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Woodford Co. highway engineer contract in limbo
By J.W. Shults
jwshults@mtco.com
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EUREKA -- The Woodford County highway engineer, whose department is embroiled in a dispute over how an employee was disciplined, has been waiting for two months to see if the County Board will renew his employment contract.

The County Board’s road and bridge committee has tabled a recommendation on Dennis Bachman’s contract twice, keeping the issue from reaching the full board. His six-year contract will expire at the end of November.

In support of Bachman, Terry Mool, Panola Township highway commissioner, brought a petition signed by all 17 highway commissioners in Woodford County to the County Board.

“We wholeheartedly support Dennis Bachman,” said Mool, urging the board to renew the contract.

Bachman declined to comment on the situation, as did board members and county Administrator Greg Jackson, citing personnel issues.

Turmoil within the department may have started June 27 after Dan Steffen, a highway department employee, purchased oil from an unapproved vendor.

Midwest Asphalt Repairs of Eureka won the closed-bid contract to supply oil to the county for a little more than $300 per truckload. However, on June 27, Midwest said workers would have had to pick up the load before 4 a.m., said Steffen.

He calculated that having four road crew employees report to four hours early would cost $300 to $500 in overtime.

“As foreman I’ve made decisions like this many times, especially if it saves the county money,” said Steffen.

Instead of purchasing the oil from Midwest, Steffen paid about $35 more to purchase it from 3D, a company owned by his brother.

Bachman issued a verbal warning, but Steffen said Jackson later suspended him for one day without pay. Steffen has filed a grievance to be heard by the central services committee.

“To keep the job going I thought it would be best to get the oil and keep going,” said Steffen. “All this started boiling up when I got in trouble.”

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Reader comments on this story - 2 total

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

Oil and Water - Smoke and Mirrors wrote on Aug 31, 2007 11:06 PM:

" Why do I think this has nothing to do with oil and everything to do with forcing Road Commissioners to sign contracts for wind turbines to roll through their townships, destroying the roads they've worked so diligently to maintain for so many years? "

JD wrote on Aug 31, 2007 4:24 PM:

" It is not in limbo. It is either renewed, or he finds work elsewhere. He is not entitled to the job, and it is obviously contractual work. End of contract, end of job. Nothing news worthy at all. "
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