It looks like it might be a bumpy road ahead for some of the
workers at the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s South
Avenue shed, but officials would not release exactly what was
happening.

At about 1 p.m. Friday, a car carrying two Pennsylvania State
troopers pulled into the shed area, parked and the troopers stepped
out.

Two employees were already sitting outside of the shed office
and another pulled up shortly after. Soon after that, one by one,
four state PennDOT official cars pulled into the lot.

Ron Keim, assistant district executive of District 2 approached
and told a reporter and photographer to leave, saying he could not
comment on what was happening on the premises.

Community Relations Coordinator Marla Fannin, answering
questions as to what was happening at the garage at South Avenue –
and a possible relationship to the April 5 incident when employees
staged a protest by delaying responding to work – said, “It is a
personnel action that could be taking place, I can’t comment on
that or give any detail.”

“And as for the situation that happened in McKean County on
April 5 – it is still under investigation,” she added.

When asked if the two incidents were related, Fannin said, “All
I can say is the actions related to that event are still under
investigation.”

A conversation with Sgt. Steven Story of the Kane State Police
barracks provided little additional information.

“It was a PennDOT issue that is not open for reporting,” said
Story. “It was a standard operating procedure, there was no police
action taken.”

On April 5, an apparent labor dispute between equipment
operators and agency leaders at local maintenance departments led
to a delay in trucks being sent out to treat icy highways across
the county.

The apparent dispute was over promotions and managing
techniques.

Several accidents resulted across the county, with none of them
fatal or causing serious injuries.

The Bradford Area School District had a three-hour delay as a
result; the Oswayo Valley School District was on a two-hour delay;
and crews from other municipalities including the City of Bradford
were sent out to clean the roadways – including state-owned
roadways – to make them safe for morning drivers.

In addition to the angered school and municipal officials, State
Rep. Martin Causer, R-Turtlepoint, was vocal about the seriousness
of the situation.

In April he said, “It is a very serious situation. In my mind,
anybody that should have been out there working, and for whatever
reason did not show up, should be terminated. It is a public safety
issue.”

Causer said Friday that he was not aware of anything specific
going on at the garage, but did say that he had heard from PennDOT
officials as recently as Monday telling him the investigation is
continuing.

“I believe it may be coming to a close. They have kept me up to
date on the investigation because it is a very serious situation,
and we need to make sure it never happens again,” he said. “It is
something we have to keep on top of.”

Results of the meeting at the South Avenue shed area for PennDOT
were not disclosed before press time Friday.