Former Leelanau County Finance Director Rio Risbridger pulled no punches as she publicly recounted the challenges and alleged mistreatment leading up to her resignation Tuesday at the Leelanau County Executive session.
“No one should have to work under these conditions while I tried; I could not any longer. I did not resign. I was forced out. I was left with no other option,” she said.
Risbridger said the finance staff was treated with “disdain” since she started. The Central Michigan University graduate moved from Grand Rapids to Traverse City for the job at the end of March and resigned Friday at the end of the day in an email.
“I took ownership early and intended to build a career," she said, until everything went wrong.
Risbridger reported inappropriate conduct by the former Leelanau County administrator Jim Dyer in early June. Dyer was placed on administrative leave June 9, one day after Risbridger filed a complaint invoking the Michigan Whistleblowers’ Protection Act, alleging financial misconduct, circumvention of board authority and a pattern of intimidation by both Dyer and Human Resources Manager Jen Kain.
“Staff who care enough to put their concerns in writing deserve transparency and honest internal review, not dismissal,” Risbridger said. “The law firm this board hired concluded that he likely violated the law ... My report was protected activity as a whistleblower.”
Dyer denied the claims in a previous story:
Risbridger said that since she filed her whistleblower complaint, the board's actions have drawn a line in the sand. She said the HR manager issues remained unaddressed, and that interim county administrator Lauren Cypher has not been given authority to support the finance department. Risbridger continued, saying she had been constantly retaliated against.
“When I sent the complaint I was scared … I sat in my office full of fear, and I left the building at the same time as my office assistant because I was afraid to be with the former administrator (Jim Dyer) ... this board voted to not release the outcomes of that investigation ... it is public only because I have made it,” Risbridger said. “(The retaliation) was public and it did not stop. My movements were tracked, conversations were reported to commissioners. The workload increased while I was required to correct the errors that were not my department's responsibility ... my work was criticized in an open session and in the press. I parked at different entrances to avoid being watched, and I lost sleep over potential errors and how they would be used against me.”
Risbridger said she reported each event in writing to the county’s attorney and that her treatment changed, at least slightly, once Dyer was placed on leave in June.
“My predecessor (Cathy Hartesvelt) and I were both qualified for this role, and we were both monitored repeatedly ... two qualified women and two departures. I ask the board to sit with that pattern,” she said.
Near the end, Risbridger went down the row, taking swipes at chairman Steve Yoder, commissioner Gwynne Allgaier, Ty Wessel and Rick Robbins.
She had the biggest problem with Robbins, whose “statements that directly damaged my personal and professional reputation … to where I can no longer continue,” Risbridger said. “The public statement(s) damaged my professional reputation that I worked hard to build.”
Risbridger was referring to a report in the Leelanau Ticker in which Robbins accused Her of using her position to benefit her husband last week during a budget meeting that led to an intense exchange between Robbins and commissioner Will Bunek.
This appears to be where the rubber met the road, as Risbridger was out days later.
She went in during public comment to swipe at chairman Steve Yoder and commissioners Gwenne Allgaier, Ty Wessel, and Rick Robbins.
Risbridger ended her public comment by asking the commissioners to decide whether they want a finance department, as it was now decimated.
“(To the resident of Leelanau County ... ) I can no longer assure your accountability for your taxpayer dollars,” Risbridger said.
Robbins declined to comment on Risbridger’s remarks at the moment.
“I would say there have been allegations against commissioners here that I would plainly dispute,” Allgaier said.
Commissioner Alan Campbell left Risbridger’s office at 4 p.m. Friday, and an hour later she was gone.
“Rio would have been a wiz here,” Campbell said.
Commissioner Ty Wessel raised concerns last week about a fiscal matter that heated up before cooling down, which seemed to ruffle some feathers and contributed to the resignation.
In Campbell's monthly commissioner newsletter, he explains the situation and his last conversation with Risbridger.
“Rather than face another round of self-defense for herself, with her husband dragged into the fray, she moved on. I’m certain greener pastures await,” Campbell said.
Bunek, who was not in the crosshairs of Risbridger, ended with an apology:
“I apologize to (Risbridger), to our employees, to the residents of this county for this board’s poor conduct. We are not being transparent, and I will continue to strive for transparency,” Bunek said.
Read more in Thursday's newspaper!
