Westfir City Council Special Meeting September 16: Fire Dept issue heats up during discussion period

By JOY KINGSBURY/for The Herald  —  The first item on the agenda was whether council would waive attorney client privilege on an email message received from Carolyn Connely of the Local Government Law Group, who represents the City of Westfir. There was a request for public information made by former mayor of the City of Westfir, Melody Cornelius. The email was in regards to the matter of the Trans Cascadia’s denied extension for their application for the large project in the planning there. I also requested information. We have received the documents, one of which is in redacted form due to the Council’s decision to do that.

A question of transparency for city communications

Melody’s communication below is to Nicole Tritten, Westfir City Clerk and Recorder.

“Will Council waive attorney/client privilege to release the letter from the city attorney that was partially read at the previous meeting in        open session?” Councilor Edward Johnstone said “I think we should just send the whole thing unredacted, be as transparent as possible,        and wheeling and dealing on things like that will not bring us any benefit at all.” Councilor Kelly Packard said he thinks it should also be        released.

Councilor Deretta Huey stated she did not go door to door as was stated. Councilor Edward Johnstone once again reiterated that, “We need to be as open as possible, and just get on with it.” He went on to say he doesn’t think there is anything to hide and “If we have to learn on the fly, we can do that.” Councilor Huey asked that a certain portion be redacted. Council agreed to release the letter with redaction to the persons who made the request.

The scheduled executive session was postponed till the November meeting. The special meeting was adjourned. Regular session called to order.

Oakridge Fire Chief pushes for Special Fire District, opposes separate fire department for Westfir

Westfir Volunteer Fire Chief, “Gunny” McKee, reiterated that grants have nothing to do with getting the engine back to Westfir and supplying service to this city. He was taken aback, he said, by the title of the analysis that Steve Abel, Fire Department Consultant, did on consolidation of departments, titled. The Future of Westfir Fire Department. “Am I taking this the wrong way?”

Mayor Williams explained that a decision has not been made about, “Whether we are going to have a department, or a station yet, since we have not talked about this consolidation analysis. (as opposed to a  Special District.)” Westfir cannot afford their own department, in her opinion. She suggested they “get together with the other entities and hash it out.” Gunny asked if Westfir would continue to pay the yearly fee to Oakridge?

Counselor Edward Johnstone chimed in with, “Let’s not hamstring ourselves by over-committing to something we cannot pay for. The charge to Westfir from Oakridge is about $10-12.00 per person per month. The station could store an engine here, we have an engine and volunteers, and we can help Oakridge! I would like the Fire District to work, but I’d like to have more going than just an engine here. We have more opportunities than I ever dreamed, grant wise. One step at a time, make sure we do it correctly.”

Oakridge Fire Chief, Scott Hollett, and Chrissy Hollett, Oakridge City Councilor and Oakridge Fire Department Volunteer, arrived in time to address the Westfir Council on the matter of the Special District being proposed through the analysis of Mr. Abel regarding the consolidation into a Special Fire District.

Oakridge FD volunteer Chrissy Hollett refutes McKee’s statements

Chrissy Hollett, spoke up, “We had a bomb dropped on us when it was announced that Gunny was going to be named as Fire Chief and Westfir would have their own Fire Department. There was misinformation that there has been constant contact with Oakridge about this issue and that is untrue. If Westfir decides to leave the three entities, Westfir’s insurance Services Rating could skyrocket. Do your due diligence, if you leave, you leave a station fully staffed 24/7, you must consider employment, PERS, health insurance, extrication tools ($50,000 for one.) Talk to other departments with mutual aid. They pay a lot more than $30,000 per year.”

Scott Hollett, Oakridge Fire Chief, addressed the council. “I fully understand what you are trying to do and I respect what you want to accomplish, but, there are other ways to accomplish that, we have had no discussion other than to discover that Gunny was appointed Volunteer Westfir Fire Chief and you were going down this path. We could have had a discussion to work together where you could have a building and house an engine here, I want you to have quicker response, something that we all want, and I just hate to see the damage that will be done from not having a contract and the expense you will go through to make that happen. Look at any small department’s budget and it is far more than what is paid to Oakridge.”

Tensions and emotions ran high with the back and forth between councilors, Gunny, and the Holletts

Gunny to the Holletts: “What was said is not true, about running the wheels off the engine, and, if you got that from the report you are not telling the truth. You are trying to say something that was not said. You have a history of that!” Mayor Williams cut in, “Stop! We are not going there! We have not had opportunities to discuss this. We will have a constructive conversation or quit! We have been focused on the Mill Site and the Trans-Cascadia project.”

