In the course of working on an article about ORCCA’s deficits for The Sentinel I sent an email to the director, Mike Lehman, requesting information. According to an article in The World, Lehman had claimed that a new development director, Deborah Ross, had applied for fifteen grants since she began work July 15, 2013. There was no detail about the grants, how much, to whom, etc and a later document presented to the board of directors in late August indicated that the last grant written was before Ross’ arrival. Consequently, the following email exchange began.
MGx:Mike, do you have a detail of the fifteen grant applications you attributed to Deborah Ross in The World newspaper? If so, please forward as I am working on a story for The Sentinel.
Thanks,
Mary
LEHMAN: I will be out of office until Monday, I will try to have available for you the same document I am giving to the World.
So far everything is fine and Lehman is offering to be helpful but then I receive this threat from Deborah Ross.
DEBORAH ROSS: Mary,
I am feeling threatened and alarmed that you continue to collect, obtain, publish, write, and pursue information about me. If this does not stop immediately, I will file a request for a protective order.
Thank you,
Deborah Ross
First, it may come as a surprise to Ross but this story isn’t about HER it’s about getting to the truth. If, as Lehman claims, Ross applied for fifteen grants in six weeks what are they? Her reaction is both astonishing and revealing in that you have to wonder what is being hidden when a director of a very public organization like community action won’t answer simple questions.
I’m banned from the World, even their Facebook page. They won’t tolerate too much truthiness, makes them look even worse than they are. My opinion only of course. Folks like Miss Deborah like to threaten others, makes them feel powerfull, when they aren’t.
Make that 24 APRIL not AUGUST.
Perhaps the many editors of the world paper should visit their words appearing within their editorial of 24 August 2012 titled “Reverse ORCCA’s secrecy policy”. Perhaps they should make the same demands of their new ORCCA friends.
http://youtu.be/rwEvysDpNm0
I don’t like to see people get away with bullying and threatening others. THIS is what you look like when you do so. Congratulations for showing the entire county what Barney Fife’s have taken control of ORCCA now. Poor Deborah, what do you have to hide? Produce that mountain of work, and all will be well. And I notice their enablers and backers are strangely quiet at The World, the stenographers are out of ink perhaps? Or haven’t gotten their orders from SCDC and the Chamber of Consorts? The poor will pay for this latest folly, just watch and see. Just as the public pays for the new rusting airport terminal,for the Bandon Dunes golfers, while We The People who are paying for it, have to drive to Eugene to get affordable, dependable service. What a damned shame, these ass hats have been allowed to do this to ORCCA. Every word I write in my humble opinion only. Have to be careful around the leeches, they watch for any opening to close you down, prosecute your sorry ass, or just intimidate others. Enough!!!
Please don’t tell me they are putting even more money into the airport !!! Are you serious? They are replacing those terribly expensive tiles? You know, the ones they said would mirror those waves lapping at the sand? Those rusting tiles? That has to stop, Lehman, Bennetti and The Walrus have to be stopped from sucking the life blood of this county any further. Since they seem to be losing their grip on what Coos Countians can learn publicly, the rats don’t know what to do now. My personal opinion only boys and girls who threaten legal action at every opportunity. Reminds me of something, let me see, what is it?
Take it from this reader who passed Torts 101 the first time, the message from Ms. Ross was written by a person with legal training – she has none – Lehman is a lawyer. Any guess who wrote it? And no judge in Coos County would honor her request for any protective order. Enough veiled threats from ORCCA people. I hope that she follows through. Lehman can be called as a witness. He would be forced to reveal the truth. The public demands the facts. If there were 15 Grant requests written, facts please Mr. Lehman and then go back to replacing the rusted and discolored airport tile.
Sounds like Miss Deborah is feeling the heat! What’s the problem? If you wrote 15 grants as Lehman claims, whats the problem with producing them? If you didn’t, sounds like you should be pissed off at your boss. May want to confirm the facts with him before he boasts how impressive you are.
A protective order? Really? Sounds like your taking your clues from Douglas, can you cry on command too?
Rumor has it that your not much of a grant writer and the plan is to hire one. Which begs the question, what are you getting paid $30,000+ a year to do?
PS: There are now two blogs reporting “news” in Coos County, and the rats are scurrying trying to find another hole, since it seems The World is losing their grip on keeping “certain” issues out of the publics’ eye, and all hells a risin’. I could NOT be more happy to see it, finally an open news source in Coos County. We shall see how things go now. Thank you !!!! Better git to clickin them ruby red slippers ya’all are so proud of, cause the Fairy Tales are coming to an abrupt end, finally ! My humble opinion only-plus forty years of evidence !
She’s gonna need more than a protective order,I think she’s beginning to see she hitched her cart to the wrong horse this time. Karma is more of a bitch, and Karma never forgets. THIS is supposed to be about feeding the hungry, not catty office politics, my personal opinion only, of course Ma’am. How convenient Lehman is out for a week, BS, don’t believe a word of it. That also is just my humble opinion, and considering the mess Lehman has made. He’s on the Airport Board, why would anyone expect the public’s monies to be used wisely? My opinion only boys and girls. And I still have that freedom, unless Lehman and his side-kicks take this further. Better start playing with the truth kiddies, it can bite your ass when you don’t.