Preparing for your social security Hearing When people apply for social security Disability, they get two tries before the hearing: the initial application and the reconsideration. If they are turned down on both attempts, they can go to a hearing. The hearing is the first chance that the claimant has to talk face to […]

retirement needs of Baby Boomers are different
Baby Boomers have different investment needs depending on their “retirement savings profile,” but share some common regrets when it comes to money: they are uneasy about the extent to which they have saved for retirement. Despite this — and the fact that most will carry debt into retirement — they have expectations of a comfortable […]

Weekly Carnivals
I got off my virtual tush and participated in some Carnivals this week: The Carnival of Personal Finance was run by We’re In Debt. It’s organized nicely by topic, and my post on my current bank setup was an Editor’s pick. Woohoo! The first part of my Zecco broker review was also […]

So far, so peaceful
Dave McLaughlin and his 2-year-old son, Beck. Until he moved to Portland, he says, May Day was “just another spring day.” How calm is this thing? A clutch of marchers taking a break from the demonstration on behalf of…

Previous stories and a video about Miriam Sakewitz and her rabbits
To see a video report on the seized rabbits, click here. From The Oregonian of Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2006 Raid on Hillsboro home reveals four legal rabbits, plus 154 more Police suspect neglect and abuse caused the deaths of nearly 100 others, found in freezers By John Snell Miriam E. Sakewitz loves rabbits. She’s 44, but still has a small collection of stuffed rabbits in her bedroom. On Monday morning, police also found more than 150 live rabbits in Sakewitz’s Hillsboro home. The bodies of nearly a hundred more were found inside three refrigerator-freezers. The animals died of neglect and abuse, said Hillsboro police Cmdr. Chris Skinner. He said the animals suffered starvation, dehydration and health problems caused by being stuffed in cages and seldom let out. Skinner said eight of the 158 live rabbits found in Sakewitz’s home at 1841 N.E. 23rd Court needed emergency veterinary care. The rest of the rabbits were healthy, said Lt. Michael Rouches, Hillsboro Police Department spokesman. People can legally own four rabbits within Hillsboro city limits. Skinner said the smell of feces and ammonia coming from the ranch house on a cul-de-sac west of the Hillsboro Airport was overpowering. One of Sakewitz’s neighbors said he agreed to help her install security cameras in her living room. She said she needed them to monitor the rabbits because someone was coming inside and killing them. “When the wind was right it smelled like the county fair,” said the neighbor, who refused to give his name, saying he feared retribution. Another neighbor whom Sakewitz invited into her home said, “You could open up a bottle of ammonia and it would be a fresher, cleaner smell.” By late Monday afternoon police had found 88 dead rabbits in the house. “I think they would die and instead of disposing of them in a garbage can, she’d wrap them in a towel and put them in a freezer,” Skinner said. “Over the past several months we negotiated with attorneys to come on the property.” The problem came to a head several months ago, he said, when the bodies of dead rabbits were found on neighbors’ lawns. Skinner said Sakewitz’s lawyers successfully kept police at bay. Sakewitz maintained that she was attending to the animals’ needs and that her neighbors were capturing the rabbits and torturing them. Sakewitz recently told neighbors she had lost “a ton of rabbits” in the unseasonably warm weather. Skinner said Sakewitz also kept large numbers of rabbits when she lived in Milwaukie in 2005. Skinner said the remark about “a ton of rabbits” dying in the heat, coupled with her history in Clackamas County, allowed Hillsboro Police to get the warrant served Monday. A decision on whether to charge Sakewitz is expected to come in the next few days, Skinner said. Washington County Animal Control, which helped dispose of the dead animals and offered veterinary care for the live ones, and the Oregon Humane Society, whose investigators specialize in animal abuse and neglect cases, assisted police in Monday’s work. From The Oregonian of Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2007 Police seize rabbits — again The owner, Miriam Sakewitz, now faces burglary and neglect charges HILLSBORO — For months, more than 200 rabbits were kept under lock and key in an undisclosed location — evidence in one of Oregon’s largest animal neglect cases. Tended by volunteers, they were fed, cushioned with hay and after a brief period of unexpected mating, separated by sex. They were living with comforts they had never experienced, police said. Then one night, a chain-link fence was cut, a steel door was pried open and 130 of the bunnies were gone. Police quickly zeroed in on the rabbits’ original owner: Miriam E. Sakewitz. Following a weeklong investigation, the 44-year-old Hillsboro woman was arrested Monday in Chehalis, Wash. In her car, police said, they found nine live rabbits, one dead rabbit and a gold fish in a fish bowl. The other missing rabbits were recovered at a nearby horse farm, where police said Sakewitz stashed them after stealing them from the Hillsboro safe house Jan. 14. “I’m sitting in church on Sunday, and I get a call that the rabbits have been stolen,” Hillsboro police Lt. Michael Rouches said. “It took 20 minutes to convince me. This case just keeps getting crazier and crazier.” In October, Hillsboro police seized 158 live rabbits from Sakewitz’s home and found nearly 100 dead ones in three freezers. She was charged with 92 counts of first-degree animal neglect and 165 counts of second-degree animal neglect. Sakewitz was ordered to post an $85,000 bond by Jan. 17 or the rabbits would become available for adoption. Two days before the bunnies disappeared, Sakewitz repeatedly asked Rouches if police would return 75 of her favorites. “She was very respectful but had a desperation, that ‘I need my rabbits,’ ” said Rouches, who told Sakewitz she had to wait for the court to rule on the case. Over the weekend a worried motel clerk in Chehalis called police, Hillsboro police Cmdr. Chris Skinner said. Sakewitz, he said, had rented a moving truck, stolen the rabbits and driven to a horse farm near Chehalis along Interstate 5. Skinner said Sakewitz checked into a motel and asked the clerk for a ride. During the drive, Sakewitz spoke so obsessively of rabbits that the clerk became concerned. The clerk used a Google search to find online stories about Sakewitz’s criminal case and informed police. Chehalis police put Sakewitz