Norfolk official who bought cell phone for teen steps down

NORFOLK

An assistant to the city manager has resigned under pressure after being roundly criticized for using city money to buy a cell phone for a teenager who allegedly used it while committing a violent felony.

Late last year, Barbara Lai, who then was the head of Norfolk's anti-gang program, bought the cell phone hoping to help a teen turn his life around. The 17-year-old has been charged with seven felonies in connection with the abduction and rape of a young woman that occurred the next day.

On Wednesday, City Manager Regina V.K. Williams announced that Lai had resigned.

"We mutually agreed it would be in the city's and her best interest," Williams said. "She made some judgment calls that were not appropriate or desired by the city."

In a resignation letter, Lai said she had "much regret" and had hoped to help troubled youths.

Lai, who was reassigned to a position within City Hall shortly after the cell phone purchase, makes $107,000 a year. She will remain in her job until Sept. 30. After that date, she will continue working for 60 days as a contract employee at her current salary rate but will not accrue any benefits or vacation time, Williams said.

The city manager said the time would allow Lai to finish several projects and prepare documents for those taking over her responsibilities, which range from coordinating social service programs to assisting with Waterside Festival Marketplace.

Council members briefed on the resignation Tuesday night said they were satisfied with the terms of Lai's departure.

"It was an issue that needed to be resolved quickly," Councilman Andy Protogyrou said. "And I think that at this point we can put this behind us and move on and examine other issues in the city that need to be worked on and resolved."

In 2009, Lai was the head of Project Focus, an anti-crime initiative that began in late 2007 in response to demands for increased police presence in East Ocean View.

In December, she bought a $250 Palm Pixi phone with city funds and gave it to William Kyle Barco in exchange for his cell phone. She had hoped changing to the new phone would stop gang members from calling him, she said.

However, the purchase backfired when Barco, 17, used the phone to speak with gang members while allegedly abducting a young woman at gunpoint, according to court documents.

Barco is awaiting trial on the charges.

The cell phone purchase was known to city management soon after it occurred. Williams brought it to the City Council's attention when The Virginian-Pilot started asking about it last month.

When they heard about it, council members sharply criticized Lai's judgment. The council does not have the power to fire or discipline employees - that is Williams' job.

Lai requested a six-month transition period from the city, which was shortened in negotiations with Williams.

Lai issued a statement late Wednesday saying: "I do regret that I lost the perspective required of a public employee. My intentions simply were to help kids get out of gangs and to prevent those on the edge from joining gangs."

Lai, who had little formal law enforcement training, was named temporary head of Project Focus in 2008 and permanent head in 2009. Williams said Wednesday that Lai had not wanted the job but took it when the city manager asked.

Williams has said she wanted Lai to shape policies but that Lai got bogged down trying to save individual gang members.

In her resignation letter, Lai pointed to five young men whose lives, she said, had changed for the better because of her work. Some of them have enrolled in college and are working; others plan to finish high school and have stayed out of trouble, she said.

"I remain grateful that I was able to successfully turn several other young people around," she wrote.

Meghan Hoyer, (757) 446-2293, meghan.hoyer@pilotonline.com