Grievance

A grievance filed in January by Nicholasville Fire Battalion Chief David Cartwright was rejected during Monday’s city commission meeting. The grievance stems from back pay Cartwright contends the city owes him and other firefighters. At the meeting, Nicholasville City Attorney Bill Arvin said Cartwright filed the grievance because he was not satisfied with a resolution of another grievance he previously filed with City Commissioner Johnny Collier, who serves as commissioner over public safety.

A former EMS employee claims a delay in response to a Feb. 11 ambulance wreck was a retaliation for his opposition to “unethical and illegal” practices of the county's EMS chief. Andrew Wood, a former county employee, has filed a grievance and is seeking a return to work with EMS. Wood's fiancée, Amanda Moore, was injured in the February accident. Wood's attorney, Robert Cowan, appeared before the Jessamine County Fiscal Court on Tuesday to protest the rules approved for Wood's appeal hearing, slated for 4 p.m. Feb. 27. The court unanimously approved the set of rules Tuesday.

Danville City Commission found no merit Monday to a grievance filed against City Manager Paul Stansbury by Spencer Rodgers, who was demoted as the city's chief financial officer. After a brief executive session Monday night, the commission voted unanimously to reject allegations in the grievance. The grievance alleged that Stansbury created a hostile work environment in which Rodgers was treated unfairly in retaliation for a lawsuit he filed against the city last year. Rodgers' lawsuit claiming that he was demoted without good reason and subjected to a harassing work environment is still pending.

Spencer Rodgers, who was demoted as Danville's chief financial officer, has filed a grievance against City Manager Paul Stansbury and has made a supplemental complaint in his lawsuit against the city. In the supplemental complaint, Rodgers makes numerous allegations against Stansbury and the city since the original filing of the lawsuit. Included is the allegation that the city imposed work duties on Rodgers that were either not within his job description or to which employees were not typically subjected to performing, all of which were performed in unhealthy and unappealing working situations.

Danville City Commission took no action Tuesday on the grievance filed against City Manager Paul Stansbury. Spencer Rodgers, who was demoted as the city's chief financial officer, filed the grievance along with a supplemental complaint in his lawsuit against the city. In the complaint, Rodgers alleges among other things that Stansbury forced him to complete tasks outside of his job description and in unhealthy working environments. The commission met behind closed doors with Rodgers and Stansbury separately at a special meeting Monday.

Danville's chief financial officer filed a grievance last week claiming he was unfairly demoted by the city manager. Although the City Commission answered the grievance Monday night, there seems to be a difference of opinion about what the answer means. Spencer Rodgers filed the grievance after a June 13 conversation with City Manager Paul Stansbury. Rodgers said he was told he could be demoted from CFO to an upcoming information technology position, effective July 1. After an executive session Monday night, the City Commission said an addendum will be filed, saying that the conversation between Stansbury and Rodgers "did not constitute a demotion.

For the second time in as many months, members of the Hustonville Council on Tuesday heard from a disgruntled employee about personnel issues - although that item was not on the agenda and was effectively tabled until next month's meeting. City Clerk Rita Clem informed Council members that she would like to be reimbursed or compensated for days that she worked alone and was not relieved to take a lunch break. Clem said office hours at Hustonville City Hall were changed in March 2004 by Mayor Larry "Pupâ�

Danville City Commissioners met in executive session Monday before voting 3-2 to demote Spencer Rodgers from chief financial officer to the information technology department. Commissioners Kevin Caudill, Janet Hamner and Terry Crowley voted in favor of the move, while Norma Gail Louis and Mayor Hugh Coomer voted against it. Effective Friday, Rodgers' pay will be "decreased accordingly. " After the meeting, City Manager Paul Stansbury said Rodgers' salary will be reduced to just under $35,000, roughly $20,000 less than his CFO salary.

Jessamine County's human resource director Evelyn Smith has been accused of assaulting an employee, according to a criminal complaint and formal grievance obtained by The Journal. Emergency 911 dispatcher Michael Hurst filed a criminal complaint with the county attorney's office after he said he was attacked by Smith on Friday, May 25 in the court house. Hurst alleges the attack is a retaliation for his wife's testimony in an ongoing unemployment hearing and sexual harassment claim.

Following new grievances filed by a former Boyle County firefighter against the fire chief and the fire board, a board member said Tuesday he has quit the board and the department. Former firefighter Rebecca Earls spoke at the fire board meeting Tuesday only to inform members she has hired an attorney. However, copies of documents she submitted to the department last week show she has filed more than 40 separate complaints and a letter asking for Chief Donnie Sexton to be suspended.

