Valley City commission voted 3 to 2 to uphold a city administrator’s oral reprimand of Police Chief Dean Ross at a special city commission meeting on Tuesday.
The reprimand centers on a question raised by Ross during a special Barnes County commission meeting over a proposal to move the 911 dispatch center while the board discussed whether they should accept a grant to expand the Emergency Operations Center.
During the February 8 meeting, Ross asked the Barnes County commission why there was an interest in moving the 911 dispatch center.
City administrator Jon Cameron says he told Ross that it was not the time or the right forum to ask that question.
Ross asked the question and two days later Cameron issued a written reprimand to Ross saying he disobeyed an order he gave Ross not ask the question. Ross says he doesn’t remember hearing the order during the meeting.
Two meetings later with Ross, Cameron and city police commissioner Jon Wagar, Cameron changed it to an oral reprimand.
The grievance hearing was requested by Ross who was represented by his attorney Joe Larson of Jamestown. The city appointed attorney Sarah Andrews Herman to represent the city instead of city attorney R. Jon Fitzner.
During the 4 hour hearing both attorney’s repeatedly argued whether or not the city administrator has the authority to issue an order the city police chief.
The city commissions attorney’s argued that the city administrator has the authority while Ross and his attorney Joe Larson disagreed with the city’s interpretation of the city ordinance and job description of the city administrator.
In the end, Commissioners Jon Wagar, George Dutton and Kenny Evenson voted to uphold the oral reprimand and Mayor Bob Werkhoven and commissioner Matt Pedersen vote against the reprimand.
Pedersen says the city administrator is the supervisor of the police chief. But, after hearing the testimony, Pedersen believes Ross did not hear Cameron’s order to not ask the question during a special Barnes County board meeting in February.
An oral reprimand is the weakest form of reprimand and will remain in the city file for one year before being removed and the slate is wiped clean.
Ross said he fought the reprimand on principle. He told the commission and his supporters he didn’t want to make such a public statement about the reprimand but felt he had to after 38 years of service to the community.
After the commission voted Mayor Werkhoven hit the gavel and ended the hearing. Several people broke down in tears as more than 100 packed the small city commission chamber in Valley City.