Southwest Licking utility places GM Carlisle on paid leave to investigate ethics complaints

Kent Mallett | Newark Advocate

PATASKALA – The Southwest Licking Community Water and Sewer District has placed new general manager John Carlisle on paid administrative leave and hired a Columbus law firm to help investigate ethical allegations raised in a complaint.

It has been a whirlwind month for the district.

In the last five weeks, the district replaced two of three board members, hired one of the former board members - Carlisle - as district general manager, placed Carlisle on leave, named an acting general manager, and launched an inquiry into the general manager hire and other allegations.

Carlisle, an Etna Township trustee, resigned from the Southwest Licking Water and Sewer District board Nov. 5, tentatively accepted the position as district general manager on Nov. 7, reached an employment agreement with the district Nov. 15, and was placed on leave at a Nov. 26 district board meeting.

During his leave, Carlisle will continue to be paid his salary of $112,500 annually, with a $2,500 increase on Jan. 1.

Board members Larry Kretzmann and Rob Platte voted in favor of putting Carlisle on leave, and hiring the law firm of Taft, Stettinius & Hollister. Board member Charles Hagy voted against both motions.

"We're doing an independent inquiry," Kretzmann said. "We're open to whatever concerns are presented."

Mike Fox, a former board member who voted to hire Carlisle, told the board, "I would highly suggest that we stop playing the little games and bring Mr. Carlisle back and let him get his work done that we hired him to do."

Platte replaced Fox as the Pataskala representative on the district board ahead of the Nov. 26 meeting.

Numerous ethical questions have been raised about the situation: Carlisle voted as a board member to change the job description for the general manager job he later obtained; Fox voted to appoint Carlisle, who is in a romantic relationship with Fox's daughter; and Hagy's involvement in a sale of property to the district just prior to joining the board.

An ethics complaint was filed by Debra Moore, a district resident and customer, who wrote in an email, "I ask that these concerns, as I understand them based on public records, are immediately and thoroughly investigated by the SWLCW&SD Board of Trustees. The truth must be presented and the facts must be clear so that any possible wrongdoings are made right."

Moore said she is not happy the general manager has been placed on leave, but wants answers to the issues she raised.

“I think the taxpayers deserve to have transparency," Moore said. "If everything in the letter is proven false, I’m fine with it.”

Fox attended Tuesday's board meeting to state that nothing was done improperly.

"Southwest Licking Water and Sewer board members Mr. Hagy, Mr. Kretzmann and Mr. Platte were aware that the statements in the complaint in question were false and had no merit," Fox said. "Despite that, Mr. Kretzmann and Mr. Platte voted to start an investigation into the accusations in the email, resulting in suspending Mr. Carlisle with pay while an investigation was conducted into the validity of the accusations."

Moore also questioned the sequence of events in which Carlisle voted as a board member on Oct. 21 for the district to accept property from Hagy, then Hagy replacing Carlisle on the board and voting Nov. 15 to hire Carlisle as general manager.

"As a concerned resident and customer, both of these board decisions are highly concerning as potential ethics violations, quid pro quo, and blatant corruption," Moore wrote.

Carlisle is not a licensed professional engineer, which was a requirement of the general manager position.

Fox told the board in the Nov. 26 meeting that Hagy's only role in the real estate transaction was to act as a go-between so it was not known the district was trying to purchase property. He said Hagy refused offers from the board to be compensated.

"Mr. Kretzmann, you were well aware that the purchase of property was not done improperly and was on the up and up, and that the opinion form the Ethics Commission cleared me to vote on Mr. Carlisle and the only question was if you were permitted (to vote)."

Carlisle and Fox previously confirmed Carlisle is dating Fox's daughter, but they said that did not create a conflict.

Board member Larry Kretzmann, whose son is married to Carlisle's daughter, said it is not known how long Carlisle will be on leave and or how long the investigation will last. He could not vouch for the accuracy of the allegations. Kretzmann had voted against Carlisle's appointment to general manager, stating he is not qualified.

"It's a complaint," Kretzmann said. "That's what we're trying to investigate."

The acting general manager is once again C.J. Gilcher, who was in the same position prior to Carlisle's appointment. Gilcher, the utilities superintendent, declined to comment if he is interested in the permanent general manager job. Kretzmann said Gilcher has the qualifications for the job.

In reference to conflict of interest concerns about his votes on Carlisle, Kretzmann said, "I was on the board before he was, and my son and his daughter got together and got married and had two kids. There's not a whole lot I can do about that."

Fox also asked that Kretzmann apologize for calling him a fool during a recent meeting.

Kretzmann responded, "I’m sorry for anything I’ve said that is offensive, and I’m sorry for what I’ve said. The emotions at the time may have led me astray.”

kmallett@newarkadvocate.com

740-328-8545

Twitter: @kmallett1958