under surveillance. They spotted her loading up on rabbit food and driving to a horse farm. And at 3:30 p.m. Monday, they stopped her. In addition to the 10 rabbits in the car, authorities recovered 132 at the horse farm, where two more were found dead. Sakewitz could face burglary and evidence tampering charges after she is extradited from Washington, Rouches said. The rabbits were returned to Hillsboro on Tuesday. “We love these rabbits, but we’re ready to get out of the rabbit business,” Rouches said. The animals should be available for adoption shortly, Skinner said. For information, call Hillsboro’s code enforcement team at 503-615-6645. As for the rabbits, police started with 158 but there’s no telling how many they’ll end up with –especially after Sakewitz mingled the animals again. “You see where I am going with this?” Skinner said.From The Oregonian of Friday, Feb. 2Ex-owner challenges bunny adoption blitzMore than 150 rabbits scheduled for adoption in an event called the Super Bowl Saturday Bunny Blitz will continue to be guests of the Hillsboro Police Department for perhaps another two weeks.An attorney for Miriam Sakewitz challenged the constitutionality of her forfeiture of the rabbits, and at 5 p.m. Thursday, the Oregon Supreme Court told the city to stop Saturday’s event.”We’re told we will have the rabbits for about another two weeks, which is a real burden on us, because we’ve had them for most of the time since we seized them last Oct. 16,” said Hillsboro Cmdr. Chris Skinner.Sakewitz, 44, is accused of breaking into the pen last month and hauling away most of the rabbits, which were recaptured a week later. She has been indicted for burglary, theft, criminal mischief and tampering with evidence. She was earlier indicted for 165 counts of animal neglect.”It costs $2 per rabbit per day to keep them,” Skinner said. “We’ve had great help from volunteers, and businesses and individuals have donated food and bedding, but it’s still expensive. Also since she has already stolen the rabbits once, we have to put on extra security to keep her from doing it again.”The rabbits had been separated by gender, but since they were re-stolen, some are evidently pregnant, Skinner said.– Ted MaharFrom The Oregonian of Saturday, Feb. 3, 2007 No bunny adoption bonanza for Hillsboro, for now A woman who faces animal abuse charges has taken the case to the top court By Kathleen Gorman By tapping a law usually applied to property seized from drug dealers, Miriam Sakewitz will keep Hillsboro police in the bunny business for at least a few more weeks. An attorney for Sakewitz, a Hillsboro woman charged with neglecting dozens of rabbits, argues that authorities have no right to sell her animals because she hasn’t been convicted of a crime. In a petition filed this week with the Oregon Supreme Court, Adam Dean cited a constitutional amendment approved by Oregon voters in 2000. Dean argues the law often used in drug cases also applies to Sakewitz’s situation. The state’s highest court is expected to respond in a few weeks. The legal move canceled today’s planned adoption of more than 150 of the rabbits in an event called the Super Bowl Saturday Bunny Blitz. Instead, the Hillsboro Police Department, along with volunteers, will continue to care for Sakewitz’s rabbits and their quickly increasing progeny. “We’re all so fed up with this case,” said Hillsboro police Cmdr. Chris Skinner. “We’re all very, very hopeful that it will be over soon.” In October, police seized 158 live rabbits from Sakewitz’s home and found nearly 100 dead rabbits in freezers and other storage containers. She was charged with more than 250 counts of first- and second-degree animal neglect. Sakewitz was ordered to post an $85,000 bond by Jan. 17 or the rabbits would become available for adoption. In the days leading up to that date, Sakewitz repeatedly asked Hillsboro police if they would return 75 of her favorite animals. Police denied her requests. On Jan. 14, police said, someone cut a chain-link fence, pried open a steel door and took about 130 of the more than 200 rabbits kept at a Hillsboro building. After a weeklong investigation, police arrested Sakewitz in Chehalis, Wash. In her car, police said, they found nine live rabbits and one dead rabbit. The other missing rabbits were recovered at a nearby horse farm. Sakewitz is scheduled to be arraigned Feb. 12 on multiple charges in connection with that break-in. A grand jury this week indicted her on three counts of second-degree burglary, one count of second-degree theft, one count of criminal mischief and one count of tampering with evidence. She is expected to go on trial Feb. 14 on the misdemeanor animal neglect charges. Those have been reduced to 30 counts for the sake of efficiency, but it still is “the largest charging document I’ve ever printed out,” said Matthew Hall, deputy district attorney, who is prosecuting the case. Meanwhile, Hillsboro police say it is difficult to estimate how many rabbits are in their care. The stolen rabbits were mingled and some are visibly pregnant. “There’s no way to estimate what we might be looking at,” Skinner said. “I just don’t know.” From The Oregonian of March, 9, 2007Police will care for rabbits until abuse case is resolved Hillsboro’s attorney doesn’t think the city should give away any more animalsBy Holly DanksHILLSBORO — The city’s police department remains in the rabbit-raising business.Police are caring for 139 rabbits — at a secure location — that were seized when Miriam Elaine Sakewitz was cited for animal neglect in October. Officer Don Pierce, who is assigned to the department’s code enforcement unit, spent his day feeding and watering the rabbits, cleaning their cages and giving them medications. For a few hours Wednesday, after the Oregon Supreme Court turned back Sakewitz’s motion challenging the order that she forfeit her rabbits, police were busy finding homes for the animals. But then the city’s attorney and a Washington County prosecutor decided the city should keep the rabbits until the case is completed. Giving the rabbits away “didn’t seem like the right thing to do right at this second,” said Matthew Hall, deputy district attorney. Seventy rabbits were given away in January during a break in the legal wrangling. Sakewitz’s defense attorney, Adam L. Dean, did not return a phone call seeking comment Thursday, and he refused to comment to reporters at a court appearance last month. Sakewitz has a pre-trial conference Monday on the charges that she broke into a police facility in January and stole most of the rabbits. Ten rabbits, including two dead ones, were found in Sakewitz’s car in Chehalis, Wash., a week later. Police recovered 132 on a nearby horse farm. Her trial, on dozens of the original neglect charges, is April 