Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (July 20, 2022)
Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, July 20, 2022 -- SEVEN ~ Letters to the Editor ~ ...continued from page six Fight the injustice To the editor; I write this letter after just leaving another funeral meal that Melissa Lindsay is organizing. This may be the tenth one that I have observed her helping the families that need help. I see her everywhere doing this. That is the person that she is. My thought is as I pass the people manning the tables to spread half-truths and misinformation so that they can waste our county’s resources on an unneces- sary recall action, that I never seen them helping, organizing or volunteering. This may be why they have time to do this horrible thing. I say horrible because it is unfair and presents an inaccurate picture. As a long-time resident of our community, I have witnessed the hard work Melissa Lindsay has un- dertaken to assist the efforts of our local organizations. I can speak for Heppner Day Care. She approached Amazon regarding their community outreach pro- gram and directed them to this struggling non-profit. Her efforts brought them enough money to re-open after covid, but to also improve staffing and many programs. She encouraged them to apply for covid relief funding and other available dollars that helped to continue operations. The Heppner Commu- nity Foundation was also a recipient of her encourage- ment. As a board member I can say that opening the Gilliam and Bisbee Build- ing weeks before Covid shut Print & Mailing Services *Design *Print *Mail Sykes Publishing 541-676-9228 YOUR AD COULD BE HERE! Submit Ads heppner.net Call 541-676-9228 Email graphics@rapidserve.net We also offer design and printing services Heppner Gazette-Times Sykes Printing ALL NEWS AND ADVERTISEMENT DEADLINE: MONDAYS 5:00 P.M. us down was discouraging. Melissa found ways for this organization to find funding to finish the projects and offer a valuable gathering spot for our area residents. I hope that the people that have benefited from this spot remember that Melis- sa is a key factor that it is available for us. Funerals, weddings, proms, so many things have been celebrated there. None of these things would have been possible without the foresight of Melissa Lindsay. This is just the begin- ning of my list of reasons that we need to fight against this horrible injustice to one of our best residents. I hope that many of you think back – have you been touched by the day care, preschool (children, grandchildren?) Have you had a reason to use or attend an event at the Gilliam and Bisbee Build- ing? If yes, then please stop and thank Melissa. Let’s stand up for person that has helped so many. We truly need people like her here. Kim Cutsforth Done with the lies and misleading timelines To the editor: My name is Nazario Rivera. The purpose of this letter is to put an end to speculation around my resignation as the public health director. I feel the need to speak out because my name continues to be dragged by other peoples’ narratives. I am done with the lies, I am done with the misleading timelines, I AM DONE! For those who don’t know who I am, I will give you a bit of my background. I am a queer Latino man. I was raised in Hermiston. I graduated from Hermis- ton High School in 2010 and moved to Corvallis and attended Oregon State University and graduated in 2015 with a degree in Public Health. I have par- ticipated in an active role as a leader in the community since returning to eastern Oregon. What drove me to apply and pursue a career with Morrow County was their mission statement, “Build- ing healthier individuals, families, and communi- ties where they live, learn, work, and play through information, advocacy, and services.” These coincided with my personal values; integrity, advocacy and community. I began my employ- ment with Morrow County as the public health director with enthusiasm, presum- ing the biggest challenge would be COVID 19. I constantly faced barriers which prohibited me mov- ing the department forward. I followed the chain of command and reached out to HR and CIS (liability insurance company). This led to a new agreement revising the nepotism rules. With the revision came the recommendation to have the employees in- volved follow a new chain of command. Meaning any concerns about me or my ability to lead the depart- ment would first be made to our county counsel and CIS. These events occurred on or between Decem- ber 2020 and May 2021. During that time, I faced constant scrutiny from my direct supervisor, Darrel Green, and his wife, Debra Green, Public Health Office Assistant, who is also a county employee. Through that, I attempted to continue to serve the citizens of Mor- row County and complete the mission I was hired to do. Until March 9, 2022, I resigned from my duty as the public health director. This decision was not made lightly. My biggest fear was leaving my department staff. I was afraid that my experience was going to repeat. I did not use my resignation as a way to flee from the investigation as al- leged in the April 2022 arti- cle in the Heppner Gazette. I participated through the completion of the investi- gation and provided honest accounts of all the events that transpired. I resigned on my own terms. I was done with the