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Former officer Justin Kreshel raises payroll dispute; council says matter referred to county attorney
Summary
Former officer Justin Kreshel pressed the council about alleged unpaid vacation and sick pay during the Sept. 16 Carbondale City Council meeting; city staff said a payroll clerical error led to an overpayment, sick time is not payable under policy, and the city attorney said the matter has been referred to the county attorney for possible criminal investigation.
Former officer Justin Kreshel told the Carbondale City Council on Sept. 16 that he believed he was owed additional vacation and sick pay after a payroll discrepancy.
Kreshel said he had been paid out 55 hours of vacation but believed his correct payout should have been 24 hours; council staff confirmed a clerical error arising from spreadsheets that do not sync with the payroll system. He also asked to be paid out roughly 437 hours of sick time — an amount he estimated at about $11,000 — which city staff said policy does not allow.
City Clerk Emily Bessette explained that vacation accruals are calculated from an internal spreadsheet and that QuickBooks (payroll) and the spreadsheet do not synchronize, producing a clerical overpayment earlier in 2024. Bessette told Kreshel the spreadsheet showed the higher accrual but that the programs did not match on paystubs.
During the public discussion, Attorney Barnes told Kreshel the city had offered a resignation in lieu of termination and read portions of policy and potential legal consequences. Barnes said the facts were referred to the county attorney’s office for investigation and warned that a misdemeanor conviction could affect eligibility to serve as a law-enforcement officer in Kansas. Kreshel acknowledged, saying, “What am I not allowed to ask a question,” and later told the council he understood “what I did was wrong.”
The council did not take further personnel action at the meeting. Barnes said no additional council action was required at that time; the city has provided Kreshel opportunity to resign, and the county attorney will determine whether charges are pursued.
Why it matters: The council’s discussion distinguishes a payroll clerical error from alleged conduct that the city attorney says may implicate state criminal statutes. The outcome now depends on the county attorney’s review; the council recorded no vote to fire or reinstate Kreshel during the meeting.
