WEATHERLong-time Perkins Township employee fired, but wants job back
Feb 16
2012
Perkins Township trustees are mum about why they fired a longtime highway department employee. The ousted worker, meanwhile, is lashing out at trustees, calling their decision to terminate him an atrocity and a gross oversight.
Perkins leaders recently fired Kevin Boos, a 15-year township employee who served as the highway department’s foreman.
Trustee Jeff Ferrell authored a letter to make the firing official.
“It is with deep regret that we have to inform you that the Perkins Township board of trustees has made the very difficult decision to terminate your employment effective immediately,” Ferrell wrote. “This decision is not taken lightly, and our hope is that you will find success moving forward.”
Beyond the letter, trustees won’t explain their decision.
“I just feel bad about it,” trustee Mike Printy said.
Township attorney John Coppeler declined to comment.
When the Register contacted Boos this week for his side of the story, he offered his take on the events that led to his demise.
At about 5 a.m.* on a recent workday, Boos received a call on his cell phone from a dispatcher, who asked him which roads the township’s snow-plow drivers should start clearing.
Eric Dodrill, the township’s highway superintendent, would usually give those orders, but he didn’t pick up his phone that afternoon, Boos said.
So the dispatcher called Boos, the department’s No. 2 employee.
“I took it upon myself to get the crew out to salt the roads, and I continually called Eric,” Boos said.
When Dodrill finally talked to Boos, the superintendent noticed his employee’s speech was slurred.
“I admit it, I had a few drinks the night before,” Boos said. “I had a couple drinks the night before.
“But you know what? I was on my own time in my own freaking house,” he said. “I proceeded to making the calls so the roads would be safe.”
By his own admission, this incident wasn’t the first of its kind for Boos.
A document in his personnel file shows he had a disciplinary hearing in February 2011, although the document doesn’t explain the reason for the hearing or any decisions that followed.
Boos, however, said last year’s hearing resulted from a similar situation in which he conducted off-the-clock township business while intoxicated.
He said his actions arose from similar circumstances in this recent incident — Dodrill was unavailable, and the work had to be done.
“I answered the phone (a year ago) and I was drunk,” Boos said. “And I do have a problem with alcohol.”
Boos said township leaders forced him to sign a last-chance agreement after last year’s hearing, which meant he would face severe consequences if he was again caught tackling township business while intoxicated.
“It sucks,” Boos said. “I definitely feel that it was unjust. I was on my own time and not even on call. But what do I do? I pick up the phone.”
Boos’ salary was about $45,000 a year.
He said he’s considering suing the township to regain employment.
He said he has come up with many ideas over the years to motivate and uplift other township workers.
Last year, for example, he and five other township employees donated all the overtime pay they earned while working the funeral procession for slain Sandusky police Officer Andrew Dunn.
They donated the money to the Dunn family.
“I had 15 freaking years,” Boos said. “I cared about this job and gave my life for it.”
*Time error has been corrected in this story.
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11:05 AM
sanduskysteve says
Summerbreeze - please enlighten us on how his calling the shots in a dire situation such as this affected his job performance in any way. What he did was correct and proper and because the person who was supposed to do this job failed in their job, he took it upon himself to keep the residents driving on the roadways safer.
And since you seem to know it all on this issue - what is being done to the supervisor who on many many occassions failed to do his job? I would be supportive of the county's decision if the supervisor had been fired as well.
One last thing, if Boos had been actually slurring his speech, then why did they continue to ask him what to do when they called him? I'll tell you why - because someone needed to make a decision quickly and nobody who should have been doing that was not.
10:58 AM
Summerbreeze says
Mistake number one- being known as an alcoholic even admitting it. Possibly drinking while on the job in the past. Number two- signing a "Last Chance" policy, because of a past infraction. Number three- REGARDLESS of whether the street supt was availableor not, YOU, Mr. Boos took it upon yourself, AFTER you've been drinking, to call the shots. When you decided to call the shots- YOU PLACED YOURSELF ON DUTY! Being a foreman and knowing you were still drunk, you should have told the dispatcher to contact someone else, you were in no shape to make decisions in the state you obviously were in. From what I've heard, this isn't the first time alcohol has come into play concerning your work. Anyone can do your job. You had no experience before taking the road dept position, I was told. There are many people standing in the unemployment line, and I'm sure alcohol won't affect their job performance.
11:11 PM
Madscd3 says
So is Kevin or any other county employee supposed to live for the county 24/7 just in case the phone happens to ring even though they are not on call and not have a social life "just in case?" I think not. You sound ridiculous. I'm sure the time he took to answer the phone and give directions to take care of the people of Erie county since someone else wouldn't, he was paid extra for it??!!
