Another alcohol incident

[Rayr49]

This item was on the Sioux Falls TV news last night. Yankton County is in the Southeast part of South Dakota. (www.keloland.com)

07/13/2003
Yankton County Emergency Management Director Suspended

Yankton County's Emergency Management Director is suspended after allegedly showing up to a search and rescue mission drunk. The County Commission announced Tom Petersen's 30-day suspension on Friday. The decision stems from a June 5th search on the James River. In addition to the unpaid suspension, Peterson has to go through alcohol treatment.

[NJFFSA16]

YANKTON, S.D. (AP) - The Yankton County Emergency Management
Director has been suspended for 30 days without pay after being
accused of showing up at a search and rescue mission under the
influence of alcohol.
The Yankton County Commission announced the decision to suspend
Tom Petersen on Friday after a closed hearing.
The suspension stems from a June 5 search and rescue mission in
the James River. It is alleged that Petersen was under the
influence of alcohol when he arrived on the scene. No other details
of the incident were made available.
In addition to the suspension, Petersen must take part in
alcohol treatment and not be convicted for driving under the
influence of alcohol.
County Commission Chairman Jerry Bienert said the commission had
also considered a motion to fire Petersen. That motion failed on a
2-3 vote, Bienert said.
Petersen has already entered a treatment program at his own
expense, Bienert said.
But Commissioner Brian Hunhoff, who made the motion to fire
Petersen, said the suspension was not enough.
"I felt the offense was serious enough to warrant
termination," Hunhoff said. "Tom is a nice man, and I don't take
anybody's job lightly. I just don't believe, based on the evidence
I heard, that he should continue in that particular job."

(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

[1835Wayne]

"I felt the offense was serious enough to warrant
termination," Hunhoff said. "Tom is a nice man, and I don't take
anybody's job lightly. I just don't believe, based on the evidence
I heard, that he should continue in that particular job."


AMEN!!

Nuff' said!!