Statement of David Frasher, Former Oregon City Manager

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For more information, contact:

Jeff Edelson

503-295-3085

Statement of David Frasher, Former Oregon City Manager

PORTLAND, Ore. – October 15, 2015 – The following is a statement from our client, David Frasher, regarding the release of the investigation report and interview transcripts.

On the Complaint and Investigation:

I am not a world traveler, but I had the opportunity in June to travel to Romania with my wife to see the country of her birth. It was an exhilarating adventure. Upon my return, I was eager to share my impressions with friends, family and co-workers. I spoke frequently of the food, the magnificent vistas, and many people I met. I also shared some of the peculiar experiences. In particular, I told two Oregon City police officers about a taxi driver who made racially insensitive remarks to me.

One of those officers thought I was sharing my own view on race. He did not approach me about the misunderstanding, but rather complained to the Chief of Police. The Chief did not approach me either. Instead, six weeks later, he submitted a complaint falsely stating that both officers were certain I had expressed my own view. I do not share the taxi driver’s view, of course, and it was very disappointing to learn that anyone with whom I work could believe otherwise.

This should have been cleared up with a 10-minute conversation among the two officers, the Chief and me. Instead, I was placed on “routine” administrative leave to allow the City to perform an independent investigation into the Chief’s hearsay allegations. I fully cooperated with inquiry.

Contrary to the Police Chief’s complaint, the investigator uncovered that only one of the two officers believed I was expressing my own view, and that neither officer had been paying close attention to the story. This underscores the perils of undertaking hasty inquests based on hearsay complaints.

The investigator also concluded that I am “a competent City Manager, liked by some and respected by all for his energy and effectiveness at his job.” In the end, the Mayor and the Commissioners have stated repeatedly that my dismissal was not the result of my conversation with the police officers or anything discovered in the investigation. Instead, the Mayor has said that I failed to follow establish protocols for reporting the complaint in the first place. In his public statements, the Mayor omitted the fact that my delay was at the request and suggestion of the City’s outside attorney.

On race:

I am confident that I have treated all co-workers and community members fairly and equitably, without regard to race or any other irrelevant distinction. On the other hand, I have learned that it is always dangerous to talk about race in the workplace, particularly when it is irrelevant to the business at hand.