If you don't do you job you should be fired, there is too much dead wood in government anyway. I don't see that this is news worthy.....Unless there is a lawsuit to follow.............
A longtime employee of the Richmond County Board of Elections was fired last week, Elections Board Executive Director Lynn Bailey confirmed Tuesday.
The termination does not involve any issue of voter fraud or conspiracy to commit voter fraud, Mrs. Bailey wrote in an e-mail to The Augusta Chronicle when asked about the dismissal.
"The issue at hand is one of personnel performance and thereby a county personnel matter," Mrs. Bailey wrote. "As such, it would be inappropriate for this office to release any further information regarding the exact circumstances that have caused the recommendation for termination."
She refused to identify the employee, nor would she describe what led to the firing, citing advice from the city's legal department.
However, David Hudson, an attorney who represents both The Chronicle and the Georgia Press Association, said once a city employe is fired the details become public record.
Mrs. Bailey said the elections board has followed the policies in the city's employee handbook and has advised the employee of the right to appeal.
The Augusta Richmond County Personnel Board would hear the appeal.
"At this time, we have no further comment on this matter," Mrs. Bailey wrote in the e-mail.
Reach Sylvia Cooper at (706) 823-3228 or sylvia.cooper@augustachronicle.com.
Comments
If you don't do you job you should be fired, there is too much dead wood in government anyway. I don't see that this is news worthy.....Unless there is a lawsuit to follow.............
I agree...I'm reading this and thinking "So what? Just another employee fired for not doing their job.". They came out and said there were no voting-related issues involved, so why should we care?
I wonder how the newspaper found out about it in the first place?
I wonder what the reason for the firing was. Was it really not related to voter fraud? Was it for theft or was the election board (taxpayer) cost a lot of money? Is the fired public employee a threat to the community? I care why a taxpayer paid employee was suddenly terminated right before an election.
I bet it took a bit of time to build a case against the employee so he or she will not win on appeal. The timing of the termination probably has less to do with the election and more to do with the employer's position and reasons for terminating.
The employee was not very smart to begin with. They had a government job for God's sake
Had this been an issue in Columbia County, it would have never appeared in the Chronicle.
Hats of to Ms. Bailey, sounds like she is trying to handle this in a professional manner.
Too many people, with too much time, too much information, positing on issues with which they need not trifle . Welcome to the Blogosphere.
I would like to know. A long time employee fired so close to an election where every person is needed indicates that it is not a minor violation. "Enquiring minds want to Know".
Did we finally get a legal Department? Wow last I heard they were trying to hire one. Does this mean we don't pay other lawyers? Where was the legal department when the Civic center fiasco broke out, last I heard they were hiring a lawyer at taxpayer expense to represent the staff member. Again I didn't know we had a legal eagle but I guess he will be the council for the civic center!!!
Since the firing did not involve voter fraud, misuse of government funds or embezzlement, than the firing is no one else's business. Inquiring minds may want the information, but this is between the individual and the agency that fired that person. And for those who insist on the details, be sure you provide a running agenda for any disciplinary or termination action against you when you lose your job to the general public; after all, turnabout is fair play!
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