Ethics commission dismisses complaints

The Oregon Government Ethics Commission, in a unanimous decision by a four-member quorum last week dismissed all complaints Sisters resident Mike Morgan filed against the Sisters School District's Board of Directors.

The commission dismissed Morgan's case on the grounds that its investigation found "no appearance of a violation" on the part of the Sisters School Board. The commission's action came down last Friday.

Morgan's complaint named three current school board members: chairman Mike Gould; vice-chairman Glen Lasken; and director Jeff Smith, as well as two past members, former board chairman Rob Corrigan and former vice-chairman Steve Rudinsky.

In his complaint Morgan alleged that Sisters school board members "violated the executive session provisions of Oregon Public Meetings law by participating in discussions of topics not authorized in executive sessions."

According to Ron Bersin, the ethics commission's executive director, the commission acted upon the recommendation of staff's investigation of Morgan's complaint.

"There was not sufficient evidence of a violation of executive meeting law," said Bersin.

The commission's investigation centered on whether or not three executive sessions the Sisters board held in August and September of 2006 were in compliance with Oregon law. During those executive sessions, board members discussed findings of the Oregon Secretary of State's Audit's Division about the homeschool program the Sisters School District operated at Sonrise Christian School (now Sisters Christian Academy). The investigation also reviewed the legality of an executive session held on October 23, 2006 during which former superintendent Ted Thonstad's performance was reviewed and evaluated.

Prior to Friday's proceedings Morgan, as well as the five school board members named in the complaint, had been informed that the report of the investigation had been placed on Friday's agenda with an opportunity for breif oral statements.

With the hope of making such a statement, Morgan attended Friday's meeting. However, the chair did not acknowledge him to speak.

Morgan is not taking the dismissal lightly. He is already in the process of lodging a public records request.

"I want copies of any and all documents, e-mails, affidavits, letters, minutes, notes and deposition and interview transcripts taken or collected by your staff and commission members regarding this complaint. ... I believe I have been denied due process," Morgan states in his request to Bersin.

About the dismissal Corrigan said: "I know that Mr. Morgan submitted a lot of different things in writing to them (the ethics commission) and that they took a couple of passes to review very thoroughly ... to consider many angles on the various claims he had made. It's good news that we can put that behind us and keep going forward as a district."

"The case is dismissed. It's done, over, and we're moving forward with the instructional program here in Sisters," said Sisters schools superintendent Elaine Drakulich.