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Gold Hill welcomes back ex-con Gasso By Melissa Martin GOLD HILL � City employees Thursday celebrated the return of the public works director from federal prison. But how long Royal Gasso stays on the job may depend on the outcome of new allegations charging him with attempted possession and delivery of heroin. City Hall staff invited the public works crew to the council chambers to eat cake and welcome back their boss. Gasso, 49, spent the past eight months at the Federal Detention Center near Portland for a parole violation stemming from a 1984 heroin charge in New York. "We�re glad to have him back," said Tony Paxton, Gold Hill city recorder. But a cloud hangs over Gasso�s head until March 5, when he is scheduled to be arraigned in Jackson County court for new charges not related to the summer parole violation. According to the Jackson County District Attorney�s Office, he is charged with one count each of attempted delivery and attempted possession of a controlled substance (heroin) and one count each of conspiracy to commit delivery and conspiracy to possess a controlled substance (heroin). Gasso said he wouldn�t discuss the charges until after the arraignment. But he�s expected to plead innocent, according to a co-worker. "There�s nothing specific to these charges," said Paxton, the city recorder. "I don�t understand how you can charge somebody for something without any specific details." Gasso said he spent his first day back on the job evaluating public works department operations since his June 21 arrest. The City Council placed him on paid leave until his vacation and sick time was used up and then granted an unpaid leave of absence. "I�m impressed with what I�ve seen so far," Gasso said. "The department is moving ahead." Projects include construction of a new city water line and a plan to remove a diversion dam on the Rogue River. "The last thing I did before I left was apply for grant money for the water line project and now the project is complete," he said. During his time in prison, Gasso called City Hall weekly, talking with acting public works director Alan Jennings about water and sewer plant operations. Both plants ran smoothly without any problems, said Terry Hinzman, a city of Medford employee hired to be Gold Hill�s operator of record in Gasso�s absence. Paxton mailed Gasso grant applications and other city-related reading material to help fill his time behind bars. He also kept Gasso updated about the progress of talks on Gold Hill�s diversion dam, which the Bureau of Reclamation and other federal agencies want removed to improve fish passage on the Rogue River. Gasso worked to protect Gold Hill�s municipal water system, which is dependent on the dam. Reach reporter Melissa Martin at 776-4497, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.