Dalton, Ga., aldermen tonight will review a new city ordinance that specifically bars employees from doing personal work on city time or operating a business that does business with the city, said Mayor David Pennington.
The rule change comes after the Chattanooga Times Free Press published a story on Dalton parks employee Steve Roberts who listed his city e-mail address and fax number on his business web site.
A report on Roberts’ dealings, ordered by the mayor last month, is still pending, but Pennington said there was enough evidence already to say Roberts did personal business on city time.
“The policy is going to address things we didn’t know we hadn’t already addressed as far as what city employees are allowed to do on city time,” Pennington said.
Dalton has a policy that addresses conflicts of interests among supervisors and department heads, but it didn’t address the issues as it relates to employees, the mayor said.
Roberts, who oversees the city massive youth sports program, also runs a side business that brings tournaments to the city’s baseball and softball complex. He has said his business received no preferential treatment, but he said that from time to time he answered personal business e-mails while on the city time.
“He did do these things, but keep in mind it was approved by his supervisor,” Pennington said. “It’s hard to punish an employee who asked his supervisor and was told he could do it.”
Roberts has said in other media that he believed he brought more than $1 million in business to city with his tournaments, but the mayor said that doesn’t matter.
“That’s what we are paying him for,” Pennington said. “The convention and visitors bureau brings in (sports tournaments), too. That’s what his job is. He shouldn’t be paid twice for it.”
For complete details, see tomorrow’s Chattanooga Times Free Press.