Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, February 6, 1992 TAG: 9202060200
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER SOUTHWEST BUREAU
DATELINE: ABINGDON LENGTH: Medium
$20,000 AWARDED FOR UNFAIR FIRING
A federal jury awarded $20,000 to Grayson County's social services director, who filed suit against a board she said fired her without cause."I'm relieved that it's over and Dave and I can get on with our lives," Nancy Bockes said after embracing her husband following the verdict. "I'm satisfied."
Bockes, who was fired June 8, 1990, and reinstated by a grievance panel eight months later, brought the suit against the three social services board members who discharged her.
She had been director for 13 years when she came to a board meeting of the three members appointed that year. She was told she had the choice of resigning or being fired because the board had lost confidence in her.
She said she asked what complaints the board had but was given no information.
U.S. District Judge Samuel Wilson ruled before the suit went to the jury that she had been denied due process. The only question for the jury was how much money, if any, she should be awarded in damages. The jury deliberated 55 minutes before coming up with the $20,000 figure.
The board members - Bettyelou Fields, Robert Wells and Dennis Cooley - said they had relied on the advice of Marion attorney Joseph Tate in their action. Wilson ruled out damages from them as individuals, but not from the board or county.
The grievance panel awarded Bockes half of the pay she would have gotten for the eight months she was not the director.
The lost wages, travel costs when consulting her attorney in Bristol and other matters totaled more than $13,000.
Her attorney, Kurt Pomrenke, said she also was entitled to damages for mental anguish and loss of reputation.
"It was embarrassing. It was humiliating," Bockes testified tearfully. "People didn't know what the reasons were or anything."
The board members testified that there had been some dissension among department employees, and they felt they had not been getting all the information they wanted on matters ranging from insurance bids to morale problems.
Carol Brunty, western region social services director and a friend of Bockes', said since the incident Bockes had not been requested to serve on committees and have her advice solicited.
Brunty, who had been Grayson's social services director before moving to her regional job and being succeeded by Bockes, said differences among employees are not uncommon. "There were personalities who didn't get along when I was there, and it continued," she said.
David Bockes said his wife's firing had split the community and affected her former enjoyment of her work.
"This is the first time since we've been married that she's considered living elsewhere," he said. "Publicity, good or bad, it keeps it in the limelight and she can't put it to rest. . . . I can't even see at the end of these proceedings how it's going to end."
"I'm afraid my husband has caught the brunt of my anger," the plaintiff said. "The things I'd like to say to others, I take it out on him. . . . It was like being in shock. You didn't expect anything like this. I guess I alternated between crying and being angry."