LINN OFFICIAL ACCUSES SHERIFF OF INTIMIDATION

Linn County Commissioner John Lindsey has accused Sheriff Dave
Burright of attempting to intimidate him following a public hearing
last Wednesday.

Lindsey held up a planned vote that day on the proposed Linn County
outdoor assembly code, saying he needed more time to consider the issue.

County officials including Burright were pushing for adoption of the
code in order to put firm rules in place for this weekend's "Rock and
Reggae Revival" music festival sponsored by William Conde near Harrisburg.

After the hearing, Burright entered Lindsey's office to protest the
delay.

"The sheriff informed me that I'm suspected of being on Conde's
payroll for not voting for the mass gathering ordinance, and that
there are suspicions I'm associated with a bad crowd," Lindsey said
Friday, still upset by the incident. "It's a little bit more than
upsetting that somebody would question my character like that."

Lindsey issued the following statement, addressed to all of Linn
County's elected officials, Friday morning:

"It has come to my attention that certain law enforcement officials
believe I'm a `known' drug user. I believe this information is
incorrect and is being used as a form of intimidation against me.
Since accusations such as this wind up being extremely damaging to
elected officials I have decided to nip this one directly in the bud.

"Attached is a drug test performed this morning by the Mid-Valley
Medical Group that shows these outrageous charges to be false and
without foundation. If any of you have any questions please feel free
to see me, as my door is always open."

On the lab report is a handwritten note from the lab technician
describing the results as "totally negative."

In an interview following the release of the statement, Lindsey said
that he wrote "law enforcement officials" in the plural because
Burright had alluded to statements made by other officers.

Burright confirmed that he spoke with Lindsey following the hearing
but explicitly denied making any drug allegations.

"I very specifically did not call him a drug user. I did let him know
how displeased I was that he did not work with Commissioner Schmidt to
come to some sort of resolution," Burright said. "I intended to light
a fire, and perhaps I did."

Lindsey stands by his version of the events.

"He (Burright) knows what he was doing. But I'm not going to be
intimidated," Lindsey said.

County Commissioner Catherine Skiens has worked with Lindsey since he
joined the board in January. She said Friday she has had no reason to
think he was involved with illegal drugs.

"I've not seen anything in his actions to lead me to believe that
would be the case," Skiens said.

Dave Schmidt, chairman of the county board of commissioners, was out
of town on vacation Friday and could not be reached for a comment.

Linn County reached an agreement with Conde Friday afternoon covering
this weekend's festival. In an interview Burright applauded the work
Lindsey did in the negotiations with Conde.

"I was pleased in the way he handled business today. He very
aggressively looked out for the citizens in dealing with the
agreement," Burright said.