News-Times Whidbey
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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015 | Vol. 125, No. 16 | WWW.WHIDBEYNEWSTIMES.COM | 75¢
$100,000 claim filed against Oak Harbor By JESSIE STENSLAND Staff reporter
A longtime Oak Harbor resident who was arrested last year for allegedly impersonating a police officer filed a claim for damages against the city last Friday. Jim Bailey is seeking $100,000 in damages for false arrest and defamation. He’s represented by Oak Harbor attorney Christon Skinner, who’s no stranger to
filing claims against the city. Skinner said the experience embarrassed and humiliated his client, who denies the accusations. A press release issued by Police Chief Ed Green after the arrest drew national media attention to the case and led to members of the national media banging on Bailey’s door. “He’s a good Samaritan,” Skinner said. “He’s dedicated his life to trying to be a helpful guy.”
SKINNER CLAIMS the police violated the law by arresting Bailey without a warrant. Under state law, cops may only arrest someone on suspicion of a gross misdemeanor crime without a warrant under certain circumstances; Skinner said none of the exceptions apply in this case. In addition, he said Green’s press release was inacSEE BAILEY, A2
BAILEY:
Claim alleges false arrest, defamation
WGH CEO will earn $279,000 plus bonus By MICHELLE BEAHM Staff reporter
Whidbey General Hospital’s new CEO will earn a base of $279,000 per year with a potential annual bonus of nearly $70,000, according to a contract to be finalized March 9. That’s about $100,000 more than the state average for lead executives for critical access hospitals and about $60,000 more than in n e i g h b o r i n g FORBES counties, according to state statistics. “Forbes may receive a bonus of up to 25 percent of her salary if she achieves goals mutually agreed upon by the board and CEO,” said the hospital’s board president Anne Tarrant in an emailed statement to the Whidbey News-Times. “These goals have not yet been determined.” Geri Forbes, current CEO of Doctor’s Memorial Hospital, located in Perry, Fla., is slated to step into the job of Whidbey General SEE FORBES, A2
Photo by Janis Reid/Whidbey News-Times
Pastor Fannie Dean of Mission Ministry Outreach stands outside of her congregation’s unfinished church on Goldie Road. The group is hoping to raise the final $80,000 to complete the project this year.
Pastor isn’t T about to give up on dream
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By JANIS REID Staff reporter
HERE’S YEARNING in Fannie Dean’s voice as she walks the halls of her unfinished church and talks about her mission to complete it. “I’ve been walking this building for so long,” Dean said last week. Started in 2009, the church is littered with sawdust, construction equipment and
unsecured flooring tiles. And while it’s complete in the sense that it has doors, windows and walls, the church has a long way to go before it can hold a congregation. After 40 years in the Oak Harbor community, Dean said she has faith that this year, 2015, is the year they will finally finish their church. SEE NEW CHURCH, A5
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