County changes oath of office wording

Published 5:00 pm Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Swear words were discussed at the Clatsop County Board of Commissioners meeting Wednesday. Even though the words discussed weren’t the kind comedian George Carlin jokes can’t be said on TV, they did create some agitation among the commissioners.

The Board changed the oath of office for its members Wednesday, setting off a miniwar of words.

In a memorandum to the Clatsop County Board of Commissioners dated April 24, County Counsel Blair Henningsgaard wrote, “At last night’s meeting Commissioner Patrick suggested that the Commissioner’s oath of office include a promise to support Clatsop County ordinances. State law allows (and perhaps encourages) such a promise.”

His memorandum included suggested wording for the change.

The wording changed from “I swear …that I will faithfully and honorably conduct myself in the office of Clatsop County Commissioner …” to “I swear …that I will support the charter and ordinances of Clatsop County and that I will faithfully and honorably conduct myself in the office of Clatsop County Commissioner …”

“I think it makes us a little more aware of our responsibility to the county and people of the county,” Commissioner Sam Patrick said.

“I think it reads fine the way it is,” replied Commissioner Ann Samuelson. “Of course we support the charter.”

She said she didn’t think the change was necessary.

But Patrick argued that wasn’t enough.

“I think (the oath) should say we’re going to abide by the charter and ordinances of the county,” he said.

And though Commissioner Jeff Hazen said he was fine with the change, he thought Patrick had another motive.

“You, Commissioner Patrick, want to use it as a tool to attack somebody. In my mind it’s much ado about something, but I’ll vote in support of it,” Hazen said.

“If we see this as being used as a weapon I’d want to remove it,” added Chairwoman Patricia Roberts.

The motion passed 3-1, with Patrick, Hazen and Roberts in favor of the change and Samuelson opposed.

The Board began its meeting by observing a moment of silence for Cannon Beach Mayor John Williams, who died Friday.

With three candidates sitting in the audience, the Board postponed its appointment of District 3 commissioner.

Tod Lundy, John Raichl and Dave Ambrose were waiting patiently in the audience during Wednesday’s regular meeting when the Board decided to reschedule its decision until 6 p.m. May 21 at a special meeting. Not present was the fourth candidate for the seat, James Neikes.

The seat has been vacant since Richard Lee’s March 25 recall. The county charter says the Board had 45 days to name a replacement from the date it declared a vacancy. That deadline is May 24.

Because the Judge Guy Boyington Building will continue being used for counting ballots from the May 20 election, a location for the special meeting has yet to be determined.

One suggested location was Courtroom 200 in the Clatsop County Courthouse.

Samuelson said her reason for suggesting the postponement was that she’s still getting feedback from her constituents.

“People want to be heard,” she said.

To which Patrick quipped, “Maybe we’ll get to ask questions ourself.”

Patrick had refused to participate in a question-and-answer session for the four potential appointees May 7, because he wasn’t allowed by the other commissioners to ask the questions he wanted to ask.

In other business, the Board unanimously adopted a Deadly Force Plan, to comply with Senate Bill 111, which requires counties to adopt a plan concerning the use of deadly force.

“It basically requires a plan in place when there’s a very serious injury or death as a result of force,” said Clatsop County Sheriff Tom Bergin.

He said Clatsop County has had those protocols in place – and this process just puts them in writing.

Bergin said that if police officers are involved in deaths, the protocols are mandatory, but his department does them anyway.