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OPINION: MOUNTAIN OUT OF MOLEHILL - Comment On Wirt Assessor Problem |
| (11/23/2009) |
| Mountain Out Of A Molehill OPINION AND COMMENT - By Jerry Brookover, Elizabeth Published Parkersburg News This refers to the recent investigation at the Wirt County Courthouse. As there has been much innuendo, gossip and misinformation regarding the events, I thought it was time that everyone was filled in on what's going on. Earlier this year the assessor hired a part-time field data collector at an annual salary of $9,000. The funds came from the state Valuation Fund, and the use of the funds was approved by the state Tax Department. This was a salary position, the employee uses his own vehicle to visit properties and has a set amount of paperwork to complete by their Feb. 1 deadline. If the employee works 20 days a month, or two days, he will receive the same salary. In July, the employee was on vacation for two weeks and had only worked a couple of days in that pay period. A time-card was then demanded for an employee that is not paid by the hour. Another employee complained and, rather than follow proper grievance procedure (this should have been dealt with by the county commission), the matter was turned over to a state trooper for an investigation. That's all there is ... no major embezzlement, no huge scandal, nothing. Making the situation worse is a state trooper who thinks this will make a name for himself, earn him a promotion and get him transferred out of Elizabeth. The trooper has constantly complained of being sent here in the first place, has filed numerous requests to be transferred and has publicly stated that, since he was forced to be here, he was going to make life a "living hell" for the residents. Otherwise, a state trooper would never have been involved in such a minor internal matter. And what an investigation it's been, with the trooper threatening elected officials, badgering courthouse employees, invoking silence on the matter and threatening all with jail time or loss of their jobs. It's time to close the matter and give the trooper the transfer his conduct has earned him-possibly a few years on the turnpike. Jerry Brookover, Elizabeth WV Editor's Note: Public officials have yet to state what the investigation is about, an investigation that started in August. Elizabeth State Police have filed criminal charges against Wirt Assessor Debbie Hennen, related to what they say is threats she made to office employees. Hennen has said she looks forward to defending herself.
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