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Show A3 The Emery County Review, Tuesday, October 7, 2008 Applicant questions pool hiring procedures Continued from Page A1. qualifications, skills and references, she deserved the job. “To not hire me is completely undermining what a swimming pool is about. You need experience, you need qualifications, you really need to know what you are doing,” she said. “I have the experience. To not interview qualified applicants only hurts the people of Emery County.” According to the Emery County Personnel Director, Mary Huntington, in order to hire for such a position, the first step is for the personnel director to get permission from the county commission to begin recruitment. After permission is granted, a personnel requisition is submitted to the personnel director. The director can then post the vacancy “in house” or to the general public. In this case, the vacancy was posted to the public in local newspapers. The job announcement was originally posted on July 8 for an Aquatic Manager for the Emery County Aquatic Center. The requirements included various required skills and certifications including pool operator, lifeguard and swim coach certifications, and the ability to develop, organize and implement various aquatic programs, among others. According to the procedures section of the county hiring policy, if the position is a “department head,” as was the aquatics position, the county commission is responsible to review the applications of no fewer than five applicants. Huntington reported that 10 people applied for the position, of which four were interviewed. The policy directs that the commissioners then rate the applicants in order of preference. It states that preference “shall be determined by a consistent method of rating criteria: Education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities. No less than three applicants shall be selected by preference for interview.” Marilyn felt she was “very qualified” according to the requirements, so when she found out interviews had already been conducted, she said she was “very hurt.” She attempted to contact the commissioners by phone the day she found out but was not able to reach them, and so she went to the commission offices to speak with them in person. When she found that they were not there, she said she left a message for them to call her. As of deadline she has still not received a call. In a Letter to the Editor printed in The Emery County Review, Marilyn’s husband Chris reported that he was in fact able to reach Commissioner Gary Kofford. The letter stated, “I spoke with Commissioner Gary Kofford recently about the reason that my wife Marilyn and I were not even granted an interview for the manager position for the new swimming pool. Commissioner Kofford informed me that they only wanted one manager and that is the reason the commission did not even consider either myself or Marilyn for the job.” This was confirmed by both commissioners who were active at the time. Commissioner Kofford said, “They put in a dual application. We were looking for one person.” Commissioner Horrocks echoed that saying, “The hiring policy was conducted according to county policy. There were some concerns expressed by one party. They had applied for co-managers, and that was the reason they weren’t granted an interview.” In resumes obtained by the Review from the Collards, Chris’s resume does state that he is applying “to obtain co-management position of Emery County Aquatic Center.” Marilyn’s resume does not. The resumes are formatted differently. Marilyn’s objective statement reads, “A pool management position with Emery County Recreational Department.” Though the resumes were received in person from the Collards, as of deadline, it could not be independently verified that these were in fact the resumes sent to the county. Despite the claims of the commissioners that the interview was not granted because it was a dual application, the controversy was fueled by what Chris’s letter claims Commissioner Kofford said later in the call. “Commissioner Kofford also said that because of some of the things in my past, Marilyn was not considered for the job. He said, ‘I did not want you around all those kids with your background,’” the letter reads. Chris claims the comment stems from his substance abuse in the early 90s, and argues that his wife should not be held accountable for his past actions. “Even though I have changed for the better, I might be able to understand the commissioner’s hesitation in considering my application, but to totally disregard the passion that Marilyn has put into this community and the swimming programs is absolutely absurd.” Neither of the commissioners chose to comment further for this article. The issue has since been addressed by community members in comments to the commissioners, another letter to the editor by Amber Reed, and at the recent Meet the Candidates Night, where newly reinstated commissioner Drew Sitterud conveyed that Marilyn would be involved in the new facility. After all that has happened, Marilyn has since elected to put the situation behind her. “I’m willing to forgive and forget and try to help a community I love to be involved in. Yes, my feelings were hurt, but I want to be part of this new pool,” she expressed. She has submitted an application for a part-time lifeguard position at the facility, along with a letter expressing her hope that she can be involved in the facility she had hoped to have an opportunity to manage. Commissioner Sitterud sentenced to 6 days in jail Continued from Page A1. Thomas. The ruling came after legal wrestling by Sitterud’s attorney, Sonny Olsen, and assistant district attorney, Pat Nolan, over the wording of the presentencing report. What became an issue in the presentencing report was a letter from Sitterud that was published in both The Emery County Review and the Emery County Progress where the commissioner presented his side of the story to citizens of the county. Presentence investigators and the prosecutor’s office felt that the letter made a mockery of Sitterud’s guilty plea because in the letter he seemed to indicate that he had not knowingly done anything wrong. “When we saw the letter we were concerned because some of the statements flew in the face of what he had pled to,” Nolan said. Olsen countered that the reason the letter was sent to the newspapers was to set the record straight following a wave of rumors that were confusing the issue for voters prior to an election. Olsen further argued that the presentence report made it out that Sitterud intentionally stole from the county. “That is not what he did and is not what he pled guilty to,” Olsen said. The attorney