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Airport director says investigation showed 'absolutely no proof that I harassed anyone'
By Ed Runyan
VIENNA
Dan Dickten, Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport aviation director, tried to clear his name Wednesday regarding a settlement contract the Western Reserve Port Authority signed with a former employee who alleged Dickten sexually harassed her.
“After a very thorough investigation was conducted by the port authority that included both outside and inside counsel, it was concluded there was absolutely no proof that I harassed anyone, including the former employee,” Dickten said, reading from a prepared statement.
“I can assure you, I did not, nor have I ever, harassed anyone,” Dickten said during Wednesday’s regular port authority meeting at Squaw Creek Country Club. The port authority runs the airport and its economic-development arm, the Northeast Ohio Development and Finance Authority.
Dickten’s statement also said the reason the port authority settled for $40,000 with former administrative assistant Lauren Iaderosa was because it would have cost the authority “upwards of $250,000 to win in court.”
The $40,000, minus a $1,000 deductible, was paid by the port authority’s insurance company, officials said.
The Vindicator on Wednesday requested all public records related to the investigation and all other documents related to the complaint. It did not receive the documents Wednesday.
Iaderosa worked under Dickten in the port authority offices at the airport. She was employed by the port authority from June 30, 2014, to Sept. 28, 2015, when she was fired, officials said.
Around Oct. 5, 2015, Iaderosa “initiated a claim of sexual harassment, discrimination, retaliation, wrongful termination, slander and other allegations,” according to a copy of the settlement contract.
Dickten; the port authority’s lawyer, Dan Keating; its executive director, John Moliterno; and its board chairman, Ron Klingle; all refused to discuss specifics of the allegations last week, citing a confidentiality agreement in the contract.
The settlement agreement says Iadarosa has released all claims that could be brought against all port authority employees, board members, attorneys and other affiliated entities.
Iaderosa earned between $12 per hour and $13.20 per hour.
In other business, the port authority approved a pay increase of $2,500 per year for Sarah Lown, whose title is manager of public finance for the Northeast Ohio Development and Finance Authority. Her salary has been $68,500 since Jan. 1, 2014, and is now $71,000 per year.
The authority also unanimously approved a donation of $25,000 per year for four years to the Tech Belt Energy Innovation Center in Warren.
John Pogue, chairman of TBEIC’s board of directors, said one reason for requesting the money from the authority and other entities was because TBEIC’s funding is “lumpy,” in that most of the money comes in large chunks periodically through the year, but that is cumbersone where employees are concerned.
“I go the first four months of the year with no money, and then in April, I get $150,000. The problem is if I have a salaried employee, how do I pay them?” Pogue said.