REGION
Tuesday, February 15, 2022
East Oregonian
A3
Pendleton set to hire fi rst communications position
By ANTONIO SIERRA
East Oregonian
PENDLETON — The city
of Pendleton wants to hire
someone to help it speak to
the public.
The city posted a job ad for
a “communications special-
ist,” a part-time position that
will be responsible for facil-
itating the city’s internal and
external communication. The
20-hour-per-week position is
off ering between $29,120 and
$32,240 in pay per year plus
limited benefi ts.
City council and staff have
bandied the idea of hiring a
permanent spokesperson or
public information officer
for years, but City Manager
Robb Corbett said it gained
more traction once the city
council adopted improving
communication as an offi cial
goal.
R at her t ha n assig n
communication duties to an
existing employee, Corbett
said he decided to leave an
unrelated position unfi lled
and create the specialist posi-
tion in its stead.
“It’s just become more
and more diffi cult for us to do
everything that needs to be
done or to carry it to the next
level,” he said. “We didn’t how they may impact their
feel like the staff could do neighborhoods or commutes.
that in addition to their jobs.”
“We’ve not done a very
The staffer will report good job of keeping people
i n for me d ab out
straight to Corbett
and have to fi ll a wide
what’s happening,”
range of communica-
he said. “I’m not
tion roles.
talking broadly. I’m
Pendleton has
talking about when
seen an uptick in
(the) street’s ripped
infrastructure proj-
up. I think people
want to know what’s
ects such as road
Corbett
going on.”
repairs and util-
The specialist
ity replacements in
recent years. Corbett said one also would help manage the
of the specialist’s tasks will city’s social media accounts,
be to regularly update resi- but not just to post updates or
dents on construction proj- press releases. Corbett said
ects around town and explain the employee will need to
post corrections or responses
when the city believes misin-
formation about an issue is
spreading.
Many of the communi-
cation employee’s respon-
sibilities are ref lective
of the council’s previous
complaints about the city’s
communication process,
council members often
ask ing st aff members
how the city is addressing
complaints they feel are
unfair or inaccurate.
Another running issue
the council frequently brings
up is what the city is doing
to promote its successes.
Corbett said the specialist
would be tasked with posting
highlights and accomplish-
ments.
“We’ve accomplished
quite a bit and there are a lot
of things that are happening
that we’re not talking about
that we need to be talking
about,” he said. “We’re
hoping that this person will
help us to be able to identify
those things that we need to
celebrate as a community and
to share that with the public.”
The city expects to fi ll the
position in the near future.
The application period for the
position closes Feb. 28.
Pendleton motel project could get $600K Pendleton man in jail
after fi ring gun in trailer
East Oregonian
East Oregonian
PENDLETON — Acting
as the Pendleton Development
Commission, the Pendleton
City Council will consider
approving a $600,000 fi nan-
cial aid package to help a Port-
land business group renovate
and reopen the vacant motel
at 310 S.E. Dorion Ave.
The
com mission
meets Tuesday, Feb. 15,
to discuss the prospects
of the MotoLodge, the
former Knights Inn motel
that Cascadia Hospitality
recently purchased. One part
of the package is a $500,000
grant from the commission’s
Rejuvenation program. The
program is meant to address
project’s that are multi-fac-
eted remodels, and the grant
amount is equivalent to 40%
of the project’s $1.3 million
price tag.
“This will be a tremen-
dous boost to downtown
Pendleton’s attractiveness to
visitors,” Charles Denight,
the commission’s associ-
ate director, wrote in a staff
report. “Not only does it add
40 valuable lodging rooms
to our current inventory,
but the rooms will be new,
beautifully designed and
within walking distance
of our dining and shopping
Ben Lonergan/East Oregonian, File
Roofi ng materials line the rooftop of the former Knights Inn on Feb. 1, 2022, in Pendleton.
The Pendleton Development Commission meets Tuesday, Feb. 15, to consider approving a
$600,000 fi nancial aid package to help the Portland business that is renovating the hotel.
areas downtown.”
Denight also wrote that
Cascadia intends to upgrade
the landscaping and pool
once they open their doors to
guests this May.
The other part of the pack-
age is a $100,000 Jump Start
loan. The loan is set to be paid
back in three years with a 3%
interest rate.
The commission is also
slated to hear several reports,
including a report on down-
town storefront occupancy.
After the commission meet-
ing ends, the council will
convene to discuss renewing
the city’s auditor contract,
several issues related to hous-
ing on the South Hill and
designs for a new bus barn.
The development commis-
sion meeting will be at 6 p.m.
at the council chambers in
Pendleton City Hall, 500 S.W.
Dorion Ave. The commission
meeting will be immediately
followed by a city council
meeting at 7 p.m. Both meet-
ings are available to watch
virtually via Zoom at bit.
ly/3zZlbJb.
PENDLETON — Police
on Monday, Feb. 14, arrested
a man following negotiations
after a 911 caller reported he
broke into a trailer and shot a
gun.
Marvin Richard Strong,
39, of Pendleton, now is in the
Umatilla County Jail on on
numerous charges.
Pendleton police at
10:21 a.m. responded to Go
Fish RV, 1500 S.E. Byers Ave.,
after receiving a 911 call of a
possibly suicidal male who
broke into a trailer and shot a
round from a handgun, accord-
ing to a press release from
Pendleton police.
Police at the scene learned
Strong was inside a trailer and
armed with the homeowner’s
handgun. The homeowner also
reported Strong fi red one round
from the handgun during an
argument.
Officers established a
perimeter, evacuated others
nearby and attempted to estab-
lish contact with Strong, Pend-
leton police reported.
Additionally, the police
department directed the school
resource officer to contact
Washington Elementary
School, 1205 S.E. Byers Ave.,
to place the school in lockout
status during the remainder of
the incident. The offi cer also
stayed on site at the school to
ensure everyone’s safety.
The Pendleton Police
Department also brought in
its crisis negotiator to establish
contact with Strong.
He exited the trailer at
12:05 p.m. and surrendered to
offi cers. Police booked Strong
into the Umatilla County Jail on
the following charges: fi rst-de-
gree burglary, unlawful use of
a weapon, felon in possession
of a weapon, pointing a fi rearm
at another, domestic violence
menacing and second-degree
disorderly conduct and on a
probation violation.
Oregon State Police,
Umatilla County Sheriff’s
Office and Pendleton Fire
and Ambulance Department
assisted at the scene. There
were no reports of injuries,
according to the press release,
and there is no ongoing threat
to the public.
Records show Umatilla
County Circuit Court in
August 2021 sentenced Strong
to two years probation for
felony strangulation and on
Jan. 25 issued a warrant for his
arrest for violating the proba-
tion.
The case now goes to the
district attorney’s offi ce.
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