11:03 PM
Madscd3 says
ie: Wrong person was reprimaned
11:00 PM
Madscd3 says
Have to agree with Erie County resident . You dropped the ball on this one and are not going to accomplish anything except costing the Erie Co. taxpayers a whole hell of a lot of money because the one person was reprimanded!!!! Time will tell. Keep your chin up Kevin, you did the right thing for the citizens of Perkins township and obviously put your job ahead of your social life even though you weren't on call.
10:04 PM
Julie R. says
Woody: Doesn't take any brains at all for attorneys and other morons to prepare fraud documents --- just like it doesn't take any brains at all to forge them. It's so easy any simpleton around can do it. Even you.
05:36 PM
Woody Hayes says
Taxpayer, you haven't left the state yet? Why? Hurry up and leave. Maybe Juliebeth can give you a ride out of state in the mothership.
02:34 PM
The ugly truth says
Kevin - if you're not in a union, check into an appeal with the State Personnel Board of Review. This is one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard of... even for Perkins Township! Firing someone for having slurred speech at 5am, when not at work, while making a few phone calls. I wonder if one of the trustees has ever conducted township business from home via computer or phone after having a drink. Hey trustees.... It's "PERKINS" Township, not "PERFECT" Township. Be happy someone answered the phone since your #1 guy didn't care enough to bother answering it.
http://pbr.ohio.gov/filing.htm
01:38 AM
middleclass says
Taxpayer you are nothing but an IDIOT.... CAPITAL I ... He was a suprvisor not a member of the Union.
08:24 PM
FruGalSpender says
erie county resident good one please run for local government office. you make too much sense not to.
06:03 PM
big_d says
Julie R says etc., Not saying you don't, just making an analogy...
05:44 PM
Erie County Resident says
Mr. Boos (doing the bosses job) made some phone calls and got the job done for Mr. Dodrill since he (the boss) wouldn't answer his phone, like he is paid to do.
It's not like Mr. Boos was out driving around in a township truck prompting a DUI situation.
He did what needed to be done at the request of the dispatch center.
WHERE was the person in charge (Mr. Dodrill) that is being paid and is suppose to do this?
If anyone should be fired it should be the person NOT doing their job Mr. Dodrill. Just what are we paying him for since he obviously does not do his job?
Trustees you guys really dropped the ball on this one.
Ferrell your just adding more reasons to see you go bye bye next election like we really needed any more reasons anyway. Printy I thought you had more sense than this.
Better retract this decision and reinstate Mr. Boos before you cost the twp a bundle of cash for this totally ignorant ruling.
And no I am not employed by or associated with any employee of Perkins Twp.
03:25 PM
Julie R. says
@ big _ d: Since you are the one that brought it up .......... I think I have more than good reason to bash judges, including, but not limited to, a Power of Attorney and a Will stated with scientific certainty in a Forensic Document Examiner's report to be forgeries. The attorneys that prepared those two fraud documents weren't just attorneys --- they were also judges. One retired.
02:58 PM
big_d says
I have decided to list all the words taxpayer capitalizes in his posts. Lets see what we have...FIRED, UNION, "LAST CHANCE", UNION, NOTHING,. UNION, UNION, DEMANDS, BLAM, GAVE, LIFE, GAVE, LIFE?, FEW, NO, LIFE UNION
04:37 PM
samiam says
If Boos was a foreman, he probably wasn't a union member.
02:39 PM
big_d says
@Edwin Ison, Taxpayer is to union bashing like Julie R. is to corrupt judges.
It's just what he does.
Ignore him.
02:35 PM
SamAdams says
Mostwanted:
I have no idea whether his words were slurred at 5 o'clock in the morning or not. According to the story, nobody said they were. It was later than that when he talked with his boss (you know, the man who wasn't answering the phone, the one it took repeated phone calls to get ahold of?), and it was then that the slurring was reported. "Groggy" doesn't cover it. Sorry.
02:29 PM
samiam says
He wasn't at work. He was on a personal day. He wasn't on township property. His decisions were not life threatening.
When he was "forced to sign" the last chance agreement, was he advised to have his own attorney review it for him? If there was a previous incident, why wasn't a procedure established to have one of the trustees called when Dodrill doesn't answer his phone? What disciplinary action is going to be taken against Dodrill? Any disciplinary action against the dispatcher? What would have happened if Boos had not answered the phone?
Boos needs to consult with an attorney immediately and in the mean time, be quiet.
02:10 PM
Julie R. says
Had he been at work now they certainly could never have accused him of drinking without sending him to the hospital to have a test done ---- so how can they just take a supervisor's word for it that because he sounded groggy while in his own house and on his own time that he had been drinking? This doesn't make a bit of sense.