general’s office, as part of the plea agreement worked out with Sitterud, had recommended no jail time for the commissioner, and Nolan said they were satisfied with no jail time. Adult probation and parole had recommended 30 days in jail, however. “My focus is going to be on the facts of this case, not on any opinion that may have been in the report,” Judge Thomas said prior to making his ruling. Olsen had hoped to call Castle Dale Mayor Neal Peacock to speak on Sitterud’s behalf, but Peacock had already submitted a letter of support for the commissioner, so Judge Thomas did not allow his testimony. In his ruling Judge Thomas said by reading the letter that was published in the newspapers he could understand why adult probation and parole would believe that the commissioner had not accepted culpability for the charges. “The letter creates a new nuance to this case. We don’t generally have this kind of letter be published,” Judge Thomas said. After making his ruling Olsen requested that Sitterud be allowed to serve his six day jail sentence on the weekends and Judge Thomas denied the request. Sitterud began his jail sentence on Sept. 30. The sentencing brings to a close the legal portion of a political hot potato that has embroiled much of county government. From calls of a smear campaign by supporters of Sitterud to a cover-up by those who thought the charges were being swept under the carpet, the issue has torn at the fabric of not only county government, but the Emery County community. Whether it continues to be a point of political bickering until Election Day remains to be seen. Justice Center a cooperative effort in caring Continued from Page A1. ity to be central, so the property needed to be in Castle Dale or Orangeville. Because of the difficulties, CJC Director Shelley Wright approached the Emery County Commissioners for assistance. In discussing the issue with the Commission, Wright also expressed concern that if they were to find another house to rent, the possibility would remain that they could again lose the center. After considering all the variables, constructing a new building was determined to be the most appropriate move. In the discussions between Wright and the Commission, it was suggested that she might approach the Emery School District to consider donating the land for the center and considering the new building as a project for the high school construction classes. Emery Superintendent Kirk Sitterud related, “Shelley Wright invited us to a meeting with the CJC and DCFS where they presented NEWS IN BRIEF Pronghorn Buck Shot and Left A buck antelope was illegally killed and left to waste three to seven days prior to Sept. 11. The antelope was in the area of the Green River Cutoff Road approximately three miles east of Castle Dale. Wildlife Officers were notified of the antelope carcass and found that it had been shot with a rifle. Officers are now working leads to the crime. If anyone has any information regarding the wanton disregard for your wildlife which contributed to the destruction of a local trophy antelope buck (15 and a half inch horn length), call DWR Conservation Officer Ben Riley at 435- 820-6014 or 1-800622-DEER. A reward is being offered for the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for this crime against the resource. All information will remain confidential. theemerycountyreview.com the idea. Knowing we had the building construction program and since we have the building lots, they asked if the school district would consider donating the lot and the labor.” They then presented the idea at a school board meeting, where, as Sitterud put it, the Board “fully embraced” the project. “They felt it was a good use of the property, and felt like it would be a benefit to those children who are at risk in the com- Christy’s S alon ensations “Service With A Smile” Walk-Ins Welcome or call for an Appointment Tuesday - Friday Christy Collard Katie Brady 190 So. Main, Huntington 687-9766 munity,” he said. Wright and her staff were predictably elated. “They loved the idea,” she described. “The whole thing just blossomed from there.” It did blossom, to include: Castle Dale City, which granted a conditional use permit so the center could be built in a residential zone and waived the permit fees; Architect Robert DalPonte and Engineer LD Miller, who discounted their fees for the design; Jim Keele and Always Your Best Value 435-637-4923 www.ogdensflooring.com 268 S. Hwy 55 Price, UT Earl’s Furniture & Appliance Quality for less Star Theatre Deer Hunter Special Fun Center Grill & Arcade Good Selection of upright freezers and chests! Emery County’s Home for family Films & Entertainment Where you can get a fresh cup of coffee for .25 cents Good Food Good Service Down Home Family Fun & Entertainment Monday thru Saturday 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. 133 North Main in Huntington Call for a take out order or more information 435-687-7827 Freezer Sale the Emery High construction classes, who agreed to take on the center as their next project; and the many subcontractors who are assisting the efforts. Commissioner Gary Kofford expressed, “The children are really the winners. Through the cooperation of the school district, the county, the city and so many others, it shows what people really get if they make up their mind that really want something. That’s the beauty of the whole thing.” He also explained that the building will be owned by Emery County and leased by the operators of the CJC. The facility is being constructed at 900 North Center Street in Castle Dale; almost directly across the street from Emery High. The groundbreaking took place on Sept. 19, and construction is expected to be completed by May 2009. Emery County’s New Newspaper 685 South Main Street P.O. Box 487 Orangeville, UT. 84537 www.theemerycountyreview.com Phone: 435-748-2541 Fax: 435-748-2543 Established January 2, 2007 Published Every Tuesday Publisher / Editor James L. Davis jldavis@theemerycountyreview.com Co-Publisher / Office / Advertising Manager Colleen A. Davis cdavis@theemerycountyreview.com Assistant Editor Josie Luke Advertising Design / Office Lyndsay Reid Editorial Staff Kathy P. Ockey Advertising Sales Paige Motte Webmaster Casey Wood Postmaster: Send change of address to The Emery County Review, 685 South Main Street, P.O. Box 487, Orangeville, UT. 84537. Publication No: (USPS 6) issued once a week at Orangeville, Utah. Standard postage paid at Orangeville, Utah. 10 Years on compressor Starting as low as $229 2 Years on parts & labor 390 n. Main Street Huntington 435-687-9119 Subscription Rates 1 Year (52 Issues) In-State $23.00 1 Year (52 Issues) Out-of-State $26.00 Copyright 2008 The Emery County Review |
