Johnson won’t take city job

The Council’s choice for the job, Tim Johnson of Portland, has declined the city’s offer.

Johnson explained in a Thursday e-mail to Mayor Dennis Dorrah that although he wanted to accept the job, the illness of a family member forced him to say no.

“It would not be fair to you, the council, staff and the people of Baker City to accept the position specifically given that my attention would be divided with the support in providing for the health and well being of my family member, and given that I have a small family, it requires my singular attention,” Johnson wrote.

“You, the council and community have a full agenda. . .  You need someone who can devote the necessary time to these activities. I wish I could have been involved with these activities and been a part of your great community.”

The Council voted 4-2 on Dec. 18 to offer Johnson the job.

During the Council’s Jan. 12 meeting, Dorrah said he and Johnson had been negotiating terms of a contract.

“I have taken the liberty to assure Mr. Johnson that we understand and are willing to work with him and hold the position for him,” Dorrah said Jan. 12.

 But on Thursday Johnson sent Dorrah the e-mail in which he formally turned down the job.

“(Johnson) thought it was a wonderful community and a wonderful opportunity, but family has got to come first,” Dorrah said this morning.”

Councilors will consider their options during their regular scheduled meeting Tuesday at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 1655 First St.

Collins has been working as interim manager since June, when the Council voted 4-3 to fire Steve Brocato.

Dorrah said keeping Collins is an option, as is hiring Steve Bogart, a former Baker City manager.

The City Council also could consider candidates from a list that the League of Oregon Cities maintains, Dorrah said.

Those candidates are experienced city managers who are willing to work on a relatively short-term basis.

One option that Dorrah said he opposes is re-advertising the job.

Dorrah said he fears the city would not now attract a sufficient number of qualified applicants due to disagreements among councilors — including the split vote last month on whether to offer the job to Johnson.

“With the way things have unfolded over the past eight months I believe we need to appoint a temporary city manager for at least a year because, in my opinion, we are not going to get really top-quality applicants as long as we cannot solve our issues within the Council,” Dorrah said. “I don’t believe that top-quality people relish stepping in the middle of dogfights. Who in their right mind wants to walk into a situation like that?”

Dorrah contends that the discord among councilors last summer, when Johnson and about 75 other people applied for the job, was “just a blip compared to what it turned into.”

He believes the Council needs to prove it can work together more effectively for at least six months before it starts looking for a long-term manager.

If a majority of the Council agrees with Dorrah, the matter could turn into a primary issue during this year’s city elections.

The terms of four of the seven councilors expire at the end of 2010 — Dorrah, Beverly Calder, Andrew Bryan and Clair Button. All four of those positions will be open in the November 2010 election.