ANNA MARIA – Workplace complaints four current and former Anna Maria employees sent Mayor Mark Short in May resurfaced on Tuesday, Sept. 22, when finance department assistant Jeff Charles sent an email to Short regarding his acceptance of a city-imposed transition from a full-time employee to a part-time employee.
“On Thursday, Sept. 17, I was informed that my position will be changing from salaried to part time, up to 24 hours a week, and no benefits,” Charles stated, noting this change would impact his financial security.
Attached to Charles’ 8:13 a.m. email were complaints he, City Planner Ashley Austin, Public Works Manager Dean Jones and former city employee Leigh Fuller sent Short in May.
“On Thursday, May 14, Dean, Ashley and I came to you to bring forth complaints – one of the complaints includes Leigh Fuller, a longtime employee of the city now resigned – regarding City Clerk and HR (human resources manager) Amber LaRowe and Code Enforcement Manager Tom Collins. This was about their unchecked actions going on in the city regarding workplace harassment, nepotism, sexual harassment, hate speech and discrimination,” Charles stated in his Sept. 22 email.
“Please see attached,” Charles wrote in reference to the attached complaints. “I was never informed of the outcomes or provided reassurance on anything.”
The complaints filed in May by Charles, Austin and Jones also reference LaRowe’s husband, Ryan, who was hired in late March to serve as the city’s full-time vacation rental program and code enforcement administrator, with a starting salary of $55,000 and full employee benefits, according to the job offer letter he received from Collins.
Charles copied City Clerk and soon-to-be City Administrator Amber LaRowe, soon-to-be City Clerk Barbara Jeffries, Austin, Jones and City Treasurer Randy Maxson on the email he sent to the mayor.
At 11:11 a.m., Charles sent Short a second email that said, “Around 10 a.m., Amber, Tom, Barbara and Ryan were heard discussing the email that was sent out in Barbara’s office. Ryan can be heard cussing and says, ‘they are f- – -ing lucky I am over there (at the Annex building) and not over here (at city hall).’ This is the ongoing gossiping between an HR official and city employees I reported before.”
Austin then sent Short an email that said, “Ryan’s threat makes me fear for my safety. I and other women have already expressed fear of Tom, including a business owner here. Tom and Ryan are both former law enforcement officers. I hope you can understand how threats like these are frightening and take steps to ensure everyone’s safety.”
On Thursday, Oct. 1, Amber LaRowe will become Anna Maria’s first city administrator – a charter position appointment that requires city commission approval. Short requested and received the commission’s approval on Aug. 27. As city administrator, LaRowe will have increased supervisory authority and influence.
PUBLIC RECORDS
The Sun became aware of Charles’ Sept. 22 email and the attached complaints later that afternoon, after receiving two emails that referenced those documents.
One email said, “I am reaching out to report a tip regarding potential corruption within the city of Anna Maria, as well as alleged retaliation against employees who have spoken up about these concerns. I believe a public records request to the city of Anna Maria concerning the subject ‘Acceptance of Part Time Position’ may provide the information and documentation necessary to investigate these allegations further.”
Later that day, The Sun independently obtained copies of the Sept. 22 emails sent by Charles and Austin, and the complaints attached to Charles’ first email to the mayor.
The following morning, The Sun filed a public records request seeking digital copies of those emails and attachments. On Friday, Sept. 25, The Sun received notice from Amber LaRowe that the city would not provide the requested emails and email attachments.
“The following part of your request is exempt and confidential due to an investigation under Florida State Statute 119.071(2)(k),” LaRowe wrote.
The statute LaRowe cited pertains to the city’s sharing of confidential materials associated with an active investigation. Florida law does not prohibit media outlets from publishing confidential materials obtained from other sources.
On Saturday, Sept. 26, Short spoke to The Sun by phone. When asked what investigation was the basis for the denied public records request, he said the city was investigating who provided The Sun with those documents.
Regarding the past employee complaints, Short said, “Those complaints that you have from back in May were immediately investigated by me and by our labor attorney, and actions were taken as a result of those complaints.”
Short said he considers the past complaints addressed and that the investigation completed. He said the email complaint he received from Austin regarding Ryan LaRowe’s alleged Sept. 22 comments is considered to be a new complaint.
CHARLES COMPLAINT
In his five-page May 14 complaint, Charles stated, “Mayor, I want to bring to your attention some problems I have been witnessing in the city since my time here. I apologize for not coming to you with these sooner but I feared there would be retaliation. Unfortunately, the state of the office place has reached a point where that risk is necessary.”
Charles’ complaint mentioned the non-city-owned AirTag surveillance device placed in Jones’ work vehicle late last year without his knowledge. Jones later discovered the device and reported it to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.
“This is one instance of harassment and targeting that has led to employees being scared that there are illegal wiretaps and monitoring going on throughout the city,” Charles wrote.
Regarding the city’s contracted information technology company, Charles wrote, “Amber is good friends with the tech guys at Big Sur, so some employees see that as a problem that she may have access to our files and can monitor our complaints.”
Charles stated he heard Amber LaRowe and Collins make disparaging remarks about Jones.
Regarding public works department employee Kaleb Stutts, who has dexterity challenges, Charles stated, “As a Human Resource Supervisor, your job is to ensure the work environment is a safe place for everyone. Amber was in her office making statements about how Kaleb should not be working for the city and how we could replace him with someone who can ‘actually work.’ One time she stated that the only reason Kaleb worked for the city is because (of) Frank Agnelli, and that Frank should hire Kaleb if he wants him to be employed so bad.”
