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This page contains a single entry from the blog posted on May 8, 2007 1:41 AM. The previous post in this blog was Our mad, mad, mad world. The next post in this blog is Amanda's a-twitter. Many more can be found on the main index page or by looking through the archives.

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Tuesday, May 8, 2007

Survivor Portland Bureaucracy: Day 6

She had some strong defenders in our comments section over the past week, but when the most recent Tribal Council votes were counted, Transportation Sue was gone. Portland City Transportation Office Director Sue Keil was the fifth bureau chief bounced from the island on Survivor Portland City Hall: Bureaucracy Edition. The vote was close -- 21 percent for Transportation Sue, 17 percent for Linda (City Attorney Linda Meng), and 15 percent for Eloise (Regional Arts and Culture Council Director Eloise Damrosch).

Be that as it may, Transportation Sue's road to the title of Ultimate Survivor has hit the cosmic speed bump, her torch has been snuffed out, and she's to leave the island immediately. Go by aerial tram [rim shot]!

Which brings us to Tribal Council No. 6, in which readers will vote another one of the city bureau directors out of the picture. Do it for any reason, or for no reason, but do it just once a day, please. We'll keep at this, every city workday, until only one bureaucrat survives. None of the remaining players was mentioned by Nigel Jaquiss, Phil Stanford, or Randy Gragg in the media yesterday, and so no one has immunity today.

If you need a better picture of the players up for a vote, remember that photos of the entire cast (except one camera-shy member), and links to each of their bureaus, are here. Good luck to all the remaining players:



Many have fallen; a dozen remain. Which Portland bureaucrat should be the next to leave the island?
Amalia - Office of Neighborhood Involvement Director Amalia Alarcon
Chief Dave - Fire Chief Dave Sprando
Water Dave - Water Bureau Administrator David Shaff
Dean - Environmental Services Bureau Director Dean Marriott
Eloise - Regional Arts and Culture Council Director Eloise Damrosch
Ken - Interim Chief Administrative Officer Ken Rust
Linda - City Attorney Linda Meng
Lisa - Emergency Communications Bureau Director Lisa Turley
Rosie - Police Chief Rosie Sizer
Revenue Sue - Revenue Bureau Director Sue Klobertanz
Will - Housing and Community Development Bureau Director William White
Yvonne - Human Resources Director Yvonne Deckard
  
pollcode.com free polls

Comments (6)

My vote is for Linda Meng inspired by this article last week. Instead of figuring out how to do justice to these two ladies as Fireman Randy did in one of his good moments, admit the City had a problem, and not punish the messengers of that problem, the City chose to use its power and endless resources to further torment these two women instead of fixing the problem.

Council will pay $470,000 to settle discrimination suit
Portland - Commissioner Randy Leonard says city bureau rules weren't enforced consistently
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
ANNA GRIFFIN
The Oregonian

Reversing their decision a year ago to appeal, Portland City Council members will agree this week to pay $470,000 to settle a racial discrimination suit filed by two code enforcement officers who were chastised for spending too much time together.

Lisa Washington and Roxie Granville, both African Americans, sued the city five years ago alleging that supervisors in the Bureau of Development Services chastised them for being seen out of the office together.

The lawsuit dated to a 1997 incident in which a co-worker spotted them walking together during a break. A supervisor told the women that they were "being seen together too much" and cited bureau policy against such fraternization. In their lawsuit, the women say no policy existed at the time. A policy requiring all employees to notify a supervisor when they go into the field was drafted in 2001, but the women say it was enforced only against them.

City lawyers said that supervisors talked to the women about their job performance but denied that it was because they were seen together too often.

A federal jury sided with the women last June, and a judge awarded them more than $50,000 each in damages and other costs. In September, the City Council voted to appeal at the recommendation of city attorneys.

Yet less than a year later, Commissioner Randy Leonard says it's time for the city to accept some responsibility. Leonard oversees the Bureau of Development Services.

"After some examination, it became clear that the Bureau of Development Services was not enforcing their rules consistently," he said. "What they did in regards to these women looked different because it was different . . . We don't have bureau managers who discriminate. But the bureau has not done a good job of enforcing the rules. We're going to be a better organization as a result of this."

City Council members will vote on the settlement Wednesday. As part of the agreement, Granville will receive $300,000 and will leave city government. Washington will get $170,000 and will stay in the bureau.

"She's very valued here," Leonard said.

The settlement costs include attorney fees, back pay and medical bills.

Anna Griffin: 503-294-5988; annagriffin@news.oregonian.com.

©2007 The Oregonian

Does ONI do anything useful? Maybe it should be called the "agency in support of NIMBYs" When I called Amalia recently I had to listen to her voice mail in English, then in Spanish before I could leave a message. Two weeks later an ONI employee contacted me. Action on my complaint (illegal campaign signs on City property): Zero. Amalia goes, then downsize this agency.

One of the problems with this version of survivor is that the bureau directors don't make bureau policy; the commissioners do. If you vote a director off the island because they're bad managers, fine. If you vote them off because of bad policy, then they are simply fall guys for the commissioner in charge. This of course is how it works in real life. When there's a big snafu in a bureau, the commissioner takes responsibility and then fires the director.

Sounds like coaching professional sports.

Sounds like coaching professional sports.

Except the pay's not quite as good.

Does ONI do anything useful? Maybe it should be called the "agency in support of NIMBYs"...

Well, that's one interpretation, I suppose. I would argue, though, it is the City agency that is in most supportive of the neighborhoods, and getting them a place at the table in city governance.

