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VOL. 133, NO. 33 • $1.50
Lieutenant Bomar files tort claims against City, manager and Police Chief
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Joe Warren jwarren@countrymedia.net
illamook Police Lieutenant Erica Bomar has filed a tort he Historic Cloverdale Cruisin claim that was delivered to the City will take place from 9 a.m. to Manager last week, naming the City 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 4, in downof Tillamook, City Manager Nathan town Cloverdale. The event is free George and Police Chief Raymond for all cars, trucks and motorcycles. Rau in the suit. Organizer Tom Goodwin said Bomar is there are no awards this year due to currently on COVID-19. He said it would be a paid leave very casual non-event. Masks and according social distancing are encouraged. to her at“There will be a guaranteed good torney. time for all attendees,” Goodwin Bomar said. has retained Donations are encouraged, which Employgo to Nestucca Fire & Rescue and ment Law Lieutenant the purchase of extraction equipProfesErica Bomar ment. sionals out of Sherwood to handle the claim. The claim references several items the city is potentially in violation of in regards to Bomar’s employment at the Police Department including violations in disciplinary actions, discrimination because of sex, retaliation and prohibited conduct by an employer, prohibited conduct by public or nonprofit employer, Fair Labor Standards Act, Civil Rights Act pertaining to retaliAs of Aug. 19, 15,232 Tillamook County resiTillamook County Sheriff Josh Brown made Hilary Dorsey ation, whistle blowing and gender dents have received one dose of the vaccine and a statement regarding enforcement of the mask Staff Writer 14,157 are considered fully vaccinated. mandate Thursday, Aug. 19, via social media. He discrimination. “Lt. Bomar alleges she suffered said the sheriff’s office would not be enforcing illamook County Health Department retaliation, discrimination, bullying any mask mandate. reported during a Tillamook County Board Gov. Kate Brown’s mask mandate and harassment in violation of the “I don’t believe it is the role of the sheriff’s of Commissioners meeting Wednesday, Aug. Regarding Gov. Kate Brown’s recent mask law at the hands of the City Managoffice to enforce what is essentially an Oregon 18, 66 COVID-19 cases from Friday, Aug 13, mandate, which became effective Aug. 13, Puter, Nathan George, Chief of Police Health Authority directive, not a criminal one,” through Sunday, Aug. 15. There were 181 cases man said all individuals, regardless of vaccination Brown stated. “TCSO is not the enforcement arm Raymond Rau, former Chief of Poreported for the seven-day period and 274 cases status, are required to wear a face mask, face lice Terry Wright,” the claim reads. for OHA and my deputies will not be treating in the last 14 days. covering or face shield when in an indoor space, people like criminals if they choose to not wear a “Bomar previously reported these “All of these figures are the highest we’ve seen unless they meet specific exceptions. issues to former City Manager Paul mask.” since the start of the pandemic,” Administrator “Indoors means anywhere indoors that is not Wytergreen and Jamy Christensen Brown said if a customer is not complying Marlene Putman said. a private residence or a private automobile being in August of 2020 but nothing was with the wishes of a business, a representative Putman said through July, breakthrough cases used for personal use,” Putman said. done to her satisfaction. from that business could ask the customer to were estimated at 8 percent of COVID-19 cases Boomer has been with the decomply or leave. If the customer does not comply, throughout the state and 10 percent in Tillamook The Fair partment for over 22 years and was the business should contact law enforcement. County. The Tillamook County Fair took place Aug. promoted through the ranks until “While we will not be enforcing the mask 11-14. Before the fair opened, Commissioner finally being named the number two mandate, we will be enforcing crimes such as “We’ve had 35 hospitalizations,” Putman said Erin Skaar and Chair Mary Faith Bell had put up in the department reporting to the harassment and trespass,” Brown said. “If a during the Aug. 18 meeting. “This was as of signs at the main gates and entrances to buildings, Chief of Police. customer in a business located within the county Monday morning.” recommending wearing masks. “This complaint centered around refuses to leave an establishment after being The county’s test positivity rate is 22.1 “We provided masks at all our entrance gates subordinate officers circumventing asked to do so, or there is a physical altercation percent, the highest it has been since the start of and several other locations around the ground,” Lt. Bomar and going outside the with another person, deputies will respond and the pandemic, Putman added. This rate tells the Fairgrounds Manager Camy VonSeggern told the chain of command to the chief diinvestigate as they for other suspected criminal percent of COVID-19 tests that come back posiHeadlight Herald. “We provided 17 hand sanitizrectly avoiding dealing with her as a activity.” tive. Region 1 hospitals – Tillamook, Clatsop, female lieutenant,” the claim reads. Clackamas, Columbia, Multnomah and Washing- ing stations throughout the grounds, in addition to rented hand washing