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http:// --> Ashland, Oregon HOME Valley & State Sports Nation & World Opinion/Editorial Classifieds Business Columnists Local Issues Obituaries Weather Archive Revels Etcetera Backpage Hot Topics Most Viewed Forum Photo Galleries Video Readers Polls O-Zone Online Games Movie Preview Special Sections Real Estate Guide Menu Guide Shakespeare Subscribe Contact Us Rate Card Place an Ad Hottest Galleries: October 15, 2007 Golf pro must attend harassment training By Vickie Aldous Ashland Daily Tidings Oak Knoll Public Golf Course golf pro Bob Haney and his staff must attend City of Ashland harassment training after two people said they heard him use a racial epithet, said Ashland Parks and Recreation Department Director Don Robertson. Haney, who runs the pro shop and golf course, will continue as an independent contractor, but his contract with the parks department will be adjusted. Robertson said he could not disclose what the adjustments will be. City officials began investigating Haney after resident Gerard Jones released an e-mail alleging 243 problems with Haney and the golf course. Jones was fired by Haney in 1997 over a payroll dispute but has continued to play at the course. Robertson, Assistant City Attorney Richard Appicello and Parks and Recreation Superintendent Rachel Teige interviewed 18 people during the investigation, Robertson said. "The language he used — while it is technically protected by the First Amendment and is constitutionally allowed — is not language we approve of. Two people said they had heard him use the 'n' word," Robertson said. One person also said Haney has made some women feel uncomfortable, he said. Robertson said the people who were interviewed were promised that their names would be kept confidential. They included past and present employees as well as regular golfers. Jones said he has heard Haney refer to professional golfer Tiger Woods as "N---- Woods" and that Haney uses the word to describe black people. Jones said Haney also has used sexist and homophobic language. Jones said he is not advocating that people stop playing at the city-owned golf course. But he said city officials should not allow Haney to have the job, which involves working with the public. "The only thing I'd be happy with is if they fired him. Instead they are protecting him and they're wrong to do that. By protecting and defending him, they are as guilty as he is," Jones said. For his part, Haney said he has not used the racial slur. "I know the allegations are all false. If it comes down to two out of 18 people, I question their loyalty and morality ... If 16 of 18 people have not heard this word, that seems like a pretty good percentage. That's like 90 percent. If I was a president with a 90 percent approval rating, I would be doing pretty good," he said. Haney said when Tiger Woods first started playing on the PGA Tour as a young man, he and other people referred to him as "Tigger Woods" because he was like "a baby tiger." As for whether he thinks he should attend city of Ashland harassment training, Haney said half the residents in town need to go. He said the investigation was prompted by the unfounded allegations of a disgruntled former employee. "This has been a difficult situation for me as a business man and a father and as a person who wants to live in this community," he said. Parks Commissioner JoAnne Eggers said she is satisfied with the way parks and city staff members handled the investigation. She said Haney is well-qualified to handle the complex job of running the pro shop and overseeing the golf course. "I think people make mistakes," she said. "Where there is an appearance of an expression of prejudice, we need to and will address it. I think it's important that staff and commissioners continue to make decisions based on fact, as we can discover it, and not speculation. I feel good in the way that staff has handled this." The controversy comes amid parks commission and department efforts to boost use of the golf course. Parks Commissioner Rich Rosenthal did a capstone project on Oak Knoll Public Golf Course trends when he was working on his master's degree in management. He found that the number of rounds played in 2006 had fallen to their lowest level since 1980, likely due to increasing competition in the Rogue Valley. Rosenthal said he did not feel it was appropriate to comment on personnel issues in relation to the investigation. The parks department added a driving range and has made a number of capital improvements at the course since then. In the 2005-2006 fiscal year, the golf course had a net loss of $40,565. Losses shrank to $33,302 for the 2006-2007 fiscal year, largely because expenses were lower, according to figures provided by Teige. The number of rounds played and annual pass revenues fell between the two years, but revenues for monthly specials, cart rentals and driving range fees rose. Other recent efforts to boost revenues included a tour of golf courses that included Oak Knoll, new signs along Interstate 5 and at the golf course, a golf fitness class at the driving range and a junior golf camp. Commissioners also have worked to increase use by non-golfers through such events as outdoor evening movies. They have discussed a possible