LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) – Less than a week after WAVE Troubleshooters confronted the Louisville Metro Department of Codes and Regulations director about allegations of a toxic work environment, Richard Price announced his retirement as head of the department.
Numerous employees contacted the Troubleshooters with concerns about Codes and Regulations, specifically Price’s leadership. Despite repeated ethics complaints and multiple sustained union grievances, those employees felt the Metro was not taking them seriously.
Three of those employees spoke with WAVE anonymously.
“Enough is enough,“ said one employee. ”I mean, you can only scream into the dark so much.”
“We’ve not been dealt with squarely since the new director came on,” another added. “Almost from day one, there’s been something afoot.”
Another employee told WAVE staffers in the department “literally fear for their jobs on a daily basis.”
Mayor Craig Greenberg appointed Price to lead the department in December 2023 and Henderson, soon after, in early 2024. Both are long-time city employees.
Local Union 2501 leadership, who represent about 60 codes and regulations employees, tell WAVE it did not take long after for their members to start expressing concerns. In early January, the union filed a formal notice of the hostility, detailing “ongoing, pervasive conduct and institutional failures.”
“This isn’t about one single instance. It’s more of a systemic issues within the department that need to be addressed,” Nathanial Haggard, Vice President of Local Union 2501, explained.
Employees have used all the proper channels at their disposal to bring these allegations to light, including by reaching out to WAVE. The union filed 12 grievances in less than a year, citing repeated violations of the collective bargaining agreement. Haggard said that is more than triple than what the union typically files in a year.
Those grievances are in addition to dozens of employee ethics complaints alleging nepotism, favoritism, unequal treatment and retaliatory behavior, like threats and intimidation. Haggard believes there to be as many as 100 ethics complaints filed during Price’s two years as head of the department.
“It’s disheartening because executive leadership is aware of this situation, and they’re leaving our members in danger,” Haggard said.
The employee complaints paint a clear picture of just how long the tension has been building with the Department since January 2024.
“In my tenure here, I’ve never experienced the neglect or the attention that these have gotten,” one long-time employee said. “I mean, it’s just unprecedented.”
Records the Troubleshooters obtained show metro officials have been aware of the allegations for months.
Employees told WAVE nothing has changed.
WAVE attempted to ask Price about these claims against him at a press conference last week.
“We’re talking about misconduct from the public. How do you respond to allegations of misconduct within your own department?” asked Troubleshooter Alena Noakes.
“I’m not taking any questions,” Price said, walking away.
“Are you sure? These are directed at your leadership, sir,” Noakes pushed.
“I know. I’m not taking any questions. They’re not true,” Price responded.
The Troubleshooters received a copy of the email Price sent to his employees, announcing his retirement Tuesday.
He does not acknowledge any of the allegations within the email, and characterizes the department he is leaving as one “focused on fairness, consistency, and service to the public… with confidence in the department’s direction.”
In a press release, Mayor Greenberg thanked Price for “his commitment to our community and his many years of public service.” WAVE asked if Price’s retirement is connected to these ongoing claims. Press Secretary Matt Mudd told WAVE they have no additional information to share.
This is a developing investigation and will be updated.
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