Here's the thing that has to be weighing on Rutherford County Mayor Ernest Burgess' mind — now that The Daily News Journal is reporting on the sexual harassment allegations against property assessor Bill Boner (not to be confused with former Nashville Mayor Bill "Seven-Hour" Boner):
“I’ve got 25 employees. You’re welcome to talk to any of them,” Boner told The DNJ, noting the women still working for him are “a lot younger and better looking” than Zumbro and Dumm.
Yep, when faced with accusations that he fired three women after they complained about him sexually harassing them — Janie Zumbro and Kathy Dumm, who the Labor Board just decided were fired in retaliation for complaining, and Robbie Allen, whose allegations against Boner go even deeper than sexual harassment — Boner's defense is that his other female employees are "a lot younger and better looking." People, his defense is that he wouldn't waste his time harassing the old, ugly chicks.
Mayor Burgess should just go on down to the property assessor's office, count up the people working there, and then estimate for tax payers how much it's going to cost to settle with employees who feel like their boss makes sexually inappropriate comments about the women in his office — and values his female employees based on their youth and looks, instead of on their experience and work performance.
Because this isn't just about allegations of workplace misbehavior. This is Boner demonstrating for the local paper how to create a hostile workplace — by remarking on the attractiveness of one's employees. You don't often see people defending themselves against allegations by doing the thing they're alleged to have done, but folks, we're witnessing it.
I know this isn't funny for the women who have to go through it, but I have to admit I laughed.
