County backs DA and his actions
By Donna Comella

Fourteen of 15 legislators agree - there will be no reprimand for three County Department heads. Case closed.

At Tuesday's Wayne County Board of Supervisor's meeting, Walworth Supervisor Frank Guelli called for an Executive Session to discuss a personnel matter. All visitors left the room except Treasurer Tom Warnick and District Attorney Rick Healy. The doors were barely closed before Personnel Director Peter Stirpe climbed the stairs with a clenched jaw. He entered the room, and within moments, you could hear shouting and Chairman Marv Decker's gavel coming from behind the chamber doors.

Before the meeting, Guelli had made it known that he would call for a special investigation committee to look in to "the payment of comp-time" to part-time DA Investigator Jackson Burm, who recently retired. He claimed that Healy, Warnick and Stirpe had violated county policy.

But when all was said and done, what began with and a loud closed-door session ended with little discussion. Guelli presented a resolution to issue letters of reprimand.

Healy took the floor and claimed that the move was political and totally unfair. He had obviously given his explanation during the closed session and did not now repeat it.

Guelli did not let go, telling supervisors that if they did not vote for the reprimand, it would be "deplorable and unconscionable." Don Colvin (Savannah) stood. "I'm willing to accept the DA's explanation." Roll was called. Only Guelli voted 'aye.'

After the meeting, Healy said that the episode had been "ridiculous and absurd." "...All we did was pay the man what he was owed."

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