Pennsylvania Department of Transportation officials remained
tight-lipped Tuesday about what actually occurred on July 14 at the
agency’s South Avenue shed, during which high-ranking officials and
the state police converged on the scene.

According to PennDOT Community Relations Coordinator Marla
Fannin, no further details regarding the situation are being
released at this time.

Meanwhile, a call seeking comment from American Federation of
State, County and Municipal Employees District Council 85 union
representative Don Shaffer was not immediately returned as of
Tuesday night. The union represents the equipment operators at the
local maintenance department.

Officials will not say whether an April 5 incident during which
an apparent labor dispute between equipment operators and agency
leaders at the local maintenance department led to a three-hour
delay in trucks being sent out to treat icy highways across the
county is at the root of the problem.

Municipal leaders from across the Tuna Valley have called for
the dismissal of those responsible for the incident, which led to
several accidents across the county but no fatalities or serious
injuries.

When contacted on both July 14 and Tuesday, Fannin continued to
say the April 5 matter was still being investigated by PennDOT. The
apparent dispute was over promotions and managing techniques.

State Rep. Martin Causer, R-Turtlepoint, said his office remains
on top of the situation, which he feels will be resolved soon.

“They have been in regular contact with me regarding this,”
Causer said. “We want to make sure a thorough investigation is
being done and I think they are doing that.”

The investigation is being spearheaded by PennDOT Assistant
District Executive for Maintenance for District 2 Ron Keim. When
asked for comment on July 14, Keim directed an Era reporter and
photographer to leave PennDOT’s South Avenue property.

On April 10, Keim told The Era that PennDOT management and
AFSCME are cooperating in the investigation into the matter, noting
the union was concerned because there was no organized protest
sanctioned by either local or district union officials.

Meanwhile, Fannin said Tuesday she couldn’t confirm or deny
reports that three workers at the maintenance department had been
let go or suspended.

Causer said PennDOT should make its findings available to the
public when the investigation is completed.

“The bottom line is people need to be held responsible for what
happened and everybody needs to make sure it doesn’t happen again,”
Causer said.

During the April 5 incident, maintenance crews from other
municipalities across the area were called into action to clean the
roadways – including major state-owned highways such as U.S. Route
219 from the New York state line to Lantz Corners and Route
770.

The situation also led to delays for various school
districts.

At that time, an employee of the local maintenance department,
who declined to be identified, said the crux of the problems came
about after a group of “A operators,” who make less money than “B
operators” who have more seniority, were up for promotions and were
told they wouldn’t be forthcoming. The individual also complained
about micromanaging from two assistant county managers.

PennDOT officials later acknowledged there were communications
issues between both sides. Those involved from the Bradford and
Smethport crews were apparently reprimanded by PennDOT officials at
the agency’s Mount Alton facility the day of the incident.

Agency officials also apologized for the problems in a letter to
the editor in April.

According to Fannin, potential disciplinary action can run the
gauntlet from oral and written reprimands to suspensions and
terminations.