Tempers flare during Redmond City Council’s ‘year in review’ meeting

'I think all it does is spew one person's perspective'

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The Redmond City Council met Tuesday night for a meeting that featured a 2020 year in review for several departments, including the police.

Councilors were joined by Police Chief Dave Tarbet and Captain Devon Lewis, who highlighted service call statistics and trends.

"Even though we had less overall number of calls, we saw an increase in domestic violence, mental health calls, medical assists, etc," Tarbet said.

The department said they received 2,500 fewer calls for the year. An increase in domestic violence was a trend in the wrong direction, but Captain Lewis says there's a reason behind it.

"Domestic violence was actually up 24 percent," Lewis said. "That's the highest number we've seen in the city of Redmond. And we attribute that to the pandemic, with folks being just stuck at home with each other and not having the option to get away."

Perhaps the most significant statistical jump was medical assist calls, with a 795 percent increase since 2017.

Despite the increase, Tarbet says the crime statistics overall appear reassuring.

"Being that our crime rate continues to remain flat, despite our population growth, that is a good thing," Tarbet said.

However, as the meeting came to a close, tempers flared.

Councilor Ed Fitch, a former mayor and city attorney elected last fall, attached a letter to the meeting agenda, airing his grievances with the council's and city government's culture and structure. Mayor George Endicott also attached a letter, upset with what he calls "interference" with city staff and vowing to enforce the rules and roles as agreed upon.

(You can read both letters at the end of the agenda packet, starting on page 87.)

Fitch said the council is not given advance notice of committee vacancies, so the opportunity for others from diverse backgrounds is lost.

He said he understands the Mayor does not have to, but should seek the council's approval on committee appointments.

Councilor Krisanna Clark-Endicott said she did not agree with Fitch's decision to include the letter, which she felt was divisive.

"I think that the attachment of letters is not constructive," Clark-Endicott said. "I think that it's one-sided, and it doesn't start dialogue. I think all it does is spew one person's perspective."

Fitch said council members are inserted on committees as "silent monitors," but Mayor George Endicott said Fitch is the only member not serving on a committee, and that's his own personal choice.

"I mean, Ed, you're an attorney, and you can state things and try and make it look like a certain situation -- but it's not," Endicott said.

Fitch said council rules need to change, but Endicott said during meetings, they'll follow what is currently in place.

"I mean, if you have a question, just ask it," Endicott said. "Don't throw out implications without having the knowledge or understanding."