Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (July 4, 2018)
News Blue Mountain Eagle Wednesday, July 4, 2018 A5 Clerk’s stipend request turned down by court By Richard Hanners Blue Mountain Eagle It took two votes and some contentious discussion, but the Grant County Court turned down County Clerk Brenda Percy’s stipend re- quest for handling county payroll on June 27. Commissioner Boyd Brit- ton, who had announced his retirement and was attending his final county court meeting, cast the only votes favoring Percy’s request. Percy was not present in the room, and Judge Scott Myers said he anticipated his decision “will not be popular in the courthouse.” He later told the Eagle that Percy is in her third term as county clerk and “knew going in” what her duties and com- pensation were. The electorate had expectations of her, and it was not ethical for her to change her position, Myers said. The Eagle/Richard Hanners From left, Grant County Commissioner Boyd Britton addresses County Judge Scott Myers and Commissioner Jim Hamsher at Britton’s last Grant County Court meeting June 27. Payroll is not part of a county clerk’s statutorily de- fined job description as an elected official, and Percy had submitted a new job descrip- tion for her position to the Local Government Personnel Institute for review. LGPI concluded that the Grant County clerk position should be paid Grade 11 scale, whether it included the payroll duties or not. That conclusion made a decision more difficult, Myers told the court. Two other elected Grant County officials receive sti- pends for additional work. Assessor David Thunell’s stipend for tax collection has been $526 per month, and Treasurer Julie Ellison’s sti- pend for handling the coun- ty budget has been $336 per month. In 2015, when the issue of assigning human resource duties arose, Myers agreed that those duties statutorily fell within his job descrip- tion. A change was made to the court’s administrative assistant position to assist in handling human resource du- ties as Laurie Wright filled the position that year. But Myers felt county clerks had handled payroll in Grant County for decades, and he saw no need to change that. Britton said he had talk- ed with a bookkeeping firm about the cost of contracting out payroll work. Grant Coun- ty’s payroll was complicated, with handwritten checks for 95 employees, union issues and payments to the state’s Public Employees Retirement System, he said. Contracting out payroll work could be more expensive than paying a stipend, he said. It was a fairness issue, Britton noted. In the past, monthly payroll was handled by two people over two days. Now Percy did it alone. He recommended paying Percy the same stipend the treasur- er receives for handling the county budget. Commissioner Jim Ham- sher said he was concerned that if payroll duties were not included in the county clerk’s job description, even if a sti- pend was provided, then a future county clerk might de- cide not to do the work. If that happened, the work would have to be contracted out. Several residents ad- dressed the court on the issue. Jim Sproul said Percy knew about the clerk’s duties when she ran for election and should get paid less if she didn’t han- dle payroll. Frances Preston noted that “money is tight” now, and the job description and pay should remain the same. Britton’s motion to accept the new job description, with- out payroll duties, was defeat- ed 2-1. Hamsher then suggest- ed keeping the original job description and paying a sti- pend equal to the treasurer’s. Britton thanked Hamsher and made that motion. Judy Schuette objected to the motion from her front row seat. She wanted to know why the court would do that, and how much extra time Percy spent on handling payroll. The second motion was also defeated 2-1, with Ham- sher voting against his own suggestion. Myers concluded the discussion by noting that the court may want to handle the matter someday in another way, but the court would need more information. Day, was arrested on a probation violation. The Grant County Sheriff’s Office issued a citation to appear on a Lebanon warrant. June 29: Following a traffic stop on Highway 26 near Dog Creek Road, Keith Eggener, 58, Eugene, was cited for speeding, 51/35 zone. June 29: Following a traffic stop on West Main Street in John Day, Jim E. Roba, 43, John Day, was cited for driving with a sus- pended license and no insurance. June 30: Responded to a bar on Main Street in John Day. Hal S. Gilliam, 51, Prairie City, was arrested