Prineville, Ore. – The former executive director of a Prineville-based non-profit has filed a lawsuit against the organization for breach of contract and retaliation as a whistleblower, according to court documents.
Mandi Puckett, the former executive director for Children Learning through Education & Research Alliance, Inc. (CLEAR Alliance), was one of the organizations co-founders who also served as its executive director for over eight years.
The lawsuit lays responsibility on three of the organization’s board members, with particular allegations of unlawful and unethical conduct by current Deschutes County sheriff’s candidate Sgt. Kent Vander Kamp. According to Puckett’s attorney, Vance Day, the other board members who allegedly aided Vander Kamp included Marlys Alger and Belinda Ballah.
“My client, Mandi Puckett, is a victim of ongoing whistleblower retaliation and multiple breaches of contract” said Day in a public statement.
“Growing up with a father who served 30 years in law enforcement, my client was raised to trust and respect the police. Her experience with Sgt. Kent VanderKamp has negatively impacted that view. When Ms. Puckett became aware of the unlawful, unethical, and dishonest behavior occurring in the organization, she and four others did the right thing and reported this when it happened. But the investigation into these matters was delayed repeatedly.”
The statement went on saying: “After Ms. Puckett blew the whistle, she was punished and retaliated against. They changed many terms of her employment, made false allegations about her, and defamed her. They suddenly put together board meetings so they could selectively invite and provide a platform for current and former employees to complain about her.”
“This was quite audacious considering my client had stellar work performance and no verbal or written reprimands of any kind in her file. Furthermore, the directors refused to provide my client’s personnel records in accordance with ORS 652.750,” said Day.
Puckett reportedly signed a settlement agreement with CLEAR Alliance in November of 2023, after feeling powerless to stop the alleged unlawful conduct.
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Day explained that since the lawsuit, brought on by Vander Kamp and the other board members failure to comply with the November 2023 settlement agreement, Vander Kamp has persisted in violations of the agreement.
Vander Kamp has claimed that Puckett is friends with current Deschutes County Sheriff Shane Nelson who has endorsed his opponent, but Puckett’s attorney refutes the claim.
“This case is about multiple breaches of contract and retaliation that just won’t stop. While I appreciate Sgt. VanderKamp and his associates’ need to deflect from the facts, they are proving our case for us with the continued defamatory statements about my client. Sgt. VanderKamp continues to breach the settlement agreement right in public view. He also repeatedly misleads the public into thinking Ms. Puckett is close, personal friends with Sheriff Shane Nelson – she is not. Furthermore, it was DPSST that formally referred Ms. Puckett’s complaint to the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office for investigation,” stated Day.
“The facts are not in dispute: Prineville PD responded to Ms. Puckett’s office on November 12, 2023, due to the harassment by Kent Vander Kamp. The officer referred Ms. Puckett to the Crook County Sheriff’s Office. Crook County Sheriff Gautney referred my client to OSP and DPSST to file her complaint, which she did on December 6, 2023.”
Day further went on to explain that the Oregon State Police then directed his client to the Prineville Police Department & Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, and that DPSST also sent a letter to the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office for a formal investigation.
“This was followed by DPSST sending a letter to the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office for formal investigation. DCSO tried to give it to OSP and DOJ, and they gave reasons why they didn’t want to touch it, so DCSO was forced to handle it,”
We reached out to Vander Kamp for comment on the allegations, but he refused to comment on the matter.
“Since I am not a party to the lawsuit or a named respondent, it would be inappropriate for me to comment. Although I am on the Board of Directors for CLEAR Alliance, I am not authorized to speak on behalf of the entire Board or the organization,” said Vander Kamp through his campaign email.
Vander Kamp had also reportedly used his official sheriff’s office email when conducting business related to CLEAR Alliance, according to the complaint and uncovered records.
The Prineville Review had specifically been seeking comment from Mr. Vander Kamp on the allegations against him individually, not on behalf of the organization.
Vander Kamp instead requested that our story report on the work at CLEAR Alliance.
“I hope you will report on the extraordinary work at CLEAR Alliance. You can learn more about the programs at www.clearalliance.org,” said Vander Kamp.
Vander Kamp then directed us to CLEAR Alliance’s attorney Peter Hicks with Jordan Ramis, PC. We were unable to reach Hicks earlier today. Jordan Ramis is the same firm also representing the embattled Crook County Cemetery District amid local scrutiny related to grounds upkeep and failures to comply with state public meetings and records laws.
Following publication of a story by The Bend Bulletin, Day claimed Vander Kamp’s responses to the media were an effort to defect from the issue.
“Sgt. Vander Kamp’s attempt to deflect responsibility by falsely insinuating collusion between Ms. Puckett and Sheriff Nelson is consistent with Vander Kamp’s well-developed skill set and strategy of gas-lighting others to hide is inability to tell the truth. Just consider Vander Kamp’s attempt the blame everyone else for the debacle over La Mesa Police Department records.” stated Day.
