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Solano whistle-blower’s program investigates cases
FAIRFIELD — Solano County’s whistleblower program over the final six months of 2012 investigated 14 cases and found that six had merit, with one case resulting in a resignation.
The Solano County Auditor-Controller’s Department runs the program to look into potential fraud, waste, abuse and violations of county policies. A county report listed the following outcomes:
- A county employ mismanaged a contract, with delays in executing the contract costing the county $60,000. The employee resigned and the county improved management controls.
- A supervisor took all the overtime for herself and denied other employees the chance to earn overtime. County officials told her to share overtime with all qualified employees who were willing to work overtime when needed.
- A county employee watched videos at his desk when he should have been working. His supervisor talked to him about the problem and the employee agreed to stop watching videos during work.
- A county employee was reviewing the work of employees who were direct relatives. The county changed its policies to requires employees in this situation to excuse themselves from reviewing the work of their relatives.
Two other cases found to have merit involved alleged welfare fraud. The Auditor-Controller’s Department referred the cases to the Health and Social Services Special Investigations Bureau.
Solano County Auditor-Controller Simona Padilla-Scholtens began the whistleblower program in 2008. Workers who see misconduct can file a form at www.solanocounty.com/depts/auditor/whistleblower/report_form.asp or call 866-384-8477. County workers can make reports anonymously.
The county previously reported on the first six month of 2012. The county during that period looked at 25 reports and found 10 cases had merit, including one that resulted in the firing of an employee who regularly took time off without coordination or approval.
Reach Barry Eberling at 427-6929 or beberling@dailyrepublic.net. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/beberlingdr.
Barry Eberling
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RichMarch 21, 2013 - 8:18 pm
What a joke! Remember last year when Jess Sullivan revealed to California and Solano County Taxpayers that a 30 year employee of the County, Shirley Filbert, had been working at home 12 hours a day 7 days a week for 6 months and yet had no work product to show? The DR should be the dog that hunts and not this toothless whistle-blower smoke and mirrors program. The last whistle-blower was the wife of a Travis Master Sergeant and County HR officials took adverse action against her for exposing the Filbert case. Remember---why can't we get an update on how that case was handled because I smell another big fat Donald DuBain rat! Just as Shakespeare had a play befitting any occasion, I have a YouTube video for the same purposes. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTOTRWL9U3w
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