A new report highlights some alleged inappropriate activity among city of Atlanta workers.
At one installation, investigators found a loan sharking operation going on as well as open alcohol use and substance abuse, according to an Atlanta City Hall internal investigation provided to FOX 5.
The report cites a public works crew supervisor who allegedly loaned money to other employees for 25 to 50 cents on the dollar. In the report, an employee said that he was in the car when another employee asked a supervisor to borrow $150 to repair her car.
"If managers are not behaving appropriately, that is going to be viewed as a much more egregious violation than the individuals they supervise," said Duriya Farooqui, Mayor Kasim Reed's chief operating officer.
The investigators also got eyewitness accounts of apparent drinking tolerated on the job. An employee said one male worker came to work with a cooler filled with beer in his trunk every day.
Farooqui called a mandatory meeting for all workers at the Atlanta Civic Center before their shifts to talk about work performance and conduct. She said that she believes a tiny fraction is to blame for the reports of inappropriate behavior.
"Day in and day out they are doing their job. The garbage gets picked up everyday. We have potholes filled everyday. The streets get cleaned," said Farooqui.
In an earlier story, FOX 5 reported how a viewer spotted an 18-pack of beer in a city sanitation truck. Managers investigated that incident and fired the involved workers.
"We have taken action anytime and every time we have found evidence of an employee violating that policy," said Farooqui.
Farooqui said there is a zero tolerance policy for drinking.
Tuesday, May 21 2013 10:48 PM EDT2013-05-22 02:48:00 GMT
Local families are taking a serious look at storm shelters in the aftermath of Monday's deadly tornado in Oklahoma.
Local families are taking a serious look at storm shelters in the aftermath of Monday's deadly tornado in Oklahoma. Those shelters could mean the difference between life and death when faced with one of these powerful storms.
A federal court has struck down Fayette County's at-large method of electing members to certain county offices, saying the method was a violation of the Voting Rights Act.
A federal court has struck down Fayette County's at-large method of electing members to certain county offices, saying the method was a violation of the Voting Rights Act.
Two Clark Atlanta University students who call themselves brothers despite being from opposite sides of the world have graduated as valedictorian and salutatorian.
Two Clark Atlanta University students who call themselves brothers despite being from opposite sides of the world have graduated as valedictorian and salutatorian.
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