Town of Norman Wells sued
Ex-employee seeks almost $400,000 claiming wrongful dismissal, a toxic workplace and defamation; town counter-sues
John McFadden
Northern News Services
Saturday, July 15, 2017
LLI GOLINE/NORMAN WELLS
A lawsuit and counter suit filed in Supreme Civil Court in Yellowknife paint a descriptive picture of the inner workings at the Norman Wells town office.
Suat Tin Lim, Karel Meulenbroek's wife says she was also improperly terminated by the Town of Norman Wells. She says she was off on sick leave for workplace stress when she was let go earlier this year. - Photo courtesy of Karel Meulenbroek
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Former town clerk Karel Meulenbroek is suing the town for $372,000. According to court documents dating back to last October, Meulenbroek is claiming that he is owed $72,000 for six months salary and vacation pay for a breach of contract by the town which he claims wrongfully dismissed him.
He is seeking another $100,000 for damages, $100,000 for mental distress and a further $100,000 for punitive and aggravated damages. Meulenbroek is also suing the town's Senior Administrative Officer (SAO) Catherine Mallon for defamation.
The town meanwhile has filed a counter claim stating Meulenbroek owes $6,750 for a deceptively claimed travel allowance, $350 to decommission a key and $191 in phone charges.
The town has also defended itself against Meulenbroek's allegations.
In court documents, Meulenbroek's actions at work are described as "inappropriate, insubordinate and unprofessional." He is accused of using vulgar language on a number of occasions. Documents specifically refer to a senior management meeting held on Nov. 2, 2015 - the day that Mallon took over from Alec Simpson as the SAO, also known as the town manager.
The town claims that during that meeting Meulenbroek lost his temper, shouted and used vulgar language. It further claims that on Nov. 23, 2015, Meulenbroek called Mallon an "autocrat" and refused to do basic duties. Then at a Dec. 4 meeting the town claims that Meulenbroek shouted an obscenity and resigned. He stated that he rescinded that resignation about two hours later.
On Dec. 11, according to the town, Meulenbroek "aggressively entered" the workplace leaving a letter stating he would be back on the 14th to claim his belongings.
"He was met on the 14th by Mayor Nathan Watson who told him not to enter the town office or the RCMP would be called, according to court documents. The town claims Meulenbroek entered the town office, accosted Mallon, was threatening and angry and refused to leave. It is not clear if RCMP was ever called.
In Meulenbroek's statement of claim, he states that the workplace was toxic and unhealthy when Mallon took over as SAO on Nov. 2, 2015. He claims there was low morale among employees due to gross mismanagement. Mueulenbroek was the community's acting town manager for about a month in the summer of 2015.
About a month after he was replaced as town manager by Simspon, Meulenbroek took three weeks stress leave.
Meulenbroek further claims that in that meeting held the day Mallon took over as SAO, she accused him of using vulgar and abusive language and was extremely disrespectful and condescending. He also claims he was provoked to resign.
There is now a Facebook page created by Meulenbroek called Norman Wells Reporter. On the page he claims that 20 Town of Norman Wells employees have either been fired, pushed into sick leave or resigned since Nov. 3, 2015. He added that many of those workers have yet to receive their final play or a proper record of employment (ROE).
Meulenbroek said he has e-mailed the Dept. of Municipal and Community Affairs (MACA) requesting they look into how the town is being run.
Meulenbroken is not the only member of his family crying foul over the way the town is run. His wife, Suat Tin Lim, was finance clerk for the town. She claims she was terminated while off on sick leave in January, 2016 due to workplace stress.
News/North spoke to another former employee. Myles Erb was terminated on June 8 after more than seven years working for the town, most recently as recreation manager. He said he was fired because he wound not grant Mallon access to his medical records when he was off on stress leave.
"I had documents signed by a doctor saying why I was off work. I thought that would be good enough but I guess it wasn't," Erb said.
When contacted by News/North, Watson said that he could not comment on personnel issues with either past or present employees.
"I've got lots to say, I just can't say it. What I would say is we're are going to court with this guy. We are not settling."
