Oman claims charges have no factual basis

By Robert Williams

Editor

A public hearing on written charges forming the basis for the termination of Becker County Administrator Pat Oman was held at Oman’s request at the end of the Tuesday, Feb. 20 meeting of the Becker County Board of Commissioners.

Oman attended in-person with his lawyer, Scott A. Witty, a civil litigation lawyer who also practices employment law, attending via teleconference.

A written statement of the charges was given to Oman from County Attorney Ann Goering and he responded to those in front of the board. The hearing was not intended to reverse the 3-2 vote to terminate Oman, but to inform the public on the quality of work performed by Oman during his time as administrator.

Oman responded to each of the charges individually.

• Failure to advise all commissioners about significant events impacting the county.

“There are no examples from the county commissioners in the Dec. 19, 2023 performance review on failing to communicate significant events. In a review of the county administrator emails to county commissioners will show consistent, ongoing communication to the county board on what the county administrator deemed as important. In regular county administrator board reports to the county board during regular board meetings, communications through relevant committees, and the accessibility for county commissioners to communicate with the county administrator when appropriate. This is a charge with no factual basis.”

Oman’s answers were similar to the other charges noting there were no specific examples of the charges noted on his performance review in December. The other charges were:

• Failure to provide all commissioners with information regarding agenda items.

• Failure to provide requested documents to commissioners upon request.

• Failure to communicate with all commissioners.

• Failure to follow through on promise to meet monthly with new commissioners.

In the above charge, Oman read aloud emails to each of the three commissioners who voted to have him removed that addressed scheduling a monthly meeting with each of the commissioners.

• Making unauthorized offers to unions beyond the budgeted authority.

Regarding the above charge, Oman explained that the county was negotiating collective bargaining contracts after the 2022 budget was already set. 

“There have been no discussions that did not go to the county board for consideration and approval,” he said.

The county administrator also has the ability to meet with business managers and discuss with union heads.

“All communications with union business managers was appropriate and reflective of the role of the county administrator,” Oman said. 

He ended with what was a common refrain during his speech, “This is a charge with no factual basis.”

• Stating publicly and privately that he only had to keep three commissioners happy, thereby disregarding the collaborative nature of the county government in the interest of all the residents of the county.

Again, Oman noted the charge had no factual basis and countered that Commissioner Barry Nelson had noted he had stated publicly and privately that he had three votes to terminate the county administrator.

• Loss of confidence in the majority of the board.

Oman listed off a lengthy list of accomplishments that included multiple improvements on policies that had not be changed in four decades, budgeting, exit interviews that had never been conducted and data that showed fewer employees left compared to the two prior years, on-board training of new employees, committees that operated with no bylaws and had been operating in violation of the open meeting laws for two decades. 

Oman continued with benchmark analysis on county board operations and whether or not the board pursued best practices or elected not to. 

In full, Oman’s retort lasted 20 minutes. He concluded that he was responding to the reasons he was terminated, wanting his response put into the record and his personnel file and that he expected no additional statements from commissioners.

Throughout Oman’s speech, the three commissioners who voted to terminate him (Nelson, Erica Jepson, David Meyer) sat in their chairs appearing disinterested, at best, making little to no eye contact with Oman, unlike Oman’s supporters in Chairman John Okeson and commissioner Jim Vareberg.

Upon Oman’s conclusion, commissioner Nelson made a motion to officially terminate Oman, followed by the same votes as last meeting with ayes from commissioners Jepson and Meyer and nays from Okeson and Vareberg.

Oman supporter Joe Stenger returned to make another presentation supporting Oman during the board’s open forum. Stenger directed his comments at Jepson, Meyer and Nelson stating that there are not a lot of people that support the board’s decision.

“I say the board is going to operate like a car with three flat tires from now on,” Stenger said.

Stenger accused Nelson and Meyer of firing Oman as payback for Stenger and other’s part in getting the former county administrator fired.

Stenger looked directly at Nelson when stating, “Come November, we’re going to pay you back.”

He continued by accusing Meyer and Jepson of running for the board on the grounds of bringing the board together and instead fracturing it.