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Produced & Maintained by Idaho Mountain Express, Box 1013, Ketchum, ID 83340-1013 
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Copyright © 2002 Express Publishing Inc.
All Rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of Express Publishing Inc. is prohibited. 


For the week of August 21 - 27, 2002

News

Taylor backs out of assistant chief dispute


By GREG STAHL
Express Staff Writer

One of the key players in the Ketchum City Hall assistant police chief saga dropped out of the mix last week.

Ron Taylor, who Mayor Ed Simon hired as assistant police chief early in July, is back at work at the Blaine County Sheriff’s Office where he was a sergeant before resigning to work at the Ketchum Police Department.

Taylor declined to comment on why he backed out of the job, or on what he knows about the situation at the Ketchum department. He confirmed that he returned to work for the county.

Taylor was on Ketchum’s payroll from Aug. 1 through Aug. 11, Deputy City Clerk Pat Bennett said.

Early in July, a power struggle developed between Ketchum Police Chief Cal Nevland and Simon. Each hired a different person as assistant police chief. Nevland contended that Simon based his decisions on a long-standing grudge that originated when Simon was a council member in 1992.

"It has absolutely nothing to do with ’92," Simon countered.

As a result, Nevland and Ketchum Police Lt. Mike McNeil, who Nevland promoted, filed a lawsuit naming Ketchum and Simon as defendants. The lawsuit seeks declaratory relief on who has hire-and-fire authority, and a hearing is still slated.

McNeil filed a separate grievance with the Ketchum City Council, and the council has not yet acted on that filing. Simon has recused himself during the grievance proceedings.

It is not yet clear how Taylor’s decision to go back to the Sheriff’s Office will affect the lawsuit or the grievance.

Simon declined to comment directly about the personnel or litigation issue, but defended his decision to hire Taylor.

"I think that any allegation that I’m trying to relive 1992 is not borne out by the facts," Simon said. "Every decision I make or will make will be predicated on what is in the best interest of the public."

 

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