Mayor faces suit by Brelsford

A city employee has filed a lawsuit against Portland’s mayor for demoting him.
Bob Brelsford, former wastewater treatment plant superintendent, filed a suit against the city of Portland and Mayor Bruce Hosier on Thursday. Brelsford is asking for compensation for damages suffered and all proper relief — including lost wages, punitive damages, costs associated with the suit and attorney fees. He also is asking for all documents to be removed from his personnel file.
Hosier issued a statement declining to comment on pending legal matters. Brelsford’s attorney, Joshua Howell of Marion, could not be reached for comment.  Brelsford was suspended for 15 days without pay in September of 2009 and demoted. City officials declined to say why he was suspended.
According to the suit filed in Jay Circuit Court, Brelsford was given an employee discipline report on Sept. 28 and notified of the suspension and demotion. Brelsford was unaware that the mayor was dissatisfied with his performance, the suit says.
Brelsford contends that he tried to determine the reason for his demotion and suspension but was denied a hearing by the Portland Board of Works.
However, city officials announced during a board of works meeting on Oct. 22, 2009, that Brelsford had withdrawn his request for a hearing on the suspension.
According to the lawsuit, Brelsford has never been given a specific reason for his suspension and demotion. Brelsford has worked at the plant since 1995, and had served as superintendent since Jan. 1, 2004. Ron Krieg replaced Brelsford as superintendent. Brelsford still works at the wastewater treatment plant.
In the suit, Brelsford suggests that the fact that he was part of another lawsuit against the mayor could have been the reason why he was suspended and demoted.
Brelsford and wastewater plant employees Crystal Chapman, Dean Chapman and Dave McGraw filed a suit against the city and Hosier June 23, 2006.
In the suit, the plaintiffs asked for a letter of reprimand to be removed from their personnel files. The Chapmans and McGraw were reprimanded for not attending the mandatory calling and/or funeral for in July of 2005 for Barbara K. Blackford, who had been the city’s clerk-treasurer. Brelsford was written up for refusing to reprimand his employees for not attending the calling and/or funeral.
The four signed a settlement agreement in October of 2006. However, the plaintiffs asked for the suit to be dismissed about a week later. The dismissal was granted in Jay Superior Court.
Also in 2006, Hosier was accused of possibly committing ghost employment by paying city employees to attend the calling and funeral. The idea was raised in an audit by the Indiana State Board of Accounts. The audit stated that Hosier issued a memo to all city employees, ordering them to attend Blackford’s calling hours and funeral.
The case went to a Jay County grand jury, but the jury declined to hand up any indictments.
In Brelsford’s newest suit, he also contends that he may have been suspended and demoted for revealing misconduct by his employer.[[In-content Ad]]