Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana

Council upholds suspension

At their regular monthly meeting last week, the Whitehall Town Council voted unanimously to uphold the suspension of member Francine Giono Janik.

Janik was put on suspension by the governing body in November of 2016.

At last week’s meeting, Mayor Dale Davis said Janik was put on suspension as a result of leaving during a November 14, 2016 meeting. Davis said there has not been any communication between the Town and Janik’s lawyer since December 13, 2016. Davis added state law reads you cannot leave a meeting.

Town Attorney Ed Guza said it is his opinion that because she is under suspension, he does not believe her position would be considered a vacancy. Guza did however state that Janik has a new attorney who has contacted him, adding they will have a conversation and try to come to a resolution.

In the meeting in question, Janik said she left the room because she felt a discussion about hidden cameras and the Partners United For Life Saving Education was inappropriate.

Last year, the governing body passed a motion stating Janik will be suspended “until she fully discloses the full extent of her involvement with the installation of hidden cameras in the ambulance barn and her role as a consultant with Partners United For Life Saving Education (P.U.L.S.E.).”

According to former Deputy Town Attorney Matthew Haus, the Council voted 5-0 on the motion that stated “Council Member Janik has engaged in improper conduct by failing to fully and truthfully disclose the extent of her involvement with the installation of hidden cameras in the ambulance barn and her role as a consultant for PULSE dba Jefferson Valley EMS.”

In a September 2016 meeting, Whitehall Mayor Dale Davis stated there had been hidden cameras found in the Whitehall Ambulance facility. Davis publicaly asked Janik if she had placed the cameras in the facility at the Nov. 14 Council meeting.

Janik told the Ledger the reason she did not disclose anything about the cameras is because the Town of Whitehall turned it over for criminal investigation.

Janik responded to the Ledger in November of 2016 about her decision to leave the meeting.

“Therefore it is against my constitutional right to disclose anything in a public meeting without legal council. Since the cameras were installed during my employment or maybe better quantified as volunteer position and they were removed prior to me taking office and before my last day as an employee they legally cannot take action against me as a Council Person,” she said.

Janik said as far as her activities with P.U.L.S.E., she is not in a leadership role.

“I don’t vote on anything, I am not on the board not on the committee. I do not receive anything from them monetarily. I volunteer 100 percent in providing some limited patient care. My consulting is just offering my expertise like I do for any ambulance in the state that asks for it.”

 

Reader Comments(0)