Home

County commissioner candidate Mark Marchus, chief building official with the Routt County Regional Building Department for the past six years, is being terminated, Marchus' attorney said.

The news comes after Marchus announced Feb. 2 that he would retire from his position and then said a week later he had changed his mind and would stay with the department.

The decision to stay, said Marchus' attorney Charles Feldmann, turned out not to be an option.

In a pre-termination hearing Tuesday afternoon, Routt County officials told Marchus that he would be terminated, Feldmann said. Marchus "obviously opposes" the termination, Feldmann said.

When asked about the situation, Routt County Manager Tom Sullivan could say only that there is a "pending personnel matter" in relation to Marchus.

However, Sullivan said there was a personnel issue that could have led to an "involuntary termination" going on before Marchus announced his retirement.

"When he decided to retire, that (issue) was placed on hold," Sullivan said. "When he decided not to retire, those personnel actions were still pending."

Although county procedure does not allow any information regarding personnel issues to be made public, Sullivan said he felt it was important to release that information because of public confusion.

Feldmann said he could not give details about what issues led to Marchus' termination but could say that Marchus "adamantly disagrees with the basis for it."

Feldmann said Marchus plans to contest the termination through any avenues or processes the county affords him. Feldmann said he and Marchus hope to make all meetings open to the public.

Because department heads such as Marchus interact constantly with the community, it would be helpful to get the public's opinion on Marchus' performance, Feldmann said.

Feldmann said his office has been overwhelmed with public support for Marchus from many contractors, residents and others in the area.

"I think Mark, by all accounts, has brought a breath of fresh air to a building department that was very user-unfriendly," Feldmann said.

Marchus and others in the construction business have cited Marchus' role in making the department customer-oriented. They also have alluded to the idea that one or several individuals in the department were not as "user friendly," which could have been a source of friction.

Under the county's termination process, an employee to be terminated is first given a pre-dismissal hearing by a supervisor. In this case, because Marchus is a department head, that person likely would be Sullivan.

Then the employee being terminated can file an official grievance, a step that Feldmann said Marchus "absolutely" will take.

The employee's formal grievance is heard before a three-person board, and the employee can rebut any information brought against him or her. The board makes a decision about whether the employee should stay or go.

That decision can then be appealed to Routt County commissioners.

In this case, Routt County Commissioner Doug Monger and Marchus could face each other in the 2004 race for the District 2 seat.

Marchus said he is still planning to run for the position and will face another Republican, Hayden resident Jeff Fry, in the caucuses. Fry and Marchus have expressed mutual support for each other.

"I'll support (Marchus) after the caucus is over if he wins, and I expect the same from him," Fry said. "The common goal here is to get Doug Monger out."

Although Marchus deferred comments on his termination to his attorney, he expressed personally how the process has made him feel.

"I'm devastated," Marchus said. "I've loved (my job), because I've enjoyed working with most of the staff I've had the privilege to work with, and I've loved working with the people in this community."

-- To reach Susan Bacon, call 871-4203

or e-mail sbacon@steamboatpilot.com