Again.
In February 2011 Suhoski was suspended for five days for excessive tardiness. He had been told to come into work by 9:00 AM the previous October, and admitted to still coming in late to work, hence the suspension.
Tardiness, and discipline related to the tardiness are personnel matters. Mr. Suhoski is a employee of of ours, so when one of our employees is disciplined for an issue while they are on the job, we are entitled to know the details, just as we were when he was suspended the first time. Things we may not be entitled to know about are medical, psychological, or personal issues, but if they interfere with performance, things would have to be considered.
This time the selectmen are not giving the reason for our Town Administrators suspension; one of our employees. Board chairman Tom Creamer told the Worcester Telegram that no further information would be released because it is a personnel matter.
Tom, it was last time, too. What is the difference this time? When the Board closes up, and states the reason is because it is a personnel matter, despite the fact that previous personnel matters with the same employee have been made public, then something is up.
I don't like delving into dirty laundry. That's not what I do, but when others set themselves up for questioning since the action is contrary to past actions, then I am stuck. I have to address it, especially since it affects us.
Now, it is up to the board to give the residents of Sturbridge a reason for the suspension.
Hopefully, in fifty words, or less.
The article below is from the Worcester Telegram & Gazette --ed.
Sturbridge suspends town administrator Suhoski
Article published Jun 12, 2012
STURBRIDGE — Town Administrator Shaun A. Suhoski has been suspended for three days with pay, effective midnight tonight through midnight Friday.
The Board of Selectmen issued the three-day disciplinary action at last night's selectmen meeting.
During the time Mr. Suhoski is on suspension, inquiries and/or town related business matters can be directed to Department of Public Works Director Gregory H. Morse, who is serving as an acting town administrator, according to a statement made by Thomas R. Creamer, chairman of the Board of Selectmen.
In February 2011, selectmen suspended Mr. Suhoski for five business days, most likely because of what they regarded as his excessive tardiness. In October 2010, the board voted that the town administrator arrive at work by 9 a.m., but, at the time, Mr. Suhoski had acknowledged often coming in later.
Mr. Suhoski was named town administrator in February 2010. Before his position in Sturbridge, Mr. Suhoski had been Ayer town administrator since 2006.
Selectmen will not provide any further information about the issue because it is a personnel matter, Mr. Creamer said.
Copyright 2012 Worcester Telegram & Gazette Corp.
We pay him 107-109 THOUSAND dollars a year. We deserve to know what's going on!
ReplyDeleteGood luck finding out why. He was chronically tardy in Ayer, but nobody could ever figure out why. Thanks for taking him off our hands, though.
ReplyDeleteDisciplinary matters, performance or ethics of public employees.
ReplyDeleteDisciplinary hearings are normally closed although the employee may insist they be open. G.L. c. 39, § 23B(2). Non-disciplinary discussion of a public employee's job performance should be public. G.L. c. 39, § 23B(l). Once disciplinary proceedings are complete, the minutes of any executive sessions involved should be made public. Foudy v. Amherst-Pelham Reg'l School Committee, 402 Mass. 179, 521 N.E.2d 391 (1988).
As I see it the selectmen are a bunch of babies. Crying because he comes in late at times. They never say anything when he stays late at night for meetings and he doesn't complain about it, because he knows it comes with the job. Ya getting there on times should matter but I think consideration should be given with the amount of times that he does stay late. Quit crying and get the spending under control. Babies
ReplyDeleteSomeone who holds his position and is paid as much as he is paid knows what is expected of him. If he can't do the job, perhaps he would rather share his salary 50/50 with someone who will do the things he can't get to.
ReplyDeleteIf im not mistaken we just gave him a raise last week at the ATM. He should live in town, as should the rest of the town employees. They should help pay for their salaries in my opinion. There may be some circumstances that lead to him being tardy, and not to sound cold hearted but i don't really care. Get to work on time... Its not that hard to do, it would be even easier if he lived in town.
ReplyDeleteTardiness should not be assumed. Since it is being kept under wraps it may be something else.
ReplyDeleteIt's apparent that many people who have made comments here don't watch the Selectmen's meetings. Would be great if you could because then you'd understand why the TA is getting his butt kicked - again.
ReplyDeleteThe TA can't handle all the responsibilities of the job. The Selectmen ask repeatedly, for months, for certain items and he doesn't get them completed. Some of those requests are pretty straight forward, too; the TA admits his lack of getting it done and apologizes. But how many times can someone apologize for the same thing?
Furthermore, he lets the employees run the show at town hall. In this TA, Sturbridge didn't get what it thought it was getting.
Trizzle, trazzle, trizzle, trone...time for that one to go home...Gardner, that is.