_{Thumbnail: An Oregon circuit court judge weighed in on the Curry County Board of Commissioners’ dispute with Sheriff John Ward. | Screenshot}

An Oregon circuit court judge has issued an opinion outlining where the Curry County Board of Commissioners and the sheriff stand when it comes to their respective roles.

However, one aspect of the county’s complaint against Sheriff John Ward — whether he’s required to provide “all records, information and supporting documents” to the Board of Commissioners upon request — will be the subject of a trial on Oct. 28.

“Personally, I’m grateful to have this judgment determination in front of us,” Board Chairman Jay Trost told Redwood Voice Community News on Thursday, adding that the opinion may have implications that apply to other communities besides Curry County. “It just provides a path forward in clarifying some of the roles and responsibilities that have been in question.”

_{Thumbnail photo by Ken Lund via Wikimedia Commons. Creative Commons License}

Lynn Coker evoked Abbott and Costello before he and his colleague Patrick Hollinger approved a $6,335 agreement between Curry County and Spectrum Business on Wednesday.

Coker, who was appointed to the Board of Commissioners earlier this year, said he hoped the agreement, which will allow Curry County to televise its public meetings, will help residents better navigate local government.

“They attend these meetings, they listen and they read the news and they’re not quite sure who’s on first and why there’s a first base in the first place,” he said. “What’s the difference between the work a legislator does, like a Court Boyce, and the work the county does? Those kinds of things can be addressed in an educational format using our Spectrum education channels.”

_{Thumbnail photo: Curry County District Attorney Joshua Spansail announces his resignation to the Board of Commissioners on Wednesday. | screenshot}

Curry County’s district attorney announced his resignation on Wednesday, telling the Board of Commissioners that he made the “bittersweet decision” for his family’s sake and his last day will be Nov. 17.

“I’ve been here going on 10 years now either as a deputy DA or the elected DA, but this is a family decision,” Joshua Spansail told commissioners Lynn Coker and Patrick Hollinger. “I have just had my third child and my wife and I made the decision that with a growing family and aging parents, it’s time to get closer to them, so we are going to be moving on.”

Board Chairman Jay Trost was absent.

An independent investigation found no evidence that Curry County Director of Operations Ted Fitzgerald engaged in gender discrimination, harassment or retaliation against County Assessor and Tax Collector Kylie Wegner.

Even so, Wegner’s tort claim notice, sent to the Board of Commissioners on April 8, puts them on notice that she could take further legal action against the county and against Fitzgerald individually. On Monday — after the county announced the findings of the investigation — Wegner said she’s yet not at liberty to say what her next steps will be, but told Redwood Voice Community News that “it’s not over.”

“They are not denying they read these things that (Fitzgerald) sent me and they are saying they don’t have an issue with those types of messages being sent to an elected official,” she said. “Don’t I deserve respect? No employee or elected official should have to work in an environment like that.”