By Barbara Behrendt, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
BROOKSVILLE — A side trip onto private property in a county road grader will likely translate into a written discipline for the heavy equipment operator involved.
Last Thursday, on his way from grading roads in Royal Highlands to his normal parking place off Barclay Avenue, equipment operator Phil Phillips swung by the Sand Hill Scout Reservation on Cortez Boulevard.
He was seeking out Ranger Dan Wilson to retrieve from him a letter seeking the county's help in mowing and grading areas of the private reservation that will be used early next year for the annual Brooksville Raid Civil War re-enactment.
For years, the county has approved such assistance. But with changes in public works, now known as Transportation Services, a new agreement was needed.
While he was there, Phillips took the road grader into an area of high grass that would be part of what county work crews would be asked to prepare for the event. Phillips pulled the grader into a grassy area and the heavy equipment sunk into some mud, according to Steve Whitaker, assistant public works director.
Phillips called his supervisor to report the problem and soon there were two other heavy equipment operators and their equipment and a supervisor on scene working to pull Phillips' grader out of its predicament. The rescue job had workers ending their shifts hours after their normal quitting time.
Whitaker said that he is investigating the details of the incident and would be meeting with Phillips about his findings next week for a counseling session. Among his concerns was that Phillips did not let his supervisor know he was taking the side trip into the reservation.
Workers are on detailed schedules and are supposed to be where they are supposed to be, Whitaker said.
They are also supposed to use "due care" when operating equipment that costs upward of $150,000, he said.
For those reasons, Whitaker said he is anticipating having to write a disciplinary letter. He called the missteps "uncharacteristic'' for Phillips, who has been with the county for approximately 30 years and has a good record of service.
"Mr. Phillips is concerned about this. He regrets the incident and he feels bad about it,'' Whitaker said.
No overtime was charged by the employees. Instead they flexed their hours and left early the following day. There was no damage to the equipment, but Whitaker did acknowledge that there was a loss of productivity that amounted to approximately one work day.
"We're paid to patch potholes, grade roads and mow grass, not to be pulling equipment out of mud holes,'' he said.
Barbara Behrendt can be reached at behrendt@sptimes.com or (352) 848-1434.