Several individuals, including employees of the Saline County Road and Bridge Department, showed support for their former boss during the public forum at Tuesday morning’s Saline County Commission meeting.

Gary Nash, who was hired as the director of the Road and Bridge department last August, was terminated by County Commissioner on a vote of 3-2 at last week’s meeting. Commissioners John Price, Jim Gile, and Dave Smith voted in favor of Nash’s termination, while Commissioners Monte Shadwick and Luci Larson voted against it.

“There had been a falling off of the progress that was being made,” said Timothy Crough, an employee of the Road and Bridge Department. “There had been a lot of improvement since he (Nash) came in.”

“The man came in with a definition and came in with an idea. He really turned around the morale of the people I work with,” Crough said. “I respected the man and what he was trying to do”

Saline County resident Jim Wiley also voiced his disapproval at the decision to let Nash go. “You did the taxpayers a diservice and you owe the taxpayers an explanation,” he told commissioners.

Road and Bridge employee Neil Schneider concurred with Wiley’s sediments. “You did do a diservice to not only the employees of Road and Bridge, but the county in general,” he said.

County Commissioners once again did not comment on Nash or his termination.