THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, October 12, 1994 TAG: 9410120426
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY PAUL SOUTH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: MANTEO LENGTH: Medium: 56 lines
A grievance committee made up of three Dare County employees has upheld the dismissal of a water department billing clerk who was fired in August.
The panel, however, recommended the reinstatement of two other department workers who were terminated at the same time.
Dare County spokesman Charles Hartig confirmed that the termination of Mincie Coder was upheld, while employees Roy Ambrose and Willie McMurran will be reinstated and reassigned to other county departments.
Ambrose and McMurran will also have their salaries reduced for 12 months, and will be on 12 months probation.
The three were fired on Aug. 13 by Dare County Manager Terry Wheeler for unspecified reasons. However, an investigation of water department billing records revealed that the workers had not paid their water bills over an extended period.
Coder, department records showed, had not paid her residential water bill at her Kill Devil Hills home for almost two years.
McMurran's account was also delinquent for almost two years, while Ambrose failed to pay on his account for almost a year.
The three accounts were paid in full just prior to their dismissals.
``I applaud the efforts of the grievance committee,'' Wheeler said.
``The three employees were judged by a panel of their peers. The system has worked, and I will abide by their recommendations.''
Coder, the daughter of Dare County Commissioner Samuel O. ``Sammy'' Smith, had been with the department for six years until her dismissal.
Ambrose, who is married to Smith's daughter Melissa, has also been with the department for six years.
McMurran was an 18-year employee with the department.
Ambrose and McMurran served as field supervisors for the department.
Garry Owens, the attorney for the three employees, said he would not comment on the committee's findings until he had read the final report. Because it deals with a personnel matter, that report is confidential. However, Coder's only possible recourse would be through the courts.
Hartig said the ruling is proof that the county's system of employee review works.
``I think the real story here is that we have a grievance procedure in Dare County, and that procedure was followed to the letter of the law. The county manager did not want to tamper with that process. It was set up to protect the rights of employees, and to guarantee that the public trust would not be violated.''
Asked what rationale the committee used in handing down its decision to reinstate Ambrose and McMurran, while upholding Coder's termination, Hartig said the hearings and the report are confidential, because they involve personnel matters. by CNB