Chenoweth vows to vote against any police chief candidate
McMinnville City Councilor Chris Chenoweth said he will vote against whomever is recommended as the new Chief of Police, claiming lack of council involvement in the selection process.
“I want all of you to know I will be voting no on whomever is put before us,” Chenoweth posted on Facebook Sunday. “We have an executive branch that is out of control. It’s being led by our mayor and our city manager. For more than a month now I have been expressing concerns about the hiring process of our chief of police through email. I have received zero response from either the mayor or the city manager.”
The city held interviews with finalists earlier this month and held a meet and greet involving city council and staff last week. The city is hoping to announce a replacement for retiring Chief Matt Scales by Nov. 1, according to City Manager Jeff Towery.
Candidates were interviewed by a panel of staff, and Towery will recommend a candidate to City Council for approval. Chenoweth said that is not how previous executive position searches have been conducted, citing the past two police chief hirings.
City council interviewed Scales alongside the city manager and council interviewed four finalists before agreeing to hire former chief Ron Noble in 2006, according to Chenoweth.
“Both of these processes were managed by the City Council and not the city manager,” Chenoweth said. “The current process has cut the city council completely out of the process.”
Asked about the complaints, Towery told the News-Register the same process has been followed during his tenure.
“Since I have been here (Feb. 2017) we have always held meet and greet opportunities for Executive Team positions and have invited all members of the City Council to participate in those events and to share their comments,” Towery said.
Chenoweth alleges the input from councilors at the recent meet and greet violated public meeting rules.
“The only way we could comment prior to a final selection being made by the city manager and put before us for an up or down vote was if we were willing to violate public meeting laws at the meet and greet,” Chenoweth said. “Within that meet and greet posting it said ‘no deliberations towards any decisions will be taken’. Thus for any of us to comment about our preference in that meeting would violate the public meeting laws.
“Every single one of us did and I self-reported to (Oregon Government Ethics Commission).”
There is no item regarding the chief hiring process on Tuesday’s City Council agenda.
Comments
CubFan
Current police chief Matt Scales will be retiring at the end of the year. During the mayor candidate forum last week, the moderator posed a question to the candidates about whether the decision about hiring the next police chief could/should wait until after the election so the new mayor and council could vote on the next chief. This seemed reasonable enough to me. Drabkin stated they would be using the same process to hire the next chief as was used to hire Matt Scales. And she stated they have a “transparent process” to hire the chief. She also became very defensive when answering this question, and suggested the moderator was “fishing”.
Based on Chris Chenoweth’s recount, Scales was hired after the city council and city manager interviewed him. And according to what Chenoweth stated in this article regarding the next police chief, “the current process has cut the city council completely out of the process.”
The inference is that the council will not be able to make any comments about the next police chief prior to the selection. If that’s the case, is this the “transparent process” Drabkin referred to in the mayor forum?
Something is really fishy here. I trust Chenoweth. Can someone shed some light on this?
Here is a link to the mayor candidate forum.:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1v8yryofXWM
Bigfootlives
Thank you for the link, CubFan. That was eye-opening and a little stomach-turning. I watched the full hour of the candidate forum, and I feel like I need a shower. Who could stand to be lectured by Mayor Remy like that? She came across as condescending, phony, and unpleasant.
To quote a famous philosopher, we need to unburden ourselves of what has been and clean house at City Hall.
Thank God for Chris Chenoweth, and Vote for Kim Morris.
ALLCAPS
LOOKS LIKE SOME PEOPLE ARE NOW PAYING ATTENTION AND HAVE THERE EYES OPEN IT IS ABOUT TIME.REMOVE THE SCUM.
BC
If you watched the city council meeting last night, you will have seen a councilor who was forced to take extreme measures in order to be heard. Mr. Chenoweth had to sign himself up to speak as a citizen (you know, those three minutes where the council has to listen) in order for his concerns to become part of public record.
Mayor Drabkin has steadfastly refused to put the hiring of the new police chief on the agenda so it can be discussed - which seems to be her go-to these days.
Some of the hardest arguments my spouse and I have had is when one of us makes extensive plans for something that concerns both of us. You know - a kitchen remodel for example. That person spends weeks working out how they'd like it to look then presents their research to the other person for their approval, and the contractor shows up Monday, btw. When all he** breaks loose, the one who has done all the work feels unappreciated and the one who was left out of the process feels, well, left out and unappreciated! The rules of partnership have been ignored.
The same thing is happening here. The Charter (rules) states that the City Council is responsible for the hiring process - not a "part" of the council, or a "part" of the process, meaning giving a nod of yes or no at the end. The entire process belongs in the hands of every single councilor the people have elected, not just the mayor and Jeff Towery.
It sure has felt like the mayor has been on a huge power trip this past year and doesn't like it when anyone else has a differing opinion. Sort of reminds me of the big republican guy everyone loves to hate in politics.
"Who do you go to for advice?"
"I talk to myself" he says.
CubFan
BC... Thanks for sharing that! I didn't listen to the council meeting last night... Do you know if it is recorded, and where we could watch it? It's a real shame. I'm getting dizzy from all the head shaking I'm doing these days. We are so blessed to have Councilman Chris Chenoweth. And aren't ALL city councilors elected to represent citizens? Seems to me he's the only one doing that! There's another candidate forum sponsored by the Chamber tomorrow night- for the mayor and county commissioner positions. Looking forward to that!
BC
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6_nDpYYNwFY
This is the video of the meeting last night. The public meeting starts about 1 hour 33 minutes in.
CubFan
Thanks BC!
Otis
Chief's job is non-partisan...and it's not a lifetime appointment. You all sound like Mitch.
CubFan
Otis- No one is disputing the chief job as being nonpartisan. What is in dispute is the selection process and how the city council has not been allowed to be part of it, as per city charter. Drabkin claims she is “transparent”… this action proves her claim to be false.
BC
Otis
"..and it's not a lifetime appointment."
Here's my take on what you just said. I read that you think it's okay to break the rules as long as it isn't a forever decision.
I feel like I'm misreading something here, because I don't think you or anyone else thinks it's okay to break the Charter rules that have been set by the citizens of McMinnville no matter who you do or don't support. Change them through the correct process? Yes. Break them - No.
Lulu
BC is absolutely correct.
Vote Kim Morris.