- partment’s Water Production office.
Officials said in a memo to Calderoni that other employ- ees had said they would not allow their daughters to work there. Johnson, officials said sent co-worker, Brandy Har- rison suggestive text mes-
sages, left her notes, and told her he bought her a pair of panties, leaving the bag on her desk. She told City officials she asked him several times to stop, but he didn’t.
Officials said the text mes- sages continued even after City officials warned Johnson in late May he could face disci- pline on the job, and the matter might even by referred to po- lice. They told him to stop con- tacting Harrison outside of work hours.
Johnson, according to offi- cials, denied continuing to text Harrison until he was shown texts he had sent. In May, Har- rison told her supervisor, Calderoni, that what John- son was doing was making her very uncomfortable at work.
A little more than a month later, Harrison met with Human Resources to talk not only about Johnson, but Calderoni as well. She told of- ficials she began to feel uncom- fortable about two weeks after a private staffing agency sent her to work in the water pro- duction office in early April.
Harrison told several oth- ers she was afraid to report the problems, because she might lose her job.
Workgroup Focuses On Public Safety In State Courthouses
The Honorable Ronald Ficarrotta, Chief Judge of the Thirteen Judicial Circuit has been selected to serve on the Judicial Management Council Court Security Work- group by Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Jorge Labarga.
Judge Ficarrotta said It’s an honor to be selected by Chief Justice Labarga. With this group, we hope to create greater awareness of courthouse security, pointing out areas that need improve- ment while ultimately provid- ing a safe facility people can take pride in.”
The Trial Courthouse Secu- rity Workgroup also includes chief judges from Fort Myers, Miami, Orlando, Jacksonville, Tallahassee, Pensacola and Sanford along with attorneys from Jacksonville and Talla- hassee. Each has agreed to serve for two years.
Chief Justice Labarga is asking the group to take a closer look at security cur- rently in place at courthouses across the state’s 20 circuits. He also wants them to identify minimum standards for secu- rity for all courthouses, recom-
HONORABLE RONALD FICARROTTA
mend appropriate training, re- view security funding prac- tices, and establish criteria for a statewide reporting system of security incidents at court- houses.
Judge Ficarrotta said, “Courthouse security is some- thing we should never take for granted. Security has always been a priority in our court- house, for the public, judges, lawyers, litigants, for every- one.”
He further said, “Here in the Thirteenth Circuit, we are very fortunate to have the serv- ices of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, who provide outstanding security.
CHIEF JUSTICE JORGE LABARGA
Every day, they handle an ex- tremely high volume of people using our courthouse facili- ties.”
The Workgroup recently held first meeting and are planning to tour a number of Courthouse facilities around the state.
Many courthouses have metal detectors at their en- trances, while some facilities in smaller rural counties do not. Under the Florida Consti- tution, counties bear the re- sponsibility of funding courthouse security rather than state government. So co- operation with local govern- ments is crucial.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2016 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 3-B