Councilwoman Sounds Off About Claims Of Sexual Harassment At Fraser City Hall

FRASER (WWJ) - A member of the Fraser City Council is speaking out against Mayor Joe Nichols and Acting Mayor Matt Hemelberg following multiple claims of sexual harassment.

Councilwoman Kathy Blanke says a public tribunal hearing is planned in the few weeks to potentially force the two out of office.

While Blanke said she hasn't witnessed Nichols or Hemelberg sexually harassing anyone, because she doesn't work at City Hall, she has had her own experiences.

"Two meetings ago, as we were leaving the meeting, Matt Hemelberg called me a G.D. backstabbing whore," she told WWJ's Lauren Barthold. "He's also picked on a 75-year-old woman; called her a fat ass and wished she would die."

She said both Hemelberg and Nichols have been outright obnoxious to female residents at public meetings. "And it's so vile that I can't repeat it; I will not repeat it."

On Monday, the council members voted 4-3 to hire an independent attorney to investigate the allegations after at least three people made formal complaints.

Blanke, who has lived in Fraser for 50 years, said Hemelberg and Nichols' behavior is dragging down the whole city.

She said she's not afraid to stand up to them because she's not afraid of bullies.

"You cannot put a blind eye to it and just turn your back and say whatever, because now there's innocent people involved, women involved, their families involved," Blanke said. "They're afraid, you know? They've been known to go in the bathroom and that to hide and this kind of stuff, and that's the saddest part of this whole thing is that people's rights were violated."

In statements released last week, Hemelberg and Nichols said they will cooperate with any legitimate sexual harassment investigations and will fight back against false allegations.

Speaking to WWJ on Thursday, Nichols' attorney Donald Gasiorek said Blanke's comments do not support the sexual harassment claims, adding that there's no law that says you have to be nice to people.

Messages were left by WWJ seeking further comment.