SPRINGFIELD, Ore. (AP) — Springfield, Ore., officials are investigating what a newspaper describes as scores of vulgar, race-baiting and anti-Obama e-mails that some Public Works Department employees have been circulating in the city’s e-mail system.
City Manager Gino Grimaldi confirms that more than one employee in the maintenance division has been disciplined for violating city policies. Forty-three people work in that division, caring for city streets and landscapes.
Grimaldi says more employees may face sanctions as the city continues its investigation.
The city provided thousands of employee e-mails to The Register-Guard in response to a public records request.
The newspaper says while some of the messages among the employees in question contain uplifting sentiments, much of the material appears racially offensive, culturally insensitive, crude or politically oriented. Many e-mails violate city rules on e-mail use.
