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Naperville manager reprimanded for 'off-color' joke

An investigation into the conduct of Naperville City Manager Doug Krieger triggered by a former human resources employee's complaint has found he was "promptly and correctly" reprimanded for telling an inappropriate joke.

The investigation, conducted by Warrenville-based attorney Terry Ekl, concluded Tuesday. The joke, which the city described in a statement Thursday afternoon as "off-color," was its only finding.

Krieger was named in a complaint a former human resources employee sent in a memo as she was quitting her job May 2. The complaint focused on the conduct of two male supervisors in the city's human resources department, and accused them of "derogatory, degrading, demeaning and sometimes discriminatory behavior" against women and minorities.

Some sections of the memo were redacted on a version the Daily Herald obtained through the Freedom of Information Act. But in the redacted version, the former employee wrote she heard Krieger "talk about employees in less than respectful ways and not behind closed doors."

The city's statement Thursday afternoon said Ekl's investigation verified Krieger told "an off-color joke that was promptly and correctly investigated in January."

Krieger then was verbally reprimanded and told he must complete the city's harassment prevention and diversity awareness training before the end of the year, according to the statement.

Ekl and Jill Wilger, Naperville's assistant legal director, both said the full contents of Ekl's report are protected from release by attorney-client privilege.

Meanwhile, an internal investigation into the former human resources employee's complaint is continuing to look into the conduct of the two supervisors she named. Officials said one of the supervisors resigned May 14, while the other remains employed by the city.

Wilder said the internal investigation is expected to take another couple of weeks.

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