Three people accuse Bradenton city councilman of creating a hostile work environment
Three separate complaints have been raised against Bradenton City Councilman Bill Sanders, accusing the elected official of creating a hostile work environment.
At least three city staff members say they have witnessed “unprofessional” behavior from Sanders, who is accused of raising his voice and threatening their jobs during conversations, according to emails obtained by the Bradenton Herald through public records requests.
The wave of complaints began on April 13 when Bill Ackles, the city’s record management officer, sent a letter to city administration. He said Sanders’ conduct had turned City Hall into “a miserable place to come each day.”
Similar allegations came from the city administrator and an attorney who works with the city.
“Mr. Sanders is not only rude, unprofessional and inappropriate in language and attitude, he is willfully hateful, insulting, hostile and mean,” Ackles wrote in an April 13 letter.
The complaint triggered an investigation by a third-party law firm, city spokesperson Jeannie Roberts confirmed.
“Regarding complaints of inappropriate behavior directed at City of Bradenton employees, an investigation is being conducted by an outside lawyer experienced in conducting independent investigations and who specializes in employment law,” Roberts wrote in an email to the Herald. “We will let that process run its course. Accordingly, we will have no further comment at this time.”
Sanders denies accusations
Speaking with the Herald, Sanders pushed back against the allegations that have been made against him, calling it political blowback from his attempts to unveil corruption at City Hall.
In a May 9 email, Sanders also threatened to request an FBI investigation of the city’s operations.
“They’re portraying me as the crazy councilman that’s running around and asking for documents because I’m exposing what they’re doing,” said Sanders, who has accused city leaders of moving too quickly in an effort to sell City Hall.
“An internal HR investigation means absolutely nothing,” he added, noting that he was unaware of the ongoing investigation. “HR has no authority to a councilperson.”
Public records at heart of disagreement
Ackles’ complaint follows a series of records requests submitted by Sanders. In emails reviewed by the Herald, staff told Sanders that one of the records he sought could not be disclosed under Florida law. Ackles said a different records request would cost $34 due to the staff time involved in preparing the document.
Sanders argued that he had never been charged for a public records request before and accused City Administrator Rob Perry of blocking his request, pointing to a since-dismissed lawsuit from Perry’s stint in Albuquerque that alleged similar behavior by the city official.
“I’ve never, ever had a problem with Mr. Ackles until Mr. Perry came along,” Sanders said. “Mr. Perry holds back public information requests.”
In emails reviewed by the Herald, City Attorney Scott Rudacille disagreed with Sanders’ claims that his public records requests had been “denied.”
Council members are not routinely charged for requests related to their official duties, but administration leaders explained that they asked Sanders to pay for his request because it was thought to be personal in nature. Ahead of the planned DeSoto Grand Parade, Sanders asked for emails between city staff and the event organizers.
Sanders, who was previously barred from participating in the group’s events, took issue with the organization’s website, which listed the city of Bradenton as a sponsor of the parade.
“The event says all (elected officials) are free,” Sanders wrote in an email to the city attorney. “So a city councilman has an obligation to the taxpayers for any information on cost or sponsorship fee or arrangements and/or if the event is being used as a political tool by its board or by the city of Bradenton in any form.”
The DeSoto Historical Society banned Sanders from attending events after police said he was caught on video grabbing a volunteer in a drunken confrontation at the organization’s Seafood Festival in 2019.
Others have expressed concern with Sanders
The accusations against Sanders are worthy of inspection, according to Perry, who said he has witnessed similar behavior and shared his concerns with the Bradenton City Council. In an April 21 email to board members, Perry asked Mayor Gene Brown for a public workshop to address the situation.
“I’ve reached the inescapable conclusion that the councilor’s conduct must be examined by his peers and the public. I believe this evidence will indicate a pattern of unstable, undermining, self-serving and unprofessional conduct,” Perry wrote. “I have no option but to bring these matters to your attention for more consideration.”
Becky Vose, the city’s conflict attorney, terminated her contract with Bradenton after a conversation with Sanders. In an April 18 letter to Perry, she cited recent communication with Sanders as the “only reason” for her withdrawal.
Vose’s letter says Sanders threatened to file an ethics complaint with her if she did not comply with his request to become involved in a case being handled by a different lawyer.
Sanders, who was first elected in 2018, is seeking re-election in November. He represents the city of Bradenton’s Ward 4, which includes areas along the Manatee River and near the Braden River.
Perry’s email set off a back-and-forth with Sanders, according to public records reviewed by the Bradenton Herald. Sanders responded by accusing the city administrator of cursing at him and threatening him by slamming a chair into a wall during an argument.
“If anyone is unstable, it’s certainly not me, and I consider that statement as ‘defamation’ in Mr. Perry’s email,” Sanders wrote. “I am a person who believes in honest, transparent government. That’s my goal and I will defend that as far as it takes.”
In an April 23 email to City Attorney Scott Rudacille, Sanders said he believed “Perry should resign.”
While Sanders has clashed with Perry in public meetings, the complaint marks an escalation in tension between the two city officials. Mayor Gene Brown has often used the gavel to silence Sanders for arguing with staffers or speaking out of turn during public meetings.
“There’s not much I can say right now because I don’t want to influence the process,” Brown said. “The mayor’s office and the administration have a responsibility to the employees to let it go through the proper channels.”
The councilman’s behavior has been called into question before.
Catherine Hartley, the city’s former planning director also pointed to interactions with Sanders as one of the reasons why she quit her job in March 2020.
“Things are getting really ugly and I am job shopping. I’ve been trying to manage 4, but it’s getting really hard,” Hartley wrote, referencing Sanders’ Ward, in an email to the former city clerk just days before she resigned.
The written complaints against Sanders are the first in his tenure on Bradenton City Council. Brown said the allegations will be investigated by an outside law firm and the results will be shared with the council at a later date.
This story was originally published May 16, 2022 at 2:44 PM.
