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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Advertisement Email Story to a Friend April 10, 2006 Doyle:‘I did not commit any ethical violations’ Oregon State Bar is asked to investigate former Medford city attorney By MEG LANDERS Mail Tribune Answering a complaint filed against him with the Oregon State Bar, former Medford city attorney Ron Doyle said he properly advised his client in 2001 that dropping retiree health insurance could be illegal. "I did not commit any ethical violations in my obligations to my client, the city of Medford," Doyle wrote. In the 2002 decision to switch employee health insurance coverage, the city manager and the Medford City Council were in agreement, according to Doyle’s 16-page response with 30 pages of exhibits which the bar received on Thursday. The city has claimed Doyle "breached his fiduciary duty" by failing to disclose his concerns that the council might be violating state law when it switched health insurance and stopped providing continued coverage to retirees. Doyle countered that he did voice his concerns to City Manager Mike Dyal at the time, but Dyal told him "the council is with me on this" and threatened to fire him during a 2001 meeting if he didn’t switch insurance policies. Advertisement The city said in its bar complaint that other attendees of the meeting do not remember any such threat. Doyle wrote he has sworn under oath that Dyal threatened to terminate him. "Failure of memory on the part of the other witnesses does not make me a liar," he wrote. In its March 16 complaint against Doyle, the city asked the bar to investigate nine points, including whether Doyle competently handled matters entrusted to him; whether he properly advised the city and its auditors of possible legal exposure; and "whether Doyle is being truthful in his description of factual events when no other witnesses will confirm Doyle’s version of the facts regarding the November 2001 meeting." John Michaels, who was a councilman at the time, said he doesn’t remember the details of the health coverage switch, effective in 2002. "We gave him (Dyal) instructions to do whatever he could to bring costs down," Michaels said. He said he trusted staff to know what they were doing, and doesn’t remember hearing the change could be illegal. "I probably didn’t know enough to know any different," he said. Doyle said he believes Dyal and the council were in agreement at the time of the switch. "It was my experience with the city that city manager Dyal made no policy decision such as this one without the knowledge, approval and authorization of the city council," Doyle wrote. "It was also my experience with the city that the city manager did only what the city council asked him to do." Doyle, who retired from the city a year ago, filed an intent to sue the city in September. In November, he told the council it should fire Dyal or request his resignation, claiming Dyal knowingly broke state law and a city resolution about retiree coverage. In January, Doyle filed a Bureau of Labor and Industries discrimination complaint against the city. The city responded with the bar complaint, asking the agency to investigate Doyle’s actions during his employment. Michaels said he doesn’t agree with the council’s decision to file a complaint with the state bar. "He (Doyle) did what Mike said he should do," he said. "I’ve never known of Ron Doyle doing anything unethical. If he has a grievance, it’s valid. "To go after his license like that doesn’t seem ethical." Medford City Councilman Jason Anderson declined comment on Doyle’s letter at this time. "I should look at it and read it before I give you a response," he said Saturday. The bar is reviewing Doyle’s response letter, a spokesperson said. If it decides to investigate and finds Doyle committed violations, he could face discipline ranging from a reprimand to disbarment. Reach reporter Meg Landers at 776-4481 or e-mail Doyle:�I did not commit any ethical violations� ">[email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker Custom Build Computers Discount Hotel Reservations online casinos news Ashley Furniture HomeStore Send Flowers Southern Oregon Loans California Casinos GMAT Prep Windermere Van Vleet Sports Equipment Online Casino Reviews Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Online Casino Fundraisers Sudoku Online Casinos Canada Online Pharmacy Advertisement s