Allegations investigated in City, little support found

By Christine Holmes, News Director

On the heels of former Zanesville Associate Planner, Ashley Leddy, George Kagafas resigned from his Planning and Zoning Administrator position in mid-July and did not go quietly.

During the July 23 City Council meeting, Kagafas met reporters outside City Hall to speak of his resignation and raised allegations regarding poor city management and procedures.

His claims were enough to spark two investigations within the Community Development Department, of which Director Jay Bennett oversees.

According to Mayor Jeff Tilton, a personnel investigation led by Human Resources Manager, Darla Wooten, yielded no evidence to support allegations against Jay Bennett.

Tilton said employees in Bennett’s department were asked if they felt their work environment was toxic or if they had any concerns about Bennett.

Tilton said he was the one to hire Bennett, having worked with him in the past and being impressed with him.

“Does he make his people accountable? Absolutely,” said Tilton. “The same way I do, because I don’t think that they should sit here and do nothing. They should come here to work.”

In addition to an HR investigation favoring Bennett, recent resignation letters from the Community Development and City of Zanesville yielded an overwhelming majority of positive last messages.

Just three of the 111 total resignation letters from 2010-2018 indicated any distaste with the city.

All three employees were under the management of Jay Bennett, two being Leddy and Kagafas.

In Leddy’s resignation letter, she wrote “I cannot work under toxic leadership, and for that I must leave.”

Leddy wrote that the turnover rate was high and the subject of firing employees was openly talked about.

In Kagafas’ letter, he wrote, “I’m leaving the position as a direct result of the lack of management support and communication.”

He also noted several issues regarding the way sign permits were issued, variance applications were reviewed and approved, Historic District changes were made and files were kept.

Tilton said some of the problems Kagafas noted stemmed from differences between Kagafas’ prior experience and the way the City operates.

However, Tilton did say an investigation was launched immediately to look into the missing files and improper permitting allegations.