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Gold Hill approves legal expenditure "to protect" city manager Comment By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune Posted May. 7, 2015 at 12:41 PM Updated May 7, 2015 at 12:43 PM By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune Posted May. 7, 2015 at 12:41 PM Updated May 7, 2015 at 12:43 PM » Social News GOLD HILL — Council members met in closed session Tuesday to approve expenditures for two separate legal expenses, one that a council member said would help "protect" city manager Rick Hohnbaum. Council members declined to publicly discuss the purpose of the two legal expenses, which they reviewed in a closed executive session. But in making the recommendation to approve one expenditure, Councilor Gus Wolf said it would "protect our city manager." The meeting comes on the heels of reports that former Councilor Christine Alford had filed an ethics complaint against Hohnbaum, alleging a conflict of interest in his wife benefiting monetarily from his involvement as city manager in guiding development of a whitewater park. Additionally, officials for the state Bureau of Labor and Industries confirmed that a civil rights complaint — the second filed against the city since November — was filed in recent weeks for allegedly failing to properly manage the embattled manager. Hohnbaum has been at the center of controversy as a divided council grappled with an earlier BOLI complaint. Hohnbaum was accused of inappropriate behavior by City Recorder Mary Goddard and Budget Committee member Deb West. Goddard filed a BOLI complaint in November alleging 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. Bureau of Labor and Industries spokesperson Charlie Burr on Wednesday confirmed the receipt of a second complaint, dated April 14. Due to an ongoing investigation, Burr said, he could not discuss details of the new case. After a lengthy closed session Monday, Mayor Jan Fish called the council into open session to vote on two separate motions. In the first, Wolf moved that the council "allow staff to utilize the (city insurance) coverage for our insurance policy to protect our city manager and allow another three hours, at this point, at $190 dollars an hour toward (an attorney) retainer." In a second motion following the closed portion of the meeting, Councilor Margaret Dials moved that the council approve an agreement with another attorney that would supplement the work of city attorney Steve Rich. For both motions, council members Wolf, Dials and Karen Baker voted in favor of the expenditures while council President Donna Silva and Councilor Chris Stanley voted in opposition. By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune Posted May. 7, 2015 at 12:41 PM Updated May 7, 2015 at 12:43 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... 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