Hat Costs Parks Dept. 35k - Nubblies.net Forums

Orgazmo · 03-20-2005, 04:01 AM

Very fucked up story. I kinda want to molest the old dude's daughter (as punishment for him being a douche...not necessarily because she's hot or anything. I have no way or knowing if she's hot. He may not even have a daughter. It's a crapshoot at this point)

Video

News Article #1

Hat costs parks office $35,000
Published on Friday, March 18

By James Rada
News-Post Staff

FREDERICK -- A hat cost the Frederick County Parks and Recreation Department $35,000 on Thursday morning.

It is a common courtesy to remove a hat while indoors, and it is a courtesy the county commissioners enforce at their meetings. When someone forgets, usually ex-Marine Mike Cady or ex-Navy pilot John Lovell Jr. remind them.

No big deal. Usually.

Department heads introduced new employees at the beginning of the commissioners' Thursday meeting. Randy Davis of the parks and recreation department stood in front of the commissioners to introduce new employee Westley Etters. Mr. Etters wore a knit hat.

Mr. Cady asked Mr. Etters if the Air Force had stopped teaching their airmen to remove their hats.

"In the Air Force, I did," Mr. Etters said without removing his hat.

Mr. Cady immediately made a motion for Mr. Etters' dismissal for insubordination.

Mr. Etters said, "You have a commissioner sitting next to you with a hat. Does she have special privileges?"

Commissioner Jan Gardner was wearing a green-and-yellow felt hat she had been given for St. Patrick's Day. She removed her hat, but Mr. Etters still made no attempt to remove his.

Commissioners President John L. Thompson Jr., Commissioner Bruce Reeder and Ms. Gardner voted not to dismiss the employee.

Mr. Cady then motioned that $35,000 be removed from the parks and recreation budget immediately.

Mr. Thompson, Mr. Cady and Mr. Lovell voted yes.

The money will be placed in the county contingency fund this budget year.

When called for comment later in the afternoon, Paul Dial, department head for Frederick County Parks and Recreation, was in a meeting about the incident.

"My only comment is that we are reviewing the issue," said Mr. Dial. "Other than that I have no comment."

An attempt to contact Mr. Etters was not successful.

Staff writer Gina Gallucci contributed to this report.

News Article #2

Despite vote, man's job was in no danger
Published on Saturday, March 19

By Erin Cunningham
News-Post Staff

Despite vote, man's job was in no danger

Mr. Etters, a recent Parks and Recreation hire, was at work Friday, though he declined to comment about his near termination.

County Commissioner Mike Cady asked for Mr. Etters' dismissal for insubordination the new employee didn't remove his hat during his introduction. The vote failed, with Mr. Cady and Commissioner John Lovell in favor.

Assistant County Attorney Linda Thall said Friday that commissioners could not have fired Mr. Etters. They do not have the authority to fire an employee who does not directly report to them. That decision must occur at the departmental level.

Because the commissioners comprise the appellate body for any county employee who is fired, they are not able to "intervene in the hiring or promotional process, discipline or dismissal of Frederick County government employees," according to county regulations.

Although Mr. Etters was not fired, commissioners did take action to ensure etiquette is taken seriously at Winchester Hall.

At Thursday's meeting Mr. Etters stood for the pledge of allegiance along with everyone else. But he failed to remove his hat.

That's what started it all. Mr. Cady, a former Marine, became immediately irritated, he said.

Mr. Etters spent four years with the U.S. Air Force, according to Randy Davis, who introduced him to the commissioners. Mr. Cady asked the new employee if he was taught to remove his hat during his time in the service.

Mr. Etters said he did then, but he did not remove his cap for commissioners.

Mr. Cady said in the course of a year he asks at least a dozen people to remove their hats out of respect to commissioners. They all comply without incident.

"This is an introduction to county commissioners," he said. "We aren't asking him to mop the floors, just take the hat off."

But when Mr. Etters failed to remove his cap, Mr. Cady and Mr. Lovell, a former Navy pilot, tried to fire him for insubordination.

"He copped an attitude," Mr. Cady said. "At that point it was plain to me that this is not the model employee that we want around other employees -- and especially with parks and recreation around our families and children."

