Published: May 16, 2008 04:53 pm            

OUR VIEW - May 14

We're still waiting

It's been 47 days since the Democrat requested, by email, a copy of OMI's report of its investigation into allegations of illegal dumping by some of its workers.

Still no response.

Despite the passage of time, the facts remain compelling. An OMI employee risked criminal prosecution - not to mention his job - by coming forward last year to admit he'd followed an OMI manager's orders to dump raw sewage down a Live Oak city storm drain.

A Department of Environmental Protection investigation proved "inconclusive," in the language of lead investigator Stewart Romack, due to the passage of time between the alleged violation and notification of the agency. In an interview with the Democrat, however, Romack made clear he'd be back should new evidence come to light.

It was at this point that OMI project manager Todd Hunt, who doubles as the city's public works director (a post he will soon give up), ordered an internal OMI investigation into the matter.

Except for an OMI official's cursory summary purporting to clear company employees of wrongdoing, no more was heard of the inquiry.

It's not just the public that's been snubbed. OMI also refused to provide the city of Live Oak - its employer, for all practical purposes - with a copy of the report.

If OMI's inquiry turned up no evidence of wrongdoing, fine. But we'd at least like the company to explain how it can be so sure - where DEP wasn't - that nobody did anything wrong.

We've noted before that OMI is a private company, though one that performs an important public function. This is surely a case in which the public has a right to all the facts.

        

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