Highway commissioner resumed work Monday

The county’s highway commissioner resumed work Monday following completion of a third-party investigation.

No details about the concluded investigation of Commissioner Al Rinka have been made public. Rinka was placed on administrative leave Aug. 19.

“A personnel matter at the highway department,” said county Corporation Counsel Rick Niemeier, “was brought to the county’s attention. The matter has been reviewed by an outside third party and, at this time, the matter has been resolved. Certain aspects of personnel matters are confidential and no further information on this matter is available at this time.”

Rinka was elected highway commissioner in January of 2018. A civil engineer, Rinka has been instrumental in convincing the county board in 2019 to commit to $5 million annual borrowing to fix the county’s roads.