Mecham scolds Hill for phony phone call

January 24, 2012

By DANIEL BLACKBURN

Supervisor Frank Mecham delivered a firm reproach to a peer Tuesday, characterizing Adam Hill’s recent phone impersonation of a political rival as embarrassing to the board.

Hill left a recorded message Jan. 6 with the author of a letter printed in The Tribune, in which he asked if she was “a communist” and made other comments. He then identified himself as Ed Waage, who is challenging Hill for the District 3 supervisor’s seat.

Mecham also said the incident was taking board time and was not an issue for which the board was responsible. He then asked Hill to apologize to fellow supervisors and to Waage.

Hill responded by repeating his claim that the call was a joke and suggested that the board get on with its business. He told board members he was sorry that it offended some… but he did not apologize.

Supervisor Bruce Gibson and Chairman Jim Patterson quickly defended Hill, both claiming the incident had been blown out of proportion by a “local media group.” Patterson called it “a trivial matter.”

Mecham’s assertions came after three people used their public comment time to ask the board to sanction Hill for his conduct.

In an earlier statement, Wagge said, “Common sense says to refrain from doing something so foolish, and common courtesy would require an apology.”

Despite Hill’s reticence to apologize, Mecham hinted the matter is far from closed: he challenged Gibson to “elevate this discussion in private.”