Fort Worth City Hall is like a soap opera that never gets cancelled. The latest episode might be the strangest yet.
The star is the city’s number one dog, Henry, a rescued black lab who has his own city uniform, attends city events and helps raise money to expand the animal shelter.
The episode also features Code Enforcement Director Brandon Bennett, the city’s golden boy whose duties have expanded to include other city areas as well. And rounding out the top-tier of the cast is Kenneth Battle, a long time city code enforcement officer who sued the city last year charging a hostile work environment based on his race. Battle is African-American.
See if you can follow this.
The episode begins when Battle complains that two city employees, not married to one another, are having an affair in the office, according to court papers he filed. He says it’s disruptive. Battle is transferred to another city job in code enforcement.
In his new job, Battle says he is the target of negative attention from his bosses. As part of that, he says, he is forced to write an explanation about why he missed work to attend a dental appointment (he says he had permission). When he hands in his report, his supervisor mocks Battle’s writing style by using old-time shuckin’ and jivin’ language. Battle is pissed. “I don’t talk like that,” he says he told his boss. “So if you’re trying to insinuate that I sound like a slave or something, that’s not how I speak.”
Coming on top of other work-related problems, Battle, pictured below, goes ahead and files his lawsuit in federal court.
After that, his supervisor keeps an even closer eye on Battle. So much so that Battle believes the supervisor sits in his dark office across the work room and uses binoculars to read what’s on Battle’s computer screen. When the supervisor sees legal papers regarding Battle’s lawsuit on Battle’s PC (emailed to his city email account by his lawyer), the supervisor rushes out to yell at Battle for not doing his work.
But the supervisor brings Henry the dog with him. Henry, although cared for by agency head Bennett who has unofficially adopted Henry and uses him for city PR purposes (“Help save dogs like Henry”), sometimes stays with other supervisors in their offices. On this particular day, Henry is hanging with Battle’s supervisor.
The supervisor angrily rushes toward Battle’s desk. He begins to yell at Battle. Henry, sensing something is wrong, tries to jump on Battle’s lap, Battle tells me. Battle pushes Henry away from him, but his left hand gets caught in Henry’s collar.
“Get that dog away from me!” Battle shouts.
Battle’s hand hurts the next day. Now, several months later, he has been diagnosed with two broken bones. Hand surgery is scheduled for early February. A pin will be put in his thumb, too. Battle has been off work ever since. He complains of constant pain. (Watchdog Nation reviewed Battle’s medical records for verification.)
Battle’s lawyer, Rob Ghio of Arlington, comes out with a good line: the Fort Worth code supervisor who rushed to Battle’s desk with a dog is from the “Bull Connor school of management.”
Connor was the Birmingham, Alabama police chief who ordered the use of fire hoses and police dogs against peaceful civil rights demonstrators in 1963, disgusting a nation and changing the course of civil rights in America forever.
“I don’t care if it’s Lassie or Rin Tin Tin,” Battle’s lawyer says, “You don’t have a dog with you when you yell at an employee you don’t like. That’s just an invitation for trouble. And in the context of an existing race discrimination complaint, it’s insanity.”
Pete Talleos, president of the North Texas Association of Public Employees Local 9527 which represents city workers, says: “This dog was used as intimidation to a particular employee who happens to be of color.”
Battle says he has nothing against Henry. “I would just see him at picnics, the city functions. I didn’t want the dog jumping on me. I didn’t know the dog’s intentions. It kinda caught me off guard.”
The city’s Human Resources department is finishing up an internal investigation into allegations of a hostile work environment in the division’s West Broadway Street building. Bennett, the division head, says he asked for it to clear things up.
The supervisor who angrily brought the dog to Battle’s desk, code enforcement superintendent Keane Menefee, declined comment to Watchdog Nation. A city spokesman also declined to speak about this.
Bennett, pictured below, told me, “Henry has never bitten, attacked, etc. an employee or citizen. He does not bark or even act aggressive towards people or other animals. Not in his personality. We did have an employee that strained their hand when they pushed Henry away from them.”
And Henry, who was the subject of a recent much gentler column by me in the Star-Telegram (here’s the link – “Henry seems to get preferential treatment as a city fundraiser” – while the link is still up), is getting a taste of what it really means to be a Fort Worth City Hall employee.
He’s a dog, yes, but even he’s not immune to the continuing City Hall soap opera that never ends.
The author, Dave Lieber, is founder of the national-award winning Watchdog Nation. WDN shows you how to protect yourself and fight back — and also exposes government and business wrongdoing. Share this story, which you won’t find anywhere else, with your friends. Please comment and tell us what you think.
The story was blown way out of proportion. Battle is employee, in my opinion, looks for reasons not to work and uses every excuse or the race card to get out of it. The supervisor didn’t need the dog there and he didn’t have to watch Battle to see if he was doing anything wrong. All the supervisor had to do is be patient and document everything that was not done and eventually Battle would have hung his own neck, So to speak.
