The Big Timber Pioneer (Big Timber, Mont.) 1983-current, December 26, 2003, Image 19

■ ■ ■ m g Week of Dec. 26 . 2 Helena hearing was over before it began A District Court hearing was held in Helena December 23 to determine if the orders of protection filed by county employees Jami Moody and Arlene Yost against Sweet Grass County Attorney Rich Malagisi should he lifted. Before the hearing the court vs as informed by counsel the matter had been resolved and \the appeal dismissed, the restraining order quashed, and the parties agree to stay away from one another”. James G. Hunt, counsel for Moody and Yost, was readied by telephone after the hearing for an explanation of the situation. Hunt staled the matter was resolved in an agreement between Ins clients and that Malagisi accomplished the same thing as the orders had - they would all stay away from each other. Hunt was troubled by some actions taken by Malagisi during the hearing, however. At one point in the proceedings, said Hunt. Malagisi informed him he was terminating the employment of Yost and Moody. When asked on what basis C o n t i n u e d Malagisi was taking such action. Hunt attested Malagisi insisted he was taking this action because the women had staged an \attempted coup\ against him It is Hunt's assertion, however that Malagisi is the problem, not his clients ' He is the problem.\ Hunt told The Pioneer \He has repeatedly berated them and has called at least one of them a liar in writing Moody and Yost, he points out. have worked effectively and succcssfuliv with two previous county attorneys without any problems 'He is taking the action because he is vindictive.\ feels Hunt, \he is out of control\ Asked what action his clients plan to lake in the wake of their termination. Hunt indicated nothing will he done until official notilication of the firings is icceived If this occurs, ho and his diems will next go to the Sweet Grass County Commissioners seeking some type of relief. His diems preference is that they retain their jobs. Hunt asserts, and voiced concerns about the mediation process that had taken place in the matter >o f.u While lie teels an elected oltici.il should be given deference (respect). Hunt believes Malagisi'> actions justify thw respect being withdrawn He also indicated lie and his Jienis are not pleased with the psychological evaluation Malagisi underwent after the orders of protection were filed against him Hunt contends the person who did the evaluation was chosen by Malagisi and not agreed to beforehand by the commissioners Another tiling that makes Hum feel Malagisi is terminating the women out of retaliation is the fact that Malagisi has stated he believes he will he going to Iraq in March for approximately one year \He slated he would lire them anyway.\ said Hum. \even though he will he gone for a year.\ Hum asserts his clients' agreement to drop the orders ol protection do not mean they have given up and when the time comes to take the next step, he and they will he ready Jan. 1, 2004 — BIG TIMBER (MT) PIONEER — Page 19 Malagisi denies firings Sweet Gras* County Attorney Rkh Malagisi told The Pioneer laic Tuesday afternoon he has not fired Ins assistants. Arlene Yost and Jami Moody, but had considered u a pos­ sibility Malagisi said. ’It's up to Jami and Arlene to decide what io do next\ The attorney said at first lie thought the three could not work together in the future, but on second thought wants to try and work out an arrangement between the women and himsel! He added it will he up to 'lost and Moodv whether or not they te minate their positions in Ins office Malagisi will be traveling to Ohio for the holiday s He w ill retuin to his ofticc in Big Timber on January 2 hi the meantime, he said, the Attorney General's office will “keep watch over\ the situation Mai agist also noted Yost and Moody had voluntary quashed the orders of protection against him before the hearing in Helena began D o y o u h a v e s o m e t h i n g t o B u y ; S e l l , T r a d e o r G i v e A w a y ? Try The Pioneer Classifieds! Call 932-5298 _______________________ r stated, was that the order prevented him from performing necessary legal work for the countv since November 30 Yost and Moody point out in then response that Malagisi was oil reserve duty until December 11 and m contact with their office during that time. It was only after he returned December 12. they insist, that he wa< ptevented liom entering ihe Sweet Grass County Attorney's office due to a voluntary leave of absence agreement he signed with the commissioners They also slate the orders ol protection do not bar him from performing Ins duties at another location, only his agreement with the commissioners bars him from performing these duties Moody ami Yost assert Malagisi's request foi the emergency hearing is a tactic designed to intimidate and influence them, rather than a true emergency and point out the county has standby legal counsel in die form of county attorneys from neighboring counties as well as assistance Irimi the Slate Attorney General's office The women also feel another factor in the request for the emergency hearing was Malagisi’s inability to force them to comply with two ultimatums he issued the week of December Is. when he threatened to go to the news media and describe die incident as a \failed coup” attempt. IN S U R A N C E (LOWRY INSURANCE) Representing /instate. You're in flood hands S A F E C O ' MetLife® Auto & Home P R O G R E S S I V E ' AUTHORIZED INDEPENDENT ASENT A n d M any O ther Fine Companies Stop in and say “ Hello”! We a n hara to serve your Insurance Heads 118 WMt First Avsnus • Big Timbsr, MT 59011 406 - 932-4014 _______ The Big Timber Pioneer May Have Your Stuff! R emember when you told us you ’ d be back to pick up YOUR PHOTO, or YOUR PAPERS, OR WHATEVER? W e have a whole sox full of stuff people were COMING BACK FOR - AND WE'VE GOT TO MAKE ROOM FOR the new S tuff ! P lease come in and go through our stuff to find Y O U R S T U F F ! T hanks ! T h e B i g T i m b e r P i o n e e r Stop by our office at 105 W. Second Avenue O kay , F olks , hardly anyone has come in to go through ms S tuff . W e ’ ve got B aby P ictures , E ngagement P ictures , W edding P ictures , O btiuary P ictures ■ S tuff you really might want to have rack . I t all will all be pitched in the trash on D ecember 31 st , so S T O P B Y S O O N !