North Miami Fires MOCA Director

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) — Suspended earlier this month for inappropriate comments, the director of the North Miami's Museum of Contempary Art (MOCA) has been fired.

"Based on the findings of the City's investigation into allegations of sexual harassment made against you, as well as your lack of appropriate supervision over your subordinate employees, I lack confidence in your ability to continue to serve as a spokesperson and chief advocate for the Museum," wrote Interim City Manager Arthur Sorey III in a memo issued Thursday.

The firing of Babacar M'bow as director stemmed from a complaint by Tiffany Madera, MOCA's Outreach and Programs Manager against M'bow and Assistant MOCA director Alan Waufle.

Madera filed her complaint December 10th.

In it she alleges that M'bow's harassment of her started back in April when he made the comment, "Oh, Tiffany is provoking everybody with her tight pants."

Madera said the harassment escalated the following month when he made sexually explicit comments about her and another employee, Adrienne Von Lates, She also claims he inappropriately touched her when she, M'bow and Von Lates had gone out to a bar.

Madera claims M'bow routinely said "Everybody on the staff needs to get laid" and "The only happy person is Tiffany, I know she is getting (expletive)."

According to her complaint, when she told M'bow that his comments made her feel uncomfortable "he started making veiled threats throughout August about, 'Not firing people'."

Madera said the final straw came at a December 8th staff meeting in which M'bow harassed Waufle with comments like "Get dressed up and take her out on the town and show her a good time" in referring to a female vendor. Waufle reportedly replied that "She's a skanky [expletive]." When Madera told Waufle that his comment made her uncomfortable, she said the two got into a screaming match. According to Madera, M'bow referred to her her objections "That is feminist rhetoric."

The city says an investigation into Madera's claims found M'bow made inappropriate comments to several other employees, according to memo for the city's Personnel Department.

When asked about his comments, M'bow denied the allegations and made comments about Madera's deficiencies as an employee.

"It is clear that the allegations are false, they are the reaction of an employee who thought I was going to fire her on January 1," according to the city memo. "Tiffany Madera never brought in one sponsor, and that I have felt a certain level of discomfort that the City could have handled this better."

M'bow's termination is effective immediately and he has been given until January 4th to return all city property and remove any personal property he may have at the museum.