WALDPORT – The Waldport city council said last week that allegations of misconduct against the city manager by board members and supporters of Waldport Beachcomber Days community group were without merit.
The city received 12 letters of complaint against city manager Dann Cutter that in part alleged misuse of power, retaliation and discrimination that Beachcomber board members say “significantly harmed” the non-profit organization.
A letter from the board outlining its grievances against Cutter said that his interactions with Beachcomber representatives surrounding financial questions and subsequent actions dating back to December were a “clear violation of ethical, legal, and managerial standards,” and called for an immediate independent investigation and potential removal of the city manager.
All of the letters alleged misconduct by Cutter and echoed the call for an independent investigation. At a special, emergency meeting Thursday both the city manager and now former mayor Heide Lambert – who faced allegations of violating the city’s charter — were given the option to have a public hearing or closed, executive session to discuss allegations against them. Both faced consequences that ranged from dismissal to reprimand or removal.
Lambert chose to have a public hearing and was removed from office on a 6-0 vote of council members.
Cutter chose to have a hearing in executive session, and said later it was so councilors could speak freely without concern it would be made public. Cutter’s hearing lasted for an hour before councilors came out of closed session to make public its findings.
“We had a hearing in executive session about the allegations toward Dann,” said councilor Susan Woodruff. “We reviewed all the information that we had, we talked at length and we found (the complaints) without merit.”
No other information has been released by the city except to say that Beachcomber has threatened a lawsuit and that attorneys for both sides are in discussions.
— Garret Jaros/Lincoln Chronicle
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