Junction City administrator still a hot topic.

Byline: JOE MOSLEY The Register-Guard

JUNCTION CITY - Everybody wound up on the same page in support of the city's beleaguered police department Tuesday night, but the overall operation of City Hall remained a topic for hot debate.

The City Council wasn't scheduled to wade into its recent controversies at Tuesday's regular monthly meeting. Nothing about the city administrator's job performance, her role in last month's departure of a longtime police chief or the council's relationship with city staff was on the agenda.

But after interim Chief Bill DeForrest delivered a warmly received report on his plans to spend his six months in office developing a strategic plan for the police department's future, the meeting turned chilly.

First, Community Development Director David Renshaw read a three-page letter in support of City Administrator Roberta "Bert" McClintock and characterizing recent criticism of her as "vindictive" and unfounded.

"As employees we have been largely quiet during this tumultuous period," Renshaw read from the letter signed by 20 city employees, as more than a dozen of them stood in the packed council chamber.

"However, recent events have made it clear that this has become a personal attack as opposed to the raising of viable concerns about a public official's professional conduct."

The letter detailed McClintock's 23 years of service to the city, her rise from a clerk/secretary to city administrator and many of her accomplishments in recent years. It also maintained that McClintock and the city have the continuing support of a majority of citizens, despite criticism in recent months from a vocal group.

"We are asking that you listen to those of us who have worked with and for (McClintock)," Renshaw read. "She has demonstrated nothing but professionalism while citizens have sat in meeting after meeting and slung mud at her."

After the standing employees and other supporters in the audience applauded Renshaw's letter, a couple of the most outspoken City Hall critics took the floor for rebuttals.

Dave Nelson, who helped draft a petition calling for McClintock's resignation or firing - the effort never took hold and has been abandoned - said councilors need to look at themselves as well as the structure of city government to resolve the current dispute.

Nelson contended that McClintock has seized a disproportionate share of municipal power and that many councilors are too easily led.

"I feel there has been a great disservice done to the city," Nelson said. "And that is not a personal attack on the city administrator. But it does call into question her management abilities."

Fellow critic Steve Rowland congratulated the council on its peace-making selection of DeForrest as the interim police chief and its approval Tuesday night of his plan to assess the department's needs and plan for its future.

But Rowland said the council and city staff are off base in dismissing the criticism of those who care enough about the city to attend meetings and debate issues.

"Now I understand that there's a silent majority that affects the vote of the council," he said. "But anyone who comes here is questionable."

The resurfacing of the City Hall dispute struck councilors silent, with none commenting before the meeting was adjourned.

Less than an hour earlier, the mood on the panel was upbeat following DeForrest's report and two weeks of positive community feedback about his hiring.

"This is the first week (since the dispute began) that all the e-mails I've gotten, I've allowed my children to see," Councilor Dwight Coons joked.