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."