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M <br />However, in no instance has any of those employees been the subject of any disciplinary <br />action whatsoever.' Specifically, certain departmental employees. have been sentenced to <br />jail terms and allowed a leave of absence to serve their sentences. Those -persons were <br />reinstated upon completion of the jail sentence at the same pay rate and position as they <br />held prior to the incarceration. Other employees have been hired after serving sentences, <br />including time on the weekend work program and there are several members of the <br />department who have been convicted of multiple DLII offenses and have been allowed <br />to drive county vehicles after reinstatement of their driving privileges. Another employee <br />of the department was convicted of a felony drug offense within a month of Mr. Lutz's <br />DLII arrest. Not only was that employee not disciplined or terminated, Mr. Williams <br />wrote a letter of recommendation to the Court on County stationary requesting that the <br />Court impose a sentence that would allow that person .to return to work at the County. <br />I have also learned that since the hearing, that same individual who was convicted of the <br />drug bf�ns, 'was caught stealing mulch from County property -after hours. For that <br />offense, he received a written reprimand, but no demotion or decrease in salary. <br />I would like to say that Mr. Williams is inconsistently applying punishment to <br />Personnel in his department. However, the only inconsistency that I can find in Mr. <br />Williams treatment of his employees is his treatment of Mr. Lutz. Such selective <br />enforcement is an abuse of descretion which is contrary to your own rules of personnel <br />management and creates a basis for a Court action if Mr. Lutz so chooses. The most <br />unfortunate Part of this entire episode is that Mr. Lutz has been demoted from his <br />previous position from Tradesworker U, despite the fact that he currently occupies and <br />Performs the duties of a Tradesworker II employee. Despite his training and experience, <br />he now serves in what is essentially an entry-level position with the department, and not <br />coincidentally serves on a equal basis with persons who had presently and previously <br />served as Tradesworker I's, but who were not disciplined for offenses while they worked <br />at the County. The circumstances that have occurred to Mr. Lutz indicate a conscious <br />attempt on the Part of Mr. Williams to penalize Mr. Lutz for reasons having nothing to <br />do with his work performance or his court conviction. Such intent has been made clear <br />by actions of Mr. Williams and Jack Price which have taken place since this appeal was <br />originally filed. <br />4. Mr. Lutz has the right to appeal an adverse decision of his supervisor, according <br />to rules that were adopted by the County. The County should allow persons the free <br />exercise of their appeal rights and not interfere with those appeal rights nor punish <br />someone who exercises such rights. However, in Mr. Lutz's case, that has simply not <br />been the..County's position. Mr. Lutz has advised me of a number of incidents which <br />have occurred since "filing this appeal, which prove the County's treatment of this matter <br />to be personal, rather than professional. Specifically, Mr. Williams has implied on <br />occasion that Mr. Lutz may be too old to perform his duties and may not be working <br />with the County long enough to vest his retirement. He has attempted to have Mr. Lutz <br />dismiss the appeal and, when Mr. Lutz refused, Mr. Williams made a number comments <br />regarding Mr. Lutz's work performance which appear to be simply retaliatory, and not <br />based on any performance evaluations. The fact of the matter is Mr. Lutz's job <br />performance has been rated very good to excellent at all times during his employment <br />- <br />County, including his most recent evaluations. <br />Of more concern in this <br />��' is the actions of Mr. Price, the County Human <br />Resources Director, and <br />-��y Dean. Based on my instructions,�� Lutz appeal, <br />d b which was held before <br />been researching County <br />it BOOK 93 FA.;E 561 <br />October 19, 1994 <br />