Fired last week, a Montezuma County employee said she intends to seek legal advice over potential civil action for wrongful termination.<\/p>\n
After an employment hearing on Monday, July 28, Montezuma County Commissioners unanimously upheld County Administrator Melissa Brunner\u2019s decision to fire assistant Amber Zickefoose. The 10-year employee was terminated on Friday, July 25, two days after Zickefoose reported a county employee had illegally used a county truck to haul hay. She also previously contacted commissioners after Brunner missed an appointment with the county\u2019s health department.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel like I\u2019ve been retaliated against for blowing the whistle,\u201d Zickefoose told commissioners.<\/p>\n
Commissioner Keenan Ertel told Zickefoose her assumption was wrong.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are no coincidences,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
At the open hearing, Zickefoose said her personnel file did not include a single verbal or written reprimand. Self-described as a \u201cdedicated\u201d employee in the administration office for the past decade, Zickefoose said she took only six of 12 weeks for maternity leave three months ago.<\/p>\n
On the job for 11 months, Brunner claimed Zickefoose created \u201ctension,\u201d and the office needed \u201ca new team.\u201d Brunner also said that Zickefoose violated her trust.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe just haven\u2019t clicked,\u201d Brunner told commissioners.<\/p>\n
Zickefoose denied Brunner\u2019s assertions.<\/p>\n
\u201cI sit here today without real answers,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
After the public forum, commissioners met behind closed doors for about eight minutes before unanimously voting to uphold the termination.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis isn\u2019t over,\u201d Zickefoose said after collecting her last paycheck.<\/p>\n