CITY TO BE OUT OF EPA COMPLIANCE AGAIN SOON

Water Works Director, Sam Sutherland, a well-respected Class IV Licensed Water Treatment Operator, gave the City of Portsmouth his two-week's notice at last night's City Council meeting. He has accepted employment at another Ohio city which is in need of a Class IV operator.

It would be hard to over-state the negative effect the loss of Mr. Sutherland will have on the safe operation of the Portsmouth Water Works. Mr. Sutherland has worked for the City for over 20 years and holds many qualifications including certification and extenisve experience in the laboratory, which is crucial to keeping the City's water supply safe and in compliance with EPA standards. Mr. Sutherland is highly regarded by the Ohio EPA, and because of his knowledge and experience, and EPA regularly uses him to train water operators at state conferences and other events.

Mr Sutherland has improved the water system in the City and Scioto County by building new water lines and tanks and replacing old ones. He made many improvements to the aging filtration plant including an high technology filter that reduces contaminants that were recently regulated by the EPA. This "ion exchange filter" is one of first in the US and few people have Mr. Sutherland's knowledge of the new technology.

When Mr. Sutherland leaves, his Class IV license will go with him. So the most immediate effect that the City will experience is that once again we will be out of compliance with EPA operator certification requirements.

When Mr. Sutherland leaves his current position in two weeks to go to a job in another Ohio City, we  believe he will get a substantial pay increase, and probably have a much easier job. But rest assured that is not the reason that he is leaving.

As he told City Council last night, he loved his job and had hoped to complete his career in Portsmouth. He thanked all of the city council people and department heads and PREVIOUS mayors he has worked with and for. He thanked City Solicitor Mike Jones for his help in getting his job back after he was fired by Mayor Murray in January. He said the stress of working under the current administration has affected his health and his ability to do his job and he felt he had no choice but to accept the offer he received from elsewhere in Ohio, another city that also requires a Class IV license.

On January 4, 2010, Mayor Murray fired Mr. Sutherland, despite his experience and qualifications, and publicly accused him of "gross negligence and mismanagement" and threatened to have him investigated for "water department mismanagement" and for wrongfully terminating Roy Payton, Jr., a former water plant employee found guilty of theft of city property. Murray said "her probe shows that Payton was the victim."
(Click here for link to WSAZ story.)

Of course, Sutherland had done nothing wrong. Murray's accusations against him were all based on the word of a convicted criminal, Payton, who maintained an unsavory relationship with the Mayor. Payton promised  and got her a tainted union endorsement from a small group of AFSCME members who did not represent the local AFSCME members, even though she falsely and knowingly claimed it did. In return she agreed to "consult" with Payton on "union contracts" and, so we believe, eventually re-hire him. (Click here for Payton's story.)

No evidence ever existed against Sutherland (except for Payton's lies) and no action was ever taken against him. She only agreed to re-hire him in response to tremendous pressure from the enforcement division of the Ohio EPA to have a properly licensed individual in the position. But no apology ever came from Mayor Murray for her outrageous lies and accusations.

Sutherland beleived his job remained in jeopardy. Murray was looking for anything she could possibly use against him to justify her actions. Sutherland wisely decided take the other position and of course take his Class IV license with him.

So thanks to Insane Jane and her continuing reign of error, our City will soon be out of compliance with Ohio EPA regulations. Again.

We wish Mr. Sutherland the best of luck at his new position, and we regret that he will no longer be an needed asset to Portsmouth. Or as it has become under Calamity Jane...CRAZY-TOWN, USA.