In an early February executive session meeting, members of the Oregon Ethics Commission determined that ethics complaints against current city councilor Kyle Juran warranted an investigation, which is currently underway.
It is important to note that despite an investigation occurring, no determination of guilt or exoneration will be made until the investigation wraps up by, at the latest, this coming August, according to the Oregon Ethics Commission officer Monica Walker, who is in charge of the investigation.
According to page 8 of executive session documentation, the current recommended action is to investigate possible ethics violations of ORS 244.040(1) as well as ORS 244.040 (4).
According to Oregon public statue, ORS 244.040(1) states that “a public official may not use or attempt to use official position or office to obtain financial gain or avoidance of financial detriment for the public official, a relative or member of the household of the public official, or any business with which the public official or a relative or member of the household of the public official is associated, if the financial gain or avoidance of financial detriment would not otherwise be available but for the public official’s holding of the official position or office.”
ORS 244.040 (4) states that “a public official may not attempt to further or further the personal gain of the public official through the use of confidential information gained in the course of or by reason of holding position as a public official or activities of the public official.”
The issues revolve around a resolution, R2023, which was passed by council last June, authorizing Keizer City Manager Adam Brown to enter into a construction contract with a company owned by Juran.
The contract was to repair several wooden trellises in the employee entrance as the civic center as well as the Keizer Police Department’s break area patio.
No bids were made for the contract until Public Works director Bill Lawyer reached out to other companies in the community.
Lawyer, in his staff report, notes that no other company appeared to want the contract except for Remodeling by Classic Homes Inc., which is owned by Juran, who submitted the only bid made for the contract at $246,944.
The bidding process the city uses has multiple places for bids to go to encourage more visibility.
Typically, the city will post a Request for Proposal (RFP) on both its website as well as Quest CDN, an organization that connects contractors with contracts from various municipalities, according to Brown.
While an account is required to check on bids via Quest CDN, bids are made available to the public at Keizer.org.
As previously reported by Keizertimes last June, Councilor Robert Husseman walked out of the city council meeting during discussion, claiming: “I can’t in good conscience vote on this.”
“This, to me, is a breach of ethics to ask the council to personally enrich a sitting member of the city council. I do not think this is acceptable behavior and I can’t endorse this,” Husseman said.
Juran abstained from the vote as well as conversation about the motion that was made to give his business the contract.
The council voted 4-1 to approve the motion to give Remodeling by Classic Homes Inc. the contract with Councilor Soraida Cross dissenting as Husseman walked out before the vote as well as Juran’s abstention.
Council members who voted yes include: Mayor Cathy Clark, Councilor Shaney Starr, Councilor Laura Reid as well as Councilor Dan Kohler.
According to Cross, her no vote was done as a balancing tool, in part, due to her relative newness on the council, according to her.
Her no vote was an attempt to find the middle ground and ensure that the bidding process the city uses to ensure contracts are fairly delivered and explored by businesses in Keizer.
When asked for comment, Lawyer referred to the city staff report for answers which can be found in the June 20, 2023 meeting minutes or at Keizer.org/media/Council on page 35 – 37.
Keizertimes reached out to Councilor Juran as well though he did not immediately respond to a request for comment as of the writing of this story.
Contact Quinn Stoddard
[email protected] or 503-390-105
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