Thursday, December 15, 2011
POLAND
Two of three road- department employees who originally were suspended indefinitely without pay Nov. 17 have since returned to work, and the third has retired, as was planned before the suspension.
The three employees, road superintendent Joe Juillerat, assistant road supervisors Steve Cramer and Darren Goodin, were put on indefinite suspension as the trustees continued their investigation.
“We put them on indefinite suspension and met with their union representation. We were looking at the evidence and what was warranted for the things that took place,” said trustee chairman Robert J. Lidle Jr.
The punishment that the trustees doled out to the three employees consisted of a 15-day suspension beginning Nov. 18 and repayment of $500 to the township. Cramer and Goodin returned to work Friday.
The employees also are prohibited from applying for any supervisory position in the township. Juillerat retired at the end of November, and Cramer was demoted from assistant road department supervisor to operator and had his wages reduced accordingly, trustees said.
“The $500 in reimbursement can be paid over six months, and it is for lost time and the cost of the investigation. They both are back at work. I met with them, and they’ve been doing fine,” Lidle said.
The discipline was decided at a Nov. 22 special meeting.
Cramer and Goodin have entered a “Last Chance Agreement,” said Atty. David Shepherd, the township’s legal counsel.
“It’s a document that employees would have a last chance, and if they violated any policy, they could be discharged and they couldn’t grieve the decision,” Shepherd said.
Lidle said the three employees were disciplined for doing personal work on public time.
“There were some activities that took place, such as personal work being done on public time. Some were working on some personal vehicles,” Lidle said.
“A couple tools were borrowed and were returned, but you can’t do that with public property. [Juillerat and Cramer] were supervisors and participated and, more to the point, allowed it to occur,” he continued.
The trustees investigated the allegations internally. The township police department also conducted its own investigation, and Police Chief Brian Goodin, the brother of Darren Goodin, did not have any involvement with the case, trustees have said.
The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation was asked to assist in the investigation, but denied that request in a letter dated Nov. 2.
No criminal charges are pending against the road department employees. A review of the employees’ personnel files show no major problems with their performance before this incident.