1-4-17

by Ivan Foley
Landmark publisher

One present, one absent.

That’s the roll call for two department heads at the county whose status has become a public topic in recent days.

As exclusively reported in last week’s Landmark, Greg Sager, county public works director, was the target of a recent criminal investigation into action involving accusations of selling scrap metal material in the possession of the public works department for personal monetary gain. The Platte County Sheriff’s Department recommended that Sager be charged with stealing; Platte County Prosecutor Eric Zahnd declined to file charges but did acknowledge the investigation “revealed bookkeeping irregularities and potential non-compliance with county procedures.”

Meanwhile, as also exclusively reported by The Landmark last week, the employment status of Mary Robinson, the county human resources director whose time at the county has been marked with controversy, remains up in the air. Robinson’s co-worker told The Landmark that Robinson resigned effective Dec. 16, but county commissioners have declined to explain whether or not Robinson is still an employee.

Ron Schieber, presiding county commissioner, last week told The Landmark only that Robinson’s status is “an ongoing personnel matter that I won’t discuss.” He repeated that remark when asked about Robinson again on Tuesday of this week.

At a staff meeting with county commissioners on Tuesday morning, Sager was present. Robinson was not.

For any updates on these stories as they continue to evolve, follow The Landmark’s Twitter account @ivanfoley.

Sager’s comments during the staff meeting consisted of informing commissioners of upcoming road projects and answering questions about street lighting in an area near the new Chapel Ridge development in southern Platte County.

Staff department heads whose positions report directly to the county commission were present for the staff meeting, including Sager; Dana Babcock, director of administration; Pat Daly, interim facilities manager; Daniel Erickson, director of planning and zoning; Noel Challis, interim director of parks and recreation. Also present was Jennifer Goering, executive director of the Platte County Convention and Visitors Bureau.

It was noted that the position of permanent facilities director is being posted internally but no responses as of yet. The indication is soon the position will be advertised outside of the county complex.

Daly, who formerly held the position before retiring, accepted the position on an interim basis last summer after then-facilities director John Bozenhardt was charged with felony count of theft/stealing from the county. Bozenhardt was fired after the charges were filed. He is due back in court on the charge Thursday.

Two new Platte County commissioners were at work on Tuesday, the day of the first administrative session for the new commission. Dagmar Wood, new first district commissioner who defeated incumbent Beverlee Roper in the August Republican primary, and John Elliott, new second district commissioner who was elected to the post formerly filled by Duane Soper, took part in the discussion at the staff meeting, along with Schieber, the presiding commissioner.