Wednesday, September 01, 2004
Equipment malfunction
My first on what I hope to be many stories on the unraveling of Schererville:
How you like me NOW, Ogger?Oh, whatEVER.
SCHERERVILLE — A town policy on town employees borrowing work equipment is clear, unclear, strict or loose. It depends whom you ask.
That has resident Jim Conroy angry.
A former employee with the Public Works Department, he noticed that former coworker, mechanic Chip Bell, was using heavy town equipment to work on home improvements. Sunday was no exception.
So when Conroy, who lives down the street from Bell, saw him and another Public Works employee, Brad Keene, driving a John Deere front-bucket loader and dumping landscaping stone on the southeast side of Bell’s property, Conroy decided to take pictures. He went to the Pop Warner Field on Kennedy Avenue and took them.
Bell called the Police Department on Conroy, and an officer asked Conroy to stop taking pictures, Conroy said.
Conroy said public works director Bob Volkmann had made it clear that town equipment could never be used for personal use.
“So either Volkmann is making exceptions, or Bell took it himself, and that’s wrong for the taxpayers,” said Conroy, who retired from the town and did part-time work for the town before being let go earlier this summer. “I want to make sure these guys are on the up and up,” he said.
According to Volkmann and Town Manager Richard Krame, the policy allows employees to take the bigger equipment as long as either one of them is aware.
“They have to get permission, but they don’t have to write it down or anything,” Volkmann said Tuesday. “It’s pretty typical for the guys who live close to the (Public Works building) or in town to take the bigger equipment as long as they replace the fuel.”
But the town’s policy handbook, as well as the minutes from at least two 2003 Safety Board meetings, tell a different story.
According to the town policy issued in January 1994, unauthorized use of town equipment is classified is a violation that could provoke discipline up to and including dismissal. Approval by Volkmann or Krame might constitute town OK under that rule.
But at the April 4, 2003 Safety Board meeting, under the heading “Borrowing of Equipment and Supplies,” the minutes state:
A) Per orders by Bob Volkmann, equipment or supplies leaving this site for personal use by employees is to be treated as theft;
B) Bob will be working on a supplemental policy regarding this issue; and
C) “For the time being, this includes items from the dump.”
A Public Works employee, who asked not to be identified for fear of retaliation, said that point was made extremely clear by Volkmann.
“We were told that we couldn’t take home any equipment because of insurance liability,” the employee said.
At the May 1, 2003, meeting, Volkmann also stated that borrowing town equipment was unacceptable.
Bell declined to comment, saying that any questions should be directed to his attorney, Kenneth Reed of Hammond.
Keene couldn’t be reached for comment.
That has resident Jim Conroy angry.
A former employee with the Public Works Department, he noticed that former coworker, mechanic Chip Bell, was using heavy town equipment to work on home improvements. Sunday was no exception.
So when Conroy, who lives down the street from Bell, saw him and another Public Works employee, Brad Keene, driving a John Deere front-bucket loader and dumping landscaping stone on the southeast side of Bell’s property, Conroy decided to take pictures. He went to the Pop Warner Field on Kennedy Avenue and took them.
Bell called the Police Department on Conroy, and an officer asked Conroy to stop taking pictures, Conroy said.
Conroy said public works director Bob Volkmann had made it clear that town equipment could never be used for personal use.
“So either Volkmann is making exceptions, or Bell took it himself, and that’s wrong for the taxpayers,” said Conroy, who retired from the town and did part-time work for the town before being let go earlier this summer. “I want to make sure these guys are on the up and up,” he said.
According to Volkmann and Town Manager Richard Krame, the policy allows employees to take the bigger equipment as long as either one of them is aware.
“They have to get permission, but they don’t have to write it down or anything,” Volkmann said Tuesday. “It’s pretty typical for the guys who live close to the (Public Works building) or in town to take the bigger equipment as long as they replace the fuel.”
But the town’s policy handbook, as well as the minutes from at least two 2003 Safety Board meetings, tell a different story.
According to the town policy issued in January 1994, unauthorized use of town equipment is classified is a violation that could provoke discipline up to and including dismissal. Approval by Volkmann or Krame might constitute town OK under that rule.
But at the April 4, 2003 Safety Board meeting, under the heading “Borrowing of Equipment and Supplies,” the minutes state:
A) Per orders by Bob Volkmann, equipment or supplies leaving this site for personal use by employees is to be treated as theft;
B) Bob will be working on a supplemental policy regarding this issue; and
C) “For the time being, this includes items from the dump.”
A Public Works employee, who asked not to be identified for fear of retaliation, said that point was made extremely clear by Volkmann.
“We were told that we couldn’t take home any equipment because of insurance liability,” the employee said.
At the May 1, 2003, meeting, Volkmann also stated that borrowing town equipment was unacceptable.
Bell declined to comment, saying that any questions should be directed to his attorney, Kenneth Reed of Hammond.
Keene couldn’t be reached for comment.
How you like me NOW, Ogger?Oh, whatEVER.
Posted by Broad •
Region-y goodness •
I liked you just fine before. Now, I’ll do oil changes in your car.