on a probation violation. June 30: Following a traffic stop on West Main Street in John Day, Juliann Evans, 56, John Day, was cited for not wearing a seat belt. July 1: Following a traffic stop east of John Day, James Ryan, 58, John Day, was cited for driving with a suspended license and no insurance. July 1: Responded to South- west Brent Drive in John Day for a dispute. Stephanie Burrows, 44, John Day, was arrested for disorderly conduct. • Grant County Sheriff’s Office June 26: Dispatched to South Humbolt Street in Can- yon City. Richard E. Bryant, 36, Medford, was arrested on a Grant County warrant. June 27: Advised of possible elder abuse at a senior facility in Prairie City. June 28: Responded to East Main Street in John Day for a re- port of strange noises. June 29: Received a report of dogs killing chickens in Canyon City. June 30: Responded to River Estates Lane in Mt. Vernon for a report of livestock theft. July 1: Received a report from a woman of a bull that didn’t be- long to her in a corral on School House Lane in Mt. Vernon. • John Day ambulance June 25: Dispatched to North Johnson Avenue in Prairie City of a 59-year-old woman with chest pains. July 1: Responded with Prai- rie City ambulance and Grant County Sheriff’s Office to a ranch in Prairie City for an unre- sponsive man. July 1: Responded with Or- egon State Police and Grant County Sheriff’s Office to High- way 26 near Picture Gorge for a report of an unconscious driver and a vehicle blocking the high- way. • John Day fire June 28: Responded with John Day police to Bumpy Road in John Day for a report of multi- ple vehicles and grass on fire. C OPS AND C OURTS Arrests and citations in the Blue Mountain Eagle are taken from the logs of law enforcement agencies. Every effort is made to report the court disposition of arrest cases. Grant County Circuit Court Probation was revoked for Michelle L. Mann, 42, Day- ville, on June 26 for failing to complete treatment. She was sentenced to 120 hours in jail. Mann had pleaded guilty to mis- demeanor harassment commit- ted on June 22, 2017. Ronald Hodge, 77, John Day, pleaded guilty June 12 to driving under the influence of intoxicants on May 4. His sen- tence was diverted for one year, and he was required to install an ignition interlock device on any vehicle he drives. Travis A. Palmer, 27, Mt. Vernon, was found in violation of his probation by failing to obey all laws. He was sentenced to 10 hours additional commu- nity service and a $25 fee. He had pleaded guilty to two counts of misdemeanor harassment committed on Jan. 1. Sharon M. Korff, 55, John Day, was found in violation of her probation for failing to complete treatment and paying financial obligations. She was sentenced to 20 hours addition- al community service . She had pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of intoxicants committed on June 26, 2016, and to driving while her license was suspended or revoked and failing to install an ignition in- terlock device committed on March 29, 2017. Ricky B. Gordon, 55, Can- yon City, pleaded guilty June 21 to driving under the influ- ence of intoxicants on April 15. He was sentenced to 21 days in jail, 24 months probation, 80 hours community service and a $2,255 fine. His driver’s license was suspended for three years. Benjamin L. Keith, 38, Can- yon City, pleaded guilty June 28 to misdemeanor strangulation constituting domestic violence committed between April 1 and May 1 and felony attempt to commit second degree assault constituting domestic violence committed between Nov. 1 and Nov. 30, 2017. He was sen- tenced to 26 months in prison and three years post-prison su- pervision. Nine counts includ- ing kidnapping, assault, menac- ing, strangulation, harassment and pointing a firearm at another person were dismissed. Keith’s probation for two counts of ha- rassment committed Feb. 2 also was revoked. Probation was revoked for Samuel V. Galvan, 26, Baker City, on June 28 for failure to pay fees and fines, failure to com- plete community service and failure to complete treatment. He was ordered to pay $1,000 at the hearing and sentenced to 30 days in jail with credit for time served. He had pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of intoxicants committed on April 26, 2013, and failure to appear committed on May 23, 2013. Nicole C. Shaffer, 22, Mt. Vernon, pleaded guilty June 28 to two misdemeanor counts possession of methamphetamine committed on Jan. 2 and Jan. 5. She was sentenced to 20 days in jail, 36 months probation, 80 hours community