53-year-old paul salazar was fired by the city in 2007 for not telling his boss about a child molestation charge. the charge was eventually dropped as part of a plea deal. and salazar never gave up fighting to proclaim his innocence -- and to get back behind the wheel of a-b-q ride. paul salazar, who in 2007, served 18 months of probation for criminal sexual contact of a minor, now has his job back as a city bus driver. his attorney says he officially starts work again next week. salazar pled no contest to the charge - served his probation, and as part of the plea deal -- did not have to register as a sex offender -- meaning he could still drive a city bus. but his then- boss, greg payne, fired him -- because he says salazar did not inform him about the charge -- something required by city law. salazar appealed his termination to the city personnel board -- who determined that salazar should not have been fired. former mayor martin chavez appealed that ruling to district court. a judge then sent the case back to the personnel board who for a second time, ordered the city to re-hire salazar. payne says not only did mayor richard berry re- hire him, but also is forced to pay salazar two years of back-pay "i think the personnel board is absolutely crazy to say we need to bring this individual back, put him behind the wheel of a bus and give him 100- thousand dollars, that's nuts" city c-a-o david campbell says by law - based on the personnel board's findings, the city had no choice but to re-hire salazar and pay him any lost wages. payne says considering salazar's case, if mayor berry was forced to re-hire him - he should have given him a position where he's not around children. but campbell says having salazar continue his previous job was the best choice "we looked to a number of positions where he might be reinstated, but the most appropriate one for him to be reinstated to was the one he did an excellent job at which was being a bus driver" payne says a district court judge never made a ruling on the case, and says mayor berry could have appealed the personnel board's ruling - taking it back to court. but campbell says by the time berry took office, the statute of limitations for filing any appeal on the case had already expired.

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