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Friday, March 23, 2012

Troubling incident at garage sale ends with POA employee under arrest

I am deeply concerned with the direction the Village POA has taken under the leadership of POA general manager Scott Randall and POA board of directors' president Jerry Kosoglow. On Friday, March 23, Cole P. Atherton, age 53, a part-time building and complaint inspector for the POA's planning and inspection department allegedly assaulted two people at a garage/estate sale at 6 Jumilla Lane.


According to witnesses Atherton allegedly brought pulled-up signs to the Jumilla Lane home, used foul language and assaulted two people, a man and a woman. Both victims were pushed to the ground. The man had a pacemaker put in just last week and the woman had open heart surgery just four months ago. Both victims were over 60 years old.


A.L. Cornett, director, department of public safety, Hot Springs Village POA, reported the arrest of Atherton on suspicion of two counts of second degree battery, a Class D felony.


Atherton was booked into the Garland County jail pending the filing of charges. If convicted, Atherton could be sentenced up to six years imprisonment and fined up to $10,000 on each count.


Atherton's employment with the POA was terminated this afternoon.


According to Cornett, the investigation into the incident continues.


The assaulted woman has requested formal charges be brought against Atherton.


Steve White, director of the POA planning and inspection department was called back from his vacation to deal with this matter. He had no comment on the incident and subsequent arrest.

8 comments:

  1. Oh joy, lethal force for garage sale signs. Figures Steve was MIA, AKA "on vacation". So when are Steve White and Charles Williams ever at work a full day or do anything when they are there? It's too late for Dawna, too bad such decisive action wasn't taken as quickly for her. More examples of behavior that is symptomatic of much deeply rooted problems.

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  2. If you think that White and Williams are never at work, you ought to check on our Director of Golfk, John Paul, who plays golf three or four days during the week at Diamante!! Our leadership and higher level employees are bankrupting us with their ineptness. The intertwining of the "good 'ol boys" syndrome continues and we are expected to pick up the tab. I am tired of paying extravagant full time wages for part time work. I do not know if the POA Board is aware or is apathetic to the situations, but we need people on there that have a little common sense and are willing to represent the property owners, not the management. Changes are needed now. Wake up villagers!!!!

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    1. If you are going to participate in forwarding rumors at least get some information first. John Paul has had a bad back and has played less than 4 rounds this year. Sometimes cannot even ride in a cart with the pain.

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    2. Get real! Not rumor, just fact.
      The bad back has not been affecting his golfiing in the immediate past. He has a long history of playing regularly at Diamante as previously stated, but very seldom, if ever, plays any of the village courses for which he is responsible (sometimes Granada and Isabella). Hard to have first hand knowledge of courses for which you are making financial decisions without personally taking the time to play or at least ride them. Sorry, quick pro shop visits do not count!!!

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    3. Concerning Mr. Paul, How is it that he can hire a golf shop manager (Balboa) without following policy by posting the opening for the prescribed time period. If the person that was hired was a current employee, then that would be considered a transfer and perhaps more acceptable. As it turns out, the chosen person was not at the time a current employee, but a past employee who happens to be a close friend of both Mr. Paul and Mr.Heffer. The newly selected manager is probably a very good person and there is no issue with him. The issue is not what was done, but rather how it was done. The policy exists for a reason and needs to be followed and the opening posted just like any other vacancy, but then again not much seems to apply to Mr. Paul. Another question, Why has Mr. Ross suddenly been terminated? Inquiring minds want to know, but in the Village the truth is covered up by the before mentioned Good Ol Boys Club.

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  3. Louise Jacobson was the best Manager within the POA. She was smart to get out of all this nonsense.

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  4. While the subject is POA employees the 2 at our Animal Shelter will let dogs and puppies wallow in feces while they're busy playing solitaire on the computer or out for one of their 2 hour "nuisance" calls. Those poor souls are left in dirty cages many times when Animal Control leaves at the end of the day. Who checks on these employees to evaluate their work performance? The planning and inspection department oversees the Animal Control operation which has been piss poor for a long time and never gets any better.

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  5. Well known among animal shelter regulars that the POA "side" of the operation is a joke. Money for nothin..

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