MARIE KEMPH, mkemph@murfreesboropost.com
Posted: Sunday, April 22, 2012 5:45 am
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Although Boner said he could not comment on the sexual harassment allegations due to the ongoing investigation, he adamantly denied any wrongdoing.
“I cannot talk about it,” Boner said, about the discrimination complaints filed by former employees Kathy Dumm, 54, and Janie Zumbro, 70, with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in Nashville.
But, he did discuss how the scandal is affecting him personally and politically.
“I would like this to be over with as soon as possible, so that everyone knows the truth,” he said. “My friends and family know what is true and not true.”
The 73-year-old Rutherford County native said he is upset because the allegations “have taken quite a toll” on his wife, Joyce Boner, who he has been married to for more than 50 years.
“As much stink as I raised about property taxes, making people pay what is fair – there have been people coming after me ever since,” he said. “I knew it would be rough, but I had no idea it would be this rough.”
Both women allege, however, Boner engaged in inappropriate behavior ever since he took office four years ago.
During an interview Wednesday, Zumbro said the allegations had nothing to do with politics, adding Boner was a longtime member of the Democratic Party before running in 2008 as a Republican.
“His actions and attitude toward working with ladies in the workplace is that he likes to be flirty with women,” she said. “He thinks it is funny. I do not think he is being malicious, I just think he is being unwise. … He ought to know when women are being offended.”
Zumbro said she “feels sorry for him because a man his age” should know how to behave correctly at work.
The two women were fired Nov. 2, 2011, less than three months after they reportedly complained about Boner to the Rutherford County Human Resources Department and resisted signing his petition for re-election.
In the complaints, Zumbro and Dumm accuse Boner of attempting to look down female employees’ shirts, making grunting sounds toward women, commenting about “sex with farm animals, and not needing a wife for sexual satisfaction.”
On several occasions, Boner, who owns a petting zoo, said “sexist comments about female customers who came into the Property Assessor’s Office” and asked employees to do cartwheels, according to the complaint filed by Dumm, who could not be reached for comment.
“Since (his) election in 2008, he has engaged in severe and pervasive sexually harassing behavior toward me and other women in the office,” Zumbro said, adding she did not complain prior to Sept. 16, 2011, for fear of losing her job.
“There was an overriding atmosphere of fear in the office based on statements Boner made that he could do whatever he wanted without repercussions,” she said, as part of the complaint.
Zumbro alleges it was not until September 2011 when Boner “told another female employee and me that we went to the bathroom so much, he was thinking of putting a port-a-potty in our office,” did she decide to report the incidents to the Human Resources Department.
“The next day, after another meeting regarding this subject, I was moved to an isolated work station,” she said. “This meeting was recorded, and I was given a copy. I believed this was retaliation for my complaint, and I was moved to keep from being a witness when (he) did or said something inappropriate to my co-worker.”
From that point forward until she was terminated, Zumbro said Boner held a number of staff meetings, one of which he told employees he would make his petition for re-election available if they wanted to sign it.
In reality, however, Zumbro said he pressured employees to support his re-election, noting while Dumm reluctantly agreed to sign the petition, she refused.
“I believe I was terminated for complaining of sexual harassment, in retaliation of complaining, and because I would not sign Boner’s re-election petition,” Zumbro said.
Attorney Anne C. Martin, who is representing both Zumbro and Dumm in the case, said Thursday it took courage to come forward, especially given the nature of this particular situation.
“Boner’s behavior was a huge part of the culture there,” Martin said. “This was commonplace behavior.”
However, Boner insisted the allegations are false, contending he, as well as his employees, have “always known not to cross the line."
“Before all of this, we were like a family here,” he said. “Now, we hardly even look at each other.”