This page contains a single entry from the blog posted on May 16, 2011 8:40 AM.
The previous post in this blog was Amping up on Prescott.
The next post in this blog is Point blank.
Many more can be found on the main index page or by looking through the archives.
Here's an intriguing Portland City Council agenda item. The city's going to pay an outfit named Local Government Personnel Institute (also known as LGPI) up to $31,250 to --
Nothing too newsworthy there, we suppose -- Portland hires consultants like hipsters buy cart food -- but checking out the "institute" is a fascinating process. Apparently it's a spinoff of the League of Oregon Cities, which is some sort of voluntary association of Oregon's cities and counties. The League claims its tax exemption under the tax law section governing civic leagues. At one point in its life, LGPI was apparently also connected to another statewide local government association, the Association of Oregon Counties.
But although it's housed at the League offices in Salem, LGPI apparently is a separate organization of some kind nowadays. It represents a lot of Oregon municipalities -- including legal representation -- in labor matters. The PERS board requires its staff to notify LGPI before changing its rules.
But what type of organization is LGPI? The Oregon Secretary of State doesn't have it listed as any sort of registered business entity. It doesn't appear on the excellent national Guidestar registry of nonprofit organizations. And since the city attorney's office is about to enter into an "intergovernmental agreement" with LGPI, what kind of "government" entity is it? Is it subject to the local budget law and public meetings law?
More importantly, does it prepare financial statements or file tax returns or information statements with the IRS? Does the public ever get to see these documents? Readers who might know what's under the outer layers of this onion, please help us out. We'd like to see where the 30 grand is going.
Comments (4)
The League has never been adequately scrutinized.
I long ago discovered the League Of Oregon Cities had been taken over and become distribution central for all things conniving and dishonest by Oregon cities.
If it's shady, corrupted, dubious and self serving to bureaucrats and politicians at the expense of the citizenry they do it. On a grand scale.
The acceleration, expansion and abuse of Urban Renewal/Tax Increment Financing has been their doing for sure.
They package and distribute every mission creep experiment cities don't need and help zealous city councils hoodwink their citizenry while adopting them.
The channeling of money to consultants is another specialty.
I am certain you will discover a real stench as you seek to figure out what type of organization LGPI is.
Hey, it could morph from nothing into something over time just like Metro.
Any gathering of "paid" government volunteers for donuts and coffee (or booze) to jabber is a potential weed. In the plant world Caseron works at the point of germination. We need fewer jabber sessions, at least while paid staff are, well, paid and fed a sugary diet.
Jack, you're amazing. Your questions are right-on. LPGI and League of Oregon Cities providing background information for negotiations with Portland Fire Fighters is very dubious. Why would hiring this group which is made up of mostly public employees not be protective of their own kind? Conflict of interest reeks. I'm sure Kroger and Brown will get right on it.
Also, since CoP has a whole Bureau for labor negotiations and relations, why are taxpayers paying additionally for negotiations? What does that Bureau do anyway?
And I wonder, since the work product outline is in three phases, if the $31,250 covers only the 1st phase. That is a customary trick that CoP employs on consulting contracts in hiding the true costs. They almost become endless.
Charamba, Douro 2008
Horse Heaven Hills, Cabernet 2010
Lorelle, Horse Heaven Hills Pinot Grigio 2011
Avignonesi, Montepulciano 2004
Lorelle, Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2011
Villa Antinori, Toscana 2007
Mercedes Eguren, Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Lorelle, Columbia Valley Cabernet 2011
Purple Moon, Merlot 2011
Purple Moon, Chardonnnay 2011
Abacela, Vintner's Blend No. 12
Opula Red Blend 2010
Liberte, Pinot Noir 2010
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Indian Wells Red Blend 2010
Woodbridge, Chardonnay 2011
King Estate, Pinot Noir 2011
Famille Perrin, Cotes du Rhone Villages 2010
Columbia Crest, Les Chevaux Red 2010
14 Hands, Hot to Trot White Blend
Familia Bianchi, Malbec 2009
Terrapin Cellars, Pinot Gris 2011
Columbia Crest, Walter Clore Private Reserve 2009
Campo Viejo, Rioja, Termpranillo 2010
Ravenswood, Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Quinta das Amoras, Vinho Tinto 2010
Waterbrook, Reserve Merlot 2009
Lorelle, Horse Heaven Hills, Pinot Grigio 2011
Tarantas, Rose
Chateau Lajarre, Bordeaux 2009
La Vielle Ferme, Rose 2011
Benvolio, Pinot Grigio 2011
Nobilo Icon, Pinot Noir 2009
Lello, Douro Tinto 2009
Quinson Fils, Cotes de Provence Rose 2011
Anindor, Pinot Gris 2010
Buenas Ondas, Syrah Rose 2010
Les Fiefs d'Anglars, Malbec 2009
14 Hands, Pinot Gris 2011
Conundrum 2012
Condes de Albarei, Albariño 2011
Columbia Crest, Walter Clore Private Reserve 2007
Penelope Sanchez, Garnacha Syrah 2010
Canoe Ridge, Merlot 2007
Atalaya do Mar, Godello 2010
Vega Montan, Mencia
Benvolio, Pinot Grigio
Nobilo Icon, Pinot Noir, Marlborough 2009
Portuga, Rose 2011
Revelation, Chardonnay, Pays d'Oc 2010
Beaulieu, Cabernet, Rutherford 2005
Monte Alto, Tinto Reserva 2005
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Cabernet, Indian Wells 2009
Espiral, Vinho Rose
Vin-Koru, Pinot Gris 2011
14 Hands, Hot to Trot Red 2009
Rodney Strong, Cabernet, Sonoma 2009
Abacela, Vintner's Blend #11
Portuga, White 2010
La Bourgeoisie, Red 2009
Januik, Red 2009
Three Rivers, River's Red 2008
Kirkland, Alexander Valley Merlot 2008
Muga, Rioja Rose 2010
Quinta das Amoras, Vinho Tinto 2009
Mauro Molino, Barbera d'Alba 2009
Garda Chiaretto Rose
Columbia Crest, Two Vines Vineyard 10 White
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Pinot Gris, Columbia Valley 2009
L'Hortus, Rose de Saignee 2010
Maculan, Pino & Toi 2008
McKinley Springs, Bombing Range Red 2008
Trader Joe's Pinot Gris 2009
Montes Alpha, Cabernet 2007
Gran Sasso, Sangiovese, Terre di Chieti 2009
Garda, Classico Chiaretto Rose
Beaulieu, Cabernet, Rutherford 1999
Picos del Montgo, Tempranillo 2008
Chateau de Montmirail, Vacqueyras 2008
La Granja 360, Syrah 2009
Montgras, Carmenere Reserva 2009
Lange, Pinot Gris 2009
Columbia Crest, Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet 2008
Kirkland, Pinot Grigio 2010
Trader Joe's Coastal Syrah 2009
Columbia Crest, Horse Heaven Hills Merlot 2008
Trader Joe's Coastal Chardonnay 2009
Vieux Papes Red
Domaine de l'Aujardiere, Chardonnay 2009
Santa Rita, Cabernet, Medalla Real 2007
Penfold's, Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet 2008
Guild, Red, Lot #02 2008
Dievole, Dievolino Sangiovese 2008
Laforet, Burgogne Chardonnay 2009
Columbia Winery, Merlot