Vernonia wrestles with hiring approach for police chief: contract or at-will

Vernonia city leaders spent the work session weighing whether to offer the police chief role as an at-will position or under a formal employment contract that sets out duties, severance and other terms.

Josette, who led the presentation, framed the central choice: “are you internally posting it as an Atwill employee position … or are you wanting to internally post it using the draft contract that’s attached?” City Attorney Ruben Cleveland told the council that, while Oregon is broadly an at-will state, "it’s not at-will like private sector" for public employers and that the draft contract represents "the most at will that the law allows for us." That distinction shaped members’ concern about how firing, notice and protections would be handled under each approach.

Supporters of a contract said it helps set expectations. Ruben told the group, “I personally like the contract though because it lays out the expectations of the parties.” Council members worried, however, about preserving the chain of supervision; several said the contract should be explicit that the chief remains directed by the city administrator, not the council acting as an employer on a day-to-day basis. Josette and others agreed the contract language and the published job description should be aligned so duties and reporting lines are clear.

Josette concluded the discussion by proposing edits and returning a revised packet for council direction to post internally at the next meeting. The council did not make a final hiring decision during the work session; instead staff will amend the documents and present the posting for formal direction.