The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

DAYTON—The General Manager of Columbia County Public Transportation, Stephanie Guettinger, is on paid leave, pending an investigation of issues relating to performance of her duties and responsibilities.

“We’re looking into the internal management of the organization,” said City of Dayton Mayor Craig George, who is the president of the CCPT board.

George said that an end-of-year report from Diversified HR of Wenatchee, and some “whistleblower” complaints, lead to the decision by the CCPT board to place Guettinger on leave, which began March 1.

Allegations are that Guettinger has been excusing herself from random drug testing; that there have been manipulations and/or documentary adjustments of data to attempt to represent compliance with contractual requirements for the People for People Program, and possibly other programs; and manipulations and/or documentary adjustments of data to attempt to represent compliance with contractual requirements with the Dayton General Hospital; as well as allegations of inconsistency regarding the rate and billing for the van pools.

One or more investigators have been tasked by the board to look into the allegations, and “a lot of questions have been answered,” according to George.

Columbia County Commissioners Norm Passmore, Mike Talbott and Merle Jackson, as well as Starbuck Mayor Denerd Harstad, are on the CCPT board along with George.

The board appointed former Commissioner Dwight Robanske to be Interim General Manager of CCPT on March 2, George said.