News - Local

Published: Thursday, Jun. 18, 2009

Gail Wilcox files lawsuit alleging former boss David Edge sexually harassed her

She says county supervisors let his behavior slide; Edge says she prompted the intimate talks

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In a steamy legal document filled with vivid allegations of sexual misbehavior, Assistant County Administrator Gail Wilcox this week sued county supervisors and her fired former boss, David Edge, claiming she was a victim of sexual harassment, retaliation, discrimination, a hostile work environment and breach of contract.

Edge, the deposed county administrative officer, on Wednesday called the lawsuit a “pre-emptive strike” to head off negative news from an investigation of Wilcox that the county is currently undertaking. He had not seen the lawsuit.

Wilcox and Edge were placed on paid administrative leave a month ago after the Board of Supervisors went into an extraordinary 10 hours of meetings behind closed doors. The supervisors subsequently fired Edge, citing differences in management style, and hired an out-of-town attorney to investigate Wilcox.

Edge later accused Wilcox of betraying him by going to supervisors with her complaints about him. He portrayed himself as a father confessor and confidante to the younger woman. Wilcox, who is now 47, is 10 years younger than Edge.

Edge reiterated Wednesday evening that “she told me lots and lots of details about her personal life. We certainly had that sort of explicit discussion, (but) she was the one who instigated it.”

A public response

This week’s lawsuit is Wilcox’s first public response to the monthlong furor. She does not spare the details.

In addition to the sexual allegations, the civil lawsuit reveals for the first time that Wilcox did not complain directly to supervisors about Edge.

Rather, it alleges that Human Resources Director Tami Douglas-Schatz, after talking to Wilcox, went to the Board of Supervisors “without plaintiff’s knowledge,” apparently precipitating the marathon closed-door sessions.

Further, Douglas-Schatz “acknowledged her own harassment by Edge,” the suit goes on. In addition, Wilcox alleges in the suit, the county counsel said Edge had made inappropriate comments to two of the county counsel office’s female attorneys.

Douglas-Schatz called Edge “creepy,” the suit alleges, and added he “has to go.”

Wilcox’s suit also reveals that she was put on paid administrative leave over a “relationship,” which she did not detail. The suit says, however, that her paid administrative leave kicked in after the county counsel and Douglas-Schatz spoke with Edge.

Edge told The Tribune on Wednesday evening that Wilcox was behaving in a way that created a conflict of interest with her duties as assistant administrative officer. He would not elaborate.

Wilcox could not be reached for comment.

Misconduct alleged

Despite Edge’s charge, it is Wilcox who is the plaintiff in this lawsuit. In page after page, her filing describes what she calls increasingly “intrusive” behavior that culminated in last month’s action.

After she returned from a maternity leave in 2000, for example, she says Edge “routinely commented on (her) body, saying how good her body looked.” He asked her “if her nipples were sore from nursing,” according to the lawsuit.

She asked him to stop, but he continued, Wilcox alleges. She sought to move her job back under civil service protection, but Edge would not do it, maintaining his control over her employment.

Under her contract, Wilcox can be fired without cause, but she has the option of returning to her old job of administrative analyst.

When she separated from her husband in 2006, Wilcox alleges, Edge told her she should no longer sleep with her husband, and he offered to help her move.

She said she had help already, and Edge “pouted” —a word she uses several times in the suit to describe Edge’s behavior — and later asked her, “What would you do if I just stopped by some night?”

In 2007 and 2008, her suit says, “Edge’s behavior seemed to randomly oscillate between boss, mentor, controlling father figure, and an individual jealous of any relationship (Wilcox) had or Edge suspected she might have.”

The suit goes on in this manner.

Edge wanted to “check out” Wilcox’s dates, it says. He commented to others on her “sexual awakening.” He told her whom she should sleep with, to get black stockings and lingerie, and suggested “how (Wilcox) may want to satisfy herself sexually.” He asked whether she had sex with her dates.

Wilcox says in the lawsuit she was “made very uncomfortable … but as a single mother with children to support feared retaliation.” She said when she did not give Edge the information he sought, he would pout, glare at her and not speak to her for days.

Ultimately, the suit claims, Wilcox felt she could not work with Edge and have a personal relationship with a man. She confided in a friend and then went to Douglas-Schatz, who went to the Board of Supervisors and county counsel.

Supervisors accused

Supervisors also are at fault, Wilcox’s suit alleges, because they knew of Edge’s behavior for years and let it slide. Some county managers witnessed the behavior, the suit alleges.

“Edge had engaged in sexually inappropriate comments for a period of years affecting numerous county employees and managers,” the suit says. “At no time was any investigative action undertaken.”

Board of Supervisors chairman Bruce Gibson, County Counsel Warren Jensen and Douglas-Schatz all said Wednesday afternoon that they had not seen the lawsuit.

Gibson said he does not believe the lawsuit will affect Wilcox’s employment status. She remains on paid administrative leave.

David P. Warren, Wilcox’s attorney, said the county has 30 days to respond. Wilcox is asking for unspecified economic, general and punitive damages.