A weeks-long, multi-interview administrative investigation into whether city employees were improperly taking long lunches to eat outside the city limits released Friday reveals the employees whose actions were questioned thought their lunch stop was within the city limits and documents they were working in the area.
Receipts submitted do not substantiate allegations of excessive break time.
City Manager Gary King ordered the probe and a subsequent followup inquiry after a television news account raised the issue of whether Public Works employees violated city policy by eating lunch at Popeye’s Chicken and Biscuits on Pine Island Road.
The report found that the restaurant is 129 feet outside of the city’s limits, and two of the employees in question, Steve Naso and Connie Wyant, were working near the restaurant. The report also states that Naso and Wyant were using their vehicles in accordance with their jobs, and were not misusing city vehicles for personal use.
The report also details an investigation into the type of rake that was purchased by Naso at the Home Depot store near Popeye’s for use by a city crew. The rake was found to have a lifetime warranty.
The report does not include any recommendation for disciplinary action.
The report does not include any followup or response by King.
It could not be immediately determined whether there were additional documents.