17. Police officials say it costs $2 a day to keep each rabbit healthy and in individual cages, or more than $8,000 a month. That amount includes Pierce’s salary and time spent by volunteers. “It’s hard to justify to the citizens of Hillsboro that we are spending resources on rabbits,” Hillsboro police Lt. Michael Rouches said. “The court says we can’t seize somebody’s property until they are convicted,” he said. “OK, but animals are different than a computer or a car that we can stick in our storage unit.” The state Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to hear the case because it hadn’t first gone to the Court of Appeals. The saga began Oct. 16, when Hillsboro police, acting on complaints from neighbors, seized 157 rabbits from Sakewitz’s house in the 1800 block of Northeast 23rd Court. They said they also found 88 dead rabbits. A Washington County judge ordered Dec. 22 that Sakewitz forfeit her rabbits. She fought the forfeiture, and on Jan. 11, another judge ordered Sakewitz to post an $85,000 bond to pay for the rabbits’ care by Jan. 17 or give them up.Three days before the deadline, the rabbits were stolen.After recovering the animals, police gave away about 70 rabbits and planned a public adoption. However, the Supreme Court issued an injunction Feb. 1.Pierce said the adopted animals went to rabbit advocates who were helping care for them in Hillsboro. “You don’t save rabbits from neglect and nurse them back to health and then hand them to some herpetologist for food,” Pierce said. “These are domesticated pets. That would be like handing off a dog or cat to be eaten.”From The Oregonian of Tuesday, March 13, 2007 Difficult legal choice confronts rabbit owner A Hillsboro woman may plead guilty and avoid jail, or chance a trial By Holly Danks HILLSBORO — A Hillsboro woman who was accused of neglecting more than 200 pet rabbits and then stealing most of them back can stay out of jail if she agrees to plead guilty in the next two weeks, prosecutors said Monday. But whether she pleads guilty or is convicted at a trial set for April 17, Miriam Sakewitz won’t be raising rabbits anytime soon. “It’s devastating,” Sakewitz, 44, said of not having her pets after Monday’s pretrial conference in Washington County Circuit Court. The only chance Sakewitz has of getting back the rabbits the police haven’t given away is to turn down the plea deal, go to trial and be found not guilty. If she is convicted of any of the 30 charges of first- and second-degree animal neglect she faces, Oregon law automatically prohibits Sakewitz from owning a domestic animal for five years. If Sakewitz is convicted, prosecutor Matthew Hall said Monday that he would press for a jail sentence. If she pleads guilty, Hall told defense attorney Adam Dean, he would recommend Sakewitz serve probation. “I had my rabbits for 10 years,” Sakewitz said Monday. “I was in the process of moving them to a farm. Some were already there.” Acting on a tip, Hillsboro police in October seized 158 live rabbits and 88 dead ones from Sakewitz’s house in the 1800 block of Northeast 23rd Court. Hillsboro residents can legally keep four rabbits within city limits. “They had gotten vet care just two days before that,” Sakewitz said. Police call Sakewitz, who lived alone with her rabbits, Oregon’s biggest animal hoarder in terms of numbers. Animal hoarders, mostly older women, compulsively collect pets and think they are giving them love but can’t properly care for the overwhelming numbers. Police say she was so desperate to get her rabbits back that in January she broke into a secure, undisclosed facility where police and volunteers had been caring for them. Investigators found 10 rabbits, including two dead ones, in Sakewitz’s car in Chehalis, Wash., a week later. More than 130 were recovered from a nearby horse farm. For allegedly taking the rabbits, Sakewitz is charged with violating her release agreement, three counts of second-degree burglary and one count each of tampering with physical evidence, second-degree criminal mischief and second-degree theft. Police gave away 70 rabbits to volunteers who were helping care for them, but the Oregon Supreme Court issued an injunction against the adoptions. The court decided not to hear Sakewitz’s argument that her rabbits could not be seized unless she was found guilty, but authorities decided to keep the rest of the animals in storage until her case is closed.From The Oregonian of April 13, 2007 Police to see an end to rabbit detail Now that animal-neglect case has come to an end, 141 bunnies can be adopted By Holly DanksHILLSBORO — Hillsboro police are getting out of the bunny boarding business now that one of Oregon’s largest animal neglect cases has ended. The 141 rabbits remaining in custody from an October raid on the home of Miriam Elaine Sakewitz will be adopted out as soon as police can arrange it through the Oregon Humane Society. Sakewitz, 44, pleaded no contest Wednesday to several misdemeanor charges. Police seized 158 live rabbits from her home and found another 88 dead rabbits in refrigerators and freezers. “Over the next couple weeks, we will be finding good homes for them,” Lt. Michael Rouches said Thursday. “I’m not going to rush to get rid of them.” Under state law, Sakewitz cannot possess domestic animals for five years because her pleas resulted in convictions for five counts each of first- and second-degree animal neglect. She also pleaded no contest to charges of second-degree criminal mischief and tampering with evidence for stealing more than 100 rabbits from a warehouse where police had them hidden. Most were recovered. Sakewitz said Thursday that she would have liked to have fought the charges at trial, but she was running out of money. Over the past two years, Sakewitz said she has spent $7,500 on veterinary bills. Officer Don Pierce has been feeding, watering and cleaning cages for as many as 211 rabbits with the help of rabbit-rescue volunteers since Oct. 16, when complaints led police to Sakewitz’s house in the 1800 block of N.E. 23rd Court. Until an Oregon Supreme Court ruling stopped them, police gave away dozens of the animals. A restitution hearing will determine how much Sakewitz owes the city of Hillsboro and the humane society for the rabbits’ care. Matthew Hall, Washington County deputy district attorney, said it will be $18,000 to $25,000. Washington County Circuit Judge Steven L. Price placed Sakewitz on five years’ formal probation so an officer can make sure she doesn’t possess or control any animals other than insects. Sakewitz said she didn’t know how she would be able to get along without her former pets. Not having rabbits for five years “really goes against my grain,” Sakewitz said. If she violates her probation, Sakewitz faces more than nine years in prison.

