Ex-park chief sues employee who accused him

By David Skolnick

Attorneys for both sides deny the allegations.

YOUNGSTOWN — The former city park and recreation department’s executive director, facing a civil lawsuit filed by an employee accusing him of sexually harassed her, has filed a counterclaim saying he was the victim.

Tiffany Chavers, the commission’s administrative assistant, filed a lawsuit in January in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court against the city park and recreation commission and Joseph R. McRae, who suddenly retired in May 2007 as its director.

Chavers accused McRae of exposing himself to her and other inappropriate sexual conduct at least six times while riding in a city vehicle.

McRae’s attorneys deny the allegations and filed a counterclaim Monday against Chavers.

“There is a denial of unlawful conduct” by McRae, said Abraham Cantor of Concord, one of his attorneys.

The counterclaim contends that Chavers “engaged in a pattern of behavior toward Mr. McRae which overtly manifested a desire to establish a personal romantic relationship.”

Barbara Kaye Bessner of Cleveland, one of Chavers’ attorneys, said there’s absolutely no truth to McRae’s allegations.

In the counterclaim, McRae’s attorneys wrote that Chavers voluntarily sat in McRae’s lap, intentionally rubbed her breasts against him and talked about her sexual experiences.

She did this, McRae’s attorneys contend, “to both overcome substandard job performance and to enhance her standing within the department.”

When told that McRae wasn’t leaving his wife and that others were assigned responsibilities she believed she was entitled to, Chavers “embarked upon a deliberate malicious campaign to malign and defame” McRae, the counterclaim contends.

McRae’s resignation last year came after park and recreation commissioners met privately to discuss a disciplinary matter.

Chavers, who still works for the city, sued the commission and McRae in January, alleging sexual harassment and the creation of a sexually hostile work environment. Other suits alleged negligent supervision by the city and assault by McRae.

The lawsuit claims that while in a city vehicle on work-related rides, McRae exposed himself at least six times between Nov. 6, 2006, and April 2007, while driving, and “touched his genitalia in a sexual manner. ”

McRae’s actions, according to Chavers’ lawsuit, caused her to suffer “emotional distress, anxiety, loss of reputation, humiliation, embarrassment, loss of self-esteem, loss of sleep, extreme frustration, anger, resentment and hyper-vigilance.”

In McRae’s countersuit, his attorneys say Chavers’ actions cause their client to suffer “public humiliation, emotional distress, loss of professional standing and monetary benefits.”

skolnick@vindy.com