County Road Supervisor Placed On Paid Administrative Leave

The Valley County Commissioners held a meeting on March 31 inside the Board of County Commissioners to discuss a personnel issue associated with the County Road Supervisor Todd Young. The Commissioners stated the reason for the meeting was due to an allegation, that if substantiated, could implicate a violation of the county personnel policy.

Though information on the allegation was not provided, Commissioner Mary Armstrong indicated it was her opinion that until the allegation can be substantiated and investigated Young be placed on administrative leave. Commissioner Paul Tweten made the motion, stating “until we can investigate the matter I move we place Todd on administrative leave,” with Commissioner John Fahlgren seconding. With no discussion and all Commissioners in favor, the motion passed. Per county policy, the administrative leave is paid and will last for as long as the investigation takes. Commissioner Armstrong did state the workplace investigation should be short, however did not provide a time frame of expected completion.

After the motion passed, Commissioner Armstrong suggested the hiring of an independent third party to look into the allegations since there is no human resources on County staff. She stated she had been in conversations with the Montana Association of Counties (MaCo), who the county gets property and liability insurance from as well as HR support, who recommended the human resources firm, Westaff. A copy of their statement of work, a potential contract and a biography of the principal who would be doing the investigation, Michelle Edmunds who is the president and senior HR consultant for Westaff, was provided to the Commissioners. Commissioner Armstrong also explained the company would charge $199 an hour for the investigation.

Commissioner Fahlgren made to motion to hire Westaff Staff services, of Helena, to do the investigation with Commissioner Tweten seconding. With no discussion and all Commissioners in favor, the motion passed with Edmunds available to start the process this week.

The last item of discussion was obtaining a motion to put the assistant road supervisor, Curt Storlie, as acting road supervisor during the course of the investigation. After Commissioner Tweten made the motion and Commissioner Fahlgren seconding, the motion passed, placing Storlie as the activing road supervisor while Young is on leave.