The ousted executive director of the Tri-County Regional Planning Commission is responding to the group’s move to fire him.
The planning group last month voted to suspend and terminate Pete Saunders. No reason was publicly given for the vote. But Saunders is responding to issues first reported in the Peoria Journal Star that he used a Tri-County vehicle to travel between Naperville and Peoria and used a Tri-County card to buy fuel. Saunders says that he was given unwritten consent to use the vehicle between both places. He also says the recent issues don't compare with a series of disputes involving former longtime executive director Terry Kohlbuss:
“Those to me, are actions that are worthy of termination. What I did, I went home on weekends and holidays, and that’s all that I did.”
Saunders also acknowledges that he improperly filled-out some weekly time sheets used to calculate pay, saying it was a mistake. Saunders calls the Tri-County board’s decision to terminate an overreaction, and says he’s weighing his legal options. Board members declined to comment on the matter.