Personal statement regarding my decision to resign from Kalamazoo County Government

Terrence Neuzil
April 7, 2016
It is with deep regret that due to the false, malicious, unfounded and at times outlandish allegations that
have been made by two long-term employees of Kalamazoo County and their cohorts against me and my
wife and the impact that is has had on our livelihoods and wellbeing, I have voluntarily resigned from the
position of Kalamazoo County Administrator. I can no longer work for a government that has not only
attacked the integrity of me and my wife, but that of my profession to the International City/County
Management Association (ICMA). Kalamazoo County government has unethically and dishonestly
mishandled nearly every phase of an employee relations issue, likely broke the law, and violated several of
its personnel policies.
Kalamazoo County hired Mattis D. Nordfjord, a labor attorney, to conduct and complete an employee
relations investigation with accusations against me and my wife. Mr. Nordfjord then used the assistance
of the Kalamazoo County Commissioners Corporation Counsel Attorney Thom Canny. Mr. Nordfjord was
asked to have a report to the Kalamazoo County Commissioners by April 5, 2016.
On April 4, 2016, nearly a month after Mr. Canny and Kalamazoo County Commissioner Chairperson John
Taylor asked me to leave my office with no explanation as to why, Kalamazoo County attorneys finally met
with me. They informed me and my wife and our attorney that two female employees and their cohorts,
several of whom were in upper management, were documenting and plotting my actions as early as the
beginning of January, 2016. I started in my position December 21, 2015. They were doing the same against
my wife when she would on limited occasion bring me lunch or dinner to my office. Kalamazoo County
Government Personnel Policy Section 2.02 states an employee who believes he or she is being harassed in
violation of this policy shall immediately, and in any event within thirty (30) calendar days, report such
harassment to the appropriate supervisor, Department Head or Human Resources. Sadly, for over two
months I entered a workplace in which I was being followed and documented and yet no one, including
Human Resources Director Kristine Cunningham, informed me of that or any issue that was impacting any
employee or their ability to perform their work. During their investigation, the attorneys acting for the
County disclosed that they had no proof of evidence regarding any of the allegations. In fact, they have no
verbally recorded or video evidence, nor do they have any written evidence including emails, texts,
calendar entries, journals or reports; only hearsay, rumors, innuendos and lies. Kalamazoo County

attorneys have verified, and therefore have discredited the allegations that there was no finding by the
County of misconduct. The allegations were all twists and fabrications. The attorneys have given us the
following language:
On April 5, 2016, the Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners entered into a Voluntary Resignation
Agreement and Waiver of Claims with Terrence Neuzil.

Mr. Neuzil's resignation is effective

immediately. Kalamazoo County had authorized a review of certain personnel issues by labor
counsel. During this review, Mr. Neuzil tendered his resignation which the County accepted, as a result
there was no finding by the County of misconduct.
The investigation found no evidence that I had done anything wrong. The allegations were made up to
intentionally hurt and embarrass me and my wife. For example, they say that I had a secret code for
attractive and not attractive females and that I wouldnt meet with attractive females in the public or
alone in my office; of course all not true. The allegations also attacked my wife several times. Even more
are so far-fetched that they say that I refer to myself as daddy and that I suggested future staff meetings
occur at Oasis Hot Tub. The allegations were crafted and orchestrated collaboratively by several
employees in both the County Administrative Office and Finance Office and likely others while I was in
Wisconsin for a Midwest Conference for ICMA in early March. The employees knew that if they could get
an investigation approved by the Commissioners, then the allegations, if they were true or not, would be
placed in my personnel file; a file that would then be subject to FOIA (Freedom of Information Act)
requests. Their goal was to get rid of me before they even got to know me and they have succeeded.
According to Kalamazoo County Government Personnel Policy Section 2.02, it is the policy of Kalamazoo
County that the County will take reasonable measures to treat complaints discreetly and will respect the
personal privacy rights of the accused party and the person making the complaint. That policy was
violated. As pointed out by several news agencies, Kalamazoo County government first likely violated the
Open Meetings Law of Michigan [Michigan Code Section 15.268 Closed sessions; permissible purposes]
by meeting behind closed doors on March 15, 2016 without my knowledge, permission or request to do
so and under no specific pending litigation at the time of their initial meeting. Commissioners then took a
public vote in open session also on March 15, using a deceiving and non-transparent motion against me
written by Mr. Canny. Because it was a hidden motion out of view of the public and because I had no
knowledge of any action, only an employee or Commissioner could have informed or tipped the media of
the action; Commissioner Vice Chair Jeff Heppler is quoted in disclosing my name on March 16, 2016 in
that initial story by the media. Releasing my name violated County policy and created a snow-ball effect

