PPA Under Fire For Handling Of Sexual Harassment Complaint
by Pat Loeb
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Philadelphia Parking Authority is taking heat after the revelation that its executive director kept his job after a sexual harassment complaint by a senior staff member.
A Parking Authority spokesman says the complaint against Executive Director Vince Fenerty was investigated and resolved 15 months ago, with no monetary settlement.
The employee kept her job, as did Fenerty, though with greater board oversight.
That doesn't seem enough to Felicia Harris, of the Mayor's Commission on women.
"The board should reconsider their decision, they should take into consideration the message they're sending," said Harris.
Mayor Kenney agrees.
"Imagine it was your sister or your daughter," he said.
The Authority is a state agency, and Governor Wolf says he wants it run by someone the public can have faith in.
"I'm troubled whenever I see people in positions of public authority do the wrong thing," said Wolf. "We're going to undermine the trust we need to make these organizations operate."
But board member and City Councilman Al Taubenberger believes the Board's action was sufficient.
"I think it was very fair, all around," said Taubenberger.
Taubenberger sits on the Authority Board and saw the report of the complaint investigation.
He compared Fenerty's actions to those of a lovesick teenager.
"It was a, sort of a crush. It was inappropriate in that workplace, at that level of management," said Taubenberger.
Fenerty has declined comment.
