Pittsburgh Commission places executive director on paid leave
A Pittsburgh commission that enforces city civil rights ordinances last week placed its executive director on paid administrative leave pending an internal investigation by the city, officials said.
Carlos Torres, 46, of Greenfield, who has led the agency since 2016, said the commission’s board of directors gave him no reason for the suspension, which came as a complete surprise.
“At this point I think you know as much as I do,” Torres said Wednesday. “I wasn’t given any reason whatsoever.”
Board Chairwoman Mariana Padias said members voted Dec. 3 during a regularly scheduled monthly meeting to place Torres on leave pending an investigation by the city’s Office of Municipal Investigations. She said the board discussed the issue during a private executive session before the vote, but declined further comment.
Board Solicitor Mark Hamilton confirmed that Torres would be paid during the suspension. Torres’s 2018 salary is $88,842, according to the city budget.
Torres said Hamilton informed him Dec. 4 that he was being suspended. He said he could think of no reason for the board’s action.
“It still is a big surprise,” he said.
The commission in 2016 hired Torres, an Army veteran, after two years of sometimes heated wrangling over a candidate to fill the top post.
Disagreements among board members had stymied the search for a new director since the retirement of Executive Director Charles Morrison in April 2014. Members traded accusations during heated public meetings, prompting Mayor Bill Peduto to ask the entire board to resign.
Members agreed on a nationwide selection process through the International Organization of Official Human Rights Agencies and picked Torres from about 30 applicants.
A native of Puerto Rico, Torres holds a bachelor’s degree in history and master’s in public administration from the University of Arizona. He previously worked as a manager for National Community Health Partners, the Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation and Wingspan.
Bob Bauder is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Bob at 412-765-2312, bbauder@tribweb.com or via Twitter @bobbauder.
