Johnson’s attorney, Steve Lazarus, said they are uncertain what steps they might take so he had no comment.
Township Administrator Bob Bass said the employee Johnson complained about was suffering from an abscessed tooth, and the infection caused the fever. Johnson “took it upon herself” to call the Butler County General Health District about the fever and still maintained her co-worker should be sent home until her fever subsided, he said.
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She met with Roberts and Carr to discuss the issue.
“Detective Johnson was asked if when she made the call to the board of health she told the board of health about the extenuating circumstances to the fever or was it just the fever,” Bass said. “She refused to answer. When asked a second time she stood up and walked out of the room.”
Bass said she told him Carr was yelling at her and “made her feel unsafe.”
A text message Johnson sent to Bass reads, “(They are) wanting to yell at me and I removed myself from the room until someone else is here. We have major problems.”
Bass interviewed two employees who were in the office that day. Fiscal Officer Julie Joyce-Smith said she heard nothing, and Administrative Assistant Dan Horgan heard “muffled voices inside the office,” according to Bass’ administrative report.
“Basically what I found in the investigation of this there was not shred of evidence that I could find to substantiate what she said in terms of being afraid, nor could I find anything that substantiated the fact the other officer shouldn’t have been there,” Bass said.
Health department guidelines recommend that employees who have fevers above 100.4 degrees and other symptoms of the coronavirus be sent home from work. Bass said the other employee displayed no indications she is suffering from the virus.
Trustee board President Keith Ballauer said “this was not an easy decision for any board members.” Trustees Tom Willsey and Ellen Yordy could not be reached for comment.
Butler County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Anthony Dwyer confirmed Johnson was hired the next day and sworn in as a special deputy.
“We are aware of the situation in Ross; we have done our due diligence to speak with some of the people involved there and we’re not concerned with that issue as it relates to her employment,” Dwyer told the Journal-News.
As a result of the pandemic the county commissioners have asked all offices to cut their general fund budgets 4.14 percent. Dwyer has said they are not hiring anyone or replacing vacant positions.
He said as a special deputy she isn’t being paid right now. The designation allows her to maintain her certifications. She likely will be made a school resource officer if schools return to session in the fall. Those positions are paid by the schools, not the general fund.
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