01:42 PM
Most Wanted says
Sam Adams, I disagree...at 5:00 am in the morning, he may have just been groggy. Admitting you were drinking the night before does not necessarily mean you are impaired at 5:00 a.m....it means you got woke up out of a dead sleep after having a few drinks the night before and sounded groggy...that's it... and you admitted to drinking the night before. I don't see where he violated his last chance agreement, even if it is worded correctly.
01:22 PM
wiredmama222 says
Frugalspender....you and I don't often agree, but you said something that made me think and I thank you. She had it correct. Didn't they complain he appeared to have been drinking "at work" and that was what his "last chance" statement signing was for?
Well he wasn't AT work, he was at home. He wasn't supposed to be on "call", his boss was, and he didn't make any MISTAKES. So why the fuss? His boss "claimed he appeard to have slurred speech". So what? He didn't make any errors.
You are SO right, girl. Maybe this guy got set up for a reason. And it sure looks like it. Go back and read the whole thing again. She is absolutely right.
01:02 PM
lugnut2511 says
Last chance agreement kinda got him
12:16 PM
lifetimeresident says
This is going to get real good. Cant wait for Saturdays newspaper.
10:36 AM
SamAdams says
There are a couple of problems here:
While I agree that what you do in your own home on your own time is your own business, once Boos started making phone calls, he was no longer on his own time. He was working. And as anybody who's ever had a few drinks knows, your judgment IS impaired. Maybe he didn't make any mistakes THIS time, but that's immaterial to the fact that he was working, making decisions, and giving orders while impaired.
The bigger problem, of course, is the "last chance" agreement. If the content of the agreement is accurately represented here, none of the other circumstances matter. Boos apparently did what he contractually agreed not to do, and as far as I'm concerned, that alone warrants termination. None of the rest of us could violate a contract without repercussions, could we?
I'm sorry for Boos, but he made some bad decisions when he answered the phone and then took action in an apparent violation of an agreement. (See? Those were bad decisions #1 and #2 made by a man who had admittedly had a few.) That's nobody's fault but his.
09:47 AM
FruGalSpender says
"When you read what some of the comments are, you see that most of the people writing them are in sympathy with Mr Boos." i think that it is wrong to fire somebody for drinking in their own home and on their own time. if boos was drunk while at work and had a last chance agreement, then i would have to agree with his termination. 15 years and being a foreman means that boos is too valuable and experienced to throw to the curb. give boos another chance because he was not on durty at the time and was at home. it could be that a friend or family member of the trustees or dodrill needs a job and firing somebody creates that job opening.
09:34 AM
wiredmama222 says
When you read what some of the comments are, you see that most of the people writing them are in sympathy with Mr Boos. Mr. Dodrill would loose his shirt if this stuff was decided by a panel of peers instead of he and his 'guys" wouldn't it?
When you read the story again, and put in the AM instead of PM, it makes a lot more sense. But I still think the Dodrill is way out of line and he is in big trouble. HR guy or not, Printy goofed on this one.
Mr.Boos, go get yourself a GOOD lawyer.
07:47 AM
Edwin Ison says
Taxpayer....wow.
I'll bet you are the life of the party :)
Did you even read the article?
Also, genius, how many of your people "lined up" would actually qualify and be able to do Kevin's job? Very few.
07:46 AM
Fireside says
Move along, nothing to see here. Mr. Printy WAS a HR executive.
02:09 AM
lowryder says
let me tell you something...i was at kevins house at 1045 am on friday it was a personal day off which means you dont work... and in a small comitee like perkins everyone knows your off work ...so why call on someone who everyone in the small comitee knows is off and expect them to take care of what should have been taken care of by his "superior" just to help the whole community? kevin has been targeted and im NOT going to let it stand this city/county has
alot of things messed up....whats it going to take for somebody not from around here with powers to do something to help or do something and stand up for humans just watching out for other humans? or do we need to bring in the breeds that are wiser?
sandusky register 419 202 6474 jeff
10:42 PM
Taxpayer says
So he got FIRED. Big deal. Just file a UNION grievance. In fact, it will be automatic so everyone calm down. Forget about his previous performance getting paid by township tax dollars. Forget about that "LAST CHANCE" agreement he signed! Just wait and the UNION will fight for his job so he can receive back pay and overtime worked by others for doing NOTHING. It is the liberal UNION way. After all, look at all the success by the UNION and their DEMANDS at a chain plant. Certainly, there can be the same great success story at the Perkins Township Highway Department. I see the usual liberal BLAME has already started. "I cared about this job and GAVE my LIFE for it." (Kevin Boos) GAVE your LIFE? You almost sound like a few losers who claim to be more important, more special, more entitled than everyone else because they served in the military for a FEW years with NO combat deployment. Yep, he gave his LIFE for the highway department so let's just give him a liberal lifetime entitlement for being more special than the other employees. Yeah, that will work. Got to love that UNION culture of corruption right liberals? Here is a tip. I can guarantee you there will be hundreds lined up for a $45K job with benies including overtime for winter weather work! Even a few city pillars of progressive, social justice society will crawl out of their rat holes to get a job like that. Ha! Ha!
