South Lane fire chief's fate yet to be decided.

Byline: Karen McCowan The Register-Guard

COTTAGE GROVE - The South Lane Fire District Board on Wednesday night postponed until next week three reports crucial to the fate of suspended fire Chief Dan Olsen, only to hear several district patrons request yet another postponement: putting off a decision about Olsen's continued employment until after new board members elected May 17 take office.

Four of the district's five board seats are up for grabs, including the now-vacant seat of former board president Steve Allen, who resigned early this year saying he did not have the time to deal with the district's increasingly complicated problems.

The district, created by a 2003 merger of the Cottage Grove, Creswell and rural South Lane fire districts, has seen friction between its Creswell-based north battalion and its Cottage Grove-based south battalion since its inception.

Tensions escalated last fall, after Olsen blamed the poor judgment and "possibly reckless" behavior of north division as well as former Creswell Fire Chief Paul Furrer for the loss of a district firetruck in a July wildfire.

The board placed Olsen on paid leave until it completes an independent investigation of his probe of that fire. It also is looking into the district's finances and reported dissatisfaction among its Creswell patrons. The board had planned to receive reports on those investigations Wednesday.

Acting board chairman John Petty explained, however, that board members had not completed their interviews and other fact-finding in the probes. He announced that a special meeting has been called for Monday to hear the reports.

The board on Monday night directed acting fire Chief Andy McClean to advise district employees of a freeze on nonessential spending through the end of the fiscal year June 30.

McClean reported April 6 that the district had overspent its materials and services budget, and would have an estimated negative balance of $32,336 by year's end.

The district's personnel budget is expected to finish the year with a $53,170 surplus, however, so the deficit in the other fund can be remedied by a supplemental budget authorizing a transfer of funds.

In a letter read to the board by resident Rich Taylor, Cottage Grove auto dealership owner Brad Cohen urged the board to put off any decision to fire or retain Olsen.

"The board should not make any motions about the personnel in South Lane Fire District until a full board is seated," wrote Cohen, who was unable to attend the meeting because he serves on the Cottage Grove Planning Commission, which also met Wednesday.

"As seeing how things have gone so far, I do not think that a fair vote could be made with a board that is short of members. I know this board is under a lot of pressure and I know you are all trying."

Carroll Hoiness, a Cottage Grove resident challenging incumbent Joel Higdon, put it more bluntly, citing "a perception that part of this board is biased against the chief and is going to vote to fire him."

"I believe the new board should handle the situation with the fire chief," he said. "There will be a new majority. They should have the shot to do this so they don't have to redo something that they don't support."

Fellow board candidate Mark Fleck agreed, as did Steve Pettit, a volunteer lieutenant with the south division.

"I think the new board would have a fairer mind as far as this situation," Pettit said. "There's a lot of innuendo, rumors, hard feelings flying around. I think a new group could look at it in a better light."

Board member Don Williams, who is not seeking re-election, asked the board's attorney for advice about the legality of postponing the decision.

"Clearly, the board has the choice," attorney Russell Poppe answered. "There's nothing to prevent you from waiting until after the election and nothing that would require you to."

Board candidates Mark Johnson and Johnny Johnston also spoke up, but urged the board not to wait.

"I personally don't think it should be the new board's decision," said Johnson, who is running for the seat vacated by Allen.

"We would be stepping into a whole can of worms we know nothing about. These things need to be resolved now. This has drug on for too long."

Johnston, who is challenging incumbent board member Marc Lund, said, "This board has done wonders, turning the district around. ... It would be a slap in the face to not let them go ahead and finish it."

The board also heard from Creswell Mayor Ron Pettiti, who presented a joint letter of support for maintaining the merged district. Cottage Grove Mayor Gary Williams and the district's Lane Commissioner Faye Stewart co-signed the letter.

"There's been a lot of discussion of somehow breaking up this district," Pettiti said. "We are not in favor of that. People voted for this district. We know there are problems, but they can be worked out."

Pettiti also rejected a notion privately floated by Olsen that the city of Creswell take over operations in the district's north division.

"We have never been in the fire department business, and we have no desire to be in that business," Pettiti said, adding that his City Council voted unanimously this month to support the merged district.