multi-use trail that could circle the course. Staff writer Vickie Aldous can be reached at 479-8199 or [email protected]. Current Comments: The Parks Dept. did the right thing. JD - Ashalnd, OR - October 15th, 4:09 PM Saddam Hussein and Hitler had a 99% "approval rating," did that make their actions and policies right? What good will "harassment training" do for someone who says he doesn't think he did anything wrong? If the "allegations" were "unfounded" the "investigation" would have found them to be unfounded, right? Haney's a liar. I'm not. Big whoop. Hook him up to a polygraph; he'll break the machine. If you want a surly, racist liar and cheat running Oak Knoll, you've got the right guy. Gerard Jones ( [email protected] ) - Ashland, OR - October 15th, 7:19 PM Where there's smoke there's usually fire..this kind of hubbub doesn't just appear out of no where. If someone heard him use the n word even once, he should be canned. Period. We're done with the era of allowing bigots to stay in the system. Jon - Ashland - October 15th, 9:53 PM Jones, You've had your 15 minutes now move on. It's clear that you have a personal axe to grind. 243 problems with Haney, comparing him to Hussein and Hitler? Seriously, give it up - whatever mysterious shred of credibility you once had that made someone think your ravings deserved a tax payer funded investigation is now gone. Please go away and stop wasting everyones' time and money. Bob is staying on, deal with it, or go golf somewhere else! Local Golfer - Ashland, Or. - October 15th, 10:55 PM Yeah right Bob is old Ashland. All us oldtimers are the ruin of the new ashland rul;ers. ann - ashland or - October 16th, 12:13 AM Editor: If Bob Haney thinks it is okay to change Tiger's name to "Tigger" Woods, would he also like to change the name of the Niger River? When is this blatant racism ever going to end? Jerry Murphy Jerry Murphy - Yreka, CA - October 16th, 7:11 AM Local, I'll golf wherever I choose to golf, thanks. Robertson, Appicello, Rosenthal, the city council and the Ashland Police can use whatever Gestapo intimidation tactics they want to use to try to keep me from telling the simple truth of what I saw and heard...and you, whoever you are, should at least have some vague inkling of what you're talking about before you pop off. This whole thing is more substantive than the indiscretions of some local "golf pro." Read between the lines. G. Gerard Jones - Ashland, OR - October 16th, 7:37 AM Jon, That kind of thinking is naive and dangerous. Where there's smoke there's usually fire? Like the Duke Rape case? like the Jena six? I think I'd like a little more than some he said she said rumors to justify destroying peoples lives and careers. We have no idea the context of the alleged remarks and it is obvious the source of the charges (Jones) has started this whole thing for personal reasons. I am saddened that anyone with an axe to grind can have a soapbox because they charge racism. Local Golfer - Ashland, Or. - October 16th, 8:36 AM Gestapo tactics? Read between the lines? I think I do see what's between the lines - you need professional help. This kind of "the world is out to get me" paranoia is not normal and if I were Haney I'd be seeking a restraining order. You need a few more layers on the tin-foil hat there Gerry! Local Golfer - Ashland, Or. - October 16th, 8:39 AM I may be wrong, but I'm pretty sure Haney isn't rounding up millions of innocent people and sending them off to concentration camps to die, so I think the Hitler comparison may be a bit extreme. Have your doctor adjust your meds, Gerry: you'll start feeling better soon! Regis - Ashland, OR - October 16th, 9:46 AM Gestapo intimidation tactics, yes. Lots of people love lving in a fascist police state. I don't. Himmler, Goebbels, Goering, Eichman and all the rest of the good Germans in the Third Reich thought Hitler was the cat's pajamas. If you asked them they'd tell you he was doing a bang-up job and anyone who complained about him got a one-way ticket to Dachau. Ignorance is bliss, happy boy. I'm sure the Reich Ministry of Justice thanks you for your blind allegiance. Deutschland �ber alles. G. Gerard Jones - Ashland, OR - October 16th, 9:51 AM Here's where I am with golf: once, I shot a 72, then pulled a hamstring on the way to the 2nd tee. I hate the sport, but hate biggots even more. Here's the facts Jack: if Mr. Haney was African-American himself, the only person who woulda raised a ruckus is Bill Cosby. Raise your hand if you've never said the N-word. Where's your hand Mr. Jones? A biggot isn't necessarily someone who inappropriately uses a word. A biggot is someone "grinding an axe" and grinding down those who don't agree-Mr.J... EC - Ashland - October 16th, 12:20 PM Gerry, Your brand of McCarthyism stinks. Labeling somebody a racist just because you have a personal vendetta is as low as you can sink. Character assasination esp. in a small town can be lethal unless it were true. Isn't it curious that you & your buddy are the only ones to have heard these racial slurs in the 10 yrs. since you were fired. With the malignant personality that you show, getting rid of you at Oak Knoll was probably the best thing Bob Haney could have ever done. Get a life Gerry! Joe ( ) - Ashland, OR - October 16th, 1:15 PM That the city has