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About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 15, 2017)
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2017 Umatilla mayor, city manager up for review Hermiston Herald meeting minutes from a The performance of both May 2012 meeting of the Umatilla’s mayor and city irrigation district’s board, manager will be reviewed in also obtained in a records request, show the board vot- the coming month. At the Tuesday, Feb. 7 ed to terminate Pelleberg’s meeting councilor Mel Ray employment. The attached instructions asked to add an executive session to the agenda to to then-manager Keith Mar- discuss Mayor Dave Trott’s tin, signed by each member of the board, state that Pel- performance. Under ORS 192.660(i) a leberg was to be terminated for “unsatisfactory city council can meet performance” and in closed session “to given two weeks pay review and evaluate but “leave immedi- the employment-re- ately.” lated performance of However, current the chief executive Columbia Irrigation officer of any public District manager body, a public offi- cer, employee or staff Pelleberg Howard Ellison said the district hasn’t member who does filled the assistant not request an open manager position hearing.” since Pelleberg’s dis- Trott requested missal. He noted that the city recorder put Martin was also dis- it on the agenda for missed by the board the council’s next after Pelleberg’s de- regular meeting on parture. March 7 as an open Trott Pelleberg’s ap- hearing. Trott had previously re- plication also states that quested a special executive he received a Master of session to review city man- Business Administration ager Russ Pelleberg’s per- with a concentration in formance on Jan. 25. The executive management city council did not take any (2004-2007) from Breyer action after the meeting that State University, among night. Pelleberg’s annual re- other degrees. Breyer view is scheduled for an ex- State University is an on- line school not accredited ecutive session on Feb. 21. Trott raised questions by the U.S. Department with a Hermiston Herald of Education. Trott also said he had reporter outside the Jan. 25 executive session about concerns about the way Pelleberg’s initial job appli- Pelleberg had handled a cation and his discipline of disciplinary letter to city planner Bill Searles, who city personnel. Pelleberg was hired in he said had submitted a Umatilla in 2013 as the pub- formal grievance against lic works director and was Pelleberg to the city’s promoted to city manager in human resources depart- ment. When asked about March 2016. The application he filed the grievance, Searles de- in 2013 — acquired by the clined to discuss it until the Hermiston Herald through city council had a chance a public records request — to consider it. Pelleberg said he had no showed a stint as the assis- tant manager of Columbia comment for the newspa- Irrigation District in Kenne- per other than to note that the city council did not feel wick from 2010 to 2012. Under reason for leaving it necessary to take any Columbia Irrigation Dis- action or make any public trict Pelleberg wrote “elim- comments after the meet- ination of position.” Public ing. HERMISTONHERALD.COM • A9 REGIONAL NEWS New Umatilla dept. keys on growth By JADE MCDOWELL Staff Writer The city of Umatilla cre- ated a community develop- ment department at its Feb. 7 meeting and hopes to hire a director to lead it next month. The city plans to hire a community development director to run the new de- partment starting March 1, and to add an administra- tive assistant/accounting clerk for support sometime after. The department will be tasked with improving livability and economic de- velopment in the city. City manager Russ Pel- leberg said adding the new positions will allow city hall to move forward more quickly with new projects to improve the city. “I think this is truly an investment in our commu- nity,” he said. The city’s personnel committee recommended the council adopt the res- olution that would add the new director to the city’s pay scale on the same lev- el as the finance director, public works director and police chief. Councilor Roak TenEyck, who sits on the committee, said finance director Melissa Ince told them the city has the mon- ey to go ahead with hiring the new positions, and the HH FILE PHOTO The Umatilla community development department was formed to focus on economic growth and livability in the city. A director will be hired. committee “recognized the need for more help around the city.” On Tuesday the coun- cil also approved a resolu- tion creating a low income sewer rate, mirroring the low income water rate the council has used for a few years. Both programs allow homeowners to apply to re- ceive a monthly 10 percent reduction in their utility bill by showing proof of low income through their tax returns. Pelleberg said there “hasn’t been a great inter- est” in the water program, with only eight residents currently receiving the lower rate, so he expect- ed similar numbers on the Irrigon celebrates 60 years A community event is planned in celebration of Irrigon’s 60 years of incor- poration. People are invited to decorate their vehicles, honk their horns and bring noise-makers. The event be- gins with the Irrigon Proud Parade Saturday, Feb. 25, with line-up at 2:30 p.m. in the parking lot at A.C. Houghton. Other activities are planned at 3:30 p.m. at Irrigon City Hall/Library. It includes a cake reception, special speakers, Irrigon ROCKS Rock Painting, a silent auction and balloon release. The fun continues from 5-7 p.m. with a bonfire at Irrigon Marina Park. Food will be available for pur- chase from Judy Scott’s Chuckwagon. For more information, contact the Irrigon Cham- ber of Commerce at irrigon- chamber@irrigonchamber. com or 541-922-6259. sewer side and did not think there would be more than a $500 per year impact on the city’s budget. The council meeting was more full than usual thanks to the attendance of several teenagers on the city’s new youth advisory committee. The committee, made up of two Umatilla High School students from each grade, will set its own agenda and operate with the guidance of former city manager Bob Ward. It is chaired by UHS senior Cameron Sipe and will make recommenda- tions to the city council. Councilor Mark Ribich said he believes the youth advisory committee is an important step for the city, because the council wants to make decisions that will help the community’s youth feel like Umatilla is a place where they would want to build their future. “Thank you all for join- ing this team, and I can’t tell you how excited I am to have you,” he said. Governor Kate Brown’s proposed budget would close the Oregon State Po- lice crime lab in Pendleton and cut funding that pays for detectives on the Blue Mountain Enforcement Narcotics Team (BENT). At the request of Pelleberg and Umatilla Police Chief Darla Huxel, the council approved two letters in sup- port of continued funding for both. Councilors and audience members were also encouraged to attend the legislature’s Ways and Means Committee meet- ing on Feb. 17 at 5 p.m. at Hermiston High School to make their voices heard on those and other funding is- sues. Pelleberg told the coun- cil that he has agreed with the city managers of Herm- iston, Stanfield and Echo to pursue state funding or other grant money to plan a river trail that would follow the Umatilla River from its mouth at the Columbia Riv- er all the way up to Echo. Cheese Days to offer up some local cheesy goodness Tillamook Cheese Days are returning to the SAGE Center. A hearty plate of lasa- gna, Caesar salad, bread, a cookie and beverage is $5 available Friday and Satur- day from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The SAGE Center is located at 101 Olson Road, Board- man. An interactive visitor center, people also are invit- ed to learn about sustainable agriculture and energy. In addition, squeaky cheese curds and other spe- cialty cheeses will be avail- able for purchase during the event. For more information call 541-481-7243 or go to www.visitsage.com. Thank You CARRIERS Join the Hermiston Herald in thanking our dedicated team of carriers and delivery personnel who have braved the historic inclement weather that has hit our area over the past two months. These folks have gone above and beyond the normal call of duty to do their best to deliver the Hermiston Herald to you in rain, ice, wind, snow and everything in between. Thank you for your dedication and for a job well-done. There’s never been a better time to be a U.S. Cellular ® customer. 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