Frankenhoff says he will accept resolution preventing him from communicating with Park District directors, employees

QUINCY — The Quincy Park Board has scheduled a special meeting at 1 p.m. Thursday to consider action against Commissioner John Frankenhoff, who told Muddy River News he will agree to the terms of a proposed resolution made public on Tuesday.

Park Board members will meet Thursday in closed session to discuss the resolution prepared by Park District Attorney David Penn and Park Board President Mark Philpot, then vote in open session.  The resolution says “concerns and complaints have been lodged by employees related to harassing, bullying and hostile conduct by Commissioner Frankenhoff toward employees over a period of years.”

The proposed resolution will:

• Ban Frankenhoff from entering the Park District offices, 1231 Bonansinga Drive, other than to attend monthly meetings.
• Remove Frankenhoff from current committee assignments.
• Prevent Frankenhoff from approaching or communicating with Rome Frericks, executive director of the Park District, or any Park District directors by phone, by email or by letter at any time.
• Limit Frankenhoff to communication with Park Board President Mark Philpot if he has questions or a need for information related to voting on pending matters before the Park Board.
• Prevent Frankenhoff from having contact or communication with any Park District employees if the communication seems to manage or interfere with employees’ work duties or listen to employees’ complaints.
• Prevent Frankenhoff from serving as the Park District’s representative in an official capacity at any public events.
• Prevent Frankenhoff from registering for any conferences related to Park District matters.

“This resolution shall be in full force and effect immediately upon its adoption and until such time as the Board of Commissioners modifies, repeals or otherwise nullifies this resolution,” the resolution read.

Contacted Tuesday night, Frankenhoff declined comment but offered a prepared statement.

“I will abide by the terms of the resolution,” he wrote. “If someday the details are made public, I will gladly explain my side of the story.  Otherwise, I hope that we can refocus on making the Park District better than ever.”

Frankenhoff was first elected to the Park Board in 2001 and has served several terms as president. He recently submitted his paperwork to run for his seventh four-year term in the municipal election in April.

Issues with Frankenhoff’s conduct were made public on Dec. 11 when Commissioner Trent Lyons submitted his resignation. He explained in a letter that the “toxicity and abhorrent behavior of a single, long-serving staple of the Quincy Park Board” was the reason for his decision.

“John Frankenhoff’s history of manipulation, bullying, harassment and abuse would almost be impressive if it wasn’t disgusting,” Lyons said in his letter. 

The resolution said the Park Board has determined that Frankenhoff’s conduct toward employees of the Park District has been “inappropriate, violated board policy, violated rules which would subject him to discipline if he were a Park District employee and damages the reputation of the Park District. Specifically, Frankenhoff has repeatedly violated board policy by interfering in day-to-day operations of employees, trying to manage employees and doing so in a manner that can be deemed hostile, harassing and intimidating. 

“Further, the board declares and determines that Frankenhoff’s conduct has and will continue to expose the Park District to financial and legal liability if not remediated and limited. The board hereby demands that Frankenhoff immediately cease the violation of board policy and the inappropriate treatment of staff.”

The document pointed out various policies from the board policy manual and personnel code manual that Frankenhoff has apparently violated.

• Under Primary Powers/Functions of the Board: “[A]s an individual, a board member has no legal authority to determine policy, give directions to district personnel or to act or speak for the Board unless specifically authorized to do so by official Board action.”
• Under Hiring Employees/Special Consultants: “[T]he Board does not play a role in the hiring, firing or day-to-day management of district employees. Those responsibilities are vested with the executive director. The board’s relationship with Park District employees should be very limited. Socializing at board/employee functions is permissible, but when board members interfere with employee matters or listen to employee’s complaints about their jobs, the executive director or the Park District, then the board members have gone beyond policy authority.”
• The personnel code manual “prohibits any form of harassment of its employees, volunteer workers, or individuals participating in the district’s programs perpetrated by any district employee or volunteer worker” and which consists of “persistent and unwelcome contact with another individual that could be in the form of verbal, written or physical behavior.”
• The personnel code manual provides that “[i]t is the policy of the Quincy Park District to promote a safe environment for its employees and park users. The district is committed to working with its employees to maintain a work environment free from violence, threats of violence, harassment, intimidation and other disruptive behavior.”