Wearing my hat as a neighborhood person and activist --versus my hat as government functionary-- I'm very impressed, and appreciative, of the support they provide.

I can't speak to the specifics of your complaint, Don, but an election issue would have been better directed to the City's election officer in the Auditor's Office, which ONI'S information line would most likely have directed you to immediately if you'd called their 503-823-4000 information number, a great resource for getting citizens to the right place in city and county government.

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In Vino Veritas

Robert Mondavi Solaire, Cabernet 2005
Castello Monaci, Liante, Salice Salentino 2006
Ricardo Santos, Malbec 2006
Quinta da Espiga, Tinto 2006
Charles Smith, Holy Cow Merlot 2006
Charles Smith, Boom Boom Syrah 2006
Charles Smith, The Honorable Pinot Gris 2007
Santa Rita, Cabernet Reserva 2005
King Estate, Pinot Gris 2007
Gloria, Douro, Tinto 2002
Bogle, Petite Sirah Port, Clarksburg 2005
Cardwell Hill, Pinot Noir 2004
Silkwood, Red Duet Cabernet-Syrah 2004
Portuga, Vinho Branco 2006, 2007
Osborne, Solaz 2004
Santa Rita, Cabernet, Reserva 2005
Penfold's, Koonunga Hill, Shiraz Cabernet 2006
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Cabernet, Indian Wells 2004
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Merlot, Horse Heaven Hills 2004
Hannah Nicole, Red 2004
Penfold's, Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet 2005
Protocolo, Red 2005
Woodbridge, Chardonnay 2006
Portuga, Vinho Branco 2006
Beaulieu, Cabernet, Rutherford 1998
Beaulieu, Cabernet, Rutherford 1996
Kirkland, Roogle Shiraz 2004
Garda, Classico Chiaretto
A to Z, Oregon Pinot Gris 2005
I Giusti & Zanza, Nemorino 2006
Treana, Marsanne-Viognier, Central Coast 2005
Fife, Syrah, "Stanford" 2000
B.R. Cohn, Silver Label Cabernet 2005
Marques de Casa Concha, Cabernet 2005
Santi, Sortesele Pinot Grigio 2006
Al Muvedre, Tinto Joven 2006
Layer Cake, Shiraz 2006
Gritti, Ca' Andrea, Umbria red 2005
Altos de Luzon, Jumilla 2004
Thomas Leithner, Zweigelt 2004
Cain Cuvee NV 3
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Merlot 2003
Meridian, Sauvignon Blanc 2005
Canoe Ridge, Merlot 2003
Paringa, Shiraz 2005
King Estate, Pinot Gris 2005
Canoe Ridge, Merlot 2003
Maculan, Pino & Toi 2005
Kris, Pinot Grigio 2006
Silvan Ridge, Pinot Gris 2006
Fife, Mendocino Syrah, "Stanford" 2000
Castle Rock, Cabernet, Paso Robles 2005
Willakenzie, Pinot Gris 2006
The Show, Cabernet 2005
Essencia Valdemar, Rioja Rose 2006
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Merlot, Horse Heaven Hills 2004
Beaulieu Vineyard. Napa Valley Cabernet 2004
Irony, Cabernet, Napa Valley 2003
Rosenblum, Petite Sirah, Heritage Clones 2005
Fra Guerau, Montsant 2002
Barefoot Chardonnay
Kana, Syrah 2004
Castell Salegg, Chardonnay, Alto Adige 2004
Fetish, The Watcher Shiraz 2004
Gold Note, Fair Play Zinfandel 2005
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Canoe Ridge Estate Cabernet 2003
Ponzi, Pinot Noir 2004
Red Diamond, Merlot 2003
Mateus, Rose
Benton Lane Pinot Noir 2004
Penya Cadiella Vins de Comtat 2003
Kamiak, Cellar Select Red 2003
Anselmi, San Vincenzo 2005
Rubrato, Aglianico dei Feudi di San Gregorio 2004
Le Grand Noir (Black Sheep) Cabernet-Shiraz
Woodbridge, Chardonnay 2005
Los Vascos, Cabernet, Reserve 2004
Jackaroo, Shiraz 2003
Paul Jaboulet Aine, Crozes Hermitage Syrah, "La Jalet," 2001
Paul Jaboulet Aine, Cotes du Rhone, "Parallele '45,'" 2003
Rolf Binder, Barossa Valley Shiraz 2003
Oyster Bay, Sauvignon Blanc 2006
Woodbridge Chardonnay 2005
Barnard & Griffin, Columbia Valley Cabernet 2004
Quinto do Carmo, Alentejano Red 2000
Forefathers, Alexander Valley Cabernet 2001

The Occasional Book

Oscar Hijuelos - Mr. Ives' Christmas
Madeline L'Engle - A Wrinkle in Time
Steven Hart - The Last Three Miles
David Sedaris - Me Talk Pretty One Day
Karen Armstrong - The Spiral Staircase
Charles Larson - The Portland Murders
Adrian Wojnarowski - The Miracle of St. Anthony
William H. Colby - Long Goodbye
Steven D. Stark - Meet the Beatles
Phil Stanford - Portland Confidential
Rick Moody - Garden State
Jonathan Schwartz - All in Good Time
David Sedaris - Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim
Anthony Holden - Big Deal
Robert J. Spitzer - The Spirit of Leadership
James McManus - Positively Fifth Street
Jeff Noon - Vurt

Road Work

Miles run year to date: 28
At this date last year: 102
Total run in 2007: 113
In 2006: 100
In 2005: 149
In 2004: 204
In 2003: 269
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