Pay dock may be reversed
Published 11:47 am Thursday, December 11, 2008
By Dennis Box
The Courier-Herald
A few days pay has become an issue for Councilman Jim Rackley.
Rackley asked for a go-ahead nod from the City Council at a Dec. 6 workshop to pursue a motion reinstating five days of pay taken from Administrative Services Coordinator Don Morrison by Mayor Bob Young.
Young suspended Morrison for three days beginning Nov. 21, but Morrison's pay was docked five days. After the suspension, the city refused to pay Morrison's salary for Thanksgiving and Nov. 25, both city holidays. The city's decision was based on the interpretation an employee must be in a regular paid status to receive holiday pay.
Young said it was not his plan that Morrison would be docked for the entire week.
Morrison was suspended after he sent an e-mail to a prospective applicant for the human resources director position. He warned her that the city was in the midst of a political change since Young lost the primary and she should be careful quitting her job to work in Bonney Lake.
Morrison sent the e-mail, without signing it, from a city computer using his personal account.
The woman forwarded Morrison's e-mail to Finance Director John Weidenfeller, questioning who sent it and why.
Young told Information Services Coordinator Chuck McEwen to track the e-mail and he discovered it originated from Morrison's computer.
The mayor hired CyberSecurity Institute Oct. 16 to analyze Morrison's hard drive, which cost the city $1,875.
Young waited until Nov. 14 to confront Morrison, who admitted he sent the e-mail.
Rackley planned to enter the motion to reinstate Morrison's salary at Tuesday's City Council meeting.
“Hopefully this will be the last of this kind of thing,” Rackley said. “I can't see messing up someone's life like this.”
Rackley said he agreed with the e-mail Morrison sent.
“I sent an e-mail to Morrison advising him to tell a new hire this is a sensitive time,” Rackley said. “I told him a new mayor may want someone new. This was right after the primary and a new hire should know that.”
Rackley and Mayor-elect Neil Johnson won the Sept. 20 primary for mayor, knocking Young out of the race.
Rackley said he felt it would be “disingenuous” to not inform a prospective employee of the conditions of the job.
“I think the mayor just wanted to punish Don for not being his sidekick to the end,” Rackley said.
Deputy Mayor Dan Swatman said he will support the motion and expects it to pass.
“I think it's a great idea,” Swatman said. “I didn't think Don should have been suspended in the first place.”
Dennis Box can be reached at dbox@cmg-northwest2.go-vip.net/courierherald.
