I-TEAM: Assistant to Lucas County Commissioner placed on administrative leave

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) - The executive assistant to a Lucas County Commissioner is on paid administrative leave.

Now, the 13 Action News I-TEAM has learned an outside lawyer and investigator have been brought in to look at this case.

We’re not getting an exact reason for the internal investigation pertaining to the man serving newly appointed commissioner Anita Lopez. This leave comes only days before Lopez will be on the ballot to keep her seat.

A one-page document, obtained by the I-TEAM, details what little we know about the leave for executive assistant Andrew Urrutia. The personnel action report says it’s a paid administrative leave until, TBD.

This administrative leave took effect Tuesday.

Urrutia is the administrative assistant to Commissioner Lopez who was appointed to her position in January. She was informed about what was happening via a text message thread obtained by the I-TEAM.

County Administrator Jessica Ford texted Lopez asking to discuss a human resources issue with her and HR director Trent Burner and asked to talk in person. Lopez wanted to engage a county lawyer Instead Lopez was informed the county would bring in an outside lawyer, Fritz Byers. Administrator Ford told Lopez, “Fritz is engaged due to the potential conflict of interest the prosecutor may have.”

That conflict is not made clear in the text exchange. No in-person meeting happened that day.

Late Friday the I-TEAM was told an outside investigator was being brought in. The I-TEAM is not being told who it is.

These are all the documents the county has produced when we ask for records pertaining to the administrative leave.

The I-TEAM asked if Commissioner Lopez would speak to us about this but a county spokesperson says the commissioners would not discuss personnel matters.

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