Henry deserves a real home, not a job. There so many good employees in the Code Compliance Dept. it’s a shame they have to get their work done in a circus atmosphere. This is what happens when the budget cuts the wrong folks,. Sounds like the lunatics have taken over the asylum.
Wow, Mr Battle, it is really a shame that you have to be subjected to that type of environment. Barbara, being mocked and talked down to like you are a slave has nothing to do with your work. Being screamed and howlered at does not have nothing to do with your work. Having a city dog that causes you bodily harm has nothing to do with your work. Barbara, seems like Mr Battle did a good job in documenting things like the supervisor should have done. In my point of view, the Code Department appears to have issues with people of color and it is long over due that someone brings this behavior to light and I hope the entire city of fort worth is put on notice. THIS IS UNEXCEPTABLE!!!
I get so tired of it always being about race. If it’s a hostile work environment then go with that. I had a supervisor that a co-worker thought was a racist. I believed the supervisor was a jerk to everyone and race had nothing to do with it. If we are always so quick to pull the race card I don’t think we as a society will truly move forward. Sometimes people are crappy employees and sometimes supervisors are jerks. I do believe from the story the work environment should be looked further into. Maybe there is a problem with the leadership and what is unacceptable behavior is being accepted.
It seems Code Enforcement is comparable to the Titanic with Brandon Bennett at the helm. Many good employees want out but there are not enough life boats. Those with morals and ethics are not likely to get off the ship safely and when a ship is going down the vermin usually rise to the top. Henry is just another victim of Brandon Bennet’t's arrogance.
Ok people I know that supervisor personaly I am a minority and he never has shown racial or unjust standards. Keane Menefee is a good boss im sure Henrey was just following him in and didnt intentionaly be brought in to speak to this guy. As for Bennett hes on his own his credibility is shot and Talleos well he will tell you hell defend you with the union but when he was threatend by bennett he le will leave you on your own ,plus the city says they will review the investigation if you get wrongfully fired but they dont they cover up the lies tell the public theres nothing going on and the onse that speak out are shut up by being fired and kept from ever getting another job so in that City of Fort Worth is a piece of work and needs their morals rechecked especially in the animal control field. As For keane Menefee hes a good man a a family man that shows compation to his employees never raised his voice in a disiplinary action and always showed a respect for right over wrong. If you guys look deeper into this youll find the facts. I do think howerver animals should be left at home or in the animal shelter facility not fort worths because theirs has gone to hell in a handbaskett with disease and supervisory skills that only use intimidation. Try them apples
Is this what goes on in this Dept. A man is subjected to terroristic threats. Where id the Mayor in all of this?
This was a good article on the problem that are in the code department If further investegation , you will find
that there are number of law suits pending ( and lost and payed out ) and a Deparment of Labor investigation going on. This is the second
investigation by the labor department. The last one the City was finded and employees were payed for the wrong
duing of this department. Why has there not been a change of leadership in this department ? Does the city manager
have more important things to do than to save the citizens and taxpayers money.
At what point is enough is enough, the city need to deal with these good ole boy leaders instead of covering up for them. I personally have had encounters with Bennett and he is a poor excuse of a leader and it is time that the city pay close attention to what really is going on in this rotten department. Mayor, city Manager why have you not taken this matter more seriously because you know factual that you have several employees from HR Down to the city offices that are being treated unfairly and it is time for a change. THis has been going on for too long. You just have people that have fear of loosing their jobs if they speak up. What kind of core values and ethics is this department practicing. SHAME SHAME ON YOUR DEPARTMENT CITY MANAGER THAT YOU CONTINUE TO ALLOW THIS TREATMENT TO GO ON. MAYOR OF THE CITY I TRULY HOPE YOU ARE READING THIS INFORMATION.
I have known Keane Menefee for over thirteen years. He was my supervisor for nine of those. I can honestly tell you he is fair and just. Mr.Menefee is not racist in anyway. He only asks that you do your job to the best of your ability. I can also honestly say I have seen fellow city employees at the same level I was, abuse the system. They believe that once they are hired on they can’t be fired. They begin to; under perform, make excuses to not work, become distracted with outside issues or influences, lie, or “injure” themselves on the job. This behavior takes away from the city officials providing the duties they were hired to do for the public.
Before animal control became part of code compliance we always had a office mascot, dog and/or cat. Now that animal control is part of code it is only natural that the tradition of keeping a mascot in the work place keeps going. At animal control we never kept an animal that showed any signs of temperament issues. I’m quite sure that is still the standard for keeping a mascot in the building.
There are always investigations going on at every business, public or private. Say what you will but it sounds as if this particular code officer does not want to be part of the city anymore, is over dramatizing his side of the story and is looking for an expensive way out on the City of Fort Worth’s dime.
I’ve known Keane for years, and he isn’t like that at all. Battle seems to have a history of complaining, and apparently a chip on his shoulder. No where does it state the dog was agressive, yet people are in here claiming he was using it as a ‘terrorist’ attack? If Battle had just stood up the dog would have moved away. All of this drama seems more geared towards Battle getting paid time off and money for his ‘pain’ (seriously…pushing a dog away broke his hand?).
