A higher-up at the city’s Department of Transportation resigned after a sprawling investigation into her conduct at the office, a tenure that included cases of her “demeaning” numerous employees to the point where it reduced departmental morale.
That individual was Michelle Pourciau, according to City Hall sources not authorized to speak publicly on the investigation.
In a new investigative report released today, the Office of the Inspector General said it received a complaint about management issues at the agency, alleging a supervisor “publicly humiliated and demeaned DOT employees” to the point where it affected operations.
While brief, Inspector General Isabel Mercedes Cumming’s report details that Pourciau “made statements in meetings which diminished the expertise and experience of DOT employees,” referring to them as “unqualified” and questioning their professional conduct in front of others.
OIG investigators spoke with more than 50 current and former DOT staffers, employees from other city and state agencies, and private sector employees that had contact with the department. “Witnesses reported the manager’s criticism of DOT employees often exceeded the bounds of professional conduct, bordering on personal attacks.”
In another hint that it was Pourciau, who stepped down in May after The Sun reported the OIG had launched this very investigation, Cumming’s report said “the manager threatened the job security of senior DOT staff.”
The result was increased managerial turnover, which the office said was supported by data, as well as a “toxic environment” for staff that affected attendance and performance, and workers’ physical and mental health, the report said.
Mayor Bernard C. “Jack” Young wrote in a response letter to Cumming that Frank Murphy took over as acting director after the individual—the name is redacted in his note—resigned. Young has since appointed now-former Department of General Services Direct Steve Sharkey to be head of DOT, a hire that was announced Monday and was first reported by Baltimore Fishbowl last week.
Asked for comment, department spokesman German Vigil said, “The Department of Transportation does not comment on personnel matters.”
At a press conference this week, Sharkey said one of his chief priorities is to boost morale at the agency. As an example, he said, he plans to introduce a program similar to a traditional employee of the month honor to highlight noteworthy performance.
Pourciau, whose LinkedIn profile lists her as an independent technical expert, could not be reached for comment Friday.
A former acting director of the District of Columbia Department of Transportation who Catherine Pugh brought to Baltimore in June 2017, Pourciau’s time here included a tide of issues involving bike infrastructure and related conflicts involving pushback from the fire department, as well as the collapse of the city’s docked bikeshare program and an exodus of senior officials several months into her tenure.
In a related hiccup, the agency said it failed to submit a capital funding request for projects to the state in October 2017 “due to the transition of staff.”
Councilman Ryan Dorsey (3rd District), a frequent critic of Pourciau’s during her tenure, called her resignation in April “among the best things that could happen for Baltimore right now.”
