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.
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