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Dufur SD 29 board votes to hire independent fact finder to review conduct complaints
Summary
At a special meeting April 24, the Dufur SD 29 board unanimously authorized hiring an independent fact finder via the district's insurer or outside counsel to review confidential conduct complaints and report findings directly to the board.
At a special meeting on April 24, the Dufur SD 29 board voted unanimously to authorize “the immediate engagement of an independent fact finder through our insurance carrier PACE or a mutual legal firm,” the Chair said during the meeting.
The Chair told members the fact finder would be directed to conduct a comprehensive review of the conduct complaints and report findings directly to the board of directors, saying the action is intended "to ensure that our internal record is reconciled with the professional standards and communication rubrics established in our district staff handbook." The motion was seconded and passed by voice vote; the Chair announced the motion passed unanimously.
The board did not take testimony in open session. Board members said no one had requested an open hearing for the complaints; the Chair read the agenda item as a review of dismissal, discipline and evaluation matters for public officers or staff members who declined an open hearing. The motion names the district's insurance carrier, PACE, and allows engagement of an outside legal firm as options for assigning the independent fact finder.
The board did not state a timetable or reporting deadline for the fact-finder review during the public session and did not record individual roll-call votes in the transcript excerpt provided. The Chair said the review would be confined to confidential paperwork and would report back to the board for any further action.
