STPUD board member, employee at odds
By Kathryn Reed
South Tahoe Public Utility District board members are expected to be given a report at their next meeting about an investigation into whether board President Dale Rise created a hostile work environment for an employee.
At the Oct. 6 board meeting Charlie Solt, employee rep with Local No. 39, said during public comment the worker is requesting the board take appropriate action. What that action might or could be was not discussed.
Dale Rise
Solt said the matter stems from a July altercation.
Richard Solbrig, STPUD executive director, said, “We’ve done a thorough investigation. We have a preliminary report. We are waiting the recommendation from our labor attorney.”
Solbrig said the board at its Oct. 20 meeting should be given a copy of the executive summary for review.
The employee’s name has not been made public.
After the meeting Rise told Lake Tahoe News he received a letter Oct. 5 clearing him of the hostile work environment charge, but said he would not make the letter available until the board discusses the matter later this month.
Before speaking with LTN, Rise consulted with Solbrig and STPUD attorney Gary Kvistad about what he could say.
“I broke a policy issue. I’m not supposed to talk policy with employees,” Rise said.
Rise was at the sewer and water district on business for his construction business when the alleged incident occurred. He wasn’t there as a board member.
Although Kenny Curtzwiler spoke at Thursday’s meeting – saying how the investigation was one-sided and that he was part of the complaint – Rise told LTN that in fact Curtzwiler was not at the district office when the alleged incident occurred and therefore was not an eyewitness as he made it sound when he addressed the board.
lol> the ski dude always playing nose job,Others have said he’s just bad as a old woman with nothing to prove but nonsense gossip.
“Girlyman the word they used at Steamers when his name came up!”
He calls himself the goody two-shoe of the city,but failed in his election attempt when he tried use the Latino voter appeal failed.
Good thing Dale used his anger management text book to defuse the situation!
Ski dude might lose more than a finger ih a real battle.
Piss off Bob aka clearwater, Kae got it wrong as usual and spouted off. Did she forget to mention that Dale told her I was correct when I wrote my artice and I had the facts right when she called me out on it on this site. I find it amusing on the childish game you two play as she allows slander against me and when I reply I get threatened to be kicked off the site. I respect Kae and this site as I find it newsworthy and informitive. I never made it sound like I was an eyewitness only that Dale was working on a project for me and that there are other complaints filed by others who were involved. Kae wouldn’t talk to me. Why don’t you contact me Bob and tell me how you really feel lol.
Sorry Bob, I know you are not clearwater. Sorry if I implied that.
Dear Ms. Reed:
I’ve noted of late that the individual who refers to themself as “Clear Water” has posted some comments such as the one above regarding Skibum, an inappropriate comment regarding a photo of City Councilmember Tom Davis, and other unseemly remarks. I would appreciate your censuring this individual in the same manner that I have seen you use previously with other posters in your ongoing efforts to maintain credible decorum on this public site.
Thank you very much.
AJT
Hi Skibum,
I tried calling you but the machine said all calls blocked.I just wanted to clear the air on a one on one basis. I’m sure your’e a good guy and all(although I would like to get that last cord of wood I paid for and never received last year).
I met Dale Rise many years ago back when I was dumpin’ garbage cans and he was tossin’ newspapers. It would be a kick if the 3 of us could get together for a beer and and share a few stories.Heck,lets invite Kae and she can write about it.
So Kenny stop by or give me a call. Bob who lives in the ghetto by the meadow
ATJ — Thank you for your comments. First off, liable laws concerning public officials and public figures, vs. the average person are very different. Tom Davis falls into the elected category and Kenny Curtzwiler by virtue of his column is a public figure. For someone to label something an “ugly picture” no matter who it’s of is not libelous. Offensive, perhaps, but it is literally critical of the photographer (therefore myself) than of the subject. As for his comments about Kenny, well, the former governor of California called the whole Democratic Legislature girlymen.
Kenny — Talk to Dale. The story is accurate. I said hello to you at the meeting and after having spoken to Dale saw no need to call you for further questions. You were not a witness to the incident. Period. Details of the case Dale told me off the record; I printed what he said on the record. Stick to this story and don’t confuse things with your digressions.
Bob — I would come, but I’m bringing a tape recorder!
And so everyone knows, “clearwater” is not Bob.
Kathryn Reed, LTN publisher
Admin, maybe it’s time to require real names from all commentors. Putting our real, legal name on a comment so everyone knows who it is, will stop all the petty name calling and arguing on this site. Over the last few weeks it seems the name calling and arguing has taken over from any constructive comments. So much so that I for one rarely read the comments any more. It pretty much seems this comment section is only used by the same few anyway, not a large community forum.
Hi Kathryn,
I’d like to start off by trying to apoligize to Skibum about my shorted wood delivery last year. We talked on the phone today and smoothed things out.. He’s actualy a pretty cool guy and I guess there was just a little mis-understanding. Kenny , er I mean Skibum is a fine man and I didn’t mean to besrmich his reputation.
On another note Kae, where were you at the last farmers market? Okay so here’s an idea , lets have a party for all the readers of your LTN.Can you imagine conservation robot and dogwwoman in a cage match? Skibum and Clear Water in a jousting battle?