Previous stories about Beaverton’s proposed nuisance house ordinance
From The Oregonian of Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2007Dilapidated house: Neighbors seeing red City eyes a wide-ranging maintenance code that other cities have By David R. Anderson BEAVERTON — Neighbors of 9020 S.W. Rebecca Lane describe the home as every neighborhood’s nightmare — a gutted house with plywood-covered windows, no running water and a mysterious owner who burns God-knows-what in the fireplace. City officials say they can do something about the overgrown weeds, abandoned vehicles and garbage piled outside. But there is little they can do to regulate what property owners do inside their homes. Beaverton has nothing like the wide-ranging maintenance codes — requiring hot and cold running water, among other things — that other cities, including Tigard, Gresham and Portland, have. But the house on Rebecca Lane has Beaverton officials considering a similar ordinance. The house was a problem even before the fire, said Nathan Jones, who lives across the street. He began complaining to the city in spring 2005 about overgrown weeds. But things became much worse on Aug. 31, 2005, when the house caught fire. Clothing was left too close to the water heater, which was missing the protective plate covering the pilot light, said Karen Eubanks, Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue spokeswoman. Fire officials determined the cause of the blaze was accidental. But insurance apparently didn’t pay for the damage and it has never been repaired. A blue tarp still covers the hole firefighters cut in the roof. About a year ago, when the house was abandoned, Jones said he went inside and saw moldy drywall and mushy subflooring. It was accompanied by a horrible smell. The home’s owner, Lance A. Christensen, apparently moved back into the house a week before Thanksgiving. But he has made no obvious repairs. Christensen could not be reached for comment and did not respond to a note left at the house. Jones and fellow neighbor Sandy Dow said they are worried about their property values and the safety of neighborhood children. Jones has a 3-year-old daughter and a 1-year-old son. “We just don’t go in the front yard now,” he said. “I am horribly uneasy.” Jones said city officials have taken a “very relaxed, lackadaisical” approach to the problem. City councilors adopted an ordinance in April to address vacant buildings, using the Rebecca Lane house as one example for the need. But neighbors said nothing apparently changed after that ordinance passed. For example, it requires that plywood over windows be painted the same color as the house. That never happened. And when Christensen moved back in, the house was no longer considered vacant. “I think the city is failing him,” Jones said. “What’s most aggravating is that no one cares.” But city officials say they have done what they could. Code enforcement officers have amassed an inch-thick file documenting their efforts over the past 16 months. Work includes towing two vehicles, cleaning rubbish from the yard, cutting weeds and securing the plywood over the windows, said George Fetzer, the city’s code services manager. The case has been particularly difficult, Fetzer said, because ownership has been confused after a mortgage foreclosure. That limited the city’s ability to enforce vacant building standards, he said. Mayor Rob Drake said he understands and shares neighbors’ frustration. He consulted the city attorney to see what could be done. “I just can’t believe someone can use their home without proper sewer hookup,” he said. There is no law requiring a residence to have water service, said Kent Burtner, a Washington County’s Department of Health & Human Services spokesman. City officials are reviewing a draft maintenance code. But Drake is cautious about adopting a sweeping ordinance. Cases of badly neglected homes are rare, Drake said. Though in recent years, he said, the city might have used such an ordinance to force improvements to rundown apartments in the Central Beaverton neighborhood. The city of Tigard adopted a maintenance ordinance in 1999, said Hap Watkins, Tigard’s inspections supervisor. The new code has been a success, Watkins said. For example, if a windstorm blows off shingles, the city will contact the owner if the tarp stays up too long, Watkins said. The city has also used the ordinance in cases of excessive mildew on a building, fallen gutters and rental units with stoves that don’t work. Jones said Beaverton leaders should do something. “I just need them to make him fix the house,” Jones said. From The Oregonian of Friday, May 4, 2007Beaverton ponders homes standards A proposal sets minimums for all properties and establishes fines By David R. Anderson BEAVERTON — A proposed ordinance that would set minimum standards for home maintenance — requiring a watertight roof, plumb chimney and at least one window that opens, for example — will be considered by the City Council on Monday night. The ordinance was inspired by a house on Southwest Rebecca Lane that was gutted by fire. It had no running water or electricity. A blue tarp covered a hole in the roof, and unpainted plywood was nailed over the windows. But because the owner was living in the house, the city couldn’t enforce its ordinance for abandoned houses. The owner has since sold the house to a developer who is remodeling it. “It will end up being the nicest house in the neighborhood,” said Nathan Jones, who lives across the street and has been complaining to the city for two years. “But the city didn’t do a thing about it. It resolved itself.” The city has a nuisance ordinance that addresses abandoned vehicles, overgrown vegetation and garbage in the yard. But it doesn’t have standards addressing homes that are overcrowded or falling into disrepair. The 17-page ordinance establishes minimum requirements for things such as foundations, exterior walls, handrails, doors and bathrooms. For example, a home must have a water heater that is capable of heating enough water to provide at least 10 minutes of 120-degree Fahrenheit water at each hot water outlet. It also sets standards for overcrowding, requiring at least 330 square feet of kitchen, dining room and living room for a home with six or more residents. The ordinance also proposes penalties that range from civil infractions that carry a fine of $50 a day to misdemeanors that can be punished with a $6,250 fine and 30 days in jail. “I think it will help citizens in the future,” Jones said. “We were an extreme case, according to the mayor. But it can happen anywhere.”

