County Board Member Denies Sexual Harassment Claim

A member of the Vermilion County Board is denying sexual harassment charges which were raised by a fellow board member Tuesday night.

Bill Pickett has the story….

Jerry Hawker is the target of allegations which were handed out in a packet to board members by Kevin Green. 

Green (shown here) presented three resolutions…

{Audio:  ‘’These resolutions are titled ‘County Responds to Sexual Harassment’. Bottom line…removal of Jerry Hawker from all County Board committees.  Conflicts of interest and finance chair – bottom line…removal of Steve Miller from the Finance Committee and the Committee on Committees.  And the third resolution…reinstitution of a stand alone personnel committee.’’}

In the packet details are outlined regarding sexual harassment allegations filed by Vermilion County Department of Animal Regulations Director Kasey Snyder.  Hawker is the former director of that department and told Neuhoff News….

{AUDIO:  ‘’I just think it’s a sad day when just because an individual is a female, and the board member who is the chairman of the oversite committee asks her to come to committee meetings.  She refuses to, refuses to return emails from the Auditor or from the committee chairman.  This is just retaliation and I intend to fight it one-hundred percent.’’}

Hawker also denied the allegations….

{AUDIO:  ‘’I  have not been alone with this director, and it is just a situation where the County Human Resources Director is siding with her friend.  And I will be addressing it.’’}

After passing out the packets Green asked board members to review the allegations and be prepared to take action on the three resolutions next month.   And he warned the board….

{AUDIO:  ‘’What we are doing here this evening is our last chance to fix and control these situations locally – here within the county board.  Failing that – the next step is to refer all matters to the Illinois Department of Human Rights, the Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Illinois State Bar Association, and the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission.’’}

County Board members were told it is the second harassment complaint that has been filed against Hawker.  The first was filed by Sandra Delhaye, Executive Director of the Danville Election Commission.  In the packet, obtained by Neuhoff Media news reporter Bill Pickett, the complaint states ‘’over the last 8 months or so, Jerry Hawker has harassed Sandy Delhaye in that Jerry Hawker singled her out in an attempt to intimidate her and to make her miserable enough to quit and leave, and that Jerry Hawker had the intent to make all commissioners and staff leave to close the election office up.’’  After investigating the grievance a ruling was made in favor of Delhaye’s claim.

County Board Chairman Larry Baughn says the board will refer back to the information in the packet presented by Green at a later date.  But Green has asked to be put on the agenda for the March meeting and wants the board to take action then.