From: Dan Huff

Sent: Tue Jun 16 11:14:42 2020

To: Chaunee Seifried; Gerald Fisher; Chaunee Seifried

Subject: FW: City Employees

Importance: Normal

Attachments: image002.jpg;

 

Since you all are indirectly involved in the annoyance with our former Mayor I wanted you to see what I sent Councilor Robles today.

From: Dan Huff

Sent: Tuesday, June 16, 2020 9:56 AM

To: Crystal Robles <crobles@cityofmolalla.com>

Subject: City Employees

Councilor Robles – After finding out that you were told I was unethical because I only hire my friends at the City of Molalla, I wanted to provide you with some basic information.

Since I was hired as City Manager for the City of Molalla (July 2013) we have hired 41 individuals for various positions throughout the City.

The positions in question by Mr. Keyser and the former Mayor, as I understand, are as follows:

  1. 1. Police Chief, Frank Schoenfeld – Original hire date February 1, 2016. Chief Schoenfeld was an internal hire to replace Chief Lucich. I met Frank the day Chief Lucich introduced me on February 1, 2016. We used an internal policy adopted by Council to go through an interview process that included a City Councilor. Chief Schoenfeld’s career and record as a dedicated member of law enforcement and character is unmatched.
  2. 2. Finance Director, Chaunee Seifried – Hire date July 5, 2016. I met Chaunee the day I interviewed her for Finance Director. No previous relationship. Mr. Thompson was a sitting Councilor at the time and he told me that he would have liked an opportunity to have that position of Finance Director. Chaunee’ s years of experience as a Finance Director for City of Mt. Angel and the City of Canby have been vital to our ability to move forward fiscally.
  3. 3. Public Works Director, Gerald Fisher – Hire date June 6, 2016. Gerald was only an acquaintance in the engineering world and had completed some work for the City of Molalla. We were having some problems in Public Works and I sat down with each City Councilor and discussed my plan before I pulled the trigger on making changes in the Public Works Department. Gerald’s years of experience as a Public Works Director and City Engineer at the City of Silverton, City of Wilsonville and private sector have been crucial to our ability to change the course of our infrastructure needs.
  4. 4. City Recorder, Christie DeSantis – Hire date May 5, 2017. I had no previous knowledge of Christie DeSantis or her family and met her the day she came in for an interview for the Executive Administrative Assistant position. Her dedication to not only the City Councilors but dealing with the City Manager on a daily basis and her current dedication to cleaning up the City Recorders office is unmatched. I consulted with two very respected Oregon City Recorders prior to placing her in this position.
  5. 5. Senior Accountant, Cindy Chauran – Hire date March 4, 2019. Cindy had been working for the City of Stayton. I met Cindy after the interview panel selected her as the best candidate for the position. I was not part of the interview process because one of the candidates was Mayor, Jimmy Thompson. The interview panel included three (3) city staff members and a member of the finance team from the City of Canby. Cindy was the unanimous choice by a long shot. Mr. Thompson resigned as Mayor the day he found out he was not selected and began the story line that I was unethical because I only hire my friends. Cindy has been instrumental in our ability to receive the Budget Award, even working from home through a serious illness, and we are more than thankful to have her.

 

In no case were any of these individuals or any of the other 41 hires, my “friends” prior to their hire date. However, I would call them my friends today. I spent 25 years in southern Oregon prior to coming to Molalla. My level of knowing people in this area was very limited anyway. If this issue was only about me I may not be as quick to respond but unfortunately it is not only about me. The 2020-2021 Budget document is our road map and annual check-in with how well we are doing as a City from a business/agency standpoint. I will stand beside, in front and behind each and every one of my employees and talk about their individual dedication and commitment to the City of Molalla. This story line is offensive to their hard work. Happy to talk more if you like. You, as well as all of your compatriot Councilors are welcome in my office anytime.

Dan Huff

City Manager

City of Molalla, Oregon

(503)829-6855

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