Clinic director's contract terminated amid allegations

ZANESVILLE – An investigation into the executive director of the Muskingum TB and Respiratory Clinic speaks of favoritism, misusing work time and creating fraudulent documents.

The result was the termination of Crystal Bebout's contract by the Muskingum County commissioners.

But her daughter, Emily Bellville, who also was employed at the clinic at the time of the alleged misconduct, denies the allegations against her mother. Instead, she believes the person who made the initial complaints was merely looking to vilify her mother after her own termination.

What the reports describes favoritism, Bellville said was nothing more than Bebout's overall generosity, which extended to all the employees when they were in need.

It's Bebout's treatment of her daughter that is at the center of the investigation. And while her official notice of termination didn't list a cause for termination, the commissioners determined there was sufficient evidence to terminate her contract.

The investigation began when former employee Kim West came forward with the complaints.

According to Jeff Stankunas, an attorney representing the commissioners, some of West's initial allegations were proved false, although the subsequent investigation yielded evidence of Bebout showing favoritism, misusing working hours, creating fraudulent documents and attempting to transfer ownership of a county-owned vehicle to her son-in-law.

The investigation was conducted through a series of interviews with employees of the clinic and Bebout herself, as well as a review of the clinic's records and Bebout's computer.

Bebout had worked for the TB clinic since 2007 and was in the second year of a three-year contract, set to expire Dec. 31, 2016, with a yearly salary of $81,000 with benefits, according to Stankunas.

Bebout has been on paid administrative leave since May 7 after commissioners became aware of possible misconduct. Her contract with the Muskingum Respiratory Care Association and the Muskingum TB and Respiratory Clinic will be officially terminated in one month, in accordance with a required 30-day notice of termination.

Bebout could not be reached for comment.

Among the chief areas of concern is the favoritism she allegedly showed toward her daughter, whom investigators say Bebout hired without considering other applicants and despite her daughter's alleged record of tardiness and absenteeism at a previous job.

The favoritism toward her daughter also included the awarding of unauthorized vacation days, sick leave, overtime pay and assistance with her daughter's work load, which some coworkers described as "doing her daughter's work for her," according to a statement made to the county commissioners.

In addition, a significant number of Bebout's daughter's payroll records were missing from the TB clinic at the time of the investigation, officials said.

Bellville stands by her mother and strongly denies the allegations.

"Throughout her years at (the clinic), my mother was never once reprimanded, consistently received bonuses for her work ethic and results, and has always shown high moral standards," Bellville said. "If one of her employees needed help with something, be it to borrow some money for lunch or just assistance on the job, she would help out of her own generosity, and not because of some pattern of favoritism."

Despite the investigation's conclusion that Bebout unfairly awarded her daughter with vacation time, overtime pay and sick days, Bellville said the Human Resources Department of the clinic would have handled all such affairs and that her mother had no part in the matter.

Perhaps the most glaring instance of reported misconduct noted by investigators was Bebout's alleged attempt to trade in a county owned vehicle under circumstances in which it appeared she was attempting for her son-in-law to obtain ownership of the vehicle.

Both Bebout and Bellville have denied any intention of wrongdoing with regard to the trade in of the vehicle, claiming the car would have been traded in at a dealership where it would have been free to purchase by anyone, with all money then going back to the county, while noting that the vehicle ultimately was never traded in because of budgetary concerns at the clinic.

"This whole situation is getting blown way out of proportion," Bellville said. "My mother has been swept up by vindictive, false allegations, and the fact that her reputation is now being called into question is absolutely unfair and is not in any way representative of the person she is or the quality of work she has done."

Since Bebout has been placed on administrative leave, Peggy Orecchio has served as the interim executive of the clinic.

epsmith@gannett.com

740-450-6772

Twitter: @evansmithreport