In my absence, the Zeeman posted the Explorer article concerned with the firing of longterm employee Deanna Ruiz.
The Zeeman mentioned he thought that was the "end of the story."
I think otherwise.
As reported in The Explorer, another longterm employee was also fired. I was quite familiar with how and why both these ladies lost their respective jobs, but thought better of saying or writing anything.
I did not wish to invade their privacy, but being the Explorer reporter saw fit to document what he uncovered, I feel it necessary to not let this be the "end of the story."
Ms. Ruiz seems to be overly generous, as she mentioned she holds no ill will to anyone.
Well, I believe she is being too generous.
We believe that the Interim Town Manager, now Town Manager, Jerene Watson indicated there would be NO repercussions concerning Ms. Ruiz.
FIRING HER, is hardly "No repercussions," especially when there was absolutely no GOOD reason to take that action, other than the Town Manager wanting nothing but "yes men" & "yes women" with no alternative voices to be heard.
Alternative voices cost two fine women their jobs.
That, as far as i'm concerned is "unconcionable." I hope that this is not the end of the story.
We will let our readers decide if they believe the actions of the Town Manager served the best interests of the town.
Certainly, it did not serve the best interests of two longterm, dedicated town employees who served us well.
Art
3 comments:
Thanks for providing your perspective Art. To fire someone over something so "insignificant" is really simply vindictive and overbearing.
Apparently, however, those forces who now control Oro Valley want to operate with an Iron Fist.
Frankly, I, too, am disgusted.
(1) If the Sheriff's dept. and the FBI both determined that no laws were broken, then why was the employee fired?
(2) The Explorer article states...
a) "Carter said his remarks were meant to exemplify his support for Hiremath."
b) Carter said. "I said I could aid him if he got elected."
That's NOT what he said at the meeting.
At the meeting he said...
"I'm gonna help that dentist get elected and I'M GONNA BE HIS AIDE. Now don't repeat that. In other words, I'll come to your meetings...I'LL TAKE THE DAYTIME STUFF. HE'S AGREED TO THIS if we get him in there."
You know what's really funny about this? The people who didn't like Latas and Andrews (most of them were Hiremath supporters) were so quick to ACCEPT WITHOUT QUESTION the comments that Dave Andrews made on an audiotape, but those same Hiremath supporters are also quick to DISMISS KC Carter's comments on an audiotape because they reflected badly on Hiremath.
The town (and its taxpayers) will be lucky if they avoid a wrongful dismissal suit over this incident.
Here's an eerily similar situation:
"Ed Martin...was previously the Chief of Staff for former Republican Missouri Governor Matt Blunt. ...
"On August 20, 2007, Mr. Martin sent emails from his government account to Republican Party activists urging them to rally against Attorney General Jay Nixon, a Democrat and rival of Governor Blunt. A reporter caught wind of Mr. Martin’s actions and requested access to the emails under Missouri open government laws. The governor’s office falsely claimed the emails had been deleted. When Scott Eckersly, the lawyer responsible for processing the reporter’s request, notified Mr. Martin that deleting emails was a violation of state law and the governor’s office’s own policy, Mr. Martin fired him.
"Due to the controversy surrounding Mr. Eckersly’s termination, Mr. Martin was pressured to resign, though Governor Blunt denied forcing him out. Mr. Eckersly subsequently brought a wrongful termination and defamation suit against Mr. Martin and other officials in the governor’s office. The State of Missouri ultimately agreed to a $500,000 settlement with Mr. Eckersly and spent an additional $1.3 million on legal fees – all because of Mr. Martin’s inappropriate conduct. An investigation by state officials later found that the governor’s office failed to properly disclose Mr. Martin’s emails."
--http://www.citizensforethics.org/crookedcandidates2010#Martin
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