continuous harassment, discrimination and lack of respect. I left for my own mental health and sanity. All of the vicious ac- cusations against me have been cleared. I want to thank the county commissioners who voted in favor of what was just and in the best inter- est for the county. I want to thank them for taking the time to understand the complex dynamics we were experiencing within the public health department. I ask the rest of the public to not dismiss my experience, and to not fol- low blindly. I ask the public to stop being quick to con- demn commissioners with- out knowing all the facts. I know this couldn’t have been an easy vote. I thank those commissioners who stood up against harassment and took all the facts and the summary of the inves- tigation into consideration. I often wonder if the scrutiny I faced was due to my capacity to lead or was it that a queer Latino man could lead? Thanks, Nazario Rivera Commissioner Russell that purposely undermined the integrity of this investiga- tion in order to remove both Commissioners. That is the definition of sophistry. The investigator was con- tracted to “conduct a fair and thorough workplace investigation…and make factual findings regarding the allegations… This in- vestigator had been hired by the county under Admin- istrator Green on numerous previous occasions. On April 6, 22 all three of the Morrow County Board of Commissioners met in executive session when “initial investiga- tion results were revealed.” (Compiled from Morrow County documents) On April 13, 22 a notice was sent to Darrell Green re- garding “SUMMARY OF INVESTIGATION FIND- ING”, Darrell Green was fully aware of the issue he was facing with the county nepotism policy, a policy that Green and his wife signed and agreed to. The previous year on April 21, 21 at the Morrow Coun- ty Board of Commission- ers meeting, attended by Darrell Green, the board approved the nepotism pol- icy. “In the event that two employees become imme- diate family members and a supervisory relationship exists, the employees and the county will jointly at- tempt to find an alternative work assignment for one of the two employees. If no alternative assignment is available within ninety days, it will be necessary for one of the two employ- ees to resign. In the event both employees refuse or fail to resign, the county will make a discharge de- cision based on the same consideration as applicable in a layoff.” (Morrow Coun- ty Board of Commissioners, April 21, 21) On April 17, 22, Debra Green, wife of Darrell Green, responded to findings of the investi- gation, evidence they were received. (Email Commis- sioner April 16, 22, smart- phone). The Morrow County draft investigation report was officially sent to all commissioners on April 23,22. On May 25, 22 the nepotism policy process was moved forward. (Mor- row County H.R) In plain words the Greens were given an opportunity to work with the board of commissioners to resolve the nepotism issue. By June 24,22 “No response from either party. Darrell issued PAL letter and notice of hearing.” (Morrow County H.R) Darrell was offered an executive session hearing per Oregon statute. (Mor- row County) On June 28 Darrell Green “requested a public hearing.” (Morrow County) under his rights. Green knew exactly why an executive session was being held. He deceived the pub- lic and helped orchestrate the recall campaign. Darrell Green and Don Russell manipulated Commissioner Lindsay and Doherty’s in- tegrity (to honor their legal requirement to not speak) and the attorney client privilege required to pro- tect confidential testimo- ny. They deliberately used Commissioner Doherty and Lindsay’s silence to turn the public against two ded- icated and esteemed county commissioners. If this treachery is al- lowed to continue in an attempt to recall two elected officials, Morrow County will never recover, and subterfuge will rule our way of life until truth prevails. Corol Mitchell and Annetta Spicer, you now know that according to the document- ed facts your recall petition is based on falsehoods, de- liberate lies and a carefully orchestrated public perfor- mance to incite the public to recall two elected county commissioners. If you have been misled by Don Rus- sell and Darrell Green to produce false statements in order to initiate this recall petition, then the citizens of Morrow County will expect you both to terminate these petitions. If you continue to pursue this recall based on false accusations against two dedicated and highly esteem public servants, then it will be necessary that the citizens of Morrow County rest not until justice for false statements on a recall petition be adjudicated ac- cording to the laws of the state of Oregon. Stuart Dick, Irrigon Recall petitions based on falsehoods To the editor; “The truth has no agen- da,” General George Patton. When Pilate sought to know “what accusation bring ye against this man” (John 18:29) Jesus answered, “Every one of the truths hears my voice” (John 18:37). Pilate answered, “What is truth?” Pilate knew Jesus’ accusers had a treacherous agenda, but he lacked the courage to stand for truth and justice. Truth has no agenda, soph- istry does. In the history of Morrow County “not only has a County Commission- er never been recalled in the 137-year-old history… but a recall effort has also not