The Metro Regional Transit Authority board of trustees has directed its outside legal counsel to investigate a rambling email sent by the public bus company’s executive director.
The email, dated April 8 and claiming that Metro is under attack by “untrained, clueless people,” led to Executive Director Richard Enty being placed on paid administrative leave last week.
The board voted Wednesday to have the Roetzel & Andress law firm in Akron, which serves as the legal counsel for Metro, conduct the investigation.
Roetzel & Andress partner Karen Adinolfi declined Thursday to comment on the scope of the investigation.
“Obviously any other issues that come up can be investigated as well but at this point it’s just about the email,” she said, adding that there is no timetable to complete the probe.
“It will be concluded as quickly and as efficiently as possible with the competing consideration of giving due process to Mr. Enty,” Adinolfi said.
The law firm won’t be paid any extra outside its contract to conduct the probe, Adinolfi said.
A Metro spokeswoman referred a question on how much the bus company pays Roetzel & Andress to the law firm. Adinolfi said that figure was not immediately available.
Enty’s 3½-page email urges workers, the leadership team and board to pull together, but also rails against “outside forces” that “seem to have declared war on Metro.”
“We cannot afford to let the ‘children’ on this bus yank the wheel in the wrong direction or distract us with their mean, immature behavior,” he wrote.
The email doesn’t name any individual attacking the bus company or spell out the specific issues involved.
Enty, whose annual salary is $129,243, has served as Metro’s executive director since 2012. He is in the first year of a new three-year contract.
Metro human resources director Christine Hoffer is serving as acting executive director while Enty remains on leave.
Rick Armon can be reached at 330-996-3569 or rarmon@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter at @armonrickABJ .