A longtime Rock Island County employee is accusing a county board member of being a "workplace bully," after he publicly questioned some financial practices, including how much money she made in comp time in 2013.
County Board Executive Assistant Shelly Chapman filed a grievance letter against board member Don Johnston, accusing him of creating a "hostile work environment" for her and other female employees.
Earlier this month, Johnston questioned a nearly $20,000 supplement paid to Chapman, after she was allowed to cash in 628 hours of comp time she says she accrued in 2013.
Johnston says that money was never approved by the County Board, and he called Chapman's grievance "bizarre."
"It's rather bizarre. I don't know what the heck she's talking about. I rarely talk to the woman. In the first place, isn't it bizarre that a county board member would have to (file a) 'Freedom of Information' (request for) information about the county he represents? In general, it's just crazy," Johnston said.
"It's almost like she's turning in comp time faster than she could use it, and the board had no idea that was going on," Johnston said.
Chapman sent the four-page letter to other board members, Rock Island County States Attorney John McGehee and local media outlets.
She states that Johnston's repeated FOIA requests "add to the hostile work environment and workplace bullying to which I have been subjected," and says if Johnston doesn't take the grievance letter to heart, she may sue.
She also says Johnston started asking for records about her comp time and pay after his girlfriend's daughter was let go as head of Human Resources for the county.
Chapman's total salary for 2013, with the comp time cash-out, totaled about $80,000.