Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Personnel Conduct topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Erlanger mayor tells council to route operational requests through mayor’s office, says staff endured years of disruptive conduct by councilwoman
Summary
Mayor read a memo saying multiple city employees reported that Councilwoman Jennifer Jasper Lucas’s repeated operational requests and tone have disrupted city operations; the mayor directed that the councilwoman’s operational inquiries be routed through the mayor or city attorney. The councilmember denied the allegations and a heated exchange followed.
Mayor (identified in session only by title) read a memorandum to the council alleging that, over several years, multiple city staff had reported excessive and duplicative requests, accusatory correspondence and behavior by Councilwoman Jennifer Jasper Lucas that had “created an environment where staff feel they must operate in a constant state of caution and fear.” The mayor said the pattern had consumed city resources and hurt morale and described the memo as a step to protect employees and municipal operations.
The mayor told the council the city attorney and administration had advised a communication protocol: “All questions, records requests, explanations, reports, operational inquiries, staff‑related matters or requests for information from Councilwoman Jennifer Jasper Lucas shall be directed through the mayor or the city attorney,” and that the city attorney would screen such requests to minimize disruption. The memo cites multiple examples of repeated follow‑ups, asserted unreasonable expectations about response times, and says staff reported some instances of intimidation and threats to leave.
Councilwoman Jennifer Jasper Lucas disputed the characterization and responded at length. She said many of her inquiries were prompted by residents and open‑records requests. “I will continue to send my questions to the most logical person,” she said, adding that she sometimes asks for information in writing so there is an auditable record. She denied being “secretly recording” meetings and said she records for convenience and accuracy. She acknowledged occasional apologies for conduct she described as regrettable and defended her role as a public watchdog.
Other council members weighed in with differing perspectives. Some said they had seen reduced staff responsiveness and voiced concern about morale; others said the council needed to be careful about prescriptive rules that could limit elected oversight. Several members requested that the conversation be kept professional and that council and staff preserve open lines of communication.
No formal disciplinary action or binding policy change was voted on at the caucus. The mayor said the directive was issued pursuant to the chief executive’s authority and to protect staff; the matter concluded after lengthy rebuttals and an eventual vote to adjourn.
What’s next: The mayor’s memorandum and the protocol were recorded in the meeting minutes. Councilmembers urged continued dialogue; the caucus ended without a separate formal vote on additional sanctions or rule changes at that session.
