Blythe speaks out on Minerich’s investigation | News

Less than a week after the results of an internal investigation into Richmond City Manager Rob Minerich were made public through a public records request from the Richmond Register, Mayor Robert Blythe addressed the findings during Sunday’s broadcast of the WKYT 27 Kentucky Newsmaker Show – with Bill Bryant.

During Sunday’s nationally televised interview, Bryant asked the Richmond mayor, “An investigation recently exonerated your city manager after he was accused of making offensive remarks. Are you past that now?”

Blythe did not dodge the question, but left an open-ended answer in his response that may be addressed at Tuesday’s Richmond City Commission meeting.

“Well, I’ll put it this way: The investigation is over,” Blythe replied. “I can’t really address what you just asked me because I haven’t spoken to every single member of the Board of Commissioners. I also haven’t spoken to other people who might have an opinion on it, because the result of the investigation has highlighted some things that need to be addressed, not necessarily with the city manager, but more with some things that we need to address in the city government of Richmond.”

Blythe also acknowledged that the investigation had uncovered “cultural concerns.”

Blythe explained, “I think one of the terms that was used was ‘a gossipy nature at City Hall.’ Maybe I shouldn’t have said that, but that was one of the things that is now public, and maybe some people are afraid to say certain things about leadership because they’re afraid of losing their job and that someone might tell someone something like that, which is probably pretty common everywhere. But we’re talking about Richmond now, so that’s my concern.”

According to invoices obtained through the Richmond Register’s public records request, the estimated cost of the investigation was more than $30,000 to the city of Richmond and the Kentucky League of Cities. Bryant made it clear that the investigation has incurred some costs for the city.

“I will sign the check, but I have not yet received the actual invoice for the services,” Blythe replied. “But I understand it is in the tens of thousands of dollars.”

Documents obtained by the Register nearly a week ago confirmed that Richmond City Councilwoman Tammy Cole received an anonymous message with the subject line “The Truth About Rob Minerich” dated Feb. 22 to her personal email address.

The contents of that message prompted the commission to authorize an investigation into the conduct of Richmond City Manager Rob Minerich, who has held the position since 2018 and oversees 19 department heads and more than 250 employees.

The final report of that investigation, which was handled by Carol Petit of Vaughn Petit Legal Group, LLC., was presented to commissioners prior to a regularly scheduled commission meeting on May 28.

A copy of the original email and the final report was obtained by the Richmond Register through a public records request.

“The email is hearsay within hearsay. There is no way to attribute the statement to a specific declarant or to verify the allegations through a direct interview with the person who allegedly made them,” the report said.

The report, based on interviews with at least 50 current and former employees, past complaints and other city files, concludes that there is no substantive basis for the allegations against Minerich, which included sexual harassment, a hostile work environment or retaliation.

After the results were published in the Richmond Register, City Councilor Mike Brewer believed from the beginning that the investigation was unnecessary, while Minerich stated that he wanted to “move on.”

Contact Steve Cornelius at [email protected].