Workman daughter released from job

And health chief to leave; she receives a standing ovation

Published: Thursday, Oct. 7, 2004 9:02 a.m. MDT
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The Nancy Workman employee hiring scandal came full circle Wednesday to the two places — the county health department and the Boys and Girls Clubs of South Valley — where it originated.

Workman's daughter, Aisza Wilde, was released this week from her job as the Boys and Girls Clubs of South Valley development director as a result of the ongoing scandal.

"To be fair to her and the club, it was an uncomfortable situation for her to be out there" soliciting funds, clubs executive director Bob Dunn said. "We want people to ask questions about the club, but they would ask her, 'Oh, you're the mayor's daughter?' She should defend her mother, and that puts us in a hard position."

And health department executive director Patti Pavey, who complained numerous times about a "ghost employee" in her organization in the months before the scandal broke, announced Wednesday she is leaving for a private sector job as of the end of the year. (Turns out the "ghost employee" resulted from an accounting position at the Boys and Girls Club, supervised by Wilde, that was funded with county health department money.)

Wilde may be reassigned to another position in the organization, though exactly what — if anything — that position might be is unclear. Dunn conceded money is tight but said he would meet with Wilde today to discuss future possibilities.

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The clubs' staff was informed of the move Tuesday.

"It was a mixed reaction, but I think people for the most part understood," Dunn said.

Wilde did not go into the office Wednesday, and efforts to contact her for comment were unsuccessful.

Wilde testified in Workman's preliminary hearing Monday that the two employees were paid through a convoluted arrangement whereby they filled out two time sheets each week, one for the clubs ($3 an hour for 15 hours) and one for the county ($10 an hour for 40 hours), with the wages averaging $13 an hour for 40 hours.

Dunn testified in the preliminary hearing that he was not aware of the exact arrangement by which the two employees were being paid. He declined comment on whether he felt Wilde misled him and whether that was a factor in her reassignment.

"The one thing I have always done is make sure I have the facts from every side before I decide anything," he said.

He conceded donations to the clubs have been down since the scandal broke in June but said, "I don't want to blame (Wilde). We just need to work harder."

Pavey said the scandal isn't the reason she is leaving but admitted that "it certainly didn't hurt my decision."

The 49-year-old director announced her resignation first to an early morning meeting of the Board of Health and then to a gathering of about 300 health department employees at the department's annual conference Wednesday.

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