Previous stories about turmoil at Forest Grove Fire & Rescue
From The Oregonian of Thursday, Dec. 14, 2006 Fire official allegedly faked inspections The lieutenant is charged with forgery and tampering; he’s resigned his post By Jill Rehkopf Smith A 21-year veteran of the Forest Grove Fire Department has resigned after a review of his paperwork indicated he had filled out reports for inspections that were not performed. Gary Clay Davis, 49, of Forest Grove has been charged with four misdemeanors: tampering with public records, second-degree forgery, second-degree possession of a forged instrument and second-degree official misconduct, said Deputy District Attorney Kevin Kelley. The first three are Class A misdemeanors with a maximum penalty of one year in jail and a $6,250 fine; the last is a Class C misdemeanor. Davis pleaded not guilty to the charges Dec. 6, Kelley said. A pretrial conference is scheduled for Jan. 22. Davis did not return calls seeking comment. Forest Grove Police Chief Glenn VanBlarcom said his department investigated a report that Davis falsified public records related to fire-code inspections of local businesses. VanBlarcom said discrepancies in Davis’ inspection reports came to light when Fire Chief Bob Mills was doing a routine administrative check of employees’ paperwork. No monetary gain was connected to the alleged falsifications, VanBlarcom said. Davis, a lieutenant who joined the fire department in 1985, was well-liked by colleagues, VanBlarcom said. He resigned Nov. 29, according to the city’s Human Resources Department. The Fire Department conducts annual inspections of local businesses to ensure they comply with the fire code and are not a hazard to the building tenants or community. Davis was one of three lieutenants responsible for conducting or supervising an average of 10 such inspections each per month, Mills said. The department identified roughly a dozen inspections that had not been conducted, although Davis appeared to represent them as completed in his paperwork, Mills said. The department has since completed those inspections, he said. Davis’ resignation reduces the fire department’s number of full-time employees from 20 to 19. The city is under a hiring freeze due to the failure of its public safety levy in last month’s election. Someone will be promoted to the lieutenant position internally, leaving a lower position vacant, said Human Resources Manager Rob DuValle. From The Oregonian of Friday, March 23, 2007 Web site blasts Forest Grove official A former employee criticizes the fire chief and cites unhappy employees By Jill Rehkopf Smith A former Forest Grove Fire Department employee posted a Web site Thursday morning that accuses Chief Bob Mills of managing through “fear and intimidation” and creating low morale. The site created by Jim Brown, a 10-year employee who left the department in July 2005, includes his descriptions of experiences at the department, along with an anonymous critique from someone Brown describes as a current firefighter. Mills said Thursday afternoon that he had learned about the site about a half-hour earlier and hadn’t looked at it. “We have some disgruntled employees that seem to have a problem with me,” he said. “I’m not going to let that bother me.” The site comes at a bad time for Forest Grove’s fire leaders, who hope to pass a public safety levy in the May election. Brown said some of the firefighters he talked with about the site agreed with its content but worried about how it might affect city funding. Brown lives in Vermont and works at his family’s printing company. He said he is speaking out because he remains loyal to his “brothers and sisters” in the department and doesn’t have to worry about losing his job. Brown said current firefighters are afraid to speak out, as some had quietly been doing in the spring of 2006. In a March 28, 2006, e-mail to all firefighters, then-shop steward Tad Buckingham wrote: “Chief just told me ‘If I find out who went to the media, I will fire them on the spot!! If anyone talks to the media, and I find out who, I will fire them on the spot.’ ‘I will deal with across the street (meaning City Hall) later.’ ” Mills on Thursday confirmed the conversation with Buckingham. He said City Manager Michael Sykes learned of the threat and told him he needed to retract it. On June 12, Mills sent an e-mail to Buckingham. It said, in part, “I’d like to apologize to you for my unacceptable comments to you. . . . I am retracting that statement and no further statements of that kind will be issued by me in the future.” Sykes said Thursday that he had Human Resources Director Rob DuValle look into Brown’s complaints and that they added some training programs and personnel based on Brown’s concerns about safety but that his overall complaints about Mills’ management style and low morale were “sour grapes.” “I think the morale is very good over there,” Sykes said. Mills noted no grievances have been filed against him. Brown’s Web site also contains pictures of two former firefighters who Brown says are preparing to go public with their stories. A picture of Steve Vanderzanden, who retired in July 2006, bears an outdated caption, “Why can’t I still be a volunteer, Bob?” Vanderzanden told The Oregonian on Thursday that he had blamed Mills for not letting him continue as a volunteer but that changed in January when Mills invited him to return. Still, Vanderzanden said, “As long as Chief Mills is the fire chief I won’t go back.” Gary Clay Davis, a 21-year veteran who resigned in December, is also pictured. He was charged with forgery, tampering with public records and official misconduct for filing and signing reports for inspections that were not performed. Davis, who said he is negotiating a plea agreement, refused to comment Thursday. He referred calls to Brown, who criticizes the inspection process on his site. Mills said he didn’t know if he was going to look at the site, citing other concerns. “It’s unfortunate that this pops up at this time. My main concern right now is getting the levy passed.” From The Oregonian of Thursday, April 5, 2007 Fire chief’s leadership stokes unrest, turmoil Frustrations among firefighters smolder as the city seeks a approval of a levy By Jill Rehkopf Smith FOREST GROVE — It seemed like a great idea: Forest Grove Fire Chief Bob Mills would hold an open forum so firefighters could tell him about their concerns and propose solutions. Paramedic/firefighter Troy Waddell went first. But according to Waddell and others at the forum, his comments were not well received. Mills became angry and began yelling