WATFORD CITY, N.D. (AP) - The McKenzie County sheriff says he’ll continue serving despite the county’s pending request to the governor to remove him from office.
The Williston Herald (https://bit.ly/2dVRoI9 ) reports county commissioners asked the state’s attorney’s office Thursday to draft the petition to remove Sheriff Gary Schwartzenberger from office, citing a workplace culture of bullying and retaliation.
Commissioners hired Fargo-based consulting firm Village Business Institute to investigate the office after an employee filed a complaint with the county’s human resources department in May.
Schwartzenberger says the action toward him is retaliation. He says he wasn’t aware officials were planning to ask for his removal until the Thursday meeting was announced.
The board also unanimously voted to place Lt. Michael Schmitz on unpaid administrative leave starting Monday. But Schwartzenberger says Schmitz will remain at work.
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Information from: Williston Herald, https://www.willistonherald.com
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