Final paycheck of fired Wake official being withheld

Wake County is trying to get back some money spent by an employee who was fired for taking excessive trips.

Receipts show Craig P. Wittig, the recycling program manager for the county's Solid Waste Management Division, took at least 46 trips between his hiring in February 2006 and his termination on June 3.

The trips included whale-watching off the coast of Maine, four ventures to Disney World and a trip to Las Vegas.

County records show he traveled two to three times a month.

County manager David Cooke issued a status report on Thursday. It stated the county is holding Wittig's final paycheck to recoup losses.

Administrators also plan to reevaluate who gets county-issued credit cards.

The county has issued charge cards to 535 of its more than 3,800 employees. In the past 11 months, more than $5.7 million was charged to those cards.

The Wake County District Attorney's Office is also looking into the matter.