Davenport City Administrator Corri Spiegel is leaving her position with the city because of “prolonged and documented instances of harassment by some elected officials,” according to information released today by the City of Davenport.
In a Wednesday morning, Nov. 22, news release, the city announced it will pay the city administrator $1.6 million for lost wages and “emotional pain and suffering.” The city also released its separation agreement with Ms. Spiegel on Wednesday.
City officials announced last week that Ms. Spiegel – Davenport’s city administrator since 2016 – was leaving her position. At that time, it was announced that her last day on the job will be Jan. 2, 2024. Shortly after that, Assistant City Administrator and Chief Financial Officer Mallory Merritt was named the interim city administrator effective immediately.
Tom Warner, corporation counsel for the city of Davenport, told the QCBJ in an email Thursday, Nov. 16, that Ms. Spiegel’s situation is an “amicable departure,” but he offered few other details on her departure.
But more details were made public Wednesday morning when the city released a statement from the Davenport City Council on the “leadership transition” and a copy of the employment separation agreement with Ms. Spiegel.
That agreement, which is dated Oct. 6 states, in part:
- Ms. Spiegel will receive these lump-sum payments: $1 million “for emotional pain and suffering.” This will be made Jan. 2, 2024, and is “not subject to employment taxes.” She also will receive a lump sum payment of $600,000 “for lost wages subject to customary payroll deductions to be paid along with Spiegel’s final payroll check.”
- The city will pay all remaining balances of vacation and holiday time accrued at the time of separation on the final regular paycheck.
- Ms. Spiegel agreed not to be interviewed with local market news media outlets about her allegations for a period of 10 years.
- Ms. Spiegel resigns her employment with the city effective Jan. 2, 2024, and the resignation is accepted by the city. Her final day of holding office hours was Friday, Nov. 17. She will be on administrative leave with pay until Jan. 2.
In addition to the employment separation agreement with Ms. Spiegel, the city council also released a statement Wednesday regarding the situation. In that news release, the council alleges that the actions of former Alderman Derek Cornette and other “unnamed former elected officials were inappropriate, wrong, and appalling.”
“Due to these prolonged and documented instances of harassment by some elected officials directed at City Administrator Spiegel over the past eight years, and on the advice of in-house and independent counsel, we agreed to compensate Ms. Spiegel for these behaviors. The amount of compensation is small when compared to what a lengthy lawsuit and an ultimate finding of wrongdoing would have cost the taxpayers,” according to the council’s statement.
The city council voted 7-3 in September to remove Mr. Cornette from office. The 7th Ward alderman was accused of harassing two female staffers, drinking before meeting, and leaving harassing voicemails for council members and city officials. (Since his removal, he has filed a lawsuit against the city, the mayor, and the city council. Mr. Cornette also lost his bid for re-election this fall.)
The council’s release also stated that “no truly effective enforcement mechanism currently exists to stop wrongful behavior prior to liability being created for the city,” according to the news release.
The release adds that: “Unfortunately, the damage and pain have to be experienced prior to the problem being removed if an elected official does not stop their behavior voluntarily. Protection of our employees from wrongful, unwanted, harmful behavior is a paramount obligation. Until elected officials can refrain from these behaviors or until we can provide this protection in an effective and timely manner, we will continue to lose great employees.”
The council added in its release that future councils should adopt codes of conduct for their members early on in their terms. Also, future councils should request the state legislature provide an official who is empowered to investigate and hold accountable local elected officials for their transgressions of the law, codes of conduct and employment policies in a swift and effective manner through fines, suspensions, and removals.
“We regret the events that have transpired to bring us to this place. We are closing this chapter with the hopes of never writing another of a similar nature,” according to the news release.
The council news release adds the council members will not make any further statements on the issue.
