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Chicago Park District CEO Mike Kelly resigned on Saturday, hours after Mayor Lori Lightfoot publicly revealed she had asked the Chicago Park District Board of Directors to remove Kelly from her post under a broad investigation into allegations of harassment and abuse against young rescuers.
In a statement, the mayor explained that she attended a scheduled emergency meeting with the Chicago Park District Council of Commissioners on Friday and asked the council to remove Kelly for cause.
“The culture of sexual abuse, harassment and coercion that has become pervasive within the District Aquatic Department’s lifeguard program under his leadership, combined with the superintendent’s lack of urgency or accountability as new facts come to light. , is unacceptable, “she said.
Kelly’s resignation was confirmed Saturday night by a Chicago Park District spokesperson.
Several Chicago city councilors first called for Kelly’s impeachment as park district chief earlier this week after a district supervisor resigned over charges of sexual misconduct with a female underage lifeguard .
Ald. Michele Smith, of Chicago’s 43rd Ward, has previously said the environment for lifeguards in the Chicago Park District is “toxic” and that the steady stream of accusations of harassment and sexual abuse shows massive change is needed.
“It really shows that there has been no commitment to zero tolerance for sexual misconduct,” she said.
Earlier this year, two senior executives were suspended as part of an investigation into allegations of misconduct and sexual abuse within the district’s beaches and pools unit.
In March 2020, a former rescuer accused her fellow rescuers of subjecting her and others to sexual harassment, as well as sexual and physical abuse.
WBEZ reported earlier this year that the district is also investigating other allegations of misconduct among pool and beach workers.
The district says the first misconduct charges were reported in February 2020 and that they made “immediate and long-term operational changes” following those accusations.
“The Chicago Park District has made immediate and long-term operational changes not only to change the culture of this unit, but to ensure that victims and witnesses feel comfortable raising their concerns. This includes taking action against more than 40 Park District employees, ”the district said in a statement.
The Chicago Park District has come under fire for handling allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct by former female lifeguards. The top district official addressed the controversy on Friday. NBC’s Charlie Wojciechowski reports 5.
In her statement calling for Kelly’s sacking on Saturday, Lightfoot said she looked forward to “swift and decisive action” regarding the case.
“Despite previous complaints about new training, new procedures and new staff, the failures of the current Park District administration’s response to the new allegations of child harm persist and simply cannot be tolerated un more day, ”she said.
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