By DOUG PIPPIN A seriously concerned citizen
White Rock
As I read the recent articles concerning our loss of three fine police officers, and the manner in which we lost them totally destroys my faith in our elected County Council.
Without regurgitating all that transpired, I would encourage readers, tax payers and voters in our county to read the articles and make up their own minds. I, as one individual would request the County Council to stand up and do what should have been done some time ago and request the resignation of Mr. (Harry) Burgess as our County Manager for his role being a major player in the attempted cover up that he and the ex-police Chief (Wayne) Torpy, participated in the removal of the three officers for doing what they are pledged to do in their oaths as police officers.
The fact that they we, the county, paid a $600,000 buy out for a mentally disturbed officer to hush up and leave the county and state, and then firing one officer, discriminating against another in order to force her out, and the forced retirement of the third, all in hopes that this would bring to an end their bungled mess and keep it quiet, is really disturbing.
This action alone has cost us tax payers another $2,240,000 plus dollars in a settlement to the three officers, “only after a long and expensive suit, which I believe is only fair after what they had to endure. The money they will actually receive is not very much compensation to them compared to what they and their families have lost during this period of time. Not one of them now reside in their former homes in Los Alamos, of which was home to them.
The insurance company was smart enough to know when it was time to cut their losses and not proceed to trial. Sure the insurance company is paying the settlement but at what cost to us through insurance cost we ultimately pay for with our tax dollars. And to add insult to injury, “we” pay to get rid of the problem officer $600,000, fire the officers who were doing their jobs, then pay another $2 million plus dollars because they were fired. Wow, does this not speak of mismanagement of “our” tax dollars?
I also question why our County Council appointed Mr. Burgess as the mediator over the situation? To me this was very much a conflict of interest, and Mr. Burgess should have excused himself as most responsible leaders would do. Although, if he had, it would potentially have exposed himself, the chief and probably others in their attempts to get this quieted down from the public eye. Sort of like letting the fox guard the hen house? Too bad it took an expensive lawsuit to bring it to light. However, it is not too late to rid our selves of a questionable manager and possibly others who contributed to this expensive and irresponsible course of action.
As to the statement that our county is “an easy mark for lawsuits”, the county can rectify this by being honest, truthful and acting in a responsible manner.
To our County Council members who were not in office at the time these decisions were made, I ask that you understand what transpired in the chair you now occupy, and take steps and action to cut our losses and re-staff our county government management with honest and responsible personnel, and to those of you in office at the time, shame on you.
As voters and taxpayers, I would behoove each of us to keep this information in mind when our county officials come up for re-election.