BOARDMAN — Conflict remains in Boardman, even after the Oregon Government Ethics Commission resolved a complaint.

A Boardman resident, Jonathan Tallman, had filed a complaint to the Oregon Government Ethics Commission. In his complaint, he cited a statute violation concerning an executive session.

The commission concluded that Tallman was right, and Boardman Mayor Paul Keefer admitted to a violation. The mayor expressed some hard feelings, still.

“He’s just an angry man who wants to blame others for his continuous failings in life, and that’s frustrating,” Keefer said of Tallman.

Background on the violation

The Oregon Revised Statute violation, which took place on March 1, occurred during an executive session between Keefer and five of the city’s six council members.

The executive session, according to the commission’s final order, concerned the creation of a new city position, something not outlined in the council’s printed minutes.

Tallman said he brought this violation to the commission’s attention, as he was aware of the power government officials have in closed-door proceedings.

“When you go into special sessions, you’re only able to speak on what the session is about,” Tallman said in an interview Nov. 16.

In the time spanning the March violation and the commission’s final order, Keefer and the five council members who took part in the session were cast in an unflattering light, thanks to Tallman’s complaint, according to the mayor.

“He really made our city leaders appear unethical, as liars, cheats, criminals, and basically dishonest,” Keefer said, “Mr. Tallman got his shots in for six months. He made us look bad.”

Keefer signed a stipulated final order on Oct. 6 that detailed the commission’s conclusion, and he explained the mistake.

“The ORS that was on our minutes was misprinted, for some whatever reason, and we went into executive session and talked about things the ORS did not provide,” Keefer said.

The ethics commission has the capacity to charge city officials with a $1,000 fine, but have instead opted to take an educational approach, according to the stipulated final order in the matter.

Keefer, in addition to Councilors Paul Beagle, Leslie Pierson, Brenda Profitt, Roy Drago and Katy Norton, were issued letters of education.

“A letter of education is basically the findings of the committee that is saying ‘we know you’re working hard as a volunteer to be able to do the things you’re supposed to do, but because you were in violation, this is a letter to help make sure you follow the rules,’” Keefer said.

“I kind of take it like I got sent to the principal’s office,” Keefer continued.

Keefer said that, to him, this letter serves as a “wake-up call” to the city’s government officials.

“We have to be proactive in executive sessions that we are following rules. We can’t just assume that the staff is doing everything correctly, because if they don’t, staff isn’t going to be held responsible, the city’s executive body is,” Keefer said.

Tallman says he is open to communication

“I’m still willing to sit down and talk with them, but they won’t even acknowledge that I’m alive,” Tallman said.

He said that it was a lack of communication from the mayor and council that encouraged him to file the complaint to the ethics commission in the first place.

“If they don’t want to talk to me, then I’ll report the things they’re doing wrong,” Tallman said, explaining his initial complaint.

Tallman, speaking on Nov. 16, said he had not received word from the mayor or council members, and he said he’d be willing to have a conversation with the city officials and hear them out.

Boardman mayor says the city will do better

Looking past the city council’s violation, Keefer is taking the commission’s letter of education to heart.

“This letter is basically telling us that we’ve done wrong and that we need to be better,” Keefer said, “That’s exactly what we’re going to do, be better.”