Sean C. Morgan
The Sweet Home City Council
agreed on March 27 to settle a wage
claim by former caretakers of Sankey
Park for $20,000.
Timothy and Esther Piety were
caretakers from Jan. 15, 2009 to
Aug. 31.
As compensation, caretakers
have been allowed to live in a house
located in the park in recent years.
Councilor Mike Hall served as caretaker
in exchange for housing for
more than a decade prior to the Pietys’
arrival.
The Pietys claimed that the city
owed wages, penalty wages and attorneys
fees based on Oregon law.
They filed a lawsuit in federal
court on Sept. 27. In addition to the
wage claim, the Pietys allege that the
city harassed and intimidated them,
engaging in racial discrimination,
during their employment. Timothy
Piety is black. His wife is white.
They contend that their employment
was terminated in retaliation
for complaints against the city.
The Pietys claim that they faced
racial harassment during their employment.
When they complained,the Police Department allegedly
failed to address the offenses.
The council’s decision addresses
only the wage claim.
“Changes have since been made
regarding the employment relationship
between the city and currently
employed caretakers to avoid future
wage claims of this nature,” said
City Manager Craig Martin. “It had
been working. We had no reason to
realize it wasn’t working. When it
came to our attention, we corrected
it.”
The settlement payment will
come from the city’s General Fund
contingency in the 2011-12 budget.
The settlement includes payroll
checks of $5,500 each to Timothy
and Esther Piety, with deductions
and withholdings as required by
law.
The remainder of the settlement
includes $4,000 in penalty wages,
with no withholdings, and $5,000 in
attorney’s fees.
Present at the meeting were
councilors Marybeth Angulo, Jim
Gourley, Greg Mahler, Scott Mc-
Kee Jr. and Ron Rodgers and Mayor Craig Fentiman. Hall was absent.
In other business, the council:
n Received the city’s annual audit.
n Appointed Brianna Thorpe to the Youth
Advisory Council in the junior high at-large
position. The YAC has one remaining opening
for a high school sophomore.
For more information or to apply, call
the city manager’s office at (541) 367-8969 or
stop by City Hall, 1140 12th Ave.
n Recommended to the Oregon Liquor
Control Commission the approval of a liquor
license for William Travis Autry, who is buying
the Waterhole Tavern from his sister, Theresa
Brown.
The Police Department began investigating
the request on March 12.
The business has been the subject of ongoing
enforcement actions by the OLCC, and
the existing license is in the revocation process,
said Police Chief Bob Burford. In recent
years, the business has been the subject
of frequent noise complaints, primarily from
nearby campgrounds.
“The primary contact person for the new
applicants will be out of the United States for
several years and will be depending on family
members and employees for day-to-day
operations,” Burford said. “However, based
upon the overall investigation, the department
found no reason to recommend denial of this
change of ownership.”