LOGAN, Utah (AP) - The public works director of a small northern Utah city returned to work this week following a stint on administrative leave after he was accused of pointing a gun at three employees during a staff meeting last year.
Mike Grunig returned to his job Monday after the city council in Hyde Park, Utah, decided to reverse a demotion and pay cut imposed by Mayor Sharidean Flint, the Herald Journal newspaper in Logan reported . The council determined Grunig made “an error in judgment” and didn’t jeopardize the employees’ safety, even though they were offended.
Two employees who say Grunig pointed a gun at them during a meeting on Nov. 14, 2018, said this week that they are quitting rather than working for Grunig. The men said Grunig pointed the gun’s green laser at their chests.
“Every time I close my eyes I still see a green dot on my chest,” Justin Bodrero said. “The laser made it more surreal.”
Grunig declined comment to the newspaper and didn’t immediately return a phone call from The Associated Press.
Flint said Thursday that Grunig told her that he thought he was playing a joke and that the gun wasn’t loaded, but the employees were offended. She said the city council isn’t condoning his actions but is worried about legal issues with the punishment.
“If he actually did what they said he did, it’s inexcusable,” Flint told the AP.
It’s unknown if any criminal charges will be filed.
Police interviewed the three men who had the gun pointed at them and determined no verbal threats were made, said North Park Interim Police Chief Steve Milne. He said he doesn’t think charges will be filed based on a conversation with Cache County Chief Deputy Attorney Tony Baird.
Baird, however, said that his office hasn’t yet done a formal review of the incident.
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Information from: The Herald Journal, http://www.hjnews.com
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