It boggles the mind … I will help put this event together as I threw some big party’s back in the mid 70’s. It would be fun to talk to all these people once they strip away their fake names.TahoeTessy, Pub workstv,and all the rest.Thank you for your time
Bob Rockwell
Kae, Dale called me and he relayed to me the conversation he had with you. Perhaps you should be bring a recorder as what Dale told me was slightly different that was written. Others have called and relayed conversations they have had with you and then saw what was written as different than what either of you remember. That is why when I go to any meetings I write my stuff down to read so there will be no mistake and also do my homework. In some peoples haste to “get the story” or be the first to tell a story sometimes facts slow them down. I agree with Steve and Lou when he writes about real names. Thanks. Ken Curtzwiler
Bob, are you as big a fan of John Wayne as I am? We had to watch ” She wore a yellow ribbon” about a zillion times when I was in the military. In the movie John, Captain Brittles, would always tell his junior officers ” Never Apologize, It’s A Sign Of Weakness” and “Here, Have A Chaw” Thanks, Ken Curtzwiler
Disparaging the reporter. Try again. Let’s see, believe a guy who collects unemployment so he can ski all winter when there are no more trees to cut and believe a guy who has a temper issue — and faced charges he first denied (that would be Rise). I’ll take the reporter.
Kathryn Can you please take the trash talk off of here. These comments are becoming more common as of late, Different Ideas about our community are positive and constructive but the personal disagreements are a turn off. I really do not care about anyone’s personal opinions of each other. However I do appreciate all of your opinions that effect our community.
Wow! Mr. Rise in ANOTHER anger issue. I have experienced his rantings, theatrics, and general voltile behavior on construction sites – not pretty
Jealous Jeff? Yes I do collect unemployment on your dime and enjoy every powder day and have absolutly no regrets or ashamed of what I do. Thanks for your opinion.
Skibum,
Nice talkinig with you yesterday! Ya know way back when there was a late night show called John Wayne Theater. They played his really early movies and me and some of my friends would gather around in my little cabin and watch these old black and white films and eat popcorn. They weren’t good films so mostly we just laughed at them, but it was fun and entertaining.
Bob Rockwell
P.S Kae seriuosly consider having a Lake Tahoe News gathering(?) , BBQ (?)or SOMETHING!Maybe we could generate some donations for a local non-profit organization.
While I agree that calling someone’s photo “ugly” is just a matter of personal opinion and really not relevant, how an elected official conducts himself is. Mr. Rise’s inability to maintain his temper, privately and professionally, discolors his ability to be fair and consistent in his determinations as part of the STPUD board. I’ve often found it disturbing, being in the construction industry myself, how a Board member can sit in on decisions that directly affect his line of work. I went to a public workshop a few years ago for contractors and he was there putting in his two cents worth on changes to STPUD’s code. He said he was there as a contractor. That’s all fine, but then he voted as a member of the board on the proposed changes -including not voting for one – that affected his personal business. How is that possible? Isn’t there a rule against that sort of thing? Regardless, elected officials should be ready to have their private lives exposed. If they don’t want that to happen, then they need to stay out of public service. If you don’t agree with that you must have been one of the handfull of people who didn’t comment about the Monica Lewinsky presidential scandal because it was just Clinton’s “personal life”, right? Just sayin.
Ernie ClaudioOctober 19, 2011 at 1:53 pmI would like to publicly apologize to all the S.T.P.U.D. employees who were present at the Candidate’s Forum Wednesday night October 12th at the District. For some reason I thought the purpose of the forum was for the public and was only hosted by the employees. I had no problem at the beginning of the meeting when most of the questions were about water meters and water rates. But when the employees started asking questions, mostly directed at John Runnels about the importance of the District and the importance of not reducing their revenue stream, the agenda changed. The employees argued that any reduction in revenue would result in a reduction in services to the ratepayers. Jim Hogget, one of the retiring supervisors, implied that the ability to fight fires would be affected by a reduction in revenue stream. Candidate Dale Rise was quick to refute this statement by Mr. hogget. Mr. Rise pointed that we have a good fire protecting system. The question for the future Board is, “How much money do we want to put into the fire protection system?” In an ideal world we could pour millions of dollars into the fire fighting system and have the best system in the world. I was glad the employees were there because I saw that the employees are afraid of John Runnels. They seem to know if Mr. Runnels were elected to the Board, there could be cuts to employee benefits, possible wage freezes, cuts to travel vouchers, a possible reduction in the employee medical plan, etc. The District is supposed to grow, they are supposed to expand, and it is the job of the Board to give balance to the growth. What would the District be like if there were no Board? The District could raise rates to whatever amount they choose and use the money to add a second Washington DC lobbyist, increase the employees benefit package to an amount more than the present $126,000 per year, and plan more improvement projects. The purpose of the Board is to give a balance to the District. The purpose of the Board is to say, “No, Mr. District it’s time to scale back on the improvement projects. And, “No, Mr. District, it time for a rate freeze and a reduction in water rates.” If Mr. Runnels is elected to he Board it will have a particular balance. If another candidate is elected to the Board it will have a different balance. But one thing we know for sure, with John we will be getting the most bang for the buck. He will give us a better balance because it is easy for him to say, “No, Mr. District”
Could someone PLEASE get this $126,000 thing right. “Figures lie and liars figure.”
STPUD employees haven’t had a wage increase in 3+ years, the increase in the overall wage/benefit package comes from an increase in health insurance costs driving up the premiums. The increases have been voted on and passed by the Board, NOT by Union negotiations. The Board members are covered by the health insurance and benefit from the coverage as their compensation.