KEMPNER, Texas — Editor corrects that Kempner Mayor Keith Harvey was not accused sexual harassment as was written in a previous version of this story.
Three Kempner city employees resigned last week after making claims of a hostile work environment against the mayor. Mayor Keith Harvey was candid about the accusations in a Facebook post on Sunday.
Harvey called out former City Secretary Stacy Robert, Assistant City Secretary Jami Whitehead and Municipal Court Judge Gene Isenhour in the post. Harvey called them liars and said their “scare tactics” don’t phase him. Harvey also said the city is better off without them and compared Isnehour to Lucifer.
“Gene is no different from Lucifer himself. Walking around planting seeds of deception thinking the city is his and his alone. One minute you’re talking about Alderman 3 the next minute you’re using him as a puppet,’ Harvey said in the post.
He accused Robert of going after former Mayor Carolyn Cranes.
“Stacy, since day one, you attempted to assassinate former Mayor Cranes’ name by accusing her as being a dictator, wanting to know and see everything going and coming into city hall. How she was a horrible supervisor. But don’t worry, I shared that with her,” Harvey said.
He accused Whitehead of being two-faced and claimed he documented their interactions.
“Jamie, your inability to possess truth doesn’t surprise me. The same person praising my genuine heart to give and wanting to team up informing me your sister does the radio gram and how you wanted to help, but you’re so fearful and can’t work. 🤔 Where was the fear when you received all of the school supplies for your family before the school supply giveaway,” Harvey said.
He also said, “May god heap coals upon you all” about the three and said they are not the “heartbeat of Kempner, the city will thrive without you but most all the beat goes on!”
The post has more than 150 comments. Many called it, “unprofessional,” “sad,” “ridiculous,” and “inappropriate,” while others quoted scripture.
“Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil,” Zephon Rae said.
“Highly inappropriate for a public official. I'm sitting back trying to make sense of what's going on and this doesn't help. Hopefully good sense prevails!!!” Rebecca Showman commented.
A few people seemed to be in support of Harvey’s post.
“I see that he's practicing his 1st Amendment right.....and its probably a little embarrassing to hear him put it all out for everyone to actually hear....but I say kudos to him!!! If people can say what they want to say then why can’t he..😂😂😂” Melissa Norton said.
In a video of Friday's city council meeting that was posted to the Citizens of Kempner Facebook page, Harvey announced that Robert and Whitehead made their resignations known on social media and to news outlets, but they had not submitted their resignations in writing to him. Harvey said only Isenhour submitted a written resignation letter.
However, Councilman David Richardson said he received all three letters and keys from the employees between 9:30 a.m. and 10 a.m. on Tuesday, and that copies of the letters were left in Harvey’s office door. Harvey said only Isenhour’s letter was in his door.
Other members of the board said they’d also received resignation letters from the former employees.
Councilman John Wilkerson said during the meeting that he had seen Robert, Whitehead and Isenhour on Tuesday and was asked to wait with them because they feared Harvey. The mayor then questioned what they feared.
Harvey outlined how he found out about the resignations and said their actions seemed to be premeditated. He also said the three “went into the city checkbook” and wrote checks for their “last salaries,” which they were not authorized to do.
Harvey went on the say that the former employee’s actions and injustices would be investigated.
When Wilkerson tried to respond he was removed from the room.
A petition was created to bring back the three who resigned. It is unknown if the petition has been submitted or if Robert, Whitehead and Isenhour want to return.
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