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County parole officers vote no confidence in their boss Mail Tribune / Jim Craven Richard Vasconi, senior program specialist for Jackson County, uses a bullhorn at a Wednesday protest to rally a crowd of county employees and out-of-town union members criticizing a county department head and the county's use of inmate labor. By JILL BRISKEY Mail Tribune At least 17 senior parole and probation officers signed a letter Wednesday stating that employees have no confidence in Jackson County Community Justice Director Bob Grindstaff. "The people in the county are being lied to. They deserve better," said Richard Vasconi, county senior program specialist. The letter was drafted by members of the Community Justice Adult Parole and Probation Supervision Unit, a county department of about 20 parole and probation officers, and included 54 signatures. At least half of those signatures were made by non-county employees. County Administrator Sue Slack said a vote of "no confidence" from employees in a county department or union doesn't result in an internal investigation, reprimand or termination. It's an opportunity for employees to express their opinions and feelings. "It's really just a form of a public letter," Slack added. Grindstaff, 54, is accused in the letter of fabricating recidivism rates for inmates who work at the Community Justice Work Center. Employees allege Grindstaff provided erroneous information to city of Talent officials regarding the risk of offenders at the work center. He's also accused of operating "phantom caseloads" - creating the appearance that a probation officer is handling a case when a person is not - to illegally collect a $35 monthly fee allotted for each parolee. County employees, local construction union organizers and members of a steel union from Eugene and Portland held a protest Wednesday in front of the county offices at 10 S. Oakdale Ave. "This is about community safety," said Gregory Hickey, a former county parole and probation officer who said he was fired last week. He came to the protest dressed in a hooded black robe and carried a scythe. "I firmly believe the public needs to know the truth. It's just absolutely intolerable." Grindstaff denies the accusations, and said information in the letter has being taken out of context. He believes the letter was sparked by recent personnel problems within the department that resulted in disciplinary actions. However, Grindstaff said he is unable to legally comment on those issues. "Of course you feel bad about it - sad," Grindstaff said of the vote. "On the other hand, it involves personnel issues and I can't talk about those." Members of the out-of-town union came to protest the county's use of inmate labor, while local construction union representatives said the real issue was Grindstaff and the community's safety. "We're getting tired of this being put off as a labor issue. It's not. It's a social justice issue," said Chuck Smith, field representative for the Pacific Northwest Regional Council of Carpenters. Most county employees at the protest refused to be identified. One woman said commenting on the situation would result in her termination. "I don't doubt that," Vasconi added. "That's why so many people don't speak out." Grindstaff said a court ruling says government employees are only prohibited from making statements that "harm the interest of their employer." "They're free to say they don't like Bob Grindstaff," he added. Vasconi said he wants to see Grindstaff replaced. He also wants the state attorney general to independently review statistics and information from Community Justice's files. Grindstaff was sworn in as director in 1997 when the state and county combined their community corrections departments. Prior to that, he supervised the state's Medford corrections office since 1981. Reach reporter Jill Briskey at 776-4485, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.