stations already provided.” “Additionally when (Bomar) was ton counties – have 91 percent of adult ICU beds Workplace outbreaks The recommended mask guidance was reclassified, she was technically occupied, as of Sunday, Aug. 15. Oregon Health Authority reports this week changed from recommended to mandatory Aug. second in command of the depart“Oregon Health Authority reports that the a COVID-19 outbreak at Fred Meyer with 19 13, halfway through the fair events. VonSeggern ment, yet she suffered discriminaDelta variant is three times more transmissible cases, Tillamook Youth Correctional Facility with tion in pay with male counterparts than earlier strains of the virus and causing a high said the fair office received new signage that 13 current cases, Tillamook County Creamery morning that was put up at the entry to indoor who held lower rank than her makrate of infection,” Putman said. Association with 10 cases, and Tillamook Counspaces. ing virtually the same amount as Gov. Kate Brown announced Thursday, Aug. try Smoker with five cases. “Beyond having signage posted, masks and she in violation of Oregon law.” 19, health care workers – along with teachers, Tillamook Youth Correctional Facility wrote hand sanitizing stations available, the fairgrounds On June 18, Bomar filed a educators and staff of K-12 schools – will be in an email Tuesday, Aug. 17, the entire facility is complaint with the Oregon Bureau was not in a position to do much more with the required to be fully vaccinated by Oct. 18 or six in quarantine. Deputy Communications Manager of Labor and Industries (BOLI) weeks after full FDA approval, whichever is later, personnel it had and very little time to acquire Sarah Evans said prior to the outbreak, the faciladditional staff or volunteers,” VonSeggern said for wage and hour violations. This unless an exemption is met. ity had zero COVID-19 cases among youth and regarding enforcement of the mask mandate. stemmed from the City allegedly Putman said the health center and the mobile one among workers since the start of the pan“There was also a very real concern about not removing overtime from Bomar’s testing site are experiencing an overwhelming demic. The facility has encouraged vaccines for putting staff or volunteers in an untenable positime sheet without notice of her or request for COVID-19 testing. There may be a youth in custody. tion, as we had no real means of enforcement for her authorization and not paying her wait to get a test. Testing is available at no cost. wearing masks.” of the overtime she earned in May To schedule an appointment for a COVID-19 test Send comments to: headlightreporter@counof 2021. with the health department, call 503-842-3900. trymedia.net “The city had paid Bomar overSheriff’s statement on enforcement time ever since she was promoted to Lieutenant,” the claim reads. “Boomer was never given a written job description for the Lieutenant position she was unilaterally promoted to and she was never given notice that she is an exempt 22, 1992 Theresa Albertson woke time but nothing I could say is new Hilary Dorsey employee under Oregon Wage her sister Tammy up for church. or viable information,” Brewer said. Staff Writer Law…” Tammy said she was going to go see There was some speculation that The claim finally demands that, her boyfriend instead. Theresa was Bobby Jack Fowler could have wenty-nine years ago, the city cease unlawful activity 13 years old. been a suspect in the murder but 16-year-old Tammy Albdirected toward her, she demands “I remember at church – at the there was no evidence to include or ertson went missing. She was last that she be made whole for unpaid time, I didn’t know what feeling it exclude him, other than the fact he seen at a phone booth at the Mohler overtime and that the city comply was – but I knew something was was in the Lincoln County area near grocery store on Hwy 53 on March with Oregon Wage and Hour laws, wrong with Tammy,” Theresa said. the time of Tammy’s disappearance, 22, 1992. Her remains were found that the city conducts a wage study “When I had the anxiety and the Brewer had previously told the March 17, 1993 in an area called and set her salary commensurate God’s Valley, near the northeast Til- worry and everything, I knew some- Headlight Herald. with similarly ranked officers in law thing serious had happened to her.” Theresa said she disagrees with lamook County line. enforcement regardless of gender, According to police, Tammy the speculation that Fowler could Waking up the morning of March that the command structure in the had been the victim of homicidal have been a suspect in the killing, TPD be followed by all officers, violence. Michelle Brewer, detective and believes her stepfather, Jack male or female, and demands that sergeant for Child Abuse InvestiJamison, is responsible for Tammy’s her attorney fees and costs of degation division at the Tillamook death. fending her rights be paid to her. County Sheriff’s Office, has not Brewer said Jamison was listed as Tammy Albertson received any actionable leads on Al- a person of interest in the beginning The Headlight reached out to the bertson, although the case is active of the investigation, as he was the City for comment, but calls were not See SEEKS, Page A9 n and remains open until solved. last known person to see her alive. returned as of press time. “We get information from time to
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