Commissioners put Taxpayers in “Hock” for Million$ Refused to Pay EMS properly for years of Overtime pay!! CC Lawsuit about to go to US Supreme Court next month!! Report and commentary by Robert A
Robert A just happened to see an article in the Charlotte Observer titled: Krispy Kreme to pay workers over $1 Million for “widespread” overtime law violations. This was a reminder that our good ole Cleveland County Commissioners refused to pay many, many Cleveland County EMS workers their proper overtime pay and got a Federal Lawsuit filed against them (us taxpayers) in the process. A Federal Lawsuit that has yet come to trial because the Commissioners don’t want it to go before a Jury. Apparently thinking that they, the Commissioners, would lose if they went to a jury trial. So, they keep on trying legal shenanigans as long as they can. Filing one legal action after another to delay the process and cost the EMS workers tons of money in lawyer bills along the way. Hoping to drive them into bankruptcy before any trial can take place. Or, at least discourage them, such that the EMS workers would settle for pennies on the dollar of what they were owed. This is a common lawsuit tactic.
The latest shenanigan, after the US Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against the Cleveland County Commissioners, is the Commissioners have appealed the US Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling to the US Supreme Court. The first action before the US Supreme Court is scheduled for this coming December. 2022. Just days or several weeks away, depending on when in December the case is heard by the US Supreme. Robert A predicts the US Supreme Court will NOT waste their time on this case and just uphold the US Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling–that the case be remanded back to the US District Court in Asheville for a trial based on the facts of the case. A trial on FACTS is a trial the Cleveland County Commissioners will surely lose. A trial where facts are facts. Instead of the changing narrative that is the Commissioner’s MO when they get caught in one of their lies. And tell other lies to cover-up for the first set of lies.
But, the facts in this case are the Commissioners set the schedules for EMS workers to work. 24 hours on duty, 48 hours off duty. Which results in overtime on a regular (maybe weekly) basis. The Department of Labor sets the calculations of overtime hours by law. And, by law, the Commissioners have to pay according to the rules that have been laid out for overtime pay.
However, the Commissioners’ reckless spending habits, The Fair, the ALWS, The LeGrand Center and about everything else is financially mismanaged. And when things got “tight,” the Commissioners took it out on the EMS workers rightful pay. Just like Krispy Kreme did. And, just like the Krispy Kreme legal action, the Commissioners (no, we the taxpayers) will ultimately have to pay.
And, the Commissioners will never say a word about it to the citizens of Cleveland County. All you will hear from the Commissioners is another sales tax increase referendum, supposedly for school construction, but will actually go to pay off lawsuits. Or something along those lines. Another property revaluation. Something. All the while reckless spending continues like always. If the Casino debacle is any indication, somebody is lining their own pockets and everybody in County Government is keeping the secrets from the taxpayers.
Folks, when this particular EMS Employee, who was fired later as retaliation for filing her lawsuit to begin with, finally wins her case, there are about 70 other EMS employees that will also file a Federal Complaint against Cleveland County. And they will also win their cases. Then the Commissioners will have to pay them all. At Taxpayers’ expense.
All Robert A has left to say is that if He were a Commissioner when this was happening, He would make sure that all the proper laws were followed and County employees were paid what they were supposed to be paid. Robert A would learn from previous lawsuits and previous problems and complaints and fix them immediately. Robert A wouldn’t go around lying about how great things are. Robert A would be making things be great by finding problems and fixing them immediately. Big problems or small problems, no matter. Find‘em and fix’em. All done with transparency and fiscal responsibility. No shares of the Kings Mountain Equipment Supply Company (or anything similar) would ever have Robert A’s name on them. No bribes and no payoffs either. And Robert A would be paying attention enough such that no other commissioner or county employee would do such a thing for fear of being “told-on by Robert A. And prosecuted too, when caught. No more secret wheeling’s and dealings allowed by anybody. That’s the way it is supposed to be. And three new “right” commissioners elected in 2024 could ensure that things would begin to be done as they are supposed to be done. Immediately!!!
Folks, Stay tuned to Robert A’s writings about three of the “right” kind of commissioners being able to do what is right and proper for Cleveland County as well as the citizens of Cleveland County. There are five Commissioners and three commissioners would make a majority. Only thing is, it will be 2024 before three commissioners are up for re-election. And three “right” commissioners could only then file for office. Including, perhaps, Robert A.
Folks, Also note that the fractious School Board Elections of 2022 are over and Danny Blanton and Ronnie Grigg were winners. Danny Blanton has 9 year experience on the School Board. Seven Year more experience than Robert “Luke” Queen, Joel Shores. Greg Taylor, Ron Humphries and Rodney Fitch. Ronnie Grigg has already shown his willingness to act as a problem solver by arranging a trip to the Greenville County Schools (SC) to learn ways to provide healthy and nutritious meals and still meet all the Federal Record Keeping requirements. Something Luke Queen refused to even listen to. Folks, call whoever you can think of on the School Board and recommend them vote for Danny Blanton as Chairman and Ronnie Grigg as Vice-chairman. CCS students are in an Educational Emergency and only a BIG change in School Board leadership can turn things around.