What Do Barking Dogs Look Like?

In This Edition:

- Milo Holds Court at the Baker City Council Meeting
- Former Councilor Terry Schumacher calls Mayor Dorrah a "real asshole"
[Edited 6/17/10]
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Milo Holds Court at the Baker City Council Meeting

In the YouTube video below, Milo Pope makes his contribution to the City Council discussion on appointing a replacement for Councilor Andrew Bryan.

Milo Pope was elected to the Baker City City Council in November of 2008. Compare former Circuit Court Judge, and now Councilor, Milo Pope's behavior in the video (below) from the June 8, 2010 Council Meeting, to what the Baker City Herald quotes him as saying at the October 2008 City Council candidates forum.

From the October 10, 2008 Baker City Herald:

"Pope said he's running 'because I've grown tired of the bitterness and rancor. This is the best place I've ever lived, and we're arguing about stuff that doesn't matter, so I decided I wanted to get involved.' Pope likened political squabbling to a quiet summer night that is interrupted by a dog bark. Then 'another barks, and another, and they don't know why they are barking. They're just barking, and that's what it seems to me we are doing. Too many people have opinions about things they are not informed on. If you are well-informed, you will say very little, and if you are an opinionated nincompoop, you will have a lot to (complain) about.'"

During one of his opinionated, denunciatory and querulous moments at Council Meetings, this time on June 8, former Judge Pope suggests that the Council consider retired attorney Gary Marlette to replace Andrew Bryan. Interesting choice given that, according to Circuit Court Documents, Mr. Marlette had been cited about a month prior for:

1. DRIVNG WHILE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF INTOXICANTS
2. RECKLESS DRIVING
3. CRIMINAL MISCHIEF IN THE SECOND DEGREE
4. FAILURE TO SUBMIT TEST FOR INTOXICANTS

The County Commissioners were going to vote to approve Justice of the Peace (& president of the Oregon Justices of the Peace Association) Lise Yervasi's recommendation to re-appoint Gary Marlette as Judge Pro Tempore the very next day.

Mr. Pope also comments that "The will of the people would satisfy me if the will of the people were ever heard."

I admit that I have a bad memory, but even I know that the recall effort to remove two current Councilors, Mayor Dennis Dorrah and Beverly Calder, which was supported vigorously by Mr. Pope, was defeated by a landslide.


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Former Councilor Terry Schumacher calls Mayor Dorrah a "real asshole"

At special Council Meeting on budget proposal, audience participant, and former Councilor Terry Schumacher, calls Mayor Dorrah a "real asshole" for not letting him speak during a portion of the meeting when the audience was not allowed to participate. Mr. Schumacher, who also vigorously supported the effort to recall Dorrah and Calder, had already spoken in favor of economic development funding during the citizen's participation portion of the meeting.


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So, I ask, what do barking dogs look like anyway?