and swearing. The chief then stormed out to his truck and drove off. After a call from then-Assistant Chief Charlie Marble, Mills returned and apologized. That was a year and a half ago. Waddell has since moved to a different fire department. He says Mills’ management style was a factor in his decision to leave Forest Grove. Mills acknowledges the incident with Waddell, and says he has been taking management classes and trying to improve his communication skills. “I’m working on it,” he said last week. Some firefighters agree that Mills has been trying to change. But his outbursts over the years have led many to stifle complaints, they say. And long-simmering frustrations intensified in December, when criminal charges were brought against a longtime fellow firefighter. Clay Davis was charged with forgery and other misdemeanors that accused him of filing paperwork on inspections that had not been completed. Davis, who resigned, says he is negotiating a plea in the case. Then on March 22, Jim Brown, a former firefighter, posted a Web site critical of the chief and his management style. (It can be found online at http://thetruthaboutforestgrovefire.com.) Brown, who left in 2005 and now lives in Vermont, also posts critical comments from other firefighters. Mills adamantly denies many of the charges on the site. The Web site’s contents roughly match comments from 15 current, former and volunteer firefighters interviewed by The Oregonian. Some of the site’s examples are outdated and some are up for debate, a few sources say. At least one employee says he is happy at the department and doesn’t feel overwhelmed. But most others identify two main themes: Firefighters are being asked to do too many things with too few resources, and Mills’ management style aggravates the problem. “Anytime stuff like this originates, it’s worthy of a serious look,” said Lyle Spiesschaert, chairman of the Forest Grove Rural Fire Board. The rural board, which helps oversee operations outside city limits, planned to consider the Web site’s allegations this week. Shadowing the criticism is its timing, just as city leaders are asking voters for more money to maintain community and public services, including the Fire Department. If the levy fails — as a similar one did in November — the department could lose two firefighters and possibly be stretched even further. The workload On March 25, firefighters balanced an 8:03 p.m. call for help from a woman on Pacific Avenue with an 8:15 p.m. call to aid a man who had collapsed and was not breathing. Two separate crews raced to handle them. But firefighters say that if the public safety levy fails, they also will lose their ability to consistently answer two calls at once, a situation they handled 366 times last year. In 1996, when the agency’s lone station began staffing two engine companies a shift, Forest Grove’s population was 13,559. At the time, four firefighters each 24-hour shift handled 1,817 calls a year. Ten years later, the population had grown to 20,000 and five firefighters each shift handled 2,497 calls. So far this year, firefighters are averaging a little more than seven calls for each shift, Mills says. And they are down one firefighter since Davis resigned. Still, firefighters have performed well enough that a recent survey of city residents seeking input on the quality of 31 city services rated “fire response” and “emergency medical response” first and second. The high ratings come despite firefighters being so busy with other tasks –drilling volunteers, preparing to teach classes, updating maps, performing inspections, ordering medical supplies, documenting calls, checking equipment –that they sometimes feel frustrated when an alarm sounds. They joke darkly about this because going out on calls to help people is the reason they say they joined the department –it’s what they love. Areas of concern Mills became interim chief of Forest Grove Fire & Rescue in January 2004, after Bob Davis retired and the top candidate to replace him declined the job. Three months later he was named to the job permanently. Since then, a number of firefighters have developed concerns about Mills. One is that he gives them too many duties, including inspecting businesses for fire code violations — a service that is not legally required. Mills says he is trying to find ways to ease the load: reducing the number of daily equipment checks, for example. He says he has reinstituted a self-inspection approach and plans to consider further streamlining inspections. Another concern some firefighters raise is that Mills seems to make decisions based on his personal feelings rather than professional assessments. One example was in 2005, when Mills named Marble as assistant chief/training officer. He bypassed others, including Davis and Brown, the Web site creator. Marble later admitted the job was a mismatch. Many concerns related to safety and training stemmed from that personnel decision, which changed in August when Ian O’Connor was hired as training officer. Marble voluntarily moved to a firefighter position. Rob DuValle, the city’s human resources manager, says he looked into that issue when Brown first brought it to his attention in 2005 and found legitimate concerns. DuValle says he issued a new employment manual in January 2006, which created a more objective hiring process that uses outside experts to help assess candidates. Firefighters also complain that Mills micromanages — stepping in on every call instead of trusting them on their own. Mills defends his role, saying he needs to observe the lieutenants so he can evaluate their work. He also wants to help out if needed. Another complaint is Mills’ unpredictable outbursts. Brown says Mills berated and swore at him after Brown requested family leave when his second child was born. A number of firefighters say they stopped bringing broken pagers to Mills because he rants at them for breaking the devices, which are easily bumped or dropped during calls. “I have never just yelled at someone,” Mills said last week. “Sometimes when I get annoyed my voice just raises.” Mills says he is trying to change his communication style, and some firefighters say he does seem to be yelling less. “It’s an up and down sort of thing,” said Lt. Joe Smith, a union shop steward. The additions of O’Connor and Fire Marshal Bill Bench have helped greatly, firefighters say. But “in an exceptionally dark room, if you light a match it’s going to appear brighter,” said Tad Buckingham, a firefighter and former union shop steward. DuValle wonders why the union hasn’t filed a grievance or