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Delaware Municipal Court Clerk Accused of Bullying and Abusive Conduct

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DELAWARE – The city’s longtime clerk is being accused by several current and former employees of creating a workplace of abusiveness and hostility.

Allegations against administrative clerk Cindy Dinovo, who has held the elected office since January 2008, include making derogatory and offensive comments to co-workers, ordering staff to campaign in their neighborhoods, and threatening demotion or firing for those who oppose her.

In a lengthy interview with The Dispatch, Dinovo denied all allegations and said she wondered if they were politically motivated. She plans to run for re-election in 2025.

On Monday, Tabatha Sisson appeared before the Delaware City Council and accused Dinovo of racially abusing one of her colleagues.

“Many of my colleagues have heard this explanation,” Sisson said, amid a large group of Boy Scouts who attended the meeting to learn how the government works.

Although court records were not available at the meeting, Sisson described to the council another civil case from 2013 involving similar language that was settled out of court, with both sides agreeing not to enter into negotiations.

“Does the city condone such behavior? Does the Republican Party condone such behavior?” Sisson asked. “Knowing that she was sued for such a disgusting comment, I believe you do.”

Sisson now owns a cleaning business and says she has nowhere else to work. She said she wants relief for those who still work for Dinovo.

“I quit my boss, not my job,” she told the city council.

Others spoke to The Dispatch after the council meeting.

“She wanted to see my phone. She thought I was talking about her and the work environment,” said Ashley Pothast, explaining her resignation in March. She now works at Attindas, a diaper manufacturer in Delaware.

Their colleagues reported that they often burst into tears after work and were afraid to return to work.

“It just broke my heart,” said Melody Kerr, who resigned four years ago after a 20-year career after receiving compensation from the city for workplace harassment. Neither the city nor Kerr were permitted to discuss the confidential settlement.

Criticism came from several former deputy employees. And from Dinovo's current vice president, Lisa Keller, who Dinovo had chosen as her right-hand woman.

Salary increase revoked due to rejection of unethical behavior, says Chief Deputy

In a July 30 letter to Dinovo, Keller's attorney, Michael A. Moses, reminds Dinovo that she recently promised Keller a 5% merit raise that was then rescinded, allegedly due to “lack of training and failure to meet your expectations.” However, Keller was not given a written job description or performance goals for the position when she was hired a year ago, Moses wrote.

Dinovo attempted to demote Keller to assistant clerk and strip her of about half of her hourly wage of over $40. After receiving Moses' letter, this did not happen, but Keller's 5% raise did not come either.

“It is disturbing that this sudden about-face on Lisa comes immediately after her report of what she believes to be unethical conduct, as your staff were instructed and/or encouraged to conduct partisan political work on your behalf,” Moses wrote.

He also noted that Dinovo had requested that an employee's termination letter be amended to remove derogatory remarks made by the employee about Dinovo, but Keller refused.

Moses says Keller was required by law to report possible misconduct or unethical behavior by an officer and cannot be punished for doing so. He is demanding from the city a number of personnel files related to the incidents and Keller's employment.

High turnover, low morale and litigation

Dinovo's staff of about 14 has experienced relatively high turnover in recent years. The office handles tasks such as collecting fines, completing and filing documents, and scheduling hearings.

Since 2020, 20 employees have left the Citizens' Office, and in 2022 there will be six departures, according to the city's personnel data.

Several former deputy secretaries attended the Delaware City Council meeting on Monday. Others submitted written statements.

“I witnessed Cindy verbally abuse many employees in front of everyone, yelling at people, including me, demeaning people, and talking to people like they were idiots or little children,” Pothast wrote.

“I really don't understand how someone can be so cruel and mean to those who did nothing to intentionally hurt or wrong them,” wrote former employee Ethan Hutchinson.

In an email to City Councilwoman Katlin Frazier, Pothast described Dinovo's reaction after learning that Pothast had shared his workplace concerns with a friend.

“Cindy demanded to see my personal cell phone number and my personal text messages with this friend. I told her I no longer had them and that they were deleted. She told me to bring them to her by the next day or action would be taken,” Pothast wrote.

She was then told that she had been given a job in the office that she was not trained for. This forced her to “make a lot of mistakes and after that they would have a reason to fire me,” Pothast wrote. “I knew Cindy was going to fire me and I was on sick leave for a week. I just decided to quit and never came back.” She quit in March.

More than one former employee said Dinovo rarely spent a full day in the office and liked to say, “I'm untouchable and I love my paycheck,” Pothast said after Monday's meeting.

Another employee, Blake Higgins, when asked in a July 1 employee exit survey what changes might have prevented her from quitting, wrote:

“HR is dealing with the way Cindy treats her employees and coworkers. She tells them 'you're nothing' and things like that. She actually said that exact phrase to someone once. Honestly, just awful. She goes to lunch with her coworkers to talk shit about other coworkers. Only knows this because the coworkers then tell the others. She stirs up drama between coworkers to entertain herself. The training there is a complete joke. I have never worked in such a horrible environment.”

Councilwoman Frazier said after the meeting that although the city clerk's office is part of city government, the council has little to do with countywide elected officials. “It's up to the people to decide in an election,” she said.

Higgins, who is now working from home, told The Dispatch: “To see people being mistreated in this way is just exhausting.”

Dinovo’s response and blanket denials

“That's just not true. I don't talk like that,” Dinovo told The Dispatch, specifically referring to the racist slurs.

She said the reversal of Keller's raise came after “conversations with my staff. There were several issues and concerns about (Keller's) abilities. She said it was not retaliation.

A job in the municipal court office is demanding. Starting pay is about $23 an hour. But Dinovo said dealing with those who issue fines or penalties can be challenging.

“This is not the place for everyone,” said Dinovo, whose annual salary is about $128,000. “When I hire people, I always say, 'People don't want to work here' … it can be a stressful environment.”

She described her employees as good and “happy” and called herself a good person and a good boss.

“I am a caring person.” She called the allegations lies, but gave no explanation.

“That's my truth. That's their truth. And I think my truth is more strongly represented in it than theirs,” Dinovo said.

“I don't think that's a fair overview of me,” she said. “I'm not saying I'm perfect. But I'm certainly not what they portray me to be.”

Requests for comment from Delaware city officials and the Republican Party were not immediately returned.

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