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| Crook County Court asks planning commission member to step down |
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| Rick Wells is accused of making ‘demeaning and sexist’ comments
at a recent meeting |
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By Kevin Gaboury
A Crook County Planning Commission member has been asked to step down after making what a fellow commissioner considers "demeaning and sexist" comments to a citizen at a recent meeting.
The incident stems from the June 10, 2009 planning commission meeting, when Prineville resident Karen Pringle asked to address the commission. She explained that she had submitted an application for the open position created by the resignation of former commissioner Kim Kambak, and offered to answer any questions the commission had about her skills, abilities and experience for the position.
Following a short period of banter among the commission, Planning Commissioner Rick Wells asked, "Is my mike off?" The next few words are slightly muffled on the recording, but Wells clearly asks Pringle if she likes "to mess around with old men?"
When contacted, Pringle declined to comment.
Following the incident, Planning Commissioner Arleen Curths asked the Crook County Court to address the issue, which she says has been ongoing with Wells.
"It's very typical behavior with Commissioner Wells," she said. "I felt that it was time that somebody needed to say this is unacceptable."
Wells declined to comment, but said he has not tendered his resignation from the planning commission.
"Rick has contributed a lot to the county, but this kind of behavior is unacceptable and needs to be stopped," Curths continued.
In a June 16 e-mail to the court, Curths stated there is "no attempt to manage this behavior" on the commission. She added that there has been "no effective oversight by the court, otherwise I am sure you would have done something to correct this situation."
However, at the June 17 Crook County Court meeting, the court agreed that something needs to be done.
According to Crook County Commissioner Lynn Lundquist, the court officially asked for Wells' resignation last week. In Crook County, planning commissioners are appointed by the county court.
"I feel very strongly that those comments are completely inappropriate and I believe it's a disservice to our county to let those kinds of comments be made without some sort of action taken," Lundquist said.
In an e-mailed correspondence, Kambak stated that she is glad the issue is being brought forward in the county.
"Rick is a nice man. His comments were unacceptable in a public forum and I am sure he wishes he could retract them," she said. "Sometimes the familiarity of situations allows folks to say things that are not proper for the setting."
Planning Commission Chairman Bill Gowen also declined to comment on the issue.
The county court discussed the issue at the July 1 meeting, but the outcome could not be obtained by press deadline. Visit the Central Oregonian's Web site for updates. |
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