After his first motion failed, Mr. Cady immediately moved to take $35,000 from the parks and recreation budget and move it to the county's contingency fund. The vote passed 3-2, with commissioners Jan Gardner and Bruce Reeder in opposition.

Mr. Cady described Mr. Etters' behavior as "belligerent." He said he settled on $35,000 because that is roughly the amount of money used to fund Mr. Etters' position with the county.

"My intent is not to pay for his position," Mr. Cady said.

In 2004, coun
Boscov
ty employees working maintenance for parks and recreation full time made $34,000 to $37,000, according to county data.

Mr. Cady said money in the contingency fund pays for unforeseen expenses or will be transferred to the following year's funds. He said he would be willing to vote to return the funds to parks and recreation if Mr. Etters comes before county commissioners and apologizes "for his lack of respect and defiance."

The decision to deal with a personnel matter at a public meeting is rare. Typically, commissioners will conduct a personnel meeting behind closed doors.

Commissioners President John L. Thompson Jr. said he would not comment on the issue because it is a personnel issue.

Paul Dial, department head for parks and recreation, did not return phone calls Friday afternoon.

Ugly Bastard · 03-21-2005, 05:07 AM

Wow. That's hilarious. What a hillbilly little town. When that guy made the motion to reduce their budget by $35k, I wanted to jump through my monitor, leap over the table and pummel him with an axe. What an uptight dickhead. I hate people like that who let little things get right to them. Ignorant fucks...

-Ugly Bastard

Mr. Blonde · 03-21-2005, 10:53 AM

I guess I didnt quite understand from the articles, they motioned to move their budget down 35k because they wanted to fire him, and that's what he would have been paid for the year, or what?

Ugly Bastard · 03-21-2005, 02:25 PM

They moved it down 35k a year solely because the guy wouldn't take off his stocking cap in their presence. Which judging by the video, I'm not even sure if the guy even understood what was going on.

-Ugly Bastard

St. Anky · 03-21-2005, 08:27 PM

I vote for year long poopie fingering of that man's vehicles. Who's in?

03-21-2005, 10:53 AM	#3 (permalink)
Mr. Blonde Spice Master Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 17,969 Internets: 284106	I guess I didnt quite understand from the articles, they motioned to move their budget down 35k because they wanted to fire him, and that's what he would have been paid for the year, or what?
	Psychedelics are illegal not because a loving government is concerned that you may jump out of a third story window. Psychedelics are illegal because they dissolve opinion structures and culturally laid down models of behavior and information processing. ― Terence McKenna