chosen only to address Haney's racism among the myriad other even more egregious complaints I've made about him over the years isn't my fault. Ask Robertson and Appicello why they ignored the main complaints (criminal menacing, attempted robery, misuse of police authority, etc.), and concentrated on Haney's use of the "N-word." It wasn't the word, it was the illegal discrimination against classes of people (gays, blacks, women, etc.), that I objected to and still object to. Gerard Jones - Ashland, OR - October 16th, 1:31 PM Joe, "Unless it were true." Therein lies the dilemma. I know what I heard and saw and thought I would be doing the city a favor by reporting those perceptions. The truth is the truth whether you believe it or not. I always thought sunlight was the best disinfectant but the city fathers still seem to think the more you cover something up the less it's gonna stink. Thanks for jumping to an uninformed, ill-considered, incorrect conclusion without knowing any of the particulars. G. Gerard Jones - Ashland, OR - October 16th, 1:52 PM "Illegal discrimination?" So Gerry, you're saying that gays, blacks and Jews are not allowed to play golf at Oak Knoll? I did not know that. Regis - Ashland, OR - October 16th, 3:38 PM This article says that TWO people heard Bob make racist comments and ANOTHER person commented on their feeling uncomfortable as a womyn in his presence. This is not about Gerry Jones, this about an offensive man conducting business in a family atmosphere. Golf is suppose to exude professionalism. Bob is not a good representative for golf or Oak Knoll. I am curious what the PGA has to say about this? I can't imagine that the PGA would support this behavior even if the City of Ashland continues to offended - Ashland, OR - October 16th, 8:35 PM Give it up Gerry. Now you claim you were doing the city a favor? Trying to shine light? Maybe the city chose to let the FBI and Justice Dept. take a stab at the more serious complaints since you also directed your email to them! (That detail from the first article left me rolling on the floor). It is obvious to everyone NOT living in your kooky little world that this is all about a personal vendetta. Haney fired you, you don't like it - you are trying to get back at him. You are a serious nut. Local Golfer - Ashland, Or. - October 16th, 8:57 PM I believe Ashland is lucky to have Bob. I appreciate showing up there and seeing him behind the counter. Bob, just feel sorry for Gerry and look forward. See you Thurs, rain permiting. Neal - Ashland - October 17th, 5:36 AM There are more subtle kinds of illegal discrimination than simply not allowing someone to do something based on his or her race, color, gender, religion, sexual-orientation, etc. If the proprietor of a business continually and unabashedly uses racist, sexist, homophobic epithets, that proprietor is more likely to engage in illegal discrimination, n'est-ce pas? I've witnessed instances of illegal discrimination based on race at Oak Knoll. If you haven't, stick around, you will. G. Gerard Jones - Ashland, OR - October 17th, 6:56 AM Haney fired me ten years ago because he couldn't charge me for the cost of a refrigerator he broke by trying to defrost it with a hammer. I told him he was going to break the coil if he kept hitting the freezer compartment with a hammer. He ignored me and kept hammering. The coil broke. Freon squirted all over the place. He blamed me and said he was going to deduct the cost of the refrigerator from my paycheck. I told him he couldn't do that. He fired me. Talk about a serious nut. G. Gerard Jones - Ashland, OR - October 17th, 7:16 AM Gerard, If he is that much of a nut, what makes you so obsessed with him??? Look in the mirror and get a hold of yourself. LookInTheMirror ( GetAGrip.com ) - Ashland - October 18th, 6:01 AM Golf drama! Rivetting stuff here folks. Bill Hendrickson - Ashland, OR - October 18th, 10:49 AM Thank you Bill H, you nailed it. More and more I find myself saying "Only in Ashland" Mike - Ashland - October 18th, 4:23 PM I'm neither obsessed nor a "disgruntled" ex-employee but merely a patron who's dissatisfied with the service he's getting from the guy who "runs the pro shop and golf course." I don't like being criminally menaced, lied to, cheated, screeched at and otherwise verbally abused, nor do I appreciate being waited on by racist, sexist, homophobic misanthrope. I complained to his employer, the City, which obviously condones, defends and approves of such behavior. Let sleeping dogs lie, right? G. Gerard Jones - Ashland, OR - October 19th, 6:47 AM M. Jones reminds me of Raymond "Rainman" Babbitt, carefully writing down every slight: "B-Bob Haney broke the refrigerator and said bad words, bad words." I bet Jones was a teacher's pet who routinely got his butt kicked by those he snitched on. Y. I. Otta - Herefornow, OR - October 19th, 8:33 AM I've known Bob for over a year now, and have spoken with him on many occasions and at length on a variety of topics. He has never once made racist or sexist remarks in my presence. Bob's a good guy, and it's unfortunate someone with an obvious axe to grind can cause him so much grief. Gerard, your side of the refrigerator incident makes no sense whatsoever. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a lot more to it than you divulge. ChronicSlicer - Ashland, OR - October 19th, 9:23 AM If you have some "authority" or he thinks he can make money off you, he'll act like a good guy, sure, but he's not. He's a bad guy. You can believe whatever you want, but nothing I've said is the least bit untrue. I have no ax to grind other than I like Oak Knoll and don't like having to be subjected to the unpleasantness of the proprietor when I go there. If you knew half the gross stuff he's said and done you'd complain, too, although it wouldn't do you any good, either. Trust me. G. Gerard Jones - Ashland, OR - October 19th, 2:22 PM Consider this...Frequenting places that have people that makes you uncomfortable seems a bit masochistic to me. There are many places to play in area, yet you go to the one where you are spurned? Perhaps you need to look at your own underlying racism issues. Are you afraid that your own issues will reflect back to you if go to any other golf courses. We all are sensitive in some way or another, and forgiving is better than revenge in any case. Zen B - Ashland OR - October 19th, 4:47 PM Oh, I forgive everyone everything, I just wanna play golf at my local golf course without being grossed out or offended. That's what "harassment training" is for. Maybe it'll work. Maybe Haney will change his wicked ways and become the epitome of sweetness and light. Maybe some of the training will rub off on Robertson, Rosenthal and Appicello. Maybe they'll be magically transformed into worthwhile civil servants instead of complete nincompoops. From the mud grows the lotus. Namaste. G. Gerard Jones - Ashland, OR - October 19th, 5:49 PM As someone that lost family in the Dachau concentration camp I find your equating hateful words with genocidal deeds to be really minimizing of the true atrocity. Mr. Jones, I will concede that the golf pro may be racist (I have no first hand knowledge), I also accept that he may not be. But he is clearly not murderous so please keep your analogy in perspective. Expanding your own noose to impugn Robertson, Rosenthal, and Appecello makes you loose credibility. I know them to be worthwhile. no sympathy - Ashland - October 19th, 8:34 PM All genocidal deeds began as hateful words. "Tuesday March 21, 1933: The President of the Munich police has informed the press that the first concentration camp holding 5,000 political prisoners is to be organised within the next few days near the town of Dachau in Bavaria. Here, he said, Communists, "Marxists" and Reichsbanner leaders who endangered the security of the State would be kept in custody." Robertson, Rosenthal and Appicello backed the wrong horse. Happens all the time. G. Gerard Jones - Ashland, OR - October 20th, 6:31 AM Just stop it Jones. You're trivializing the holocaust by implying a local golf pro's racist statements are as a precursor to such atrocities happening here. It really undermines the legitimacy of your argument and paints you as hugely overestimating the importance of your claims. Even assuming your right on all counts, a contracted golf pro is not a police president (Himmler) of a totalitarian state. Now YOU are offending Jews like myself so please stop. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwin's_l no sympathy, now offended - Ashland - October 20th, 11:20 PM Stop what? Read some history. Dachau was built as a prison for people who saw what was going on in Germany in 1933, didn't like it and deigned to complain. Although they told the truth about the appalling behavior they had witnessed they were called crazy liars, were investigated by the police and, if that didn't shut them up, they were sent to Dachau. I told the truth about the boorishness of a local golf pro, got dismissed as a kook and followed around by cops. You tell me what's next. G. Gerard Jones - Ashland, OR - October 21st, 1:22 PM the link I wanted you to see Mr. Jones got clipped. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwin's_law offended - Ashland - October 21st, 6:47 PM Will someone please publish a photo of G. Jones? I want to be on guard, lest I encounter him in one of his "moods." Who knows, to him I might bear a fatal resemblance to Rasputin or Idi Amin or his third grade teacher. Seems like someone primed for a preemptive strike against enemies. Hey, I HOPE the cops are keeping an eye on him! Momo - ashland, OR - October 21st, 9:15 PM Oh, I hope the cops are keeping an eye on everyone every minute of every day; it's great to live in a complete police state. Look at China. Mao killed fifty million opium addicts and whiners and the people of China have been happy and prosperous ever since. If you see something wrong going on, shut up about it. Let it keep going on and on and on. Don't complain. Nobody likes a snitch. If you don't like the message, blame the messenger. Trust the people who run things; they know best. G. Gerard Jones - Ashland, OR - October 22nd, 7:55 AM I was aware of "Godwin's Law," thanks. G. Gerard Jones - Ashland, OR - October 22nd, 7:58 AM Leave a Comment: Advertisement: Advertisement: Paid Advertising: Debt Help Inkjet Printers Payday Loans Free Ringtones Debt Consolidation Security Systems Debt Relief New Hampshire Primary Advertisement: Copyright © 2007 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers. All Rights Reserved. Del.icio.us