12:32 PM
DGMutley says
It sounds like Mr. Boos and Mr. Dodrill aren't and haven't gotten along, hence the "let's try to get along school"(thanks fredinperkins). Why did Mr. Boos keep calling Mr. Dodrill after he made the command decision? Just curious.
Maybe these guys need to go back to "let's try to get along school". A shame to lose 15 years of expertise.
09:46 PM
katelih says
So, Boos should just have NOT answered his phone like Dodrill ? Hey, at least Boos is honest...Gotta love that !
09:27 PM
SimpleEnough says
We don't really know the whole story, we just got a snap shot didn't we?!
09:17 PM
SimpleEnough says
Retired08, Did you read the article sober? or maybe you didn't get the headline, it was Perkins Township, not County that had the issue, so that would not male it county commisioner issues!
08:46 PM
Unassumer says
Yeah, give this guy another chance and reprimand the boss that didn't answer his phone.
08:44 PM
tk says
I don't drink but if you called me at 5am my speech might be slurred. This whole thing is nuts. Sounds like they wanted rid of Boos so they found an excuse.
08:33 PM
joshua206 says
Hold up......
All this because his speech was slurred? It is not like he sent the work crews to the wrong road.
Total injustice.
08:24 PM
fredinperkins says
Did they not just spend $20,000 on "let's try to get along school"? Mr. Boos should have contacted an attorney as soon as the SR inquired in order to give his counsel the facts first. Still not too late.
08:22 PM
Joker says
And what would have happened if he told the person "bugger off I've been drinkin?" This is pretty crappy. After it happened last year, they should have just not called him, or the #1 in command should answer his d*mn phone.
Dispatch to 2083...
08:16 PM
big_d says
I guess my question would be "is there a definite chain of command to follow in this situation?" You know if you can't reach "A" then call "B" and so on, on down the line until you reach somebody. Was it followed? Is he to be available at all times, unless on vacation, etc.,?
06:52 PM
lifetimeresident says
I sure hope the township fixes this problem quick. First by saying they made a mistake. Then give him his job back with any back pay. Save the tax payers from having to pay for this lawsuit. Who the h-ll cares what this guy does on his own time.
06:19 PM
been-there-done-that says
Crazy never heard of anyone being fired for drinking on their off time? Sounds like he was a victim of a hostile work environment where they were going to fire him no matter what. This was the best they could do? Bet he gets that job back
06:15 PM
Kimo says
There has to be more to this story than is being reported.
If it was in fact what we are being fed, it would have been handled in house, and no leaks to the media.
06:00 PM
I says
getit, the story states: " Eric Dodrill, the township’s highway superintendent, would usually give those orders, but he didn’t pick up his phone that afternoon, Boos said." So, which was it? 5PM or 5AM?
05:54 PM
FruGalSpender says
see why you should never believe everything a newspaper prints? this is a good example. lame stream news at its best.
05:53 PM
44846GWP says
Sounds like Dodhill should asswer his phone or someone should be ON CALL 24/7.
05:52 PM
FruGalSpender says
"Once again the paper is not right in its facts. The call was in the AM." thank you for that comment. boos made the call at 5am so that explains the drinks the night before. why didn't dodrill answer the phone? did he have the ringer shut off? i still say that it sucks.
05:49 PM
wiredmama222 says
He gets this call at around 5 pm. Doesn't the county quit at 4? He says he was at home. Could he mean he had a few drinks after he got home that night? He's angry and frustrated at his situation and is venting. He admits he drinks. Could he be confused about the timeline?
He also says he continually tried to get HIS boss and couldn't. So he made the "call". So what?.
Does the boss now have his nose out of joint because the #2 man did his job for him and he looks bad. .
So the boss is going to get even by saying "Boos' speech is slurred". That's a judgement call on Dodrill's part. And a pretty big one. Most ongoing alcoholics don't slur their speech that badly, not really. (I have been around enough of them to know).
It sounds to me like Mr. Dodrill is shifting the blame to someone else so he doesn't have to worry about the "where the heck were YOU" speech he was going to get when the dispatcher told on him.
Gee, Mr Dodrill......"where the heck were YOU when someone else was doing your job?" Having a few drinks with the boys???
This whole thing smells of so much unrefrigerated fish...really stinks!!!!
05:49 PM
LabMan says
I agree with Exxcellent
05:47 PM
getit right be4... says
Once again the paper is not right in its facts. The call was in the AM.