Future Remains Uncertain for Providence Housing Director
Thursday, August 02, 2012
The board of commissioners for the Providence Housing Authority (PHA) on Wednesday yet again delayed a vote on to determine the future of the agency’s embattled executive director Stephen O’Rourke.
O’Rourke, who has been accused of sexually harassing several female employees and mismanaging federal funds, has been on paid administrative leave since April.
O’Rourke’s contract allows for him to be terminated with or without cause, but he would be paid a severance package if he is let go without cause. Given his more-than two decade career with the agency, it is believed that figure could approach over $300,000.
The board hired an outside lawyer to investigate the sexual harassment claims reported in a 37-page complaint by a whistleblower employee who described her five-year tenure as the PHA’s executive administrative officer as “hostile, offensive and extremely stressful.” The lawyer’s findings have been discussed in several closed-session meetings in recent weeks.
The woman, Elizabeth Herosy, claims that O’Rourke touched at least two female employees, kept pornography on his work computer and had a track record for making inappropriate comments to employees. At least one other female employee has come forward to verify some of Herosy’s complaints.
Since the original complaint, the chairman of the agency’s board of directors has resigned.
Herosy also suggested that O’Rourke favored several employees and claims that she was aware o no-bid contracts being awarded to certain companies. O’Rourke has labeled Herosy a “disgruntled employee” who was unhappy she didn’t receive a promotion. He has acknowledged that there was an incident where he did have “Sports Illustrated and Playboy” in his e-mail, but he claims the material was never actually downloaded and said it wasn’t offensive.
O’Rourke has led Providence Housing since 1987 and is credited with turning around an agency that was nearly insolvent into one of the top-performing housing authorities in the country. The $45 million operation was running a $3 million surplus as of April, O’Rourke said at the time.
During an interview with GoLocalProv earlier this year, he said nearly half his workforce is made up of females and that many women have been placed in leadership positions as evidence that he has treated women with respect during his tenure with the agency.
O’Rourke has acknowledged being upset with the lack of support he has received from board members and the Mayor’s office. Although he never contacted O’Rourke to learn more about the accusations, Mayor Angel Taveras returned $500 in campaign contributions earlier this year and told GoLocalProv he didn’t plan to speak with O’Rourke during the investigation.
According to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, O’Rourke earned $244,257 in salary, benefits and “other compensation” during the 2010 fiscal year
Dan McGowan can be reached at dmcgowan@golocalprov.com. Follow him on Twitter: @danmcgowan.
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Comments:
bill bentley
12:02pm on Thursday, August 02, 2012
The chairman was forced out. What this all says is that there are too many (outside) forces exposing this sham to oust O'Rourke. When does golocal's reporting start to reflect the fact that this is a sham to oust another "jobs" landing spot for the Taveras administration? With all these inquires and investigations this should be over, why isn't it over? Because that's not on the agenda. And golocal is a tool for the administration. I never did see that article about how the PHA just received 2 national honors. What, undercuts the agenda? This site is repulsive in its agenda setting and one-sided articles.
Bill Johnston
4:41pm on Thursday, August 02, 2012
O'Rourke likely knows where many bodies are buried. Just think who he could take down with him if he is ousted and not paid very handsomely. Seems like the city is doing a rope-a-dope, hoping GoLocalProv will forget about this if it delays a decision long enough... Keep up the great reporting.
bill bentley
4:54pm on Thursday, August 02, 2012
Please, golocalprov and the Taveras administration share the same agenda. And "ousted" is the operative word here. Trouble is no one wants to accept the fact that people from the outside are watching and won't let this go down the Providence way. Again, where is the reporting on the 2 recent national awards? Doesn't fit the agenda. Golocal is in on the fix, it is the propaganda arm? I don't see squat from the mainstream media, why not? No story, PHA is just a take down to pay off political debt.
donatello gori
6:17am on Friday, August 03, 2012
they are trying to find a rug big enough to sweep this under.
marcia greeley
7:44pm on Friday, August 03, 2012
There will be no rug BIG enough.
pie plate
6:38pm on Tuesday, August 07, 2012
Is it just a coincidence that the newly appointed interim Executive Director is the same person that was just appointed Chairman of the Board of Commishioners. When does HUD step in and get rid of this manipulating, non-functioning board? Maybe if HUD sees what is going on here, they will do the right thing and put Mr. O'Rourke back in HIS job.