By Kristine Thomas
Pete Wall will officially begin work as Mt. Angel’s interim city administrator Feb. 17. Wall replaces Jim Hunt who the city council placed on paid administrative leave Feb. 2. Meanwhile, the city attorney Chris Crean and Hunt’s attorney Don Kelley are negotiating a separation agreement. As of Feb. 10, Kelley said a settlement had not been reached.
At a special meeting Feb. 9 the Mt. Angel City Council unanimously gave its consent for Mayor Rick Schiedler and Crean to negotiate an agreement to hire Wall as interim administrator.
Wall met with Schiedler Feb. 10 and they reached an employment agreement that Schiedler will present to the council for formal adoption.
According to the city’s charter, the mayor has the authority to hire or fire a city administrator at-will with the ratification of the city council, Crean said.
“I really believe that Pete Wall is an excellent choice to help this great community, city council and city staff all work together through this transition period,” Schiedler said.
The change in city administrators began Feb. 2 when councilors Kelly Grassman, Darren Beyer, Andrew Otte, Ray Eder and Mike Donohue voted in favor of placing Hunt on administrative leave. Teresa Kintz, appointed to the council just that evening, abstained from voting.
Schiedler said the city’s attorney advised the council not to discuss why it placed Hunt on administrative leave while a settlement is being discussed.
“I wish I could say why but I can’t,” Schiedler said.
Wall, who served as Mt. Angel’s city administrator from 1981-85, is looking forward to working with the council and the community.
“I have always liked Mt. Angel and I know a lot of people here,” he said. “My twin sons both graduated from high school here and they are raising their children here.”
Wall has also served as city manager in Wilsonville from 1985-90, city administrator in Hoquiam, Wash., 1990-95 and director of operations at the Oregon Coast Aquarium from 1995-99, and city manager in Toledo from 1999-08. He is retired and moved to Mt. Angel in late January to be closer to his sons and his four grandchildren.
Wall, 63, said he wants to help the community move forward and “hopefully, I can bring some skills to help that happen. I am good at working through issues with people.”
“I am a good listener and believe a bit of that needs to happen here,” he said. “I am a good mediator and have been successful in previous jobs building a good team between the staff and the council.”
Hunt on paid administrative leave
When contacted by phone after he was placed on leave, Hunt said he has “no idea why they asked me to resign.” He also could not comment on the separation agreement negotiations.
At the Feb. 2 meeting where the council decided to remove Hunt, Schiedler convened the council into executive session. The notice for executive session had two items on it.
The first read, “ORS 192.660 (2)(B) to consider the dismissal or disciplining of a public officer, employee, staff member or individual agent or hear complaints or charges brought against such a person if that person does not request an open hearing.”
The second read, “Also pursuant to ORS 192.660 (2)(f) to consider information or records that are exempt by law from public inspection pursuant to ORS 192.501.”
Because the mayor has the authority under the city charter to control the items on the agenda, Crean said, Schiedler decided to convene under the second item. He also told public that he would not be taking public comment once the council reconvened in public.
After meeting in executive session, the council reconvened in open meeting to vote to place Hunt on administrative leave.
Hunt said he was disappointed the council didn’t meet under the first ordinance listed, because if it had he could have requested the meeting be open to the public.
“It was unfortunate that I was not made aware of the complaints lodged against me,” Hunt said. “And I’m sure the public would have liked to know as well.”
He said neither the mayor nor a councilor had notified him prior to the meeting that his employment would be discussed at executive session.
Hunt, who the council unanimously agreed to hire in November 2007, lost the majority of his support on the council with the November 2008 election when three new councilors – Otte, Grassman and Beyer were elected.
Hunt said he wasn’t surprised by the council’s decision to place him on leave. The first time his employment was in question was on Aug. 25 when the city council held a special meeting centered on a motion to terminate his contract. It was defeated 4-3, with councilors Donohue, Eder and Schiedler voting to fire Hunt. They accused him of illegally recording a meeting they had with him in January 2007. Councilors Shari Reidman, Bill Schaecher and Joan Cuff disagreed. Mayor Tom Bauman broke the tie. In October, the city council voted 4-3 to approve a three-year contract with two months severance for termination without cause. The vote was split the same way, with Bauman breaking the tie.
According to the city’s charter, the mayor only votes when there is a tie.
Hunt’s attorney said after the Feb. 2 meeting that he and Hunt will discuss Hunt’s options before making a decision on whether or to pursue legal action against the city.
“It doesn’t seem like the city council has been fair to the city or Jim,” Kelley said. “Our goal is to work something out that will satisfy everyone.”
“No one takes litigation lightly,” Kelley added, “but it has to be a possibility if this can’t be resolved some other way.”
Schiedler read a letter from Mike Grant at its Feb. 9 special meeting. Grant inquired into “the wisdom and financial implications of firing our second city administrator in only a few years.” He listed seven concerns that included legal bills, separation pay and the risk of loosing experienced city employees.
“It all adds up to a very costly situation that may not even solve the perceived problem, and it is simply bad business for the city,” Grant wrote. He added as a taxpayer he firmly believes that a mediated solution could be arrived at where all parties are respected, and no further resources are wasted.
“I expect the council to represent our town’s best interest and conserve our scarce funding,” he wrote. “May our politics not affect our friendships. We all care about our town, and I believe it’s time to move on, do the right thing, and feel good about our neighbors again. The council’s leadership is badly needed for this challenge also.”
