Medford Mayor Rejects Council's Request For Investigation Funding

MEDFORD, MA — Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn will not provide the City Council funding to conduct an independent investigation into claims of a hostile work environment and failure to pay a department head.

The Council requested $15,000 to hire a third-party investigator and another $15,000 to retain its own legal representation in the event of a potential conflict of interest with acting city solicitor Kim Scanlon.

In response to the City Council Monday afternoon, Lungo-Koehn wrote in part:

"It is clear that the Council's request for an allocation of taxpayer dollars to retain its own legal counsel to advise on these personnel matters, matters over which it has no authority or jurisdiction, as well as a request for its own third-party investigator to be selected at its own choosing, is nothing more than a political ploy purposely suggested and designed, not by the Council, but by a politically motivated bad faith actor to advance an agenda and to serve an ulterior motive. It will not be entertained."

Lungo-Koehn and her chief of staff David Rodrigues were named in a cease and desist order sent by former city solicitor Mark Rumley on behalf of Finance Director Aleesha Nunley Benjamin.

Nunley Benjamin alleges the mayor told her "a white male should present the budget to the City Council instead of [Ms. Nunley Benjamin], since they will listen to a white male" during a June 1 call with consultant CLA and six other city employees. She says she also faced "negative and inappropriate" comments from Rodrigues.

In a separate matter, Veteran's Affairs Director Michael Durham, who is also represented by Rumley, is accusing the mayor's administration of financial impropriety. Durham alleges he was not compensated for five months of work clearing a backlog of contested parking tickets as the city's hearing officer.

Scanlon has retained an independent third party to conduct an investigation into both matters. She told the Council at a June 23 meeting that she looked for "somebody that nobody knew of, somebody that nobody ever heard of."

"I listed down to two candidates, and earlier today the mayor had agreed to the first candidate," Scanlon said.

But Lungo-Koehn will not allocate additional funds for a second investigation so "[the Council] can participate in a game being orchestrated by a disgruntled former employee," her letter states.

At an emergency meeting Friday, the City Council deliberated over whether it could take action without members of the administration, as well as the city solicitor, in attendance.

Councilors stressed it is not their intent to conduct a "witch hunt" or "tar and feather" anyone, only to effectively investigate claims involving the mayor's administration. They voted to request $30,000 from the mayor's office and to find a record, whether it is a video or written transcript, of the June 1 call with CLA.

Lungo-Koehn maintains she was not properly informed of Friday's meeting.

"The agenda as posted lacked the necessary specificity to place me, or any other member of the public, on notice as to the topics to be discussed at the meeting," she wrote. "You and the clerk were both made aware of these deficiencies prior to the meeting, and yet you decided to proceed regardless."

The mayor also says the Council was advised that such personnel matters do not fall under its jurisdiction.

"The fact that these issues were improperly presented to the City Council does not bless the Council with authority or jurisdiction it does not have under the City Charter or state statute," she wrote.

Read the full response below:

Previously: Council Requests $30K To Investigate Claims Against City Hall

Medford Finance Director Alleges Hostile Work Environment