Editorials

WALNUT CREEK — The chief nursing home and hospital inspector in Contra Costa and Alameda counties was fired for what the state Department of Health Services called an “inexcusable neglect of duty,” the Contra Costa Times reported. 

Other reasons cited for the firing of Gilbert Martinez, 52, of Oakley, include dishonesty, misuse of state property, conflict of interest and embarrassing his employer, according to State Personnel Board records. 

Martinez has appealed the dismissal, said Richard Burton, his lawyer. 

“He’s being accused of things at this time that have yet to be proven,” Burton said. 

The records, released at the request of the Contra Costa Times, indicate Martinez was fired from his $71,000 a year job on Aug. 14. 

The records allege Martinez worked for a company owned by his wife that offered consulting services to nursing homes. They also allege he used his state-owned computer to access sexually explicit Web sites during normal business hours. 

Burton said the state has no proof a conflict of interest existed between Martinez and his wife, and it has denied his requests to produce evidence that Martinez used his computer to look at pornography.