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Suspension endsCounty worker admits on-job drug useBy JEFF REAA county employee has admitted smoking marijuana on the job in violation of county work rules,andhe now is back to work after a suspension that cost him nearly two months’ pay.David F. Domgan of 708 E. Laurel St, a J9t450-a-year sewer maintenance worker for the Department of Drainage and Sanitation, recently signed a document agreeing to certain conditions in exchange for an end to Civil Service proceedings aimed at terminating his county employment, according to the county attorney’s office.Donigan admitted the misconduct and agreed to answer truthfully all questions about on-the-job drug use in the Drainage and Sanitation Department, said Chief Deputy County Attorney J.C. Engelbrecht5 others chargedThe man also agreed his admission will become a permanent part of his work record and he waived posting and bidding” for a year, meaning he can’t be promoted, Engelbrecht said.Donigan was suspended without pay from March 25 to May 16.Still suspended are five other Drainage and Sanitation workers who are fighting the county attorney's formal Civil Service charges of on-the-job mar-nu.ma use.They were identified at a press conference a month ago as Daniel J. Ward of 224 *4 Grace St; Graig H. Hodge of Route 80. LaFayette; Michael G. Mast-erleo of 108 Wilson Ave., Liverpool; Thomas P. Bums of 285 Beechwood Ave., Liverpool, and Nelson R. Wood of Route 12, Pennell ville.Engelbrecht said that since the charges were unveiled, all the accused except Ward applied for unemployment benefits and all five applications were denied.Withdrew appealsTwo of the five, Wood and Hodge, said they would appeal the denial, then withdrew their appeals before the county attorney could argue in opposition, Engelbrecht said.Engelbrecht and his associate on the investigation, Senior Deputy County Attorney John B, Voninski, said no hearing dates have been set for the five pending cases and no hearing officer has been assigned.Donigan. a county worker for only nine months, was accused of the fewest instances of on-the-job marijuana use. six, according to Engelbrecht and Voninski.Alleged marijuana saleOthers are alleged not only to have personally used the drug many moretimes, but to have allowed subordinates to use it. Ward, for example, is charged with 56 separate instances of use and 24 times allowing employees under his control to use marijuana.Ward and Hodge are accused of selling marijuana once each on county properly.Engelbrecht said all six were charged with insubordination after refusing an opportunity u come before Drainage and Sanitation Commissioner John J. Hennigan Jr. and the county attorney’s office to answer questions relating to the probe. Donigan has purged himself of the insubordination, Engelbrecht said.7 CooperatedSeven other Drainage and Sanitation employees cooperated with the investigation from the start. The seven, none of whom has been named, sustained penalties amounting to no more than the loss of three days’ pay each.According to Engelbrecht and Vonin-ski, the agreement ending Donigan’s case came out of discussions among the : following: the accused; his representative, the local chapter of the Civil Ser- : vice Employees Association; the ; county’s labor relations director, Dom- ■ inic Piscgna; the county attorney’s office and Hennigan.
Newspaper Details
Syracuse Herald Journal
Syracuse, New York, US
Thu, May 29, 1980
Page 98
Full Page
Clipped by
Onondaga C.
NY, USA 30 May 2023
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