contacted him if the atmosphere is so bad. “There may not be a rule in the union contract that says employees and management shall not yell at one another,” he said. But city rules call for “professional, respectful conduct.” Buckingham says he and Smith told City Manager Michael Sykes and DuValle last summer about poor morale and management problems. DuValle remembers discussing Mills and asking the two union representatives what they thought the city should do. “The union did not say they thought he should be fired,” he says. Buckingham responds that he did not think it was his place to make such a decision and that the firefighters do not have a personal vendetta against Mills. But he says the department would benefit from an updated management style, whether that means a new person or a better trained, transformed Mills. “Definitely we need changes,” Smith said. “Whether we pass the levy or not, the city’s grown. We either need to start a new station or we need help with the inspections. We need to get back to basics for preparing to go to calls.” From The Oregonian of Thursday, April 5, 2007 Fire board split on Web complaints The Forest Grove panel debates how to handle the online criticism By Jill Rehkopf Smith Members of the Forest Grove Rural Fire District’s board of directors are split on how or whether to review allegations of mismanagement raised recently against the city’s fire chief on a former employee’s Web site. Three members recommended a low-key response to the accusations. “I don’t think we need to make a witch hunt out of this thing,” Tim Dierickx said. Two members supported an inquiry. “We’re going to get hammered if we say everything is just fine” without conducting an investigation, board President Lyle Spiesschaert said. Ultimately, the board agreed to allow Spiesschaert and board Vice President Jim Love to speak with City Manager Michael Sykes about the allegations and decide afterward whether to contact representatives from the firefighters union and the agency’s volunteer association. On March 22, Jim Brown, a firefighter who left the department in July 2005, posted complaints from current and former firefighters, including himself, online at www.thetruthaboutforestgrovefire.com. Some Web site statements related to safety and personnel are outdated. More current complaints accuse Fire Chief Bob Mills of intimidating employees and micromanaging everything from emergency calls to toilet paper purchases. In a March 23 press release, Sykes said the city had addressed some allegations focusing on safety but determined others were unfounded. Sykes wrote that he was skeptical of claims that Mills managed through “fear and intimidation” and characterized the Web site as a “personal campaign against Chief Mills.” “If he can convince us, it’s done,” Spiesschaert said of Sykes’ comments, adding later that he may need more “background information” before he is assured. Mills has denied some of the charges raised on the Web site. He said others, while legitimate, were addressed long ago. The Rural Fire Protection District and the city share ownership and operation of Forest Grove Fire & Rescue. The district jointly owns half the department’s equipment and buildings and pays for a percentage of its operations based on the number of calls from the 82-square-mile area surrounding the city. Board members received a letter March 28 from Dale Wiley, a member of the district’s budget committee, calling for several measures, including an “independent and outside” investigation of the allegations. Wiley also questioned how the board would handle the issue, given that one of its members — former Fire Chief Bob Davis — is mentioned several times on the Web site in connection with some complaints. At Tuesday night’s meeting, Davis told fellow board members: “A lot of people I talk to say, ‘You shouldn’t even worry about it. It’ll be dead in a week or two if you leave it alone.’ ” He also said firefighters could file a grievance if there is a legitimate problem. Spiesschaert said he sought advice from the fire district’s attorney, who suggested a couple of board members privately talk with union and the volunteer association representatives about the allegations. Spiesschaert and board member Kevin VanDyke favored this approach. Love, Dierickx and Davis wanted to rely on or partner with the city manager and human resources director, who have also been criticized on the Web site. That idea concerned VanDyke. “If you tie this review too close to the city,” he said, “people who don’t trust the city will immediately discount that.” Sykes, who oversees the fire department for the city, said Wednesday that he and Human Resources Director Rob DuValle hope to meet with some of the firefighters’ leaders to double-check his perception that things are “going pretty well” in the department. From The Oregonian of Wednesday, April 11, 2007 news UPDATE: Firefighters, city discuss allegations By Jill Rehkopf Smith Background: The Forest Grove Rural Fire District Board decided last week to have President Lyle Spiesschaert and Vice President Jim Love talk to city officials about allegations raised on a Web site related to mismanagement, low morale and safety/training deficiencies at Forest Grove Fire & Rescue. They promised to investigate further if they were not confident in the city leaders’ handling of the claims. The Web site, www.thetruthaboutforestgrovefire.com, was created by former firefighter Jim Brown. It is particularly critical of Fire Chief Bob Mills. Update: Spiesschaert and Love met with City Manager Michael Sykes and Human Resources Director Rob DuValle on Friday. Spiesschaert said he and Love are convinced the two city officials are taking appropriate action. Sykes said he and DuValle met Friday with Forest Grove Fire & Rescue’s three lieutenants and decided to meet with all the firefighters for a goal-setting session. Sykes said the goal-setting process is a safe format for raising concerns because it will allow firefighters to list the department’s strengths and weaknesses and vote for the most important. Meanwhile, 12 of the city’s 15 firefighters met Friday and created a news release acknowledging “some internal stress that has recently been brought out into the open.” The release said they “regret the information as it was presented on a recent Web site. . . . We are dedicated to working with city management for resolution of the issues that are at hand.” Brown, who lives in Vermont, said at least a third of the current force has thanked him for creating the site, although they worry about its timing –just as city leaders