Pretty amazing that some in here are ready to pull out the torches, when a look through the story gives a very different and unpleasant picture of Battle. He apparently had issues with his old position, found a way out via complaining, and seems to be trying the same thing again…
After reading many of the postings it’s ashame that the dog get a pass and the man get a lashing.
I don’t understand why anyone should have to go through what Mr Battle had to go through in his office at work. Many bone in our body are fragile and when something unexpectedly happens catching a person off guard is bad news waiting to happen. The Elbows, knees, femurs, ankles all can be broken with 3-20 lbs of weight and when you add speed you increase both force and weight.
How much did the dog weight? Was Mr Battle’s hand in a relaxed position? Was it extended in a manner that would cause him to receive the maximum weight of the dog on the hand?
I’m sure the dog’s intent was not to harm Mr Battle however, I learned a long time ago that the road to hell is paved with good intent.
The results of the action of the dog and the irresponsibility of the manager are the ones that you should be looking at and questioned and not Mr Battle for being at the right place, but at the wrong time.
I myself agree with the Majority here. Keane Menefee is a wonderful man. He has ALWAYS treated me with respect. I know that since Brandon Bennet and the Code dept have taken over, things have not been the same. It may not be ALL Brandon’s fault and he may be a great man on a personal level. I can’t speak on that. What I do know is that you can not speak up about any wrong doing. There is a lot of cronyism going on in the code dept. If you sleep with one of the hire ups or go out drinking with them you can rest assured that you will be shown favortism. If you speak up on wrong doing or animal abuse you get fired or they find things to nit-pick about. I don’t think that will change. With all of the complaints so far it hasn’t yet. On this matter though leave Keane and Henry out of any wrong doing. The only thing Keane may be guilty of is being a scapegoat for the real power freaks in code. I hope that doesn’t happen.
How can employees go to work each and everyday and subject themselves to such buffoons? Why does The City Manager and The Mayor watch as This Brandon Bennett guy run amok? You are right this is a soap opera. Its so sad!
I’ve worked for Keane and he is NOT racist. He can be an intense supervisor and maybe that doesn’t always mesh with the group at Code. When he oversaw Animal Control he always held employees accountable. I noticed changes in his management practices after the merge with Code. I always suspected Brandon Bennett was pushing him in a direction he knew was wrong and he was forced to go along with it or risk loosing his job. It’s seems he, like so many others that have “gone along” have lost more than if they had lost their job. You try to justify to yourself that you are doing it to keep your job and take care of your family, but in your heart you know being on Brandon’s good side.
The city needs to hire someone independent to investigate or have the police investigate. Some of the problems probably are criminal. HR is a joke and only pursue injustice against those they have prior approval to do so. Employees will never speak freely when they see what happens to those that do.
I’ve worked for Keane and he is NOT racist. He can be an intense supervisor and maybe that doesn’t always mesh with the group at Code. When he oversaw Animal Control he always held employees accountable. I noticed changes in his management practices after the merge with Code. I always suspected Brandon Bennett was pushing him in a direction he knew was wrong and he was forced to go along with it or risk loosing his job. It’s seems he, like so many others that have “gone along” have lost more than if they had lost their job. You try to justify to yourself that you are doing it to keep your job and take care of your family, but in your heart you know being on Brandon’s good side is wrong.
The city needs to hire someone independent to investigate or have the police investigate. Some of the problems probably are criminal. HR is a joke and only pursue injustice against those they have prior approval to do so. Employees will never speak freely when they see what happens to those that do.
The Mayor is Betsy Price. The City Manager is Tom Huggins. The Assistant City Manager is Charles Daniels. The HR Director is Karen Marshall. These are the main players of a City that calls itself diverse yet they don’t care about us as people of color as well as friends of people of color. Look at the Code Compliance Dept and the people in Supervisors positions all appointent by Brandon Bennett. If you do not go with him on what he wants he will demote you. That’s the role of the people mentioned above. Tax Payers unite!
The leaders of this city treat ALL the underlings poorly. Unless you are one that jumps without question and keeps your mouth shut, your time will be short. You will experience no weekends off, change in shift, your work will be picked apart until you became so paranoid that you do start to become a less than stellar employee. The system is set up to protect those in higher positions if a formal complaint is made. Karen Marshall is no friend to employees that file complaints. IT’S NOT ABOUT COLOR its about people in higher position abusing their authority and treating people badly. Unless they are affected they will not care and therefore will not make any changes. We as tax payers need to make it affect them. They need to get out of their offices and meetings and be an active presence over those they are supposed to be leading. I challenge Charles Daniels to work in the animal shelter for a day or ride with an officer that isn’t hand picked. Karen Marshall should meet personally with random city employees that have filed complaints. Tom Higgens needs to verify facts. Betsy Price should spend less time on her bicycle.
I can tell by the postings that some of the city employees have absolutely no understand and comprehension of the fact that Mr. Ken Battle was injured by a dog named Henry. Ken is the victim and some people are bashing HIM ???? . . . . . As a resident of the “All American City”, I’d like to know who the mental midget is that hired the dog in the first place.