A Riviera Beach employee said he’s facing retaliation after telling council members about a toxic work environment at a public meeting earlier in October.
Joseph Jackson Jr., a chief water/sewer maintenance mechanic for the city’s special utility district, told an independent investigator proper investigations into human resource issues and fact-based decision-making were lacking within the department.
His testimony, along with 32 other employees, led to the investigator concluding city administration was negligent after receiving various complaints of racism, sexual harassment, favoritism, and retaliation.
The report led to Mayor Ronnie Fielder suspending Riviera Beach City Manager Jonathan Evans for two weeks.
WPTV reporter Ethan Stein would later find records showing he communicated with city staff to conduct city business while using a personnel email account, which would potentially avoid public record laws.
Riviera Beach
City manager used private email while suspended, records show
Ethan Stein