MVSD to probe employee racial incident

By Jordan Cohen | January 28, 2017 at 12:07a.m.

MINERAL RIDGE

The chairman of the Mahoning Valley Sanitary District Board of Directors revealed two minority employees have been the targets of an incident with racial overtones.

The board hired an attorney to investigate the matter Friday.

“Two employees of color [found] Ku Klux Klan posters slipped under a door and on a desk,” disclosed Atty. Matt Blair, board chairman. “We have not yet determined who is responsible.”

The director did not disclose what was written on the posters.

The KKK, founded in 1866 in Tennessee, has long advocated white supremacy and has a long history of violence against black Americans.

The board without comment voted to hire Atty. William D. Evans II of Akron to investigate. Blair said Evans previously has performed services for the Trumbull County prosecutor and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation. He is to be paid $275 an hour for his services.

Evans’ website lists his expertise as a certified polygraphist, educator and attorney. He is the founder of Poly-Tech Associates, a firm that specializes in polygraph testing for both prosecuting and defense attorneys. Polygraphs are commonly referred to as lie detectors.

“His investigation will be completely independent from us,” Blair said.

Evans is not the only hire related to the probe. The board is contracting with Clemans, Nelson and Associates of Columbus, a management consultant and negotiating firm, for services after Evans’ investigation is completed.

“They will handle whatever action we’ll have to take at that point,” Blair said.

The board will pay a senior consultant $160 per hour once the firm is brought in.