A former Boyle County firefighter who claims she was retaliated against for raising questions about finances addressed the fire board Tuesday night, but members said the allegations could never be substantiated. Rebecca Earls told the board she was not satisfied with the lack of action against Fire Chief Donnie Sexton after she filed a grievance against Sexton last year. Earls resigned from the department in 2011 after six years. In an interview prior to the meeting, Earls said Sexton regularly belittled her, undermined her to her fellow firefighters and didn't send her to training she ultimately had to register for and pay for on her own. Earls believes there has been a pattern of retaliation against firefighters that includes demotions for questioning Sexton.

Jessamine County's human resource director Evelyn Smith has been accused of assaulting an employee, according to a criminal complaint and formal grievance obtained by The Journal. Emergency 911 dispatcher Michael Hurst filed a criminal complaint with the county attorney's office after he said he was attacked by Smith on Friday, May 25 in the court house. Hurst alleges the attack is a retaliation for his wife's testimony in an ongoing unemployment hearing and sexual harassment claim.

A former EMS employee claims a delay in response to a Feb. 11 ambulance wreck was a retaliation for his opposition to “unethical and illegal” practices of the county's EMS chief. Andrew Wood, a former county employee, has filed a grievance and is seeking a return to work with EMS. Wood's fiancée, Amanda Moore, was injured in the February accident. Wood's attorney, Robert Cowan, appeared before the Jessamine County Fiscal Court on Tuesday to protest the rules approved for Wood's appeal hearing, slated for 4 p.m. Feb. 27. The court unanimously approved the set of rules Tuesday.

A grievance filed in January by Nicholasville Fire Battalion Chief David Cartwright was rejected during Monday’s city commission meeting. The grievance stems from back pay Cartwright contends the city owes him and other firefighters. At the meeting, Nicholasville City Attorney Bill Arvin said Cartwright filed the grievance because he was not satisfied with a resolution of another grievance he previously filed with City Commissioner Johnny Collier, who serves as commissioner over public safety.

The lawsuit of Spencer Rodgers vs. the city of Danville won’t make it to a jury after all. The City Commission voted unanimously Wednesday to approve terms of an out-of-court settlement that will pay the city’s former chief financial officer $125,000. Following an executive session, the commission agreed to pay Rodgers in two lump sums: $75,000 from the city and $50,000 from the city’s insurer, the Kentucky League of Cities Insurance Services Inc. Other terms of the settlement include Rodgers maintaining his current position as IT technician for six weeks, as well as the city agreeing to provide letters of reference verifying his dates of employment and respond to inquiries about his employment in the same way it would for any other employee.

The Declaration of Independence justified the actions of our founders by claiming a long list of grievances perpetrated on the colonies by England’s monarchy. The top priority for the first Congress was to enshrine in the Constitution the possibility of a redress for the people against the government they elect. In keeping with the long-standing tradition of American freedom of expression, and in order to reinforce how important the upcoming midterm election is, I’ve compiled a partial list of three serious offenses perpetrated by our current government.

Dear Editor, I want to clear up mis-statements about the lay-off of Lancaster city employees. Mayor Rinthen is speaking to the media from one side of his mouth, while speaking to employees out the other. My letter from the mayor Dec. 8 stipulates "Termination" in the subject line and is effective Dec. 31. At a meeting that same day, with a witness present, the mayor told me I was being laid off. That was a question I had because my letter said "terminated. " Either way, it doesn't change my situation.

LANCASTER ? One of the Lancaster employees losing his job at the end of the month has filed a grievance against the city, claiming the termination of his position was not handled properly. Jeff Buchenroth, a heavy equipment operator in Lancaster's maintenance department, has written letters to both his supervisor, Stacey Grow, and Mayor Don Rinthen, claiming city policies regarding layoffs were not followed when Rinthen announced earlier this month that some employees would be losing their jobs due to budgetary problems.

Nov. 30, 1984 A grievance has been filed challenging the city's proposed new policy on sick and emergency leave. Blake Watts, president of the Fraternal Order of Firefighters, filed the grievance Monday before the Winchester Board of Commissioners passed first reading of an order inserting the proposed new section of the city's Personnel Code in place of the old policy Tuesday. In seven days of sales this year, the Winchester Tobacco Market has sold 54 percent of what it sold in 25 selling days last year and for 57 percent of the money.