Opinion ID: 2353392
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Commissioners' Decision

Text: On November 23, 1981, the appellee, Phinney, York County Sheriff, suspended indefinitely and without pay the appellant, Haskell, from his job as Jail Administrator of the York County Jail and as Deputy Sheriff in the York County Sheriff's Department. Haskell received no notice, hearing, or explanation prior to the suspension. Two deputy sheriffs told Haskell two hours after his suspension that the basis of the suspension was that he had submitted fraudulent expense vouchers between January, 1981 and July, 1981. Haskell contends that the suspension was based on Phinney's improper political motives. Haskell appealed the Sheriff's disciplinary action, pursuant to 30 M.R.S.A. §§ 64-A(3) and 951 (Supp.1981-1982), seeking reinstatement and back pay. A hearing before the York County Commissioners was held on December 14, 1981. Both parties were present and offered testimony. In their order, the Commissioners stated that because deputy sheriffs can be dismissed only for cause, pursuant to 30 M.R.S.A. § 64-A(3), the Commissioners reviewed Sheriff Phinney's action to determine a just, reasonable, appropriate and substantial reason for the disciplinary action. The Commissioners found that Haskell submitted, and was reimbursed for, expense vouchers for mileage for 91 trips between his residence and the York County Jail between January, 1981 and July, 1981. Haskell testified that he made the trips to perform security checks at the jail and, occasionally, to complete his administrative duties. From the testimony of Phinney and ten other deputy sheriffs in supervisory positions and based on the correctional logs for the York County Jail submitted in evidence, the Commissioners found that Haskell had, in fact, made only 38 verified trips during the period. The Commissioners determined that it was inconceivable that Haskell's visits to the secured area of the jail could have gone unnoticed by other personnel, considering the jail procedure for entering the secured area, the closed circuit cameras that monitor all positions in the jail, and the fact that the alleged purpose of some of Haskell's unverified 52 [1] visits was to make his presence known. The Commissioners found substantial evidence to support Phinney's contention that Haskell did not visit the jail on those 52 occasions. Further, because submission of the fraudulent expense vouchers violated Phinney's trust in Haskell, violated the public interest of the citizens of York County, and seriously jeopardized authority and action with subordinate jail personnel, the Commissioners found substantial evidence to support the Sheriff's action. The Commissioners did, however, restore Haskell's full pay from his suspension date, November 23, 1981, until December 14, 1981, the hearing date, because Haskell had not been officially notified of the basis of the disciplinary action. With that modification, Haskell's indefinite suspension was affirmed by the Commissioners, by a vote of 2 to 1. [2]