Granite Falls officials say they can resolve their differences

Published 12:01 am Saturday, December 26, 2009

GRANITE FALLS — There just might be a thaw in what has been an icy relationship between the incoming Granite Falls mayor and police chief.

The pair hashed out concerns into the wee hours of the morning Thursday with plans to meet again Monday.

“We will see if we can get this thing rolling and moving forward,” Mayor Haroon Saleem said. “There are some issues, minor ones, not some big ones, just timing issues. I’m very confident we should be able to resolve everything before I take office.”

“I thought it went very well,” Police Chief Tony Domish said. “Both us have the citizens’ best interests at heart.”

Things weren’t so rosy before the November general election.

The police chief said Saleem’s restaurant and cocktail lounge, Timberline Cafe, was overserving customers and generating too many calls for fights and drunken driving.

The mayoral candidate said the police chief’s characterization was untrue. He said the chief was orchestrating boycotts of the business and threatening to shut it down, an accusation the chief denies. Saleem was elected in a resounding victory over incumbent Mayor Lyle Romack in November. Saleem was sworn in Dec. 16 but does not take over for Romack until Jan. 1.

Now, the Granite Falls City Council has been discussing extending the contract of the police chief.

And the new mayor could be on board after the discussion late Wednesday night and early Thursday.

“He told me that he has no interest in firing any city staff,” Domish said. “A larger concern I had was his business and how we would deal with that if he was the mayor and I would have to enforce the law if we have an incident. I’m pleased to report he has hired a very competent manager in that position and any dealings I have with that establishment will be going through her.”

Saleem agreed with Domish’s rendition of the conversation.

Before Wednesday’s meeting, Saleem said he’s not necessarily opposed to extending Domish’s contract but would like to have more time to discuss it with the council and even the public in this town of 3,375 people. The chief’s four-year contract is due to expire in June 2010.

“I’m a consensus builder; there’s no need to rush this,” Saleem said.

City Councilwoman Elizabeth Adams — who volunteered answering phones at City Hall on Wednesday to fill in for staff members on vacation — said the council is considering renewal of other union contracts at the city, as well.

“We were just bringing them all up at once,” she said.

She added that she supports retaining Domish and believes he has done a good job since becoming the city’s chief in June 2006.

“I am very much a supporter, yes,” she said.

Domish said he’d like to stay on as chief despite his differences with his boss-to-be.

“I’m involved in the community. I’ve been here three and a half years; we have a great department,” he said.

Domish said he makes $66,000 per year. The contract his attorney has discussed with city attorney Craig Knutson would keep him at that same salary for the remainder of 2010. He oversees six full-time police officers and 16 others, including volunteer reserves and auxiliary staff members.

Domish said in the past few months, police calls generated by the Timberline have declined.

“As of late, things have been a lot better there,” he said. “That was our whole goal.”

Bill Sheets: 425-339-3439; sheets@heraldnet.com.