Thursday, April 11, 2019
By Ed Runyan
WARREN
Dave Lair, recently retired Geauga County administrator, has begun work as interim director of the Geauga Trumbull Solid Waste Management District, which operates recycling and waste-management programs on Enterprise Drive Northwest.
Lair, who worked as county administrator 14 years ending in January, is being paid $1,625 per week for 25 hours per week and has taken over the district’s daily management duties.
The district board of directors brought him in after hiring a law firm to carry out an investigation of complaints about Director Greg Kovalchick by two female employees.
The district decided last month to limit Kovalchick’s duties to two areas – designing a solid-waste-collection facility to be built this year in central Geauga County and getting approval for the new 14-year solid-waste-management plan.
During the board’s regular monthly meeting Tuesday, officials learned Kovalchick, who earlier announced his intention to retire this summer, went on sick leave at the end of last month and will be off until at least May 1.
After the board met in executive session regarding the investigation that Atty. Janica Pierce Tucker recently completed into the Kovalchick allegations, district board member Tim Lennon, a Geauga County commissioner, said the issue appears to be about a “conflict of personalities.”
One female employee complained in a document obtained by The Vindicator that Kovalchick has managed through intimidation and aggression during the two years he has been director.
She said Kovalchick told her he “carries a Glock [firearm] and isn’t afraid to use it,” that he has “a lot of experience at making pipe bombs,” and told her he “has the right to come in the bathroom while I am in there.”
Another female employee said Kovalchick has created a hostile work environment for her. Kovalchick said the second employee complained about him asking her to change a recycling flier she had written and “continued to interrupt as I was trying to speak to her.” He said she also complained about not getting a promotion and not getting paid enough.
The district is expanding its hours for people to drop off electronics and household hazardous wastes May 1 through Oct. 30.
Hours will be from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mondays and Fridays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays, by appointment Tuesdays and Thursdays and 9 a.m. to noon the following Saturdays: May 4, June 1, Aug. 3 and Sept. 7.
Mondays and Fridays will be for dropping off electronics. Wednesdays will be for dropping off electronics and household hazardous wastes. Tuesdays and Thursdays by appointment will be for electronics.