area proposing a public safety levy. What’s next: Sykes said he and DuValle will meet with paid firefighters and with representatives of the Volunteer Firefighters Association in the next two weeks. Sykes will report back to Spiesschaert and Love. Brown said he will continue to update the Web site.From The Oregonian of Thursday, April 19, 2007 Ex-firefighter enters guilty plea Gary Clay Davis admits he filled out false reports and forged signatures By Jill Rehkopf Smith HILLSBORO — Former Forest Grove firefighter Gary Clay Davis has battled roaring blazes, pulled the injured from car wrecks and cradled dying children. But his most difficult moment came in a Washington County courtroom Wednesday when he admitted filling out reports for fire code inspections he hadn’t completed and forging business owners’ signatures. “For me personally, this experience has been hell,” Davis said after pleading guilty to second-degree official misconduct, a class-C misdemeanor. Three other charges — misdemeanors related to forgery and tampering with public records — were dropped as part of his guilty plea. Presiding Judge Thomas W. Kohl sentenced Davis to a $67 fine, 80 hours’ community service and a year’s probation. A tougher consequence came in November when Forest Grove Fire & Rescue Chief Bob Mills learned of the forgeries. Davis said he was offered the option of resigning or being fired. Davis said he begged Mills to let him stay on the force, even if it meant a suspension, demotion from his lieutenant rank or both. Davis ended a 21-year career with the agency when he resigned Nov. 29. Mills said Wednesday that he could not discuss the case due to a confidentiality clause in Davis’ resignation agreement. “That was my identity, that’s who I am,” Davis said. The former firefighter said he lost 25 pounds during his last four months on the job while struggling in what he called a “hostile work environment.” Davis said he was also overwhelmed by his workload, which included inspecting businesses for fire code violations — a service that is helpful but not legally required. Steve Vanderzanden, a former lieutenant who retired in July, said he used to hand off inspections to firefighters he supervised. “Why didn’t Clay do that?” he asked. Davis said he was trying to protect crew members who were struggling with personal problems, including deaths and terminal illnesses among immediate family. The prosecution and resignation of Davis sparked a wave of frustration and sympathy among some colleagues. It also led to creation of a Web site — www.thetruthaboutforestgrovefire.com — by former firefighter Jim Brown. On the site, Brown and several other former or current firefighters criticize Mills and express support for Davis. Mills has strongly denied many of the allegations posted on the site; others, he said, have been addressed. Davis, who has been teaching CPR and basic first aid since leaving the fire agency, told Kohl he was remorseful for what he had done. “I know it was wrong,” Davis said. “Outside pressures do not excuse my actions,” he said. “I’m here to take responsibility.”

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Previous story about Timothy Dunn
From The Oregonian of Friday, April 27, 2007 Attorney found guilty in DUII case Timothy P. Dunn is also being investigated on misconduct allegationsBy Holly DanksHILLSBORO — A well-known Washington County defense attorney who has worked on several high-profile murder cases was found guilty Thursday of driving under the influence of intoxicants.Timothy P. Dunn, 54, will be sentenced Monday to mandatory jail, probation and a driver’s license suspension on his second driving impaired conviction in four years. What will happen to his license to practice law is unclear. Criminal convictions notwithstanding, the Oregon State Bar for years has been investigating Dunn on allegations of misconduct involving mishandling of client fees and neglecting legal matters. He currently is awaiting an Oregon Supreme Court ruling on whether he should be suspended from practicing law. Dunn said Thursday that he will appeal his conviction. He asked visiting Circuit Judge Karla J. Knieps to suspend his sentencing pending appeal, but prosecutor Deena Ryerson argued that Dunn needed immediate treatment to keep him from harming other motorists. “I would be remiss if I didn’t ask for the protection of the public,” said Ryerson, as an assistant state’s attorney. Without a jury in a two-day proceeding, Knieps found that Dunn was under the influence of the anti-depressant Librium when a Beaverton police officer arrested him July 1, 2006, on Southwest Farmington Road. Dunn admitted taking two of the pills and then going to Saturday Mass. Dunn, who acted as his own attorney, testified he took Librium because the drug made him not want to drink. He said he has been sober for more than two years.However, he said he has suffered from depression and anxiety for many years. Officer Alan Julifs testified that he stopped Dunn after observing a red Acura cross the yellow centerline several times along Farmington. Julifs said Dunn’s eyes were bloodshot, his speech was slow, his walk shuffling and lethargic, and his face sunken and pale. Julifs said that Dunn failed a field sobriety test and that he found a bag containing a bottle of Librium under the driver’s seat. At the Beaverton police station, Dunn took a Breathalyzer test that showed no alcohol in his system, but a urine test showed the presence of Librium and six other drugs. Dunn’s doctor told an investigator for the Oregon State Bar that he prescribed two of the seven drugs, but Ryerson could not use that evidence because Dunn refused to allow police to perform a drug evaluation. Dunn said he would appeal Thursday’s conviction on the grounds that his doctor violated patient-physician privilege, that the officer should not have opened the bag under the car seat and that the urine test was not quantitative or scientific. Dunn was the court-appointed defense attorney for Karen Huster, who was convicted in 2002 of shooting her 9-year-old daughter, dismembering her body and disposing of the pieces. He also defended Ali Mohamad Mattar, who pleaded guilty the same year to raping and strangling a Tigard woman and cutting off her head and hands. Dunn has not been given court-appointed cases in Washington County since earlier this year. Stacy J. Hankin, assistant disciplinary counsel for the Oregon State Bar, said in the March hearing that Dunn “poses a danger to the public, the court system and the legal profession.”

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