With business items also handled, the Thursday board meeting of the Uintah Transportation Special Service District largely focused on the board’s split opinions on the matter of the Executive Director being placed on paid administrative leave last month. Early on the agenda, the board was set to decide whether to authorize Dan Dilsaver, as Chairman of the Board, the authority to take administrative action for the District while Executive Director Adam Massey remains on leave. In response to the agenda item, board Treasurer Robert Leake stated that after receiving the draft of the state audit, that he could see no reason that Massey should remain on administrative leave and that he did not believe the action of placing Massey on leave was legal in the first place. He stated that the action should be rescinded and Massey should resume his position. Brad Horrocks disagreed, stating that he was not comfortable with the draft of the audit. Board member Senator Van Tassell then stated that a problem he sees is that the decision to place Massey on leave was not done in a board meeting and some members of the board were not involved and as a result open meeting laws were broken. He agreed with Leake that the correct action was to reinstate Massey. Dilsaver explained that the decision to place Massey on leave was done under legal counsel, though he admitted it was not the District’s legal counsel. After discussion, Leake made a motion to reinstate Massey, seconded by Van Tassell. The vote was Horrocks, Rasmussen, and Dilsaver Against, and Leake and Van Tassell For. Soon after, Horrocks made a motion to authorize Dilsaver to take over administrative action while Massey is on leave. Van Tassell provided a substitute motion to table the item until the next meeting in a week. Horrocks stayed with his motion stating that someone needs to be in charge. It was seconded by Rasmussen and passed with Horrocks, Dilsaver, and Rasmussen For, and Leake and Van Tassell Against.
