Two more employees leave city

Two more Sisters city employees are leaving.

Finance administrative assistant Linda Feist is retiring and former director of public works Gary Frazee has resigned. Frazee stepped down several months ago from his position heading the public works department and since that time has worked in public works operations.

Sparks flew over the departures at last Thursday's city council meeting when Sisters contractor Curt Kallberg approached the podium.

"I wasn't planning on coming here tonight. This is my poker night. It is an important night in my life. I heard that two more people have turned in resignations.... That makes the fourth key person of this town, foundation people of this city, that have left," Kallberg said.

Last week's announcements follow on the heels of the abrupt resignation of finance officer Emma Sivers at the beginning of the summer and the recent departure of city planner Brian Rankin for a job in Bend.

"I run a business, and if somebody is not doing their job, I let them go. I fire them," Kallberg told the council. "But if somebody is quitting, bells and sirens should be going off. A person like Linda has always been very professional and has done a great job.

"And Gary Frazee ... I have been here 20 years, and there is no one in this community that will ever replace Gary Frazee. He is probably the most valuable person you have in the community. He knows more about this town than all of us put together and most of those that have left. He is the hardest worker. He and I are not friends, and I am not sticking up for a friend. I am just stating a fact after observing him for 20 years in this town.

"What is going on in this town? Before the wheels totally fly off the wagon, I hope you guys get it fixed because you are never going to replace those kinds of people. You have more people that are probably going to leave also. I think you are on a short time, and I would love to hear your response," said Kallberg.

Mayor Brad Boyd responded: "Linda is retiring. Her husband is retiring from his job, and they are moving. Of course, she has been a valuable employee here for a number of years. What do you say when someone comes to you and wants to retire, other than to say thank you for your work, we appreciate all your work, and we hope that you and your husband enjoy your retirement? That is what you say, and that is the conversation that I had with Linda."

Kallberg nodded and the mayor continued: "Two of the people have left for personal reasons."

Kallberg then countered: "So you think that everything is fine in River City."

Mayor Boyd said, "No I don't think that everything is fine in River City, but we are not going to have a public discussion in this forum. I appreciate your concerns."

And the discussion was closed.

Eileen Stein, Sisters City Manager, was asked about the situation and replied: "Both employees are retiring. Actually, I am not sure if Gary Frazee is retiring or resigning; I need to talk to him."

Feist confirmed that she is leaving the city because she and her husband have decided to retire.

"I am retiring to spend time with my husband," she said. "We sold our place here and purchased in eastern Oregon. We are going to go there to retire."

The situation is much more complicated in Frazee's case.

"It has been no secret that I do not see eye to eye with Eileen (Stein)," said Frazee. "I felt it was better for the city for me to resign than to continue. I thought perhaps by stepping down (from public works director) and keeping in the field I would be able to minimize the problems that we were having, but it didn't make much difference. It was causing problems in the public works department, and I didn't want that."

He also said that, "I have given my life to the city for the last 19 years, and it is hard for me to leave."

Frazee is leaving the city at the age of 59, three years before he would have retired with a full pension.

"I am not sure what I will do. I will probably spend quite a bit of time at the car wash and try to catch up on jobs around the house that I have neglected because I have been putting in so many hours with the city," said Frazee.

Frazee will remain with the city until October 14 to see Sisters and the Chamber of Commerce through September's many activities and October's Harvest Faire.

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