Kentucky Fires Highway Safety Director, Retaliation Allegation Denied.
Kentucky fires highway safety boss
Written by Tom Loftus
FRANKFORT, Ky. — The director of the Office of Highway Safety has been fired and others in the agency disciplined after an investigation involving the improper acceptance of gifts, timesheet violations and racial harassment.
A July 22 letter informed office Director Boyd Sigler that he was fired. The letter, obtained by The Courier-Journal Thursday under the Kentucky Open Records Act, did not give a reason for the firing.
But a report by the Transportation Cabinet's Office of Inspector General, also obtained by the newspaper, states that Sigler “accepted free passes to events at the Kentucky Motor Speedway, an organization under contract with (the cabinet) with specific oversight provided by” the Office of Highway Safety.
Moreover, the inspector general's report documents “widespread abuse of time and attendance policy” in the office and found an episode of racial harassment.
Records also show four workers in the office were suspended for one day each for filing false reports on hours worked. And cabinet spokesman Charles Wolfe said disciplinary action is pending against two others.
Wolfe said he could not comment or release records about the two until action is completed in their cases.
But CNHI News reported Thursday that a branch manager in the office, Dennis Gardner, said that he is in the process of being fired and that the cabinet action against him, Sigler and a third official stems from Sigler's refusal to contribute to Gov. Steve Beshear's re-election campaign.
CNHI, which owns several Kentucky newspapers, reported that Gardner sent a letter to Attorney General Jack Conway complaining that Sigler had been illegally solicited for a contribution to Beshear's campaign while at work. Conway's office confirmed that it had received Gardner's letter.
Sigler could not be reached at his Frankfort home Thursday. Garner also could not be reached at his home near Frankfort, and he did not respond to messages left on his phone.
Kerri Richardson, spokeswoman for the governor's office, said in a statement that “the allegation that employees have been fired for a lack of contributions is simply not true. The Inspector General's report provides good context for Mr. Gardner's allegations.” ...
Editor's note: to continue reading, go here.
Written by Tom Loftus
FRANKFORT, Ky. — The director of the Office of Highway Safety has been fired and others in the agency disciplined after an investigation involving the improper acceptance of gifts, timesheet violations and racial harassment.
A July 22 letter informed office Director Boyd Sigler that he was fired. The letter, obtained by The Courier-Journal Thursday under the Kentucky Open Records Act, did not give a reason for the firing.
But a report by the Transportation Cabinet's Office of Inspector General, also obtained by the newspaper, states that Sigler “accepted free passes to events at the Kentucky Motor Speedway, an organization under contract with (the cabinet) with specific oversight provided by” the Office of Highway Safety.
Moreover, the inspector general's report documents “widespread abuse of time and attendance policy” in the office and found an episode of racial harassment.
Records also show four workers in the office were suspended for one day each for filing false reports on hours worked. And cabinet spokesman Charles Wolfe said disciplinary action is pending against two others.
Wolfe said he could not comment or release records about the two until action is completed in their cases.
But CNHI News reported Thursday that a branch manager in the office, Dennis Gardner, said that he is in the process of being fired and that the cabinet action against him, Sigler and a third official stems from Sigler's refusal to contribute to Gov. Steve Beshear's re-election campaign.
CNHI, which owns several Kentucky newspapers, reported that Gardner sent a letter to Attorney General Jack Conway complaining that Sigler had been illegally solicited for a contribution to Beshear's campaign while at work. Conway's office confirmed that it had received Gardner's letter.
Sigler could not be reached at his Frankfort home Thursday. Garner also could not be reached at his home near Frankfort, and he did not respond to messages left on his phone.
Kerri Richardson, spokeswoman for the governor's office, said in a statement that “the allegation that employees have been fired for a lack of contributions is simply not true. The Inspector General's report provides good context for Mr. Gardner's allegations.” ...
Editor's note: to continue reading, go here.
Labels: General information
posted by KYJurisDoctor at 7:10 PM
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