Board removes raises for CDA staff
By Terry Murry on Monday, September 23rd, 2024 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
MISSION – The Columbia Development Authority has removed raises that it never approved for Executive Director Greg Smith and Economic Development Manager Debbie Pedro. The board voted 3-1 to rescind the raises which Smith said the board had approved in a grant application he sent to the U.S. Army.
The CDA is the group that oversees the Army’s turnover of the Umatilla Chemical Weapons Depot land. The board members are the Port of Morrow, Morrow County, the Port of Umatilla, Umatilla County, and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. The Port of Umatilla did not have a representative at the meeting Friday afternoon.
The board also voted that the raises, which Smith said were retroactive, be paid back to the CDA. The vote on that motion was 3-1, with Morrow County voting again against it.
“I was saddened at the turn of events from Friday’s meeting,” CDA Vice Chairman John Shafer said. “When I heard Executive Director Smith say he told the Army the CDA Board approved his raise, without that being the case, that stung more than a little. The Board felt it prudent to place all salaries back to their original rate of pay and for the employees to pay back the money that was erroneously given to them. In the case of Greg Smith that will come out to an estimated $33,000, and Debbie Pedro will have to pay back about $23,000. We are dealing with public funds and we must be transparent with those dollars.”
The raise saw Smith’s salary go up to $195,000. It was formerly $129,000.
In addition, the board approved holding a formal evaluation of Smith’s performance on Oct. 22. Shafer said all five board members will have representatives present at that meeting. The evaluation process will be discussed at a meeting at 1 p.m. on Oct. 1.
The chair of the CDA is Kim Puzey of the Port of Umatilla. He was not present at the meeting and an alternate did not attend in his stead. Shafer chaired the public meeting virtually as he was in Salem. It was held at the Nixyaawii Governance Center in Mission. Voting members in attendance in addition to Shafer were J.D. Tovey of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Morrow County Commissioner David Sykes, and Port of Morrow Commissioner Kelly Doherty.
Editor’s note: Greg Smith is the 57th District state representative, which serves portions of Umatilla, Morrow, Gilliam, Sherman, Wheeler, Wasco, Jefferson, Marion, and Clackamas counties. Oregon legislators serve on a part-time basis. His full time employment is that of an economic development advisor or consultant.
Editor’s note: This story has been corrected to reflect that both votes were 3-1 with Morrow County Commissioner David Sykes voting no both times. We regret the error.
