Sex query stalled in County Council

Attempts by some Salt Lake County Council members to pursue an investigation into alleged sexual harassment in the county clerk's office have stalled — perhaps for good.

The council held an hour-long closed meeting Tuesday and discussed an investigation District Attorney David Yocom conducted into alleged sexual harassment by former chief deputy clerk Nick Floros.

GOP Councilman Russell Skousen and others accused Yocom of truncating the investigation to save a political ally and friend, and called for the council itself to look into the matter. But ultimately, they didn't have the votes to prompt such action.

"Am I satisfied with Yocom's investigation? Absolutely," Democrat Joe Hatch said. "This is all just ridiculous."

Hatch said Deputy District Attorney John Soltis gave a thorough presentation of Yocom's investigation into the matter, but GOP Council Chairman Steve Harmsen disagreed.

"They didn't tell us anything," Harmsen said. "All they told us was that they weren't going to tell us anything."

Some council members wanted to launch their own investigation simply as a prerequisite to issuing a subpoena. Council members declined to say what the subpoena would seek, but many of them have been keen to see Yocom's investigation report, which he has so far kept tightly under wraps.

Last week, Soltis took back the copy he had given to Mayor Nancy Workman.

Yocom has turned down Government Records Access and Management Act requests for the report, saying it is private and protected according to county policy and state law.

One victim of Floros' alleged sexual harassment has filed a "notice of claim" with the county, a first step toward filing a lawsuit. Her attorney, Ralph Chamness, said he is close to filing the lawsuit itself.

One concern some council members have is that Floros may have engaged in criminal conduct — forcible sexual abuse or sexual battery — and Yocom did not prosecute him.

Others in the county who have worked under Floros have said he used extreme intimidation and bullying tactics against them, but despite their complaints nothing was done to abate the behavior.

"I was getting no help or protection — nothing changes with that group of good old boys," said Shaunna Sanderseld, who worked under Floros in the county surveyor's office during the 1980s while Yocom was district attorney.

"I am surprised that the county has allowed it to go on as long as it did and that they did nothing when I complained. I was constantly being counseled by people to drop it and keep quiet."

Floros retired last January after Yocom's investigation.

The matter is a ticklish one for council members, even those who maintain Yocom picks and chooses whom he wants to prosecute based on personal reasons. Release of the report would shed more light on the conclusions of Yocom's investigation and help them judge whether his actions against Floros should have been more Draconian. But it could also expose the county to liability.

---

E-mail: aedwards@desnews.com