10/29/2009 11:22:00 AM
Sheriff fires janitor?
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| Jo Daviess County Sheriff Leo Hefel rides in the homecoming parade in the new 2009 Dodge Charger. Former janitor Griff Lippert said Hefel fired him because he criticized the sheriff for the Charger. Jay Dickerson photo |
| | Enforcer’s origins |
At the May law enforcement and courts committee meeting, Chief Deputy Colin Fulrath suggested trading in the 2002 Chevy Blazer for a 2009 Dodge Charger because of the better gas mileage and lower maintenance.
At the June meeting, the committee decided to accept a bid from Barkau Automotive in Stockton for a Charger.
At its July 14 meeting, the Jo Daviess County Board approved the proposal. The Charger was $21,917, minus the trade-in of $1,500 for the 2002 Blazer, for a total cost of $20,417 from the Sheriff's Vehicle Fund.
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by Jay Dickerson
It was in the afternoon, after lunch, when the sheriff fired the janitor.
"I know he fired me on political reasons," said Griff Lippert, who's worked at the courthouse since February 2005.
On Tuesday, Oct. 13, Lippert and Jo Daviess County Sheriff Leo Hefel saw each other in the hallways of the courthouse. Lippert was leaving the sheriff's office and entering the courthouse through a hallway between the buildings, when he saw Hefel.
Lippert continued walking when he said Hefel called at him to hold the door. Lippert recounted their conversation.
"I hear you've got trouble with me having this car," the sheriff said to Lippert.
Lippert had talked to some coworkers about the sheriff's new 2009 Dodge Charger. The county board approved the purchase of the car in July, with a trade-in, for $20,417.
"I should have walked away, but I didn't," Lippert said. "My German blood got the better of me."
Instead, he responded that he did have a problem with the sheriff's car. "There's no need to have a Dodge Charger, fully-loaded with a hemi," Lippert said.
"It's none of your concern, I can have whatever I want," the sheriff reportedly answered.
Lippert said he tried to walk away, when the sheriff continued to speak. "I hear you think I'm a bad sheriff," Hefel reportedly told Lippert.
"Yeah, I think you're a bad sheriff," Lippert responded. "I think you're a terrible sheriff."
"Well, I think you're a bad janitor," Hefel reportedly answered. Hefel then reportedly said that if Lippert thinks he's such a bad sheriff, then Lippert should quit. Hefel also said he was working on firing Lippert.
You may fire me, Lippert said, "but you'll always be a bad sheriff."
Lippert said Hefel didn't appreciate his comments. "He said, 'That's it, get out, you're fired.'"
There were no formal reprimands in his personnel file. Lippert said the sheriff simply fired him, on the spot. "He asked for an opinion, and he got an honest answer," Lippert said.
The reason he was walking from the sheriff's administrative offices into the courthouse: Griff was talking to his wife, Kathy, about what they were going to have for dinner. Kathy works in the sheriff's office. She's the sheriff's secretary.
Freedom of speech
The Lipperts moved to Jo Daviess County more than 10 years ago with plans to retire, when Kathy had 20 years with All-State Insurance, and Griff had just finished a 30-year career in printing. He worked 15 of those years as a shift supervisor for a Schiller Park printing company. "It was a great job and I loved it," he said.
The printing company had strict rules about letting people go, something that, as a supervisor, Griff sometimes had to oversee. Employees would receive a verbal warning after committing an infraction. If the behavior continued, the employee could be suspended a day without pay, and then a week. Then, and only then, would Griff consider firing an employee. And the times he did, he never enjoyed it.
When it came to firing an employee on the spot, that only happened in extreme circumstances, like when the employee was drunk or high, or had attacked someone. Griff said he never had to fire someone in those circumstances.
Griff currently has health insurance through his wife, although Kathy is concerned about her job. Right after Hefel fired Griff, she said, Hefel came to her and said her husband had quit. "I was just shaking all over," Kathy said. She stayed home the next day, sick.
Kathy was concerned Hefel was telling people Griff had quit, but later found out Hefel did put it in as a termination.
The firing, Griff said, was political. Both he and his wife were hired by former sheriff, Steve Allendorf, who retired in late 2005.
"He had a vendetta since day one. I worked for Steve and she worked for Steve," Griff said. "I just want people to see the true side of Leo Hefel. I just gotta tell people something. I don't want people thinking I quit. I would never quit. I don't want to jeopardize the insurance."
Griff said he's worried about morale in the courthouse. "He showed the other officers, don't mess with him," Griff said. He believes it comes down to his freedom of speech. "I should be able to think anything I want."
Hefel said this week that he did let Griff go.
"He's been relieved of duty," Hefel said. "I do have the authority to hire and fire at will. I can't really get into it. I let him go."
Hefel said the two did speak briefly before he fired Griff. "There were things verbalized, but it wasn't a conversation."
Hefel countered Griff's assertion that he was fired for commenting on the 2009 Dodge Charger. "That's wrong, (the firing) is not in regards to that. I have my own reason, but that's not the case. I'd like to be able to tell you the whole thing. If I could, I certainly would. I can't go into personnel issues."
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Posted: Sunday, November 08, 2009
Article comment by:
Steve Allendorf
To N.A Sabre I'm not sure where you came up with such an outlandish statement but I never had or drove a cadillac escalade. I suggest you get your facts correct before you make such a false statement.
Posted: Wednesday, November 04, 2009
Article comment by:
Janet Freese
It sounds like they both need a time out. The Sheriff should be more concerned about crimes happening in our county and not be bothered by someone's opinion of his car.
Posted: Monday, November 02, 2009
Article comment by:
Jo Daviess Resident
A 2009 fully loaded Dodge Charger with a hemi?! Jo Daviess residents must be wealthy indeed to be able to purchase a public servant this 'cherry'. No recession here, move along.
Posted: Saturday, October 31, 2009
Article comment by:
N. A. Sabre
And Griff apparently thought Allendorfs Caddilac Escalade was OK? Or did he tell Steve the same thing?
Posted: Saturday, October 31, 2009
Article comment by:
Terry
So why exactly does the sheriff need that car?
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