Polk County News
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CORRECTIONS
Central High School is at
1530 Monmouth St., Independ-
ence. The I-O regrets the error.
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Polk County Itemizer-Observer • January 11, 2017 3A
New mayor, councilors address policies
By Emily Mentzer
The Itemizer-Observer
MONMOUTH — The city
of Monmouth is now compli-
ant with the state’s whistle-
blower protection laws.
The council passed the
city’s policy unanimously at
the Jan. 3 council meeting
after much discussion about
definitions and protection
against retaliation.
The state legislature passed
a law in 2016 requiring gov-
ernment organizations to
have a whistleblower policy,
City Manager Scott McClure
said in a memo to the council.
The policy passed at the
meeting was taken from the
city’s insurance agency, as
well as state law.
Councilor Laurel Sharmer
asked about protections
against and definitions of re-
taliation.
“It’s a whole change in
work environment,” Mc-
Clure said. Retaliation could
be anything from losing a
parking spot, a change in
position, or being shunned.
Councilor Byron Shinkle
asked about the city’s
human resource depart-
ment, which was not men-
tioned in the policy.
McClure said there is no
official HR department. In-
stead, employees would
start with a complaint or
concern to their manager or
department head, and work
their way up to McClure.
Councilor Tom Steinke had
concerns about the language
in the policy, which reads,
“The city will not retaliate
against an employee who dis-
closes information that the
employee reasonably be-
lieves is evidence of … gross
waste of funds … substantial
and specific danger to public
health resulting from action
of the city.”
WEATHER
RECORDED
HIgH LOW
Jan. 3.................. 38
Jan. 4.................. 38
Jan. 5.................. 37
Jan. 6.................. 39
Jan. 7.................. 29
Jan. 8.................. 41
Jan. 9.................. 43
EMILY MENTZER/ Itemizer-Observer
Mayor Steve Milligan honors former mayor John Oberst during the Jan. 3 city council meeting.
“I would remove the word
‘gross,’” Steinke said. “If
someone’s wasting $10 a
week, I want to hear about
it. All that does is reduce the
confidence that their com-
plaint is protected.”
Shinkle said that while he
understood Steinke’s point,
the whistleblower policy was
intended to elevate the level
of egregiousness of what’s
going on, “so as not to en-
compass anyone who com-
plains about a faulty stapler
if I don’t use it correctly.”
McClure said the policy is
intended to protect employ-
ees complaining about
something substantial.
“I would err on the side of
too many complaints as op-
posed to squelching legitimate
complaints,” Steinke said.
After a failed motion to
table the item for future
meetings, the council unani-
mously passed the policy.
In other business:
The Monmouth Engaged
bicycle and pedestrian com-
mittee was approved for
grants from Cycle Oregon to
pay for two bicycle repair
stations. One will be in-
stalled near the Monmouth
Police Station on Highway
99’s bike path, and the other
near the Main Street Park
amphitheater.
Bicycle repair stations in-
clude a pedestal and all the
POLICE REPORT
RAIN
26
25
17
14
23
28
36
.00
.T
.00
.00
.27
.69
.95
www.polkio.com
Rainfall during Jan. — 2.31 in.
Rain through Jan. 9 — 2.31 in.
cense, driving while suspended
and driving insured.
Gregory J. Higgins II, 21, of
Crabtree, in the 300 block of NE
Kings Valley Hwy. on Jan. 4 on
charges of second-degree theft,
third-degree theft and first-de-
gree criminal trespassing.
Jessica A. Wynne, 23 of Crab-
tree, Ore., in the 300 block of NE
Kings Valley Highway on Jan. 4
on charges of second-degree
theft and first-degree criminal
trespassing.
Luis Eduardo Vaca Gonzalez,
26, of Salem, in the 100 block of
W. Ellendale Ave. on Jan. 4 on a
charge of failure to carry or
present an operator’s license.
INDEPENDENCE
Arrests/Citations
Oscar Eduardo Llamas Ar-
royo, 46, of Independence, at
Monmouth and 10th sts. on
Jan. 1 for DUII.
Ramon Garcia Fabela, 28, of
Independence, in the 3300
block of Independence Hwy.
on Jan. 2 for DUII, reckless driv-
ing and criminal mischief.
Anthony Wesley Good, 31, of
Salem, in the 900 block of S.
