WOODHAVEN, Mich. – Woodhaven City Administrator Jeff Harris said he is resigning after nearly two decades with the city, citing what he described as retaliation by Mayor Patricia Odette, a breakdown in communication, and fallout from an investigation into misconduct allegations into himself and the mayor.
Harris’ resignation is effective Aug. 19, according to a letter dated Aug. 11 and addressed to the Woodhaven City Council.
He said the decision followed months of escalating stress after an April dispute involving allegations against Odette and complaints she later raised about him. Harris wrote that the mayor’s actions, along with the City Council’s failure to remedy them, made it impossible for him to carry out his responsibilities.
Odette, through her attorney, Larry Gadd, denied Harris’ claims. Gadd said the mayor is saddened that he has not moved past the findings of an independent investigation and the council’s subsequent discussion of the report.
“The Mayor categorically denies any ‘retaliation’ against Mr. Harris,” Gadd said in a statement. “Mayor Odette is not aware of a single phone call, text, email, or other communication from Mr. Harris that she did not respond to.”
Gadd said Odette has not called for Harris to be fired and has not interfered with his job duties.
He pointed to Harris’ voluntary resignation, while he remained on full compensation for more than two months after the investigation report was issued, as evidence that no adverse employment action occurred.
What Harris said in his resignation letter
Harris wrote that the stress connected to his position had harmed his physical and mental health. He said Odette had not spoken with him since April 1, despite the city ordinance creating a role that requires the city administrator to work closely with the mayor on city operations.
“The continued lack of communication from the Mayor, along with the absence of communication from several Council members, has left me unable to effectively perform my duties,” Harris wrote.
He also criticized the process surrounding the independent investigation, saying he expected to present his notes and a complete complaint to the City Council but was not given the opportunity.
Harris said Odette and her attorney prevented him from speaking on his own behalf through a cease-and-desist demand, which he said left him unable to respond to statements he considered false.
He also said he was repeatedly interrupted during a closed session meeting with the investigator and city officials on June 2.
Harris wrote that he was confused when some council members characterized the findings as essentially a “draw.”
He accused Odette and other employees of making false statements during the investigation and said the council took no action in response.
Harris also alleged that Odette had repeatedly said she wanted him fired and had continued making statements about him to the public and city officials.
Harris said he has spent more than 35 years in public service and described his treatment as the most unfair he had experienced. He thanked Woodhaven’s department heads and said he was proud of the progress made during his service.
“I have greatly valued my 18 years of service to the City of Woodhaven, both as a City Council member and as City Administrator,” Harris wrote. “I am deeply saddened that my service has ended in this manner.”
He urged the council to protect employees who report what they believe to be illegal or improper conduct and to take meaningful action when employees report a hostile work environment.
Odette’s response
Gadd said Harris had a full opportunity to raise his complaints during the investigation. He said Harris met with the independent investigator for several hours and presented hundreds of pages of private notes he had created over 14 years.
“Mr. Harris was provided a neutral independent fact finder to address his allegations at City expense, and even when they were not substantiated, he has continued to keep his position without any adverse employment action,” Gadd said. “It is hard to imagine a more fair process.”
Gadd said Harris did not identify specific false statements by Odette and characterized the resignation letter as an effort to prepare for a potential lawsuit or justify claims the investigation did not substantiate.
Gadd also said Odette was not aware of any communication from Harris that she failed to answer and denied that she had sought his termination or interfered with his work.
Despite the dispute, Gadd said Odette thanked Harris for his years of service and contributions to Woodhaven during her tenure as mayor. Odette has served as mayor since 2009 and previously served on the City Council.
“She wishes him the best of luck in his future endeavors and hopes he can someday focus on the many good years in their relationship,” Gadd said.
City Attorney Brandon Fournier did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the city Friday evening.
Investigation found some concerns valid, others unsubstantiated
The resignation follows an independent investigation into competing allegations made by Harris and Odette earlier this year. Attorney Jonathon A. Rabin prepared a report dated June 1. The City Council discussed the findings during a June 2 meeting.
The report, obtained by Local 4 before it was removed from the city’s website, found that many of the most serious allegations against Odette could not be substantiated.
It also raised concerns about city resources, health insurance coverage, administrative practices, and compliance with competitive-bidding requirements.
Harris accused Odette of potentially misusing city employees, city funds, and city buildings, as well as insurance fraud, bribery, and other issues.
Odette later raised concerns about Harris, and the council unanimously approved an investigation into both officials.
One finding involved Odette’s participation in the city’s Blue Cross Blue Shield health insurance plan.
The investigator concluded that Odette should not have been enrolled because the benefit was not authorized as compensation for elected officials under the city charter.
The report said Odette paid the full cost of her premiums and found no evidence of direct financial harm to the city.
It also said Odette and Harris were both responsible for allowing the arrangement to continue for nearly nine years.
The report also found that the city’s competitive-bidding ordinance had been improperly ignored on some significant projects, including renovations involving fire department facilities and the community center.
It did not assign sole responsibility to Odette or Harris, instead concluding that city officials collectively failed to ensure the requirements were consistently followed.
Some allegations concerning Odette’s use of city personnel and resources were partly substantiated.
The report cited requests for city employees to create signs and banners using city equipment for Odette’s chiropractic office and an animal charity; requests to provide city generators to a veterinary hospital during power outages; requests for assistance with vehicle issues; and requests involving a police drone search for missing dogs.
The investigator concluded those actions did not appear to result in significant financial gain for Odette but represented inappropriate use of city personnel or resources for a mayoral office.
Other allegations made by Harris — including claims involving election petition signatures, property assessments, city-funded electronics, traffic tickets and charitable fundraising conducted on city time — were found to be unsubstantiated.
The report noted that many of the allegations involved events from years earlier, making them difficult or impossible to verify.
Most of the complaints Odette made against Harris were also found to be unsubstantiated, including claims involving his administrative authority, handling of investigations, and communication with the City Council.
The investigator did conclude that Harris improperly took expired EpiPens that had been left with the city for disposal and kept them for personal use. Harris acknowledged taking the EpiPens and cited severe allergies, according to the report.
The report recommended greater adherence to competitive-bidding requirements and increased cooperation among elected officials, administrators, and department heads. No disciplinary action was announced at the June 2 meeting.