RHINELANDER, Wis. (WXPR) — Oneida County Veterans Service Officer Tammy Walters will keep her job but will face possible discipline after the full county board rejected firing her.
Human Resources Director Lisa Charbarneau brought 8 allegations to the board.
The counts ranged from improper use of a security card, profanity in public, not telling the truth and misuse of compensatory time. The full county board heard the evidence in a type of courtroom trial. Votes either affirming or rejected the charges found the board agreed Walters had used profanity in public, and without the 2/3rds majority, agreed she didn’t properly use a security card. But 6 other counts were tossed outright.
Attorney Lori Lubinsky from a private Madison law prosecuted the case for Oneida County. A key accusation was Walters let an unauthorized volunteer get a security card, called a proximity card, enabling that person access in a restricted area, and Charbarneau said she did. “And that volunteer would have keys then to unlock the box, get her proximity card and enter into the secure area of their office.”
Walter’s attorney Brian Bennett grilled Charbarneau, saying Walters volunteer was a former limited-term employee who had worked before to arrange for veterans to get rides on the DAV bus. Walters and her office person were out of town at a meeting. “Did you at any time discuss this withTammy Walters? (Charbarneau)…”I did not”…(Bennett) Did you at any time decide to assist Tammy in getting a key card for this volunteer?..”(Charbarneau)…”she did not request it…”(Bennett) “That wasn’t my question, at any time did you consider helping her?…”(Charbarneau)…’no’.”
After 10 hours, the board felt the only charge that merited possible termination was profanity in public, but then rejected termination. A simple majority agreed she probably misused the security card, but not to the level of termination.
The hearing lasted more than 10 hours. Consideration of discipline for Walters will return to the county board.