service and $350 in fines and fees. Three counts of methamphetamine de- livery and conspiracy to commit a Class B felony were dismissed. Kristopher M. Goodwin, 27, John Day, pleaded guilty June 28 to misdemeanor unlawful possession of a firearm com- mitted on March 6. He was sen- tenced to three days in jail, 18 months of probation and $250 in fines and fees. A second count of unlawful possession of a firearm was dismissed. Grant County Sheriff The Grant County Sheriff’s Office reported the following for the week of June 27: concealed handgun licenses, 4; average in- mates, 19; bookings, 13; releases, 11; arrests, 3; citations, 2; finger- prints, 1; civil papers, 10; war- rants processed, 3; asst./welfare check, 0; search and rescue, 0. June 25: Daniel J. Coiner, 37, Heppner, was cited for driv- ing uninsured, open container and refusing to take an intoxi- cants test. June 25: Jason Anderson, 32, Corvallis, was cited for violating the basic rule, 84/55 zone. Alsop, 36, Prairie City, was ar- rested and charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm, driving with a suspended license and no insurance and failing to register the vehicle. Justice Court Exceeding speed limit: Jes- se W. Apple, 40, Beavercreek, Ohio, June 10, 49/35 zone, fined $165; Colin D. MacDonald, 28, Portland, June 9, 40/25 zone, fined $165. Violation of basic rule: Don- ald Myers, 59, Vale, June 11, 74/55 zone, fined $165; Sunnie J. Moore, 20, John Day, June 1, 76/55 zone, fined $225; Carlotta K. Davison, 58, Pendleton, May 5, 75/55 zone, fined $165; Jacob A. Lortie, 27, Stayton, May 2, 85/55 zone, fined $265. Violation of speed limit: Vir- ginia Lopez, 37, Hines, May 17, 51/35 zone, fined $165; Shilo Fretwell, 38, Mt. Vernon, May 31, 30/20 zone, fined $115. Driving uninsured: Nick Gibson, 27, Prairie City, Feb. 22, fined $1,000, March 4, fined $1,000, April 24, fined $300. Driving while suspended: Nick Gibson, 27, Prairie City, Feb. 22, fined $2,000, March 4, fined $2,000, April 24, fined $500. Failure to register vehicle: Nick Gibson, 27, Prairie City, April 24, fined $150. Gary W. Lieuallen, 83, Can- yon City, pleaded guilty June 20 to an amended charge of crimi- nal mischief. He was fined $440. Nick Gibson, 27, John Day, pleaded guilty June 20 to sec- ond-degree theft. He was sen- tenced to 30 days in jail with credit for time served. Dispatch John Day dispatch worked 175 calls during the week of June 25-July 1, including: • John Day Police Depart- ment June 26: Dispatched to Front Street in Prairie City for a driving complaint. Darrell Preakos, 55, Lebanon, Maine, was cited for speed. June 27: Responded to East Main Street in John Day. Aaron Roseberry, 31, John Day, was arrested on a Grant County war- rant. June 28: Following a traffic stop on Highway 26 near Dog Creek Road, Kristina Cutter, 42, Bend, was cited for speeding. June 28: Following a traffic stop on South Canyon Boule- vard, Heather Reilly, 29, John Day, was cited for driving with a suspended license. June 28: Following a traffic stop on West Main Street in John Day, John LaFranchise, 52, John GROWING GENERATIONS TOGETHER Since 1945, Bank of Eastern Oregon has had roots in eastern Oregon. We believe in the value of a handshake and provide unparalleled and unbiased service because we know you – we are you, your neighbors, and your community members. BEO keeps working hard for you to ensure that our banking services are never difficult. Visit your local branch & let us help you realize your financial dreams. Oregon State Police June 24: Responded to Highway 395 near Porter Road following a report of an intoxi- cated man causing a disturbance at a store in Kimberly. Daniel J. Coiner, 37, Heppner, was arrest- ed and charged with driving un- der the influence of intoxicants. June 25: Following a traffic stop on Highway 26 near Dog Creek Road, the trooper noticed the driver was nervous and saw an empty holster laying on the passenger’s seat. The driver allegedly admitted he had hid- den a .22-caliber pistol under the seat and was not allowed to possess firearms. Jeremiah J. Term Loans Member FDIC CAUTION Old Photos Kids - Famil y - Trophy Wildlife - E tc. HUNTING STORIES Lines of Credit Ag & Commercial Real Estate Loans beobank.com NO MATTER HOW BIG OR SMALL YOUR TROPHY WAS or you just want to share a hunting adventure, SEND OR DROP OFF YOUR BEST HUNTING PHOTOS 195 N. Canyon Blvd., John Day, OR 97845 • kim@bmeagle.com Your photos will be published in this year’s EAGLE HUNTING JOURNAL Please have them to the Eagle by August 11th. to