03-20-2005, 04:01 AM	#1 (permalink)
Orgazmo COME ON YOU YANKS Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Indiana Posts: 15,726 Internets: 311447	Very fucked up story. I kinda want to molest the old dude's daughter (as punishment for him being a douche...not necessarily because she's hot or anything. I have no way or knowing if she's hot. He may not even have a daughter. It's a crapshoot at this point) Video News Article #1 Hat costs parks office $35,000 Published on Friday, March 18 By James Rada News-Post Staff FREDERICK -- A hat cost the Frederick County Parks and Recreation Department $35,000 on Thursday morning. It is a common courtesy to remove a hat while indoors, and it is a courtesy the county commissioners enforce at their meetings. When someone forgets, usually ex-Marine Mike Cady or ex-Navy pilot John Lovell Jr. remind them. No big deal. Usually. Department heads introduced new employees at the beginning of the commissioners' Thursday meeting. Randy Davis of the parks and recreation department stood in front of the commissioners to introduce new employee Westley Etters. Mr. Etters wore a knit hat. Mr. Cady asked Mr. Etters if the Air Force had stopped teaching their airmen to remove their hats. "In the Air Force, I did," Mr. Etters said without removing his hat. Mr. Cady immediately made a motion for Mr. Etters' dismissal for insubordination. Mr. Etters said, "You have a commissioner sitting next to you with a hat. Does she have special privileges?" Commissioner Jan Gardner was wearing a green-and-yellow felt hat she had been given for St. Patrick's Day. She removed her hat, but Mr. Etters still made no attempt to remove his. Commissioners President John L. Thompson Jr., Commissioner Bruce Reeder and Ms. Gardner voted not to dismiss the employee. Mr. Cady then motioned that $35,000 be removed from the parks and recreation budget immediately. Mr. Thompson, Mr. Cady and Mr. Lovell voted yes. The money will be placed in the county contingency fund this budget year. When called for comment later in the afternoon, Paul Dial, department head for Frederick County Parks and Recreation, was in a meeting about the incident. "My only comment is that we are reviewing the issue," said Mr. Dial. "Other than that I have no comment." An attempt to contact Mr. Etters was not successful. Staff writer Gina Gallucci contributed to this report. News Article #2 Despite vote, man's job was in no danger Published on Saturday, March 19 By Erin Cunningham News-Post Staff Despite vote, man's job was in no danger Mr. Etters, a recent Parks and Recreation hire, was at work Friday, though he declined to comment about his near termination. County Commissioner Mike Cady asked for Mr. Etters' dismissal for insubordination the new employee didn't remove his hat during his introduction. The vote failed, with Mr. Cady and Commissioner John Lovell in favor. Assistant County Attorney Linda Thall said Friday that commissioners could not have fired Mr. Etters. They do not have the authority to fire an employee who does not directly report to them. That decision must occur at the departmental level. Because the commissioners comprise the appellate body for any county employee who is fired, they are not able to "intervene in the hiring or promotional process, discipline or dismissal of Frederick County government employees," according to county regulations. Although Mr. Etters was not fired, commissioners did take action to ensure etiquette is taken seriously at Winchester Hall. At Thursday's meeting Mr. Etters stood for the pledge of allegiance along with everyone else. But he failed to remove his hat. That's what started it all. Mr. Cady, a former Marine, became immediately irritated, he said. Mr. Etters spent four years with the U.S. Air Force, according to Randy Davis, who introduced him to the commissioners. Mr. Cady asked the new employee if he was taught to remove his hat during his time in the service. Mr. Etters said he did then, but he did not remove his cap for commissioners. Mr. Cady said in the course of a year he asks at least a dozen people to remove their hats out of respect to commissioners. They all comply without incident. "This is an introduction to county commissioners," he said. "We aren't asking him to mop the floors, just take the hat off." But when Mr. Etters failed to remove his cap, Mr. Cady and Mr. Lovell, a former Navy pilot, tried to fire him for insubordination. "He copped an attitude," Mr. Cady said. "At that point it was plain to me that this is not the model employee that we want around other employees -- and especially with parks and recreation around our families and children." After his first motion failed, Mr. Cady immediately moved to take $35,000 from the parks and recreation budget and move it to the county's contingency fund. The vote passed 3-2, with commissioners Jan Gardner and Bruce Reeder in opposition. Mr. Cady described Mr. Etters' behavior as "belligerent." He said he settled on $35,000 because that is roughly the amount of money used to fund Mr. Etters' position with the county. "My intent is not to pay for his position," Mr. Cady said. In 2004, coun Boscov ty employees working maintenance for parks and recreation full time made $34,000 to $37,000, according to county data. Mr. Cady said money in the contingency fund pays for unforeseen expenses or will be transferred to the following year's funds. He said he would be willing to vote to return the funds to parks and recreation if Mr. Etters comes before county commissioners and apologizes "for his lack of respect and defiance." The decision to deal with a personnel matter at a public meeting is rare. Typically, commissioners will conduct a personnel meeting behind closed doors. Commissioners President John L. Thompson Jr. said he would not comment on the issue because it is a personnel issue. Paul Dial, department head for parks and recreation, did not return phone calls Friday afternoon.

03-21-2005, 05:07 AM	#2 (permalink)
Ugly Bastard Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: U.S.A. Posts: 13,643 Internets: 247330	Wow. That's hilarious. What a hillbilly little town. When that guy made the motion to reduce their budget by $35k, I wanted to jump through my monitor, leap over the table and pummel him with an axe. What an uptight dickhead. I hate people like that who let little things get right to them. Ignorant fucks... -Ugly Bastard

03-21-2005, 02:25 PM	#4 (permalink)
Ugly Bastard Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: U.S.A. Posts: 13,643 Internets: 247330	They moved it down 35k a year solely because the guy wouldn't take off his stocking cap in their presence. Which judging by the video, I'm not even sure if the guy even understood what was going on. -Ugly Bastard

03-21-2005, 08:27 PM	#5 (permalink)
St. Anky Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 1,581 Internets: 6603	I vote for year long poopie fingering of that man's vehicles. Who's in?