GP City Council Cancels Big Meeting on City Manager's Fate
Grants Pass City Councilors banded together to cancel Wednesday night's highly publicized meeting about the fate of the their city manager, David Frasher.
Councilor Ward Warren said "David requested that any future Council discussions or actions regarding his employment be conducted only at an open, regularly scheduled, televised meeting."
Frasher tells News10 some councilors want him out because he failed to silence a city employee, Sandy Ross, from writing letters to the local paper, criticizing the council. Frasher says he would never violate the constitution by taking away anyone's first amendment rights, even if it was a letter against the city.
Councilors deny they ever told Frasher to "muzzle" an employee, and said they would give their side of the story in a meeting scheduled for tomorrow night at the Grants Pass Performing Arts Center. Now, that meeting is cancelled, and a new date hasn't been written in stone. Although, a target date of Wednesday, June 17th is being discussed.
Stay tuned to News10 at 5pm and 6pm for reaction from Grants Pass citizens about the city manager situation.
We attached the letter of cancellation from mayor Murphy below:
June 10th Meeting Cancelled Regarding Termination of City Manager David W. Frasher
6/10/09
Posted Date: 6/9/2009 1:30 PM
GRANTS PASS, OR. - Six City Councilors have contacted the City Administrative Offices
today and said that they wish to reschedule the Wednesday, June 10, public hearing and council meeting previously announced to be held at the Performing Arts Center. This call for postponement comes from Councilors Warren, Pell, Berger, Michelon, Townes and Kangas.
There is no process to cancel a noticed public meeting at this late date. However, it isn't fair to the public, the facility staff, the extra Public Safety staff and the media to go forward with a meeting when it has been announced in advance by Council members that there will not be a quorum.
I disagree with this postponement, but feel obligated to all concerned to pass along this communication from the Council and inform the public that the hearing is postponed.
The Council has also taken action to schedule a Special Council Meeting for noon, Monday, June 15th, to reschedule the hearing for next Wednesday, June 17th, and to consider changing the venue from the Performing Arts Center to the Council Chambers. On Monday, the Council will also discuss the order of business and procedure for that June 17th meeting.
Questions may be directed to Mayor Murphy at (541) 226-8968.