Stutts has been with the city for six years. He recently became Agnelli’s brother-in-law. Agnelli co-owns Mason Martin Builders.
Regarding Collins’ workplace behavior at that time, Charles wrote, “Tom likes to make very inappropriate jokes that make people quite uncomfortable.”
Regarding LaRowe’s workplace behavior, Charles wrote, “I think her role as HR and City Clerk gives her the assumption her power is absolute.”
AUSTIN COMPLAINT
In her four-page May 14 complaint, Austin wrote, “I am submitting this complaint regarding ongoing concerns involving workplace misconduct, favoritism, retaliation, hostile work environment issues and violations of Florida law within the city administration involving City Clerk/HR Director Amber LaRowe and Code Manager Tom Collins.
“The concerns outlined below involve: Nepotism and improper hiring practices, unequal enforcement of workplace policies, retaliation, hostile conduct and targeting, possible sexual harassment, improper disclosure of confidential employee information. These issues have created a workplace environment that multiple employees have described as hostile, retaliatory, intimidating, and unprofessional,” Austin stated in her complaint.
She questioned the hiring of Ryan LaRowe for a full-time position that was previously advertised as a part-time position.
“Ryan was introduced as Tom’s ‘second in command.’ Shortly after Ryan’s hiring, Tom introduced Amber’s son to staff and stated he would soon be joining the Code Department once he obtained a driver’s license,” Austin stated.
To date, the son has not joined the city staff.
“There are further concerns that Amber influenced vendor selection decisions involving Big Sur, a company with which Amber and Ryan allegedly have personal relationships,” Austin wrote.
“Several employees expressed concerns that Amber uses her HR authority inconsistently, emotionally and retaliatorily,” Austin stated. “Multiple employees have described the workplace environment as intimidating, emotionally volatile and retaliatory due to Amber’s conduct, often involving Tom Collins.”
Austin’s complaint stated Amber LaRowe implemented heightened employee monitoring measures that included fingerprint and geofence tracking systems that some employees perceived as retaliatory.
“Certain employees appeared to be intentionally targeted through increased scrutiny or manufactured workload complaints. I have experienced, and employees have reported, that supervisors appear fearful of opposing Amber or disagreeing with her decisions,” Austin wrote.
Austin stated she witnessed Collins touching female city employees and using his chiropractic background as “justification for touching employees.”
“These actions caused discomfort and concern regarding workplace professionalism and boundaries,” she stated.
JONES COMPLAINT
In his two-page May 14 complaint, Jones stated he saw Collins place his hand on a female employee’s thigh during a city meeting.
He also stated, “One afternoon I walked into the kitchen of the Annex and witnessed Tom giving Ryan LaRowe a chiropractic adjustment. I thought it was a blatant violation of city policy. One city employee giving another city employee a chiropractic adjustment on a portable table on city property. A few moments later Tom turned to me and said, ‘These hands can hurt and they can heal.’ This made me very uncomfortable.”
He also stated, “Amber has been heard saying that her plan is to demote me and reduce my salary.”
Jones stated that being targeted by LaRowe caused him to experience anxiety and hypervigilance.
“I am nearing the end of my career and have put in years of hard work maintaining and protecting this Island city that I love. I do not want to lose my job as Public Works Manager and Capital Projects Manager,” he stated in his complaint.
Regarding Stutts, Jones wrote, “A serious accident left Kaleb partially disabled. Occasionally there are tasks that are challenging for Kaleb, but he always tries his best. He refuses to be held back by his disabilities. Amber said to me one day that when the labor study came back, and Kaleb could not do his job to the description set down by the labor study, he would be terminated. Kaleb’s indirect connection to a local builder (Agnelli) has also been cited as a transgression and is being held against him.”
Jones concluded his complaint by stating, “I am requesting that a labor attorney, along with an ADA attorney, be called in to conduct an impartial investigation into the city’s work environment. I am also requesting that our in-house HR manager be left out of this communication for retaliation reasons.”
FULLER COMPLAINT
In her complaint, Fuller stated, “In my 25-year career in a corporate setting, workplace confidentiality was a critical issue and imperative as to protect the integrity of the investigation and to limit company liability. The action of Ms. LaRowe was extremely careless and can potentially put me and others in danger.
“The actions of Amber LaRowe bring me to the conclusion that she lacks experience in navigating complex personnel decisions, has no regard for employee safety, city liability and is retaliatory in nature,” the former city employee stated.
MAYOR’S COMMENTS
When speaking to The Sun, Short noted that in June, Collins was placed on administrative leave and later reinstated with imposed conditions regarding his interactions with female employees and his disallowed chiropractic activities.
Short said LaRowe received a written reprimand related to her human resources duties. He said the city is finalizing an agreement with the city of Holmes Beach for that city to handle Anna Maria’s higher-level human resources responsibilities, including escalated employee complaints.
When asked, Short said city employees who file workplace complaints would not be subjected to retaliation, but there could be consequences if the city can determine who provided The Sun with the documents referenced in this story.
When asked whether he had any concerns about LaRowe’s ability to provide a safe and non-hostile work environment for city employees, Short said he did not.
He provided a similar answer when asked whether he felt he himself is able to provide city employees with a safe and non-hostile work environment.
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