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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 27, 2015)
Page 8A East Oregonian Complaints to government waste hotline at ¿YH\HDUKLJK By HILLARY BORRUD Capital Bureau SALEM — The Oregon 6HFUHWDU\ RI 6WDWH¶V 2I¿FH is on track to receive more complaints this year to the government waste, fraud and abuse hotline than in DQ\ RI WKH SUHYLRXV ¿YH years. As of Nov. 10, the agency had received 235 complaints, according to audit manager V. Dale Bond at the Secretary of State’s Audits Division. Employees still have to go back to remove any duplicate complaints, but the highest number of complaints LQ WKH ODVW ¿YH \HDUV ZDV 184 complaints in 2010, according to an email from Bond. The lowest number of complaints during that period was 145 complaints in 2012. Molly Woon, a spokes- woman for the Secretary RI 6WDWH¶V 2I¿FH VDLG employees believe the increase in complaints to the hotline might be connected to Gov. Kate Brown’s message to state employees in March, in which the governor asked employees to speak up if they observe problems. Brown included a link to the web page for the government waste, fraud and abuse hotline. “We think this is at least in part due to the Governor’s introductory email to state employees in March ... and her highlighting the hotline program in her new role,” Woon wrote in an email. In her message to employees in March, Brown highlighted the response of employees at the state data center who questioned a request from a staffer in former Gov. John .LW]KDEHU¶V RI¿FH WR GHOHWH Kitzhaber’s emails. “I believe the staff members at (Department of Administrative Services) who were not comfortable with what they believed they were being asked to do E\ *RY .LW]KDEHU¶V RI¿FH responded correctly by notifying their supervisors, and the agency’s decision to suspend further action was appropriate,” Brown wrote. “I appreciate the good judgment these individuals demonstrated as well as the investigative work that is bringing important informa- tion regarding these events to light.” Statistics on the outcomes of the complaints were not available on Wednesday, but they can vary widely depending upon the inci- dent. For example, a 2014 complaint that Oregon Parks and Recreation Department employees had not properly recorded work absences was referred to the parks department for an internal investigation. The inquiry revealed that two employees VSHFL¿FDOO\LGHQWL¿HGLQWKH complaint — HR director Tasha Petersen and HR analyst Susan Kirschen- mann — had recorded on their timesheets that they worked hours when they were actually out of the RI¿FH IRU YDFDWLRQ RU VLFN leave. Earlier this year, a complaint to the hotline prompted auditors at the 6HFUHWDU\RI6WDWH¶V2I¿FHWR investigate the Department of Energy’s handling of UHQHZDEOH HQHUJ\ DQG HI¿- ciency tax credits. Auditors ultimately concluded that the Department of Energy never publicized a 2012 decision to allow people to ignore price regulations on the sale of energy tax credits, VR IHZ ¿QDQFH ¿UPV NQHZ they could negotiate such deals. Brown responded to WKH¿QGLQJVE\FDOOLQJIRUD review of the Department of Energy. “Our hotline team works diligently to triage urgent complaints and concerns, forward calls to other state agencies when appropriate, and investigate cases when necessary,” Woon wrote in an email. ——— The Capital Bureau is a collaboration between EO Media Group and Pamplin Media Group. Friday, November 27, 2015 OFF PAGE ONE REUNION: Missed her job as a communicable disease nurse in order not to sweat, something doctors advised her to minimize in hour, she got into her car and order to reduce radiation spread. She bagged all garbage for one headed toward home. During the trip back to Athena, month of storage before sending to Roggiero needed frequent breaks WKHODQG¿OO To pass the time, she became to deal with all that water going RQHRI1HWÀL[¶VPRVWDUGHQWPRYLH through her system. ³,W ZDV D ¿YHDQGDKDOI KRXU watchers, viewing about four drive,” said Roggiero, laughing. “I videos every day. Her faves, she said, included “Silver Linings Play- plotted out all the rest stops.” She took care to keep her book,” “The Interview,” “Revenge distance from others. At each rest of the Bridesmaids” and the entire area, she waited until the coast was “Left Behind” series. During the siege, Roggiero clear, then used a paper towel to open restroom doors. Afterward she missed her job as a communicable disease nurse with the Umatilla cleaned any surfaces she touched. Reaching her house in Athena, County Public Health Department, Roggiero walked inside her but not as much as hugs from her unusually quiet abode and settled four children. Sebastian and Sean, in. Following a list of precautions, 9, Whitney, 15, and Charlie, 5, she washed the same few dishes called frequently to cheer their over and over. Her television mom, but she longed to hold them. remote control went into a plastic Her mother dropped by with the EDJ1RUPDOO\D¿WQHVVIDQDWLFVKH