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COMMENTARY: Oakridge Fire Department’s 8-month personnel investigation costs city big bucks while paid leave rewards employee

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Oakridge fire station May 2, 2024

By GEORGE CUSTER/Editor/The Herald  —   The Seattle Space Needle was built, start to finish, in 400 days. Taking eight months to conduct an internal investigation on one of the Oakridge Fire Department’s employees seems a little excessive, and costly.

During this time, the person subject to this investigation has been on administrative leave with pay. Certainly, union requirements dictate some of the protocols when union employees are cited. Mayor Cutchen has only recently become aware of the exceedingly lengthy investigation. He said that he would be looking into the case to determine why it has taken so long.

Cleavenger: “A number of reasons it took so long”

City Administrator James Cleavenger spoke with The Herald concerning the case. He said that “the investigation is complete.”  However, he anticipates that it may be another month before the results are posted. When asked why the investigation had taken so long, Cleavenger said “A number of reasons, there were a large number of people involved that had to interviewed as part of the investigation.” Also, James said that “the scope of the investigation grew.”

Cleavenger went on to say “It would have been faster if we had hired an outside investigator. In retrospect, we probably would have saved money using an outside investigator, but I didn’t know that at the time.”

Will the second investigation be inconclusive as well?

When asked if the investigation is similar to an incident into the same individual about two years ago, Cleavenger would not confirm. That same individual, who was the subject of that investigation, was placed on paid administrative for approximately six months. The results after the six-month period were found to be “inconclusive.” It is currently unknown if the prior investigation was done internally as well.

The cost of these inquiries; paid salaries for both the investigator and the employee, are substantial. Keep in mind that all this time that the employee’s job is being covered by others. In many cases, this will result in overtime being paid out that would have otherwise been paid as regular time.

A pop-up contract for the fire chief

Fire Department Chief Scott Hollett has, over much of the same period, submitted an alarming amount of overtime. as confirmed by the city administrator. Maybe a coincidence. As the fire chief, Hollett enjoys a contract that not only pays a hefty salary but allows him to collect overtime pay as well.

When asked about the investigation, Chief Hollett refused to speak to the matter. He said, without knowing the nature of the questions, that “…I am not interested in answering any of your questions.” The Herald recently discovered that Hollett has been working without a signed contract until a couple of weeks ago when it was determined that one had never been put into place. The chief’s “new” contract, written by Hollett and signed by Cleavenger, allows Hollett to accrue unlimited overtime as a salaried employee.

Banking massive overtime as a salaried employee without a contract – who let this happen?

Christina Hollett, Scott Hollett’s wife, was mayor during the time that Scott was promoted to Fire Chief. The promotion was made under the guise that, as a salaried employee, he would save the city money. Chief Hollett’s salary is higher than the Oakridge city administrator’s salary, before overtime and benefits. Chief Hollett’s (new) contract becomes effective with the upcoming fiscal year’s budget.

The question exists: Under what contractual agreement has Chief Hollett and the City of Oakridge been operating under?

Shouldn’t have someone noticed?

Who is ultimately responsible for overseeing the progress and efficiency of such an investigation? It might seem that periodic briefings on the status of such an expensive endeavor would be appropriate. Swift justice has taken a back seat to laissez-faire: it’s only money!

During all this time, the subject employee has enjoyed a paid vacation on the city’s dime. Sorry, no overtime though.

 

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George Custer lives in Oakridge with his wife Sayre. George is a former smokejumper from his hometown of Cave Junction, a former captain in the U.S. Marine Corps. and ran a construction company in Southern California. George assumed the volunteer duties as the Editor of the Highway 58 Herald in 2022. He loves riding his Harley-Davidson motorcycle, building all things wood, and playing drums on the weekends in his office.

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