20 suspended, 2 fired at Idaho roads agency

BOISE — As many as 22 Idaho Transportation Department employees were disciplined by the agency for improperly using state equipment, with two losing their jobs. Rep. JoAn Wood, the Rigby Republican who heads the House Transportation Committee, said Tuesday that agency director Brian Ness called her personally to inform her of the disciplinary action. Wood said an investigation into the undisclosed activities preceded Ness’s arrival at the agency last November. She declined to say what the employees did, but said 20 of the Transportation Department’s 1,800 employees were suspended without pay “for as many days as they misused the equipment.” Two were fired. Jeff Stratten, an agency spokesman, didn’t immediately return a message seeking comment. The Idaho Statesman reported on the disciplinary action on its Web site on Tuesday.