After refusing Mayor Freddie O’Connell’s request for him to resign, Metro Nashville’s Department of Emergency Communications Director Stephen Martini has been placed on administrative leave following an investigation into yearslong allegations of sexual harassment, intimidation, mismanagement and toxic workplace culture.
On Jan. 9, a 13-page investigative report was sent to Metro legal director Wally Dietz from law firm Ogletree Deakins, which found that complaints made to the DEC’s human resources department were not investigated or handled properly and that the HR procedures are “not well structured, implemented or managed.” The investigation found that many employees claimed Martini’s management style “created a pervasive culture of fear, dissatisfaction and disengagement.”
“The majority of interviewees indicated that employees have consistently reported feeling intimidated by Director Martini’s leadership style and certain leadership practices/decisions, which have fostered an atmosphere of anxiety and distrust,” the report reads.
The report notes that many employees refrained from coming forward with specific details, declined to go on the record with their complaints or wanted to remain anonymous — all due to fear of retaliation. This, the report says, has “severely impeded” investigators’ ability to reach a definitive conclusion about the allegations against Martini; it also notes that the anonymous reports lacked “detailed context and corroborative evidence.” Due to these factors, the report says “this investigation is hindered in its ability to gather comprehensive evidence, verify the claims, and probe the full scope of Director Martini’s alleged inappropriate actions.”
The mayor’s office issued a press release just after 5 p.m. Friday regarding the investigation.
“Today, I received a report outlining serious factual findings substantiated against Director Steve Martini and the functions he oversees,” Mayor O’Connell says in the release. “I asked for his resignation and he declined. He has been placed on administrative leave pending disciplinary action, and we will commence the formal disciplinary process immediately.”
Patrice Coleman, the current deputy director of operations, has been appointed as acting director while Martini goes through procedures established by Metro’s civil service rules.
District 32 Metro Councilmember Joy Styles — along with the rest of the council’s Women’s Caucus — has long lobbied for Martini’s removal and criticized Metro’s lack of speedy action on the matter. Styles sponsored a resolution that received unanimous support from her fellow councilmembers in December calling for the mayor’s office and the DEC to enact reform in relation to the department's leadership and workplace culture.
In an interview with the Scene on Monday, Styles expressed frustration at the prolonged nature of addressing the allegations against Martini.
“I’m ecstatic that it’s happening,” Styles says. “I’m sad that it took so long.”
“It’s not that the mayor didn't know about this issue — it’s that he didn’t care,” Styles says, noting complaints surrounding Martini dating back to 2023 and surveys with department employees detailing a hostile work environment.
“This is something that could’ve been addressed when he first got in office,” says Styles. “He could have done something then, but it wasn’t important enough for him to address it because he was so worried about transit. We let our employees suffer longer than they should have. These people are so brave, so courageous. … These employees finally now get a chance to heal.”
