FAIRBORN — Three City Council members want an independent investigation into why documents are missing from City Manager Deborah McDonnell's personnel file.

McDonnell, on leave more than two weeks, returned to work on Monday, Sept. 29.

Council gave no reason for her leave and refused to discuss her status with the city.

Council members EJ Griffith, Frank Cervone and James Hapner issued a signed news release Sunday, Sept. 28, asking for the special investigation to determine why McDonnell's background check, annual performance review and a disciplinary action are not in her file.

When the personnel file was inspected by the Dayton Daily News on Sept. 17, it only contained papers related to McDonnell's job application, insurance forms and job contract.

"We intend to get to the bottom of this. The citizens deserve better," Cervone said of himself and Council colleagues Hapner and Griffith.

He noted that the four other members of Council — Mayor Gary Woodward, Joan Dautel, Fredrick Pumroy and Stuart Snow — refused when asked to publicly address why the records were missing.

Cervone said he believes the documents were destroyed.

Dautel said she submitted a written recommendation of McDonnell to the mayor.

Woodward said he was unaware of any missing documents and would ask city officials to investigate. Pumroy did not respond to messages. Snow is on medical leave.

City attorney Michael Mayer said Sept. 17 that McDonnell's performance review and any disciplinary action, should it exist, could have been done orally without creating a public record.

However, a March 31 e-mail from Woodward to Council members obtained by the Dayton Daily News discusses the procedure for Council members to submit written evaluations of McDonnell.

Several council members acknowledged that written evaluations and a disciplinary action were completed by council members.

Mayer also did not return a call Monday to discuss the discrepancy.

The individual evaluations are just part of the records that should be in McDonnell's city personnel file, Cervone, Hapner and Griffith said. The three contacted several state offices to request an investigation.

"We can't take care of it locally. Nobody here wants to do anything about it," Hapner said. "It has to come out. They all refused."

Contact the reporter at (937) 225-2342 or cmagan@DaytonDaily

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