Document text
0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW 'Mitigation banking' ... The El Niño effect ... Our View: Legislature left unfinished business on ethics ... 'Mitigation banking' ... The El Niño effect ... Our View: Legislature left unfinished business on ethics ... SECOND APPROVAL Cameras approved again for Gold Hill City Hall Comment By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune Posted Mar. 17, 2015 at 5:42 PM By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune Posted Mar. 17, 2015 at 5:42 PM » Social News Gold Hill City Council on Monday voted for the second time this month to install surveillance cameras at City Hall. The cameras will be installed in public areas of the building, including the council chambers, and will include audio recording features. The council approved the cameras March 2 at the urging of council President Donna Silva. She pushed for the cameras in the wake of an issue last year that prompted Deputy Recorder Mary Goddard to file a Bureau of Labor and Industries complaint against the city for not responding to her complaints of sexual harassment by City Manager Rick Hohnbaum. Goddard alleged that Hohnbaum repeatedly unzipped his pants and exposed his underwear in front of women, and that the council failed to do anything about it when it was reported. While the case has been settled between the city and Goddard, councilors appear divided over the outcome of the BOLI investigation. Silva said the cameras would remedy any issues of "he said, she said." Mayor Jan Fish, who cast a tie-breaking vote in favor of the cameras March 2, retracted her earlier vote and called a special meeting March 9 to rescind the decision in favor of revising where cameras could be placed. Fish said concerns about employee privacy prompted the reversal and led to a proposal to place cameras in fewer areas of City Hall. The council voted 5 to 1 Monday in favor of the cameras, with Councilor Doug Reischman voting no. Councilor Margaret Dials asked for the motion to be amended to include audio recording features. Silva, who said she had hoped for employees to be permitted to opt for cameras in their own offices, urged the council to consider a two-key system to safeguard recording equipment and recordings against tampering. "If you have two people with keys to a cabinet, then one person couldn't just open it and throw stuff away, record over it, whatever," Silva said. Councilor Gus Wolf, who called the cameras "cheap insurance," said he still hoped to see cameras downtown, including at the library. City staff will gather information and prices for the surveillance equipment. Signs will be placed to notify visitors to City Hall of the surveillance equipment. Buffy Pollock is a freelance writer living in Medford. Email her at [email protected].   By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune Posted Mar. 17, 2015 at 5:42 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501