Supervisor for Wake solid waste services resigns

Raleigh, N.C. — A supervisor who approved numerous questionable business trips for a Wake County recycling coordinator has resigned, Wake County Manager David Cooke said Tuesday.

Jim Reynolds, who was the solid waste facilities manager for county's Environmental Services Department's Solid Waste Management Division, had been on administrative leave since last week.

Cooke also said that other supervisors also signed off on some of the trips. No other personnel action has been taken.

The investigation is ongoing.

The department has come under scrutiny after county officials found out that Craig Wittig had taken at least 46 taxpayer-funded trips since he was hired as a recycling coordinator in February 2006.

Some of those trips included destinations such as Disney World, Cape Canaveral and Yellowstone National Park.

Wittig, who said the trips were for research, was fired from his job on June 3.

The Wake County Board of Commissioners has since voted in favor of a countywide audit of departments in response to Wittig's termination.

Including Wittig, seven employees in that division charged $165,165 to credit cards issued by Wake County between April 2006 and last month, according to county records. But county officials have not said how much of that they think could have been used for inappropriate traveling.

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Latest Comments

Well, at least he is gone - now get that other supervisor out as well. Clean house and make sure you bill those thieves for stealing state money for purely personal spending. Seems like some criminal action is here as well - taking property by false pretenses, felony conspiracy, grand theft, fraud. Nail them and send them to the land of Jim Black for a few years AND require full repayment. You will note that Jim Black missed his deadline, but at least he paid 1/2 of the money - now he still must come up with the other half a million - he still got away with major theft of our tax dollars! These people must be held accountable, repay the money and go to prison!

Tax Man
July 9, 2008 2:59 p.m.

We need more like Jessie Helms. We also keep hearing about all this corruption, so when will they start making all these people pay the taxpayers back for all they have taken from us? Me personally, They are all a bunch of theives and crooks.

delilahk2000
July 9, 2008 2:40 p.m.

I should think he would have been fired and not given the option to resign. Seriously, what did he think??? No one would ever find out?? They were both nuts. That guy traveled around wasting $$ and was all, oh its for research. What was he researching at disney world, magic mountain???

HappyGirl08
July 9, 2008 2:36 p.m.

When does the GOOD OLE BOYS NETWORK end Carolinians??? You get what you vote for.

NCPictures
July 9, 2008 1:43 p.m.

Resigning in the middle of an investigation that could have you fired or facing criminal charges is the biggest way to say, "I'm Guilty!". Not surprised he resigned, but he should have been fired before he had the chance.

momof3inNC
July 9, 2008 1:12 p.m.