LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Dear Editor,
I attended the recent BOCC meeting. During the Call to the Public, Ms. James spoke to the handling of the
Richard Herman case and his continued employment with the County. Although they were willing to entertain a short discussion during the Call to the Public, which is admirable, they did continue to refer to it as “a criminal investigation.” However, he is not being investigated by Ouray County and they should be able to talk about his employment. Un...
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Dear Editor,
I attended the recent BOCC meeting. During the Call to the Public, Ms. James spoke to the handling of the
Richard Herman case and his continued employment with the County. Although they were willing to entertain a short discussion during the Call to the Public, which is admirable, they did continue to refer to it as “a criminal investigation.” However, he is not being investigated by Ouray County and they should be able to talk about his employment. Unless the County is specifically investigating Herman for lying to the Montrose Police
Department, a violation of the Ouray County Sheriff’s Code of Conduct, they must answer the public’s questions.
It is disturbing to me and others that Richard Herman might still be on the payroll and is an employee. In reviewing the Ouray Personnel Handbook, it appears that all employees not elected are “at will” employees. To quote the Ouray Personnel policies, “at will termination allows for termination at any time for any reason.”
“Conduct that is unbecoming of an employee of the
County or that has an adverse effect on the reputation of the County” certainly applies to Richard Herman. Mr. Herman’s right to due process in terms of his employment should have ended when, according to a report by this newspaper, he told the Montrose Police Department he sold his truck and lied about making his license plates into metal art. Welcome To Fruita.
Dave Doherty
Ouray