The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

Sisters Police Chief David Haynes will probably keep his job after a stormy week in which he turned in his badge in a dispute with City Administrator Barbara Warren, then withdrew his apparent resignation.

Following an executive session of the city council on Monday, July 1, Warren indicated that the city would probably not accept Hayne's resignation and would retain his job.

On the advice of City Attorney Geoff Gokey, she would not comment on whether Haynes would be disciplined.

Warren said a dispute came to a rapid boil on Tuesday, June 25, when the chief asked Warren if the city would pay police officers for accumulated overtime, holiday hours and compensatory time.

According to Warren, when she said -noî there was a brief argument and Haynes -yanked off his badge and slammed it down on the copy machineî and left.

Haynes made an entry in the police department daily log at 3 p.m. June 25 that read: -City Admin. Warren and myself had a very brief conversation about paying out hours of holiday, vacation time, etc. We are not in agreement. You're now looking for a new Chief.î

Haynes, through his attorney, withdrew the resignation on Thursday.

He did not give a reason for his change of heart.

Warren told The Nugget that she advised the chief in January that he had to reduce his department's accumulated hours by having officers take paid leave, to avoid adding to payroll expenses.

She said she talked with Haynes again in May and early in June when she realized the hours accumulated on the books had actually increased.

She also indicated that through that point she had not been aware of a problem with Haynes.

Haynes said that on June 19 Haynes wrote a memo to City Financial Officer Pat Vigal asking if there was money in the budget and, if so, would the officers be paid for the leave time.

He told The Nugget he was advised on June 24 that there was money in the budget, but Warren had said there would be no payment as requested by the chief.

-It was my belief we were going to follow past practice in compliance with the personnel handbook which, in the absence of collective bargaining we perceive to be an employment contract,î said Haynes.

Warren agreed that in the past officers have been paid for portions of accumulated time, but -it has never been at a set rate or a set time.î Such payment is not required in the personnel handbook except when accumulated time exceeds 240 hours per person. She said that amount has not been reached by any of the officers.

Warren said the amount requested by Haynes is about $7,000, including benefits and other costs, which is more, she indicated, than the city can afford. Haynes says the amount is -less than $5,000.î

-The issue is,î Warren said, -we (the city) spent $55,000 more than we took in for the year. There is only one department in the general fund that has any fat in it and that is the police department.î

Warren did not rule out the possibility of paying out the -comp timeî to the officers at a later date.

She said she has not met with Haynes to explain her position.

The city council was expected to come to a final decision on Haynes position at a special session on July 2.