ANNA MARIA – Code Enforcement Manager Tom Collins was recently placed on paid administrative leave and an investigation was initiated regarding his alleged workplace behavior.
Collins was named Code Enforcement Manager after then-Code Enforcement Manager Dave DeZutter resigned on Feb. 23. DeZutter resigned after he was placed on “administrative leave pending investigation” on Feb. 2 for allegations pertaining to his workplace behavior and his interactions and/or confrontations with city staff and members of the public.
On May 28, Mayor Mark Short sent Collins a memorandum that said, “This memorandum is to inform you that the city has received allegations concerning your workplace conduct toward female city staff members. The city is initiating an investigation into these allegations. This memorandum is your notice of that investigation.
“Effective immediately, you are being placed on paid administrative leave pending completion of the investigation. This action is not a disciplinary determination. Rather, it is intended to allow the City to conduct a prompt and appropriate investigation while maintaining the orderly operation of the workplace,” the memo says.
“While you are on paid administrative leave, you are not to report to city hall or any other city workplace unless I specifically authorize you to do so in writing. You are also not to communicate, directly or indirectly with any city employee, city staff member, complainant, witness or other person involved in the investigation regarding this matter or any city business, unless specifically authorized in writing,” the memo says.
“You must remain available during normal business hours while on paid administrative leave. Attorney Ganett (Garrett) Olsen will contact you to schedule a remote interview as part of the investigation. You are expected to cooperate fully and truthfully in the investigation.
“You are also directed not to delete, destroy, alter or remove any city records, documents, emails, text messages, notes, files or other materials that may relate in any way to the allegations, your workplace conduct or city business,” the mayor’s memo says.
“The city expects this matter to be treated as confidential to the extent possible. You should not discuss the investigation with any city employee or potential witness.
“I will contact you when the investigation is complete or if there are any changes to your leave status. Until then, the directives in this memorandum remain in effect,” the memo says, in closing.
The memo provided to The Sun includes Short’s signature and Collins’ acknowledgment of receipt signature, also dated May 28.
On June 2, June 9 and June 10, The Sun emailed Mayor Short seeking additional information about Collins being placed on administrative leave, the investigation into Collins’ alleged behavior and who is currently managing the code enforcement department during Collins’ absence. As of June 10, The Sun had not received a response to those questions.
On June 9, The Sun submitted a public records request seeking copies of any complaints filed against Collins or incident logs pertaining to Collins workplace behavior. That day, The Sun received an email from the city clerk’s office that said, “There are no records responsive to the request.”
The Sun also reached out to Collins for comment but he did not respond.
As of June 10, The Sun could not ascertain who is currently serving as Anna Maria’s code enforcement manager.
Collins filed DeZutter complaints
While serving as a code enforcement officer under DeZutter’s supervision, Collins filed two complaints about DeZutter. On Jan. 9, according to the city’s consolidated incident log, Collins filed a complaint about a comment DeZutter allegedly made about the sexual orientation of a subordinate employee’s dog. On Jan. 13, Collins filed a complaint about DeZutter’s alleged confrontation with a motorist. The incident log references seven complaints filed about DeZutter’s workplace behavior.