FKLOGUHQIRU¿YHPLQXWHYLVLWVIURP chose to forgo her aerobics routine afar. As Roggiero stood in her Continued from 1A bedroom doorway and the children in the living room, they exchanged air hugs. “It’s hard,” she said earlier this week. “I’ve had my tears, but I know there’s an end to it. It’s not forever.” Roggiero say she tries to stay upbeat. Her cancer has a high survival rate. She has amazing support from her family and friends. “I’m extremely blessed,” she said. On Tuesday, she drove to Seattle for a whole body scan. She returned to Athena on Thanksgiving Eve with one thing in mind — hugging her children. On Thanksgiving Eve, she slipped into the home of her parents, Robert and Barbara McLean, and waited for her chil- dren to notice. It took a moment, EXW WKH\ ¿QDOO\ UHDOL]HG KHU SUHV- ence and ran to their mom. “We sat and hugged for about 30 minutes,” Roggiero said. “It felt good.” Her son, Sean, said the time of being apart was tough. “I felt like my heart was breaking into a hundred pieces,” he said. On Thanksgiving Day, they returned to the McLean home to enjoy turkey with family and friends. Roggiero reveled in the togetherness. They laughed and talked. Everyone shared something for which they were especially thankful by writing it on a piece of paper. Roggiero couldn’t choose just one. “I am thankful for the gift of life and the opportunity to start fresh every day,” she wrote. She gave thanks for God and modern medicine and “my babies.” ——— Contact Kathy Aney at kaney@ eastoregonian.com or call 541-966-0810. DODD: µ,W¶VJRLQJWREHDYHU\GLI¿FXOWKDUGVKLSIRUKHU¿QDQFLDOO\DQGSK\VLFDOO\¶ she received the call about Dodd’s accident from a mutual friend, and help from nurses. But she knows her wanted to do something to help her strength will return with therapy. Her land back on her feet. goal is to return home in the next “She could potentially be out of 10-14 days, though it will likely take work for who knows how long,” several months of recovery before Verba said. “It’s going to be a very she is able to get back to work as a GLI¿FXOWKDUGVKLSIRUKHU¿QDQFLDOO\ mental health associate at Lifeways and physically.” in Pendleton. Dodd currently lives in Hermiston “It’s really hard on me,” Dodd with her uncle. She was on her way said in an interview from the hospital. to work the evening of Tuesday, Nov. “The things you take for granted, 17 when gusty winds whipped across just being able to scratch your own Eastern Oregon, kicking up clouds of head when it itches ... It’s a hardship. dirt over the highway. It’s not something I would wish on Dodd made it about as far as the anyone to go through.” Echo Road exit when a truck and Friends and family have rallied van in front of her slowed down. She around Dodd for support, both slowed behind them, turned on her HPRWLRQDOO\ DQG ¿QDQFLDOO\ 'RGG¶V hazard lights and began looking for best friend from Pendleton High a place to pull off the road. School, Circe Verba, has started The next thing she remembers is a GoFundMe account to help the EMT on scene asking if she was Dodd pay for her medical bills and awake. expenses. The account has received The wreck ended in a pileup of $480 and been shared 48 times on ¿YHVHPLWUDFWRUVDQGVL[SDVVHQJHU Facebook. cars. A truck driver from Idaho, Verba, who lives in Albany, said 47-year-old William Hernandez, was Continued from 1A killed in the collision. Dodd knows it could have been much worse for her. “I have so many things to be thankful for,” she said. “I’m still here, and I have so many people who care for me.” A nurse at St. Anthony called Dodd’s mother, Paula Morris, to let her know about the accident. Morris said she was shocked to see her daughter carried away in an ambu- lance, but thankful Dodd is alive. “I think some days she’s down a little bit, when she can’t do things to help herself,” Morris said. “I try to encourage her things will get better.” Dodd has a son, 10-year-old Robert, who lives with his dad out of state. Robert has Asperger’s syndrome and struggles to handle VWUHVV'RGGVDLG6KH¿QDOO\FDOOHG him Wednesday, a conversation that resulted in tears. “He just doesn’t understand why I won’t be able to Skype with him for a while,” Dodd said. “It was really emotional.” Dodd missed Thanksgiving dinner at her mother’s home, but Morris said she talks with her daughter at least 2-3 times a day. And Dodd has been close to everyone’s thoughts — especially the congregation at Bethel Assembly of God, where they attend church. Verba said it has been a couple of years since she has seen her friend, and the accident has reminded her KRZÀHHWLQJOLIHFDQEH “I think it teaches us to be really thankful for the people in our lives,” she said. “It makes me very thankful (Dodd) is still here, and I haven’t lost her.” Likewise, Dodd said she is thankful to have such a great support group behind her. “I know I’ll get through this because of them,” she said. To donate to Dodd’s recovery, visit www.gofundme.com/tdodd. ——— Contact George Plaven at gplaven@eastoregonian.com or 541-966-0825.