WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2020 | SILVERTONAPPEAL.COM
PART OF THE USA TODAY NETWORK
Some utilities revive shut-offs
Say disconnects
motivate customers to
reach out for assistance
Bill Poehler
Salem Statesman Journal
USA TODAY NETWORK
Like many small utility companies, Salem Electric
had tens of thousands of dollars earmarked to help its
customers struggling financially during the COVID-19
pandemic.
Months into the crisis, though, a number of its cus-
tomers were falling farther behind on their bills and not
contacting the electrical co-op that provides power to
much of West Salem, Keizer and downtown Salem.
It’s solution was to lift its moratorium on disconnec-
tions.
In normal times, disconnection, or at least the threat
of it, is the last resort for utility companies or providers
to compel people to pay their bills or at least get them to
engage in discussion about paying.
Though the publicly-owned utilities like Portland
General Electric, Pacific Power and NW Natural con-
tinue to hold off on disconnections, Salem Electric and
other small utilities like Ashland and the Eugene Water
& Electric Board have resumed the practice.
Salem Electric general manager Tony Schacher said
the number of customers who reached out for assis-
tance has jumped since it resumed disconnects July 13.
In the months of March through June, Salem Elec-
tric customers received an average of $13,000 per
month in assistance. After resuming disconnections in
July, that jumped to $86,000.
Schacher declined to say how many of approximate-
ly 20,000 customers of the member-owned co-op have
been disconnected.
See UTILITIES, Page 3A
A wind turbine farm owned by PacifiCorp near
Glenrock, Wyo. Western U.S. electrical utility
PacifiCorp plans to move faster away from coal-fired
power while getting more juice from the sun and
wind, the company announced Oct. 3, 2019.
MATT YOUNG, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Boating deaths
highest since 1993
Oregon State Sen. James Manning at the Wayne
Morse Free Speech Plaza in Eugene, Oregon on
August, 31, 2020. Manning is the only former police
officer in the Senate well as the only former police
officer in the Legislature who is Black.
ANDY NELSON, THE REGISTER-GUARD
Oregon lawmakers
who are former cops
see need for reform
Connor Radnovich
Salem Statesman Journal
USA TODAY NETWORK
Gary Messer launches his boat, the Crystal Marie, at Wallace Marine Park. The number of boating-related
fatalities has reached near-record levels in 2020. BRIAN HAYES/STATESMAN JOURNAL
Most victims were not
wearing life jackets
Zach Urness Salem Statesman Journal | USA TODAY NETWORK
It has been a deadly year on Oregon’s lakes and riv-
ers.
The state has recorded 22 deaths involving boats
this year, the most since 1993 and nearing the record
of 25 with plenty of warm weeks remaining.
August was a particularly bad month, with eight
fatal accidents on its own; the most recent came last
weekend when a man charged with boating under the
influence slammed into a 13-year-old swimmer at
See BOATING DEATHS, Page 4A
Life jackets are available for people to use at
stations along the Willamette River in parks such as
Riverview City Park in Independence.
ABIGAIL DOLLINS/STATESMAN JOURNAL
Marion County settles sexual bias suit
Lyons woman receives
$300,000 in settlement
Bill Poehler
Salem Statesman Journal
USA TODAY NETWORK
Marion County has agreed to pay over $300,000 to
settle a sexual discrimination lawsuit filed by a long-
time employee.
Jamie Namitz filed suit against the county, former
county chief administrative officer John Lattimer and
her former manager Don Newell in district court in
February, alleging Newell said her “greatest asset”
was her “sexuality” and he would be concerned if he
promoted her, the crew wouldn’t listen
to her or respect her.
The county agreed to pay Namitz
$250,001 for damages and $61,400 for
attorneys’ fees and costs on Aug. 19 af-
ter a settlement conference, and it was
Namitz
approved by the Marion County Com-
missioners Wednesday.
Namitz, who lives in Lyons, came
forward publicly in October 2018, testifying to the
county commissioners that Newell discriminated
against her based on her sex during a job interview in
August 2018.
Newell left the employ of the county days later.
According to the lawsuit, Namitz was hired by Mar-
See BIAS, Page 3A
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As protests against police brutality of Black peo-
ple and calls for reform continue, disagreements
seen nationally over how to proceed are reflected in
the handful of former law enforcement officers now
serving as lawmakers in the Oregon Legislature.
While all shared the desire for police departments
to improve training and relationships with the public,
they differed over the immediacy of reforms, the role
of the Legislature and support for the "defund the po-
lice" movement.
Those who back more significant reforms remain
concerned about demonizing police officers and per-
petuating a growing distrust between the public and
those who are sworn to protect them.
There also is the perpetual issue of ensuring new
laws are narrow enough to avoid unintended conse-
quences, but still have the desired effect. This can be
difficult when legislating with speed.
Already this year lawmakers needed to revisit a
proposal to ban chokeholds after the first bill didn't
achieve what the chief sponsors hoped it would.
“We’re the Legislature, unintended consequences
are the biggest thing we have to deal with,” said Rep.
Ron Noble, R-McMinnville. "But we can’t be paralyz-
ed and be afraid to make a choice and be afraid to do
anything."
Seven police reform bills passed the Legislature
during two special sessions called this summer, all
with bipartisan support. However, even strong sup-
porters of that legislation said the bills mostly just
updated Oregon's statutes to where law enforcement
already practiced.
An interim legislative committee met Thursday to
discuss an additional eight bills, which could be in-
troduced in 2021 or a special session this fall. The
bills addressed issues including crowd control tech-
niques; police officer uniforms; statewide databases
for officer misconduct; and qualified immunity.
Three committee members are former police offi-
cers — Noble, Rep. Rick Lewis, R-Silverton, and Sen.
James Manning Jr., D-Eugene. Other members of the
Legislature who formerly served in law enforcement
include Rep. Sherrie Sprenger, R-Scio, Rep. Chris
Gorsek, D-Troutdale, Rep. Jeff Barker, D-Aloha, and
Rep. Carla Piluso, D-Gresham.
Manning is the only former police officer in the
Senate, as well as the only former police officer in the
Legislature who is Black. This gives him a unique
perspective, even when compared to the other for-
mer police officers.
“If you have never felt fear because of the way you
look, you don’t know what it’s like to be afraid, to
walk down your neighborhood, to see a police car pull
up beside your or slow down in your neighborhood,"
Manning said. "That is fear, and it’s real.”
While he wanted to be a police officer since he was
young, it was an incident of racial profiling when he
was in fifth grade that motivated him to join.
Manning and a friend were walking back to his
house when an officer pulled them aside and ques-
tioned them about using a hammer to break into
parking meters. Manning didn't know what the offi-
See REFORM, Page 4A