MADRAS – The Madras city recorder testified on Wednesday in the trial of a former city administrator that the official asked her to pull his employment contract from a locked file cabinet so he could fix a typographical error.

”He had a page in his hand and he said, I found a typographical error on page three,’” Karen Coleman told the court. ”I was concerned because you don’t change a signed contract without initialing it.”

Coleman was a prosecution witness in the jury trial of Bill Sizemore, 58, the former Madras city administrator. Most of the charges Sizemore is facing are linked to allegations that he illegally altered his employment contract with the city.

Sizemore was indicted – in October of 2002 – on charges by the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office involving nine counts – six counts of first-degree forgery and one count each of official misconduct, tampering with public records and attempted aggravated theft.

Peter Deuel, the county prosecutor, is arguing the case before Senior Judge Robert Morgan in Jefferson County Circuit Court.

Sizemore pleaded innocent to all of the charges in December 2002.

Sizemore, who was hired by the city in May 2000, was fired from his position in February 2001, according to city records.

In testimony for the prosecution by Marjean Whitehouse, who was mayor of Madras during Sizemore’s tenure, on Aug. 8, 2000, the mayor and city council had approved changes to Sizemore’s employment contract. The changes, she said, lengthened his contract from three to five years, increased his annual pay to $65,000 – he had started at a salary of $52,000 – and extended his severance pay from four months to one year.

Coleman, the city recorder, testified she had processed Sizemore’s signed agreement on Aug. 14, 2000, and placed it in a locked file cabinet, to which only she had the key.

Three days later, Sizemore asked her to retrieve the file, Coleman said.

Sizemore’s lawyer, Robert Hennagin, said after Wednesday’s testimony, his client is alleged to have changed wording in his contract regarding grounds for termination.

”We look forward to a fair verdict based on the evidence,” he said.

Sizemore had been convicted in 1986 in a U.S. District Court in Portland for interstate transportation of stolen property and bank larceny. He served a little more than two years of a 10-year sentence.

Following Wednesday’s recess, Sizemore told a reporter that he’s unemployed and living in California.

Deuel, the prosecutor, also called on an Oregon State Police detective who conducted an investigation of Sizemore’s alleged misconduct.

Whitehouse, the former mayor, lost a reelection bid; and two city councilors were recalled by voters after the Sizemore disclosures.

Whitehouse told the court she signed Sizemore’s revised employment contract on Aug. 14, 2000, after making sure the three proposed changes were included.

When Sizemore’s attorney, Hennagin, cross-examined Whitehouse and her if she remembered a typographical error in the contract when she signed it, Whitehouse replied that she only reviewed the contract for content.

During Hennagin’s questioning, Whitehouse, who said she was experiencing poor health, had trouble remembering details surrounding the case and broke down on the witness stand. The judge, Morgan, called a short recess.

After reconvening, Whitehouse said that she had an excellent working relationship with Sizemore during his employment.

”He brought a level of professionalism the city did not have at the time,” she said. ”In a short time, we had a plateful of projects.”

The trial is expected to conclude on Friday.

Ernestine Bousquet can be reached at 541-504-2336 or at ebousquet@bendbulletin.com.