Recent Rule Change Disqualifies Him as Alternate
The Geauga County Commissioners’ yearly organizational meeting quickly turned sour Jan. 6 when Commissioner Ralph Spidalieri nominated Walter “Skip” Claypool as his alternate for the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency.
The Geauga County Commissioners’ yearly organizational meeting quickly turned sour Jan. 6 when Commissioner Ralph Spidalieri nominated Walter “Skip” Claypool as his alternate for the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency.
At the previous week’s meeting, Commissioner Carolyn Brakey raised concerns about Claypool’s potential nomination.
Though Brakey was aware an upcoming NOACA vote could result in a rule change that would render Claypool’s appointment moot, when Spidalieri officially put his name forward, Brakey once again voiced her objections.
“I’m going to renew my objection to Commissioner Spidalieri’s appointment of Skip Claypool as his alternate to the NOACA board,” she said, handing a copy of an email from July 11, 2014, to the other commissioners.
The email was a formal disciplinary letter to Claypool.
“It documented serious misconduct while he was serving as the alternate to Commissioner Spidalieri on the NOACA board,” she said. “The letter was issued after an investigation conducted by an independent law firm retained by NOACA and at the direction of NOACA’s executive committee.”
The email, from Ted Kalo, then chair of the NOACA Governance Committee, both outlines allegations against Claypool and puts restrictions on him.
The committee is aware Claypool has “…repeatedly and without reason or foundation, accused (NOACA Executive Director Grace Gallucci) of dishonesty, unprofessional behavior and failure to fulfill her job requirements, both in (his) public statements and in (his) correspondence and conversations with Ms. Gallucci,” Kalo said, adding the statements have been harassment and created an intimidating and hostile work environment.
Claypool also made inappropriate personal statements to Gallucci in a phone call, Kalo said.
“It’s my understanding that Mr. Claypool called the executive director late at night and made comments to her that were sexual in nature,” Brakey said.
Kalo said in the letter that kind of conduct must cease immediately or the committee will call for Claypool’s resignation or recommend his removal.
He told Claypool he must express any disagreement about NOACA and its programs and policies professionally and without false or inflammatory remarks.
Claypool’s conversations with Gallucci should be limited to professional matters and he must copy the president of the board of directors, chair of the governance committee and NOACA counsel on all email or written communications, Kalo added.
Claypool must also avoid phone conversations with Gallucci wherever possible, and any meetings with Gallucci or other NOACA staff members must include at minimum two members of staff and NOACA counsel, he said.
To the best of Brakey’s knowledge, no other individual in the county has the same communications restrictions as Claypool, she said, adding that, as far as she is aware, Spidalieri has attended only two NOACA meetings during his time in office, making Claypool essentially one of the county’s representatives on the board.
“In my opinion, this appointment exposes Geauga County to foreseeable and unreasonable liability,” she said. “If similar conduct were to reoccur, the county would face a clear failure-to-act problem, having knowingly appointed an individual with a documented history of this behavior.”
Spidalieri, Claypool Respond
Other than the letter, nobody, including Gallucci, has raised concern about Claypool as his alternate, Spidalieri said, adding many people have applauded Claypool’s efforts over the years.
“This investigation was very, very one-sided when this took place and I think that it’s really a shame because of the fact that I have basically given Skip my position of being my alternate because he does represent this county, represents my views there with my positions on NOACA … and he’s not afraid to ask the hard questions,” he said, adding NOACA does not like that.
“So, what’s the easiest way to try to do that, is to try and bring some kind of negativity onto the person,” Spidalieri said. “I’ve been so disgusted with the constant position of sexual this, that, the other thing.”
Spidalieri called Claypool to the front to speak.
Claypool told Brakey she should be careful about slandering somebody.
Brakey replied it is not slander if it is true.
“First of all, that was 12 years ago,” Claypool said. “Secondly, there was no investigation done. I would challenge you to find a report and an investigation. All of the allegations made in the letter issued were allegations, all of which there were no details on.”
Claypool asked what inappropriate comment he had made to Gallucci.
Brakey replied it was her understanding he had called Gallucci late at night, “told her what her problem was” and made a sexual comment.
Claypool disputed that statement.
“At that point in time 12 years ago, I was making presentations to inform the public about NOACA. They didn’t like what I was saying. They didn’t like the presentations,” he said.
Claypool said he is not a representative of the NOACA board, but of Geauga County.
“I’m always professional. I speak to the issues and so forth, and I’ve never misrepresented anything at those board meetings,” he said. “The allegations made are outlandish and not proven, and there was no investigation. There was no due process. I didn’t have an opportunity to go in and have a hearing.”
Claypool challenged Gallucci to show him the investigation.
“All of those issues in that letter are lies and they were intended to intimidate me and to shut me up,” he said.
Claypool said he had met with Gallucci and an attorney because he believed NOACA was violating federal law by interfering with the free speech of a public official, and that his attorney threatened to sue NOACA if they continued to do so.
At that point, the issue disappeared, he said.
Claypool told Brakey she is using this as a smear tactic and compared her to a Democrat.
The board tabled NOACA appointments, with Brakey noting there was an upcoming NOACA meeting that may change who commissioners are allowed to appoint.
During the public comment period, Claypool provided media outlets with a letter he said he sent NOACA in response to Kalo’s original email.
In it, he reiterated his previous statements, adding the majority of his interactions with Gallucci have been public and the comments about his alleged conduct should have been brought to him privately.
NOACA Rule Change
Brakey confirmed in a follow-up interview Jan. 12 that NOACA passed two bylaw changes Jan. 9 that, among other items, will require board members, including alternates, be elected officials or county employees with a speciality in transportation, planning or other specialized fields.
As a result, Claypool has been disqualified from serving on the board, Brakey said.
The board will now need to pass a resolution regarding the bylaw changes, Geauga County Administrator Amy Bevan said Jan. 13, adding that will likely happen next week.
When asked for comment on Claypool’s statements, NOACA Director of Public Affairs Danielle Render said they do not comment on inaccurate or incomplete information.
“This matter was reviewed and addressed by the NOACA Board of Directors through established processes and with appropriate due process,” Render said. “NOACA does not have further comment.”
