After beginning a discussion that County Attorney Tim Scannell said was close to crossing the line of employee confidentiality Tuesday, September 8, 2009, the county board postponed a decision regarding Highway Engineer Shae Kosmalski’s plan to return Tim Suck to his former maintenance worker position. Suck is looking for a job in Michigan, where his wife lives, but has not given notice here.
Suck is near the end of his probationary period after being promoted to maintenance supervisor about a year ago. If he goes back to the maintenance worker position, he would be filling in for Ron Theisen, who is out sick for an extended period of time.
A September 3 memo from Kosmalski to the county board said, “While Tim is still formalizing his plans to move to Michigan, we have come up with a solution that accommodates him while allowing us to have the position filled prior to the winter storm season.”
In a memo to Suck also dated September 3, Kosmalski wrote, “Timing is particularly problematic as the winter storm season is approaching. We can recruit and train a new maintenance worker in a reasonable length of time, but it will take much longer to hire and orient a new maintenance supervisor.
“…This action brings the maintenance crew up to full strength in order to finish up summer projects and prepare for the winter. It allows the county to proceed in recruiting, hiring, and training a new maintenance supervisor. It will also provide you with continued county employment in a position that can better manage under the minimum required two-week notice in order to resign in good standing once you work out the details of your upcoming relocation.
“…I also appreciate your willingness to tie up as many loose ends as possible in the next week, and to serve as ‘step-up’ supervisor during this time of transition. In addition, your assistance in orienting the new maintenance supervisor will be helpful, if you are still here in the county when that person starts work.”
Commissioner Jan Hall expressed concern over how county employees and citizens would take what she considered a demotion because an employee had revealed plans to move. Commissioner Jim Johnson echoed Hall’s concern and asked if Suck was “on board” with it. Kosmalski said yes.
Just because someone says they’re planning to move doesn’t mean they should lose their job, Hall maintained.
Commissioner Fritz Sobanja said Suck told him he would leave when the FEMAfunded work for 2009 flood repair was done, but he wasn’t sure when that would be. Should he pass probation? Sobanja then asked.
“We certainly don’t demote our supervisors,” Hall said. “We don’t have a history of doing that. …Thisis a request for demotion because you may or may not be moving. Demoting somebody is not how our county should be operating.”
Thiswas the best way to handle a difficult situation, Kosmalski stated.
The board started wondering about Suck’s prospect of passing his probation but then decided to table the matter so that anything that needed to be discussed in closed session would be handled properly.
Just before the News-Herald went to press, Personnel Director Janet Simonen sent an email that said in part: “…Following the board meeting on Tuesday and upon further discussion with Tim, he indicated that he would prefer continuing his work as maintenance supervisor rather than proceed with the scenario that Shae proposed. Accordingly, he is going to remain working in that supervisory position.
“It’s true that he is pondering his options regarding relocation and said that if and when he does resign, he will try to give us as much notice as possible. So… that’s that for now, and the issue will not be re-visited at next week’s board meeting.”
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