“It was a representation of the community looking for the accountability of (Merz’s) bad deeds.” “What you saw in there was not a gallery of spectators,” he said. Herrera said the people at the sentencing want Merz to be held responsible for his actions. Waiting in the galley Friday were several Kalama city officials, including Stanfill, Reuter, City Clerk Coni McMaster, and Kalama Police Chief Ralph Herrera. In December, Administrative Law Judge Dan Gerard found Merz is a government official, not an employee, and does not qualify for protections under the state whistleblower statute, under one whistleblower claim Merz made through the Washington State Office of Administrative Hearings. The city reports the committee was legitimately created to get citizen input on the police department’s five-year strategic plan. Merz has claimed he found evidence, after guessing Stanfill’s email password, that the city illegally created a secret “shadow committee” to advise the police, which city officials continue to deny.

Scudder told Merz his remaining time would be in jail if he did not complete his community service by Nov. Kalama Mayor Mike Reuter told The Daily News the meeting will address how to legally remove Merz from the council now that he’s been convicted of two felonies and formally sentenced. In reaction to Merz’s sentencing, the Kalama City Council will hold a special meeting on Monday to “address the felony conviction and sentencing” of Merz. He is still allowed to remain on the council and participate via Zoom. Merz was ordered to physically stay away from fellow council member Jon Stanfill – whose email Merz was convicted of breaking into – until May 5, 2028. Merz, 42, avoided jail time but must serve 160 hours of community service and pay fines, after a jury found he illegally accessed the email of another city councilmember as part of his plan to uncover alleged and unproven misconduct concerning the Kalama Police Department. – Cowlitz County Superior Court Judge Thad Scudder Friday sentenced sitting Kalama council member Matthew Michael Merz to community service after being convicted of computer trespass and data theft in March.

Vicarious by Jon F. Merz