The INDEPENDENT, May 5, 2011
Page 5
Haack’s failure to “communicate” cited as reason for termination
From page 1
Burch then concluded, “Scott
Laird sent this around (holding
up a printed email) before I saw
this. Whatever DPSST decides
is fine. They made a decision,
was Mike Kay allowed to re-
spond?” (See page 1 article on
DPSST.)
Uncharacteristically, Coun-
cilor Kevin Hudson voted with-
out asking any questions or
having any comments, except
to say the contract has a two-
week severance clause. Hud-
son, Burch and Nicks voted to
terminate Haack’s contract,
while Mitchell and Councilor
Randy Parrow voted nay.
Burch then made a motion to
recess so Haack could be es-
corted from the chambers.
Mitchell and the city attorney
reminded her that Haack is still
Interim City Administrator for
two more weeks.
Although Parrow did not say
anything during the discussion,
he later made a statement, “I
want these three people who
are short timers in Vernonia to
know that Vernonia finally had
our chance – the eyes of state
agencies have been turned to
us through Bill Haack. What the
three of you have done…it real-
ly boils down to these pieces of
paper (the DPSST letters), we
have one who is very close and
should not have voted on this,
and another who has a conflict
of interest. DPSST certifies po-
lice in Oregon and as you’d
know if you read the investiga-
tion, this was not started by Bill
so why you are blaming Bill I
have no idea whatsoever.” (Ed-
itor’s note: The investigation
was started due to information
from the Vernonia Justice Court
and The Independent.)
After Parrow’s comments,
Burch added that, “I have
asked for information numer-
ous times on this subject (ap-
parently referring to the DPSST
investigation of Kay)…This is a
man’s life, his career. If it was
so serious I would have had in-
formation.” Parrow responded,
“How long have those docu-
ments been available at City
Lack of communication by whom?
Councilors Willow Burch and
Marilyn Nicks both stated at the
May 2 council meeting that In-
terim City Administrator Bill
Haack has not given them infor-
mation, specifically, that he
doesn’t communicate what he’s
working on. At the January 18,
2011, meeting Haack handed
out a 4-page document entitled
Work In Progress (excerpts be-
low). Just after this he sent all
council a memo of times he
would be available during the
week before meetings to dis-
cuss agenda items or other
items.
----------------
Works in Progress
as of Jan. 18:
12 items under City Council
including; council trainings and
workshops, budget training,
and working on hiring a regular
city administrator.
7 items under City Commit-
tees including; creating com-
mittee training opportunities,
and developing standards for
ordinances and reports to
council.
10 items under Interim City
Administrator, including; setting
a goal setting retreat, acting as
liaison on five city projects
(moving the schools, moving
West Oregon Electric Coop.,
working with ODOT on road is-
sues, Rose Ave. Project and
Wastewater treatment facility
upgrade)
10 items on staff issues,
such as job descriptions and
employee handbooks (which
don’t exist in a updated form).
17 items working with the
city attorney on leases, ex-
change agreement for the Rose
Ave. Project land, and demoli-
tion projects.
8 items with police, such as
evaluating Interim Police Chief
Mike Conner, work introduced
by previous chief Frank Grace,
staffing and budget issues.
Then 1-1/2 pages having to
do with items currently needed
from committees and commis-
sions or ongoing projects relat-
ed to same.
Then a full page of specific
issues relating to four large
projects; School Road Improve-
ments, Rose Avenue Project,
Wastewater Facility Update
Plan and Brownfield Assess-
ment Plans.
----------------
Since January 18, determin-
ing how to handle the green
space created by home demoli-
tions has been added to the
project lists.
Hall”? The reply was two
months.
Earlier, Burch, co-owner of
Vernonia Hardware across the
street from City Hall, had said
she works 10-12 hours a day
and doesn’t have time to go to
city hall to look at records. Ap-
parently upset, she said she
went to city hall at 5:00 p.m. to
see the records and the doors
were locked.
Many members of the audi-
ence wanted to chime in at
some point, but Mitchell appro-
priately limited the discussion
to council. Throughout the pro-
ceedings it was obvious that
most of the standing-room-only
audience did not approve of the
majority decision.
Haack continued the meet-
ing, giving background to coun-
cil on other agenda items, with-
out commenting on his termina-
tion. When asked for his reac-
tion the next day, Haack re-
sponded, “I’m a professional in
this setting. I’m under contract
and work at the will of the city. A
majority of council has deter-
mined I no longer meet their
needs and that is cause for
them to cancel the contract. My
only disappointment is that I
wish I had the opportunity to
finish the work that has been
started.”
The Independent suggested
to Burch on Tuesday that it ap-
peared, from the way the firing
was handled, that she, Hudson
and Nicks had deliberated to a
decision outside of a council
meeting, Burch replied, “That
never happened,” and did not
elaborate.
The council approved an
agenda item allowing Haack to
sign an exchange agreement
with the Oregon Park and
Recreation Department that
turns the land referred to as the
Rose Avenue Project (along-
side the new WOEC building)
over to the city in exchange for
an agreement that keeps in
place the trail running past An-
derson Park and on to the
Lake. This agreement opens
the Rose Avenue Project prop-
erty to the possibility of relocat-
ing the Senior Center, Vernonia
Cares Food Bank, and the Ver-
nonia Health Clinic where fu-
ture flood events won’t threaten
these community services.
In other business, the coun-
cil:
• Approved the appointment
of Roger Lindsley to the Public
Works Committee,
• approved an amendment
to the Flood Mitigation Demoli-
tion Contract that eliminates the
need for each individual ad-
dress to be approved by a sep-
arate contract,
• authorized Haack to have
the City Engineer work on por-
tions of the Wastewater Facility
Plan,
• authorized Haack to hire
one or more temporary employ-
ees for work in the parks,
• heard there will be a work
session on May 16, at 6:00
p.m. on a potential business
park at the airport,
• was reminded of a joint
work session with the Planning
Commission on May 5 to re-
view documents updating the
draft transportation system
plan.
The next regular council
meeting will start at 7:00 p.m.
on May 16 (after the airport
business park work session at
6:00 p.m.) at City Hall.