even been successfully initiated.” (Gazette Times July 13, 22) Corol Mitchell has initiated a recall petition against Morrow County Commissioner Melissa Lindsay. Mitchell has ac- cused Lindsay of “intim- idated county employees resulting in either firing or leaving their jobs un- der duress…The action of the firing of the Morrow County Administrator, with no transparency, refusing to let the public speak, or answer the administrator’s questions about why he was sitting there, made it clear that in the remaining time of her tenure, this behavior would continue…To pre- vent irreversible damage, an immediate recall is the only answer.” (G.T. July 13, 22) In like manner Annetta Spicer has initiated a re- call of Commissioner Jim Doherty, accusing him of “decisions…not in the best interests of Morrow County citizens. He is not open and transparent in his actions as commissioner, making decisions in secret and out- side of public purview and without the inclusion of the third county commission- er…Commission meetings are not held in accordance with public open meeting law requirements.” (G.T. July 13, 22) The third commission- er Spicer referred to is Don Russell. Russell’s public criticism of fellow commis- sioners has fueled the recall effort. Russell opposed the firing of County Admin- istrator Darrell Green and claimed he “was never told about the complaints against Green.” (G.T. June 29, 22) Russell publicly criticized the county inves- tigation that led to Green’s termination. “I was told the questions were leading and it seemed there was already an answer looking for a nar- rative to support it.” (G.T. June 29, 22). Spicer’s recall assertion that Commission- er Doherty made “decisions in secret and outside public purview without the inclu- sion of the third county commissioner” (G.T. July 13,22) refers to Russell being supposedly excluded from knowledge of the in- vestigation of Green. “But you have to have the infor- mation to make a decision and that information has not been provided to me.” (G.T. June 29, 22) The termination of County Administrator Green has been called a “witch hunt.” (G.T. June 29, 22) The headline of Green’s termination, “I’m struggling to understand why I’m sitting here” (G.T. June 29,22) makes Green appear to be a martyr. Green claims he was blindsided by Commissioners Lindsay and Doherty and had no knowledge of any com- plaint lodged against him. “Wouldn’t a complaint against me trigger an exec- utive session to discuss my performance.” (G.T. June 29, 22) Based on the public assertions of Commissioner Russell and fired Adminis- ter Green, Corol Mitchell and Annetta Spicer have filed two recall petitions. According to ORS 260.532 it is a felony, punishable with up to five years in prison, to provide false information on a recall petition. ORS 260.715 re- quirements for a recall pe- tition: “A person may not knowingly make a false statement, oath, or affidavit when a statement, oath, or affidavit is required under election laws.” My ques- tion to Corol Mitchell and Annetta Spicer is this: Did you do any research or in- vestigation to determine if your recall accusation were truthful? Would not your recall petition campaign, a campaign that will divide our county and potentially destroy the reputation of two dedicated and esteemed elected officials, require at the bare minimum, that you to honor the ORS laws and make sure your accu- sations are truthful? I have obtained the documentation of the truth of the unproven accusations of this recall campaign through Oregon Public Records law. You both had an obligation to research and discover the truth regarding these accu- sations before you initiate a recall petition. Let us document for the record the public doc- uments regarding Com- missioner Russell and Ad- ministrator Darrell Green: Russell has publicly stated he was 1) never told about the complaints against Ad- ministrator Green, 2) cast doubt on the integrity of the county investigation, 3) publicly asserted he was not provided information regarding the investigation regarding the reason for Green’s termination. Coun- ty Administrator Darrell Green has publicly testified that he had no foreknowl- edge of a nepotism com- plaint, and he was “strug- gling to understand why I’m sitting here…Wouldn’t a complaint against me trig- ger an executive session to discuss my performance.” (G.T June 29, 22) On December 15, 2021, Don Russell, chair of the Morrow County Board of Commissioners, sent a letter to all public health depart- ment employees, county administer, human resource director, and all affected parties. The subject of the letter was various employ- ee complaints and allega- tions that ultimately led to Green’s termination. “Due to the complexity of these issues…I have determined it best to bring an outside investigator to interview all involved parties.” (Don Russell, Morrow County Board of Commissioners, Dec.15, 21) Russell exhort- ed all parties, “While this matter is being investigated, you must refrain from any conduct that could reason- ably be expected to affect the integrity of this investi- gation.” (Russell, Dec. 15, 21) It was Commissioner Russell that initiated the investigation and it was Have a news story or photo for the Gazette? e-mail editor@rapidserve.net call 541-676-9228 or stop by the office on Willow St., Heppner Today
