Letters to the Editor for July 8, 2009

Great story gets widespread play

To the editor:

Awoke at 2:07 a.m. Wednesday, July 1, and heard Nathan Hellman’s article about Bill Fulton’s billfold read on Coast-to-Coast — 450 syndicated radio stations across America and around the world.

Another great story.         

Tommy Moore

Lake Oswego

MVMH should avoid secrecy

To the editor:

“We need to congratulate Vicki for turning this ship around and not having a roomful of angry people,” said County Commission Chair Fred Warner at last week’s meeting with MVMH Director Vicki Levinger and board of directors members Milo Pope and Kent Bailey.

High praise for Levinger, who the board appointed director after demoting director Tim Mahoney, an appointment made even though Levinger had no administrative experience. The board made no attempt to recruit qualified applicants outside the agency.

After her appointment, Levinger — under supervision of her husband-to-be, MVMH board chair Dr. Larry Levinger — presided over a mass exodus of the most  qualified and experienced MVMH employees. 

The employees had been eager to work with management on problems that began under Mahoney. But instead of working with employees to iron things out, Levinger clamped down on the complainers. Which led to a hostile work environment. Which led to employees leaving. Which led to the firing of two employees. Which led to a finding of illegal retaliation by an Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries investigator. Which led to a federal whistle-blower lawsuit.

In May, the lawsuit ended in a secret settlement. 

But we do know this. At last week’s meeting, Kent Bailey disclosed the costs of the lawsuit: $130,290 for lawyers; and most of a year-end surplus of $155,000 for settlement. That’s money that could have been spent on services to clients, if Levinger and MVMH board of directors had followed common sense employer-employee practices, and if MVMH did not operate in secret.

MVMH’s biggest problem is its culture of secrecy.  The lawsuit would have been avoided, if MVMH board meetings were open to the public. The only reason the public knows MVMH’s insurance carrier refuses to indemnify MVMH is my disclosure of information contained in an internal letter written by Pope sent to me anonymously by a brave MVMH employee. 

With old board members going off and new ones going on, I hope, for the sake of the health of the County’s mental health service provider, that the MVMH board abandons its culture of secrecy.

Gary Dielman

Baker City

No way to start a friendship

To the editor:

In response to David Coughlin’s letter dated July 3. We haven’t even met and you are calling me names. How do you ever expect us to become best friends starting out this way, David?

I think you would be considered the classic. My views are not unique.

I think you are putting words in the witness’ mouth when you say “lock all gateways to the city.” I don’t think the judge would let you get away with that. That’s a great idea you came up with, though.

“It’s the events like these (rally, bike races) that make Baker City unique.” Brilliant statement. You should come into town more often from your country home. If you think motorcycle rallies and bike races will keep this town moving ... you are a classic.

It’s wonderful that you discovered a new Western store on Main Street. I commend you for shopping local.

I think you have Cycle Oregon confused with the bike races. Cycle Oregon are the ones that fill the motels and restaurants with family, and leave a lot of money behind, not the racers. You said, “they all talk about how beautiful Baker City and Baker County are.” All — that’s a lot of people, David. Are you sure you talked to “all” of them, or maybe you meant just a few? You should look up the definition of unique.

Methane gas: Guess you don’t know the difference between dairy cattle and beef cattle. It’s in what they eat, David. What they eat. I wonder, David, if you even know what end of the cow the “moo” comes from. With dairy cattle, they make noise at both ends. I can see where that might be confusing to you.

Historically Baker City is a cow town, David. Hopefully it will remain with crops and cattle. If you are suggesting that the motorcycle rallies and the bike races maintain this town for the year ... you really do need to get out more.

In short, David, why don’t you put your banana bunch on and go for a little ride in the pasture and get a little “green” on your wheels.

Bill Todd

Baker City