Main St. on Jan. 2 for posses-
sion of meth and on a warrant
for probation violation and fail-
ure to register as a sex offender.
Melisa Collinsworth, 31, of Dal-
las, in the 1600 block of Mon-
mouth St. on Jan. 2 for possession
of meth and a parole violation.
Jorge Luis Morales Barojas,
30, of Independence, at Mon-
mouth and S. Fourth sts. on
Jan. 4 for hit-and-run.
MONMOUTH
Arrests/Citations
Brian Allen Smith, 48, of
Monmouth, in the 900 block of
Clay St. E. on Dec. 30 for DUII.
Torrey Perris Hunter, 20, of
Corvallis, at Parkmeadow Ave.
and Parkmeadow Ct. on Dec.
31 for attempting to purchase
or possess marijuana when
younger than 21.
Reece Kealakupuono Ma
Ibara, 21, of Monmouth, at
Main St. E. and Warren St. N. on
Jan. 1 for DUII.
Dakota A. Jones, 18, of Dal-
las, in the 1300 block of
Ridgeview St. N. on Jan. 1 for
third-degree theft.
Amy Louise Stevens, 37, of
Monmouth, in the 100 block of
Clay St. E
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Also, the council adopted
regulations to enforce the 3
percent tax on recreational
marijuana that voters ap-
proved in November 2016.
Matinees are all shows
before 6pm. New pricing for
matinees are: Adult $8.00
Children $7.00 • Senior $7.25
Pricing does not reflect
3D showings.
Friday - Monday
January 13 - January 16
UNDERWORLD:
BLOOD WARS (Digital) (R)
BYE BYE MAN (Digital) (PG13)
MONSTER TRUCKS (Digital) (PG)
LA LA LAND (Digital) (PG13)
PATRIOTS DAY (Digital) (R)
LIVE BY NIGHT (Digital) (R)
SING (Digital) (PG)
HIDDEN FIGURES (Digital) (PG)
(12:45 3:00 5:15)
(12:10 2:30 4:50)
(11:50 2:20 4:50)
(1:05 4:00)
(12:40 3:40)
(1:00 3:55)
(11:25 2:00 4:35)
(1:15 4:05)
7:30 9:50*
7:10 9:30*
7:20 9:50*
7:00 9:55*
6:40 9:40*
6:50 9:45*
7:10 9:45*
6:55 9:40*
* Not showing Monday January 16
Information for the police
report comes from law en-
forcement agencies. Not all
calls for service are included.
The status of incidents re-
ported may change after fur-
ther investigation. Individu-
als arrested or suspected of
crimes are considered inno-
cent until proven guilty.
—
DALLAS
Arrests/Citations
Adrian Cortes Arreola, 26, of
Salem, in the 900 block of E. El-
lendale Ave. on Jan. 2 on a
charge of failure to carry or
present an operator’s license.
Shayne B. Handsaker, 51, of
Dallas, in the 100 block of W. El-
lendale Ave. on Jan. 2 on mis-
demeanor driving under the in-
fluence of intoxicants.
Charla K. Vaughn, 28, of In-
dependence, in the 500 block
of E. Ellendale Ave. on Jan. 3 on
charges of possession of
methamphetamine and a fail-
ure to appear warrant.
Michelle N. Patch, 29, of Dal-
las, on SW Washington St. on
Jan. 4 on charges of failure to
carry or present an operator’s li-
Rick 503-437-5398
Pencil
us in!
tools needed to repair a bike,
as well as an air pump. The
stations are included in
some smartphone apps that
use GPS, McClure said.
Tuesday - Thursday
January 17 - January 19
UNDERWORLD:
BLOOD WARS (Digital) (R)
BYE BYE MAN (Digital) (PG13)
MONSTER TRUCKS (Digital) (PG)
LA LA LAND (Digital) (PG13)
PATRIOTS DAY (Digital) (R)
LIVE BY NIGHT (Digital) (R)
SING (Digital) (PG)
HIDDEN FIGURES (Digital) (PG)
(3:00 5:15)
(2:30 4:50)
(2:20 4:50)
(1:05 4:00)
(3:40)
(1:00 3:55)
(2:00 4:35)
(1:15 4:05)
7:30
7:10
7:20
7:00
6:40
6:50
7:10
6:55