Kaskinen hires lawyer over allegations against city manager

Kaskinen has hired an external occupational safety lawyer to investigate allegations about city manager Markku Lumio’s conduct, Yle reports. The city government will discuss the matter on Monday, and Lumio will continue in his role as usual.

Three women say Lumio has behaved inappropriately by standing too close, hugging them on minor pretexts and repeatedly commenting on their clothing and appearance. One woman said he had called her names including “fairy”, “bride”, “horse-riding girl” and “schoolgirl”. The women said they had changed how they dressed to avoid the attention.

Lumio denies the allegations of harassment.

The external lawyer’s analysis is expected to be completed by Monday. City government chair Jan-Anders Lundenius said the city needed outside assistance because its officials were not professionals in handling such a situation.

If the city government considers it necessary, the matter will be added to Monday’s agenda, Lundenius said. He added that Lumio’s position was not under threat in his view, although he could not comment on the position of the city government as a whole.

Lundenius said the city was monitoring the situation and would ensure the workplace safety of the women who had made the allegations.

Similar allegations about Lumio’s conduct had been discussed in Kaskinen when he was selected as city manager in 2022. His previous term as city manager of Kauhava ended that year because of a loss of trust. Earlier, he had resigned as city manager of Vaasa for the same reason at the beginning of 2011.

Kaskinen is also holding merger negotiations with Närpes. The city council decided on Monday to begin the talks. Lundenius said some people had questioned whether the allegations had been raised because the merger negotiations were dividing the city, and he said the controversy would likely disrupt them.