and malicious media fire storm that spread across Michigan, Iowa and with colleagues throughout the
United States at a time when this was supposed to be a private and internal employee matter to protect
all persons involved. As a result, the ability for me and my wife to defend ourselves or trust to have any
fair and impartial judgement was nullified. Members of Kalamazoo County government released my name
to the media during its poorly handled internal investigation before I was allowed to know what the
allegations were pertaining to. They took no action to correct the media in reporting on stories that were
inaccurate; including a local television newscast that used an anonymous past employee who lied trying
to validate one of the allegations that horribly accused me of sexual discrimination. And they kept us
even more in the dark by taking nearly two days after the Commissioner Meeting before I was finally given
a Notice of Allegation Letter by Mr. Nordfjord on March 17, 2016 explaining the heinous and unrealistic
allegations against us. That same Notice of Allegation Letter, which the attorneys for the County are now
discrediting, is going to be released to the media. Similar documentation for the previous Administrator
and his unexpected and controversial departure was never released.
Kalamazoo County Government Personnel Policy Section 2.02, also points out that it is the policy of the
County to treat all such expressed concerns (against an employee) seriously and investigate alleged
offenses impartially. Sadly I was not treated impartially during any of this process. Both Mr. Nordfjord
and Mr. Canny had concluded their investigation and had already determined the Countys course of
action. In my April 4, 2016 interview with Mr. Canny and Mr. Nordfjord, without my ability to completely
finish my statement in response to the allegations, gave me a prepared resignation letter. They then
strongly recommended that I negotiate through my attorney and sign the letter.
The so-called investigation was deceiving and unethical and a blatant conflict of interest. According to
Mr. Nordfjord, Mr. Canny was actually one of the key witnesses in support of the two accusers. Deputy
Administrator John Faul, who under no coincidence will likely try to advocate that he should now become
the permanent County Administrator, is another. Despite an attempt to remain as the County
Administrator, I was informed that under no circumstances would I be allowed to keep it. I also pleaded
but was denied an opportunity to go directly in front of the Commissioners. I was told that the accusers
and their cohorts, including Mr. Canny and Mr. Faul, would not be willing to collaboratively resolve any
workplace differences or work with Human Resources; in essence, it was either all of them or me.
It is apparent that the two accusers and their cohorts, including those in upper management and likely
others in Kalamazoo County government, contrived a plan to force me to leave. My wife and I have been
advised that we have legal options to pursue against Kalamazoo County, but in the best interest of our

health and livelihoods and our desire to not burden the citizenry with costs of a long and drawn out court
battle, we have chosen to take the high-road and move on with our lives. Despite the incredible lies and
unbelievable made-up allegations, we are respectfully not disclosing the names of the two accusers even
though they were identified to us.
This opportunity to pursue my dream job has been lost. Kalamazoo County was void of a County
Administrator for over a year until my hire. I walked into a leaderless and hostile work environment and
had hoped to overcome such politically charged futile conditions. Despite those challenges, in less than
three months I met with over 100 community leaders to build relationships between all levels of
government and the private sector; receiving accolades from members of Congress, the Governors office,
university and college presidents, and community leaders. After leading a Commissioner retreat, I
developed a strategic plan that focused on policy, budget, constituent social media services, and pursuit of
more focused governmental boards and commissions. I began the process of implementing policy in the
areas of diversity and inclusiveness as well as in the areas of infrastructure, community revitalization, and
resource and sustainability management. I worked on a comprehensive facilities master plan and funding
strategy; including a vision and site plan for a new Health and Community Services Building, giving
direction to restructure the HCS organizational chart, and combining potential Administrative offices to
cross-train and reduce waste. I restructured the County organizational chart as well, started to update the
webpage, identified employee training opportunities, created employee community service challenges
and I recognized employees by promoting their success stories in my comprehensive County Administrator
report. Because of the actions of two vindictive employees and several of their friends in upper
management, I will not be able to continue my efforts to improve Kalamazoo County government and its
hostile workplace culture.
My wife and I have been nothing but gracious, kind and thankful for our opportunity to try to become part
of the Kalamazoo community. We are respectful and inclusive of all people and appreciate our attorney,
John Gardiner of Kreis Enderle, for his attempts to reason with unreasonable people. I have no history in
my 15+ year career in county government of ever being disrespectful to an employee or a colleague,
woman or man, and do not have any complaints in my background. We are so new to the community and
we are in shock that there are people in this world that could be so dishonest and deceitful; it is for that
reason we feel we are no longer welcome. We are heartbroken by these implications and allegations that
paint us with such negativity and can only hope that a new administrator and their family will not be
treated by Kalamazoo County government like we were.