Councilor Johnstone cut in, “Why don’t we schedule a meeting in the very near future. Where we can get together? We’ve got what we’ve got and we need to do our best to get our own engine back and some volunteers, Gunny is right, no negatives to modify our current situation, and get some volunteers, it will be really good short term.” Mayor Williams replied, “When you look at this consolidation, I don’t see how we can afford a Fire Department. We will get together with all three entities and have a discussion.”

Consultant for the issue gives some guidance for Westfir

Steve Abel, Analysis Consultant, attending on zoom, spoke to council, “In several studies and in the main, fire departments have been merging by reason of finances, it’s better for the City of Westfir to have it’s own Fire Department, has the city been made aware of the cost estimate? one of the greatest is dispatch. Will the City of Oakridge oblige you to do that? Insurance Services Office will give you an estimate so get in touch and ask about the insurance implications. If it works out for the city to do that, do it with your eyes wide open. Get yourself the engine, get a place to put it and train volunteers.

Oakridge itself is underfunded, if the $30,000 is no longer available, that impacts the region. If you decide to do this, do it with your eyes wide open and make the right decision.”

Gunny, Westfir’s Volunteer Fire Chief commented “Is it common to have someone sit on the Fire District Committee that has a financial vested interest.? I’m talking about a chairperson now, if someone has a financial interest in the outcome?” Councilor Johnstone interjected “Can you explain what you are talking about?” Mayor Williams said “We don’t want to go there.”

Gunny, “Oakridge is charging us less than they have in the past. Why do you think that is happening?” He said he talked with the Oakridge City Administrator and was able to negotiate a better contract price for Westfir. “None of that money has gone back into the Westfir Fire Dept. If we are saving money, why can’t that go back to the Fire Department for some dry wall and mud and what we need? One of the best things we got from our Fire Department was a reduction in price from the Oakridge Contract. That reduction was an immediate benefit from our plan for our Fire Department.”

Council demands a civil conversation

Johnstone raised his voice! “We are professionals here. Let’s act like professionals. I did not approve anyone to speak to the State Fire Marshall. Gunny applied for a provisional Identification number for a Fire Department, we need to work far more closely with Oakridge to establish a new Fire Department, what can happen over the next year, and a timeline. We should not have a contentious conversation, let’s leave our egos behind and do our job for the citizens we represent. I don’t like the vibes here tonight.”

Chrissy Hollett said, “Moving into the consolidation study was not to separate, it was to erase the lines and provide the best possible service to both, working as one entity to provide the best possible emergency services to our rural area. No reason you couldn’t have an engine here and trained volunteers, we have offered fire academys and Westfir had no interest. Separating is not what Oakridge wants to see. That Westfir be separated.”

Councilor Kelly, “I agree we have to have solid cooperation with Oakridge to get this done, we have to look at all this. No decisions have been made; we are trying to do this the best way as well.”

Parting comments from the Holletts

Hollett said upon leaving, “I think we need to be smart about what we are doing here and evaluate everything. There is a lot more to it than just starting a Fire Department. I hope we can all work together to make something better than we currently have.” Gunny: “In order to understand the implications of this, you have to be told the truth. I am confused about this. I explained it all and what steps we need to take. We need an ID in order to apply for grants, anything else that is said is a lie. An ID is provisional until you have a trained Fire Department.”

Johnstone: “This is all new to us. Maybe we could have an outline that we neophytes can understand?” The Holletts left the council meeting. The council moved onto discussions about other matters.

Councilor Huey asked what happens when a City Councilor is in a meeting and is personally attacked, what happens then? Mayor Williams said, “I stop the discussion immediately.” Johnstone: “We are public officials and when people from the public speak they are allowed to say what they want up till they become combative or unreasonable. We put ourselves out there by representing the public.”

There was talk about council getting training in this area from the State Ethics Committee.

Williams not a candidate for next term as mayor

Mayor Williams announced that she will not be in the running for next election. “This has been hard,” she said very emotionally. She thanked everyone. Councilor Huey announced that comments she has heard from the general public have been very positive about the way the meetings were conducted.

The meeting was adjourned.

Westfir City Council meetings are open to the public and take place on the first Monday of each month at 5:30 PM at Westfir City Hall. There is an opportunity for a hybrid meeting on the City Website. A sign up sheet for public comment is available.