`holiday Heroes' Come Through For The Needy 
Workers At Hospitals, Soup Kitchens, Shelters And Help Lines Give The Gift Of 
Caring On Christmas Day

250 Lose Jobs As Resort Closes 
Mountain Laurel, In White Haven, 
Was Unable To Reach A Mortgage 
Repayment Schedule With Mellon Bank, 
A Spokesman For The Operator Says

By MELISSA M. DONOVAN; Times Leader Staff Writer
 Thursday, December 25, 1997 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 3A 





WILKES-BARRE- A Public Works employee suspended for allegedly abusing a
sick day received a partial reprieve on Christmas Eve. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Richard Havard, a heavy-equipment operator, left work during the season's
first storm last month after telling his supervisor he was sick. He was found
in a bar a few hours later. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; His punishment was a three-day suspension without pay. Havard appealed. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 On Wednesday, Mayor Tom McGroarty decided to reduce the suspension to two
days. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Shannon McNulty, the mayor's spokeswoman, said she assumes that Havard, who
has already served the suspension, will be paid for one of the days he missed. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Havard earned $33,537 in salary and overtime in 1996. McNulty did not know
how much he lost because of the suspension. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 McGroarty's ruling on the appeal was "in the spirit of the holidays," he
said. "You can tell I'm a holiday kind of guy," he said prior to issuing a
press release announcing the decision. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Havard could not be reached for comment. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In the release, McGroarty said Havard "acknowledged that he exercised bad
judgment by not going home when he reported off sick." In the past, Havard
said he went a bar, The Great Escape, after stopping at a nearby pharmacy to
buy cough medicine. The only staffer in the store was busy, so, Havard said,
he went to the bar to wait. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Mr. Havard is a good worker who has served the city for many years,"
McGroarty said of the 28-year employee. "He does not have a record of
violating city policy and I believe this was simply a case of bad judgment." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 McGroarty acknowledged that Havard was not drinking alcohol when Public
Works Director Al Clocker and Police Capt. of Patrol Tom Merlie, acting on a
tip, found him in the bar. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 McGroarty said he consulted Joe Gorham, secretary/treasurer of the
Teamsters, which represents Public Works employees. Gorham had protested
Havard's punishment. Gorham could not be reached for comment. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In his press release, McGroarty said Gorham "agreed a two-day suspension
was a fair and reasonable punishment." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "I thank Mayor McGroarty for listening to the appeal and for issuing a fair
decision," Gorham is quoted as saying in the release. "As the union
representative, I agree that an employee should be home when he reports off
sick for work. Mr. Havard is glad to put this behind him." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Worker's Penalty Reduced 
Wilkes-barre Employee 
Richard Havard Will 
Probably Be Paid For One 
Of The Days He Was 
Suspended, A Spokeswoman 
For Mayor Mcgroarty Says

Worker's Penalty Reduced Wilkes-barre Employee Richard Havard Will Probably Be Paid For One Of The Days He Was Suspended, A Spokeswoman For Mayor Mcgroarty Says