The following appeared in the Corvallis Gazette-Times on December 5th, 2005.

Deputies’ vote had meaning

In Jenna Morrison’s letter of Nov. 22 “Deputies’ vote not indicative of merit,” she points out that the 27-2 vote was not representative of the entire sheriff’s office. It is my understanding that this vote was cast by The Deputy Sheriff’s Association. This is still a resounding vote by the deputies.

If the other employees of the sheriff’s department who are not members of this particular association would like to weigh in, I for one would welcome the information. What better way for the public to be informed about candidates than from the very individuals who work for them?

I see no significance that the vote was held off-site, at

3 p.m. on a weekday as long as all members were informed in advance that the meeting was taking place.

As for the fact that it was not a “secret” ballot: I am encouraged to know that the deputies who work in our community have the backbone to stand up for what they believe in and voice it out in the open, instead of hiding behind a secret vote. I applaud them.

She is correct that the office of sheriff is not decided by the people who work in the sheriff’s office. As a citizen, however, I respect the opinion of those who work closely with the sheriff. The outcome of this vote is information and knowledge to assist the public in making a sound decision about who to vote for. So to date the score is Burright 1, Simpson 0. But we have a long way to go.

Debbie Bell

Corvallis