Forty-two allegations against suspended Buchanan City Manager

 

BUCHANAN, Mich. -- New details are coming to light as to why a Buchanan City Manager was suspended earlier this month.

In Monday’s City Commissioners meeting, Mayor Sean Denison claimed city employees have made 42 allegations against City Manager Ben Eldridge.

Five of the allegations are misconduct against female employees.

Mayor Denison says Eldridge created a toxic work environment for staff, which triggered the dozens of allegations by city employees.

He’s now also asking for a city commissioner’s removal to be considered.

“The Mayor specifically instructed each Commission Member to keep the employees’ complaint confidential and that the complaints would be investigated by the City Attorney,” said Mayor Denison in Monday evening’s meeting. “Mr. Vigansky disregarded the confidentiality directive by producing the complaint to the City Manager and releasing a copy or contents of the Complaint to the public.”

Mayor Denison claims Commissioner Dan Vigansky let City Manager Ben Eldridge know about an internal investigation into his treatment of employees.

The mayor says the potential breach of confidentiality caused the city to put Eldridge on paid suspension until that investigation finished.

Because of the leak, Mayor Denison is now asking for Commissioner Vigansky to be censured and potentially removed.

Vigansky described this whole situation as a mutiny.

“This is a mutiny beyond mutinies, and usually you hang the mutineers, you don’t hang the captain,” said Vigansky during the meeting. “No matter how many mutineers you have to hang, you hang the mutineers.”

On Wednesday night, a special commissioner meeting will be held to discuss the future of the city manager.

The mayor says that meeting is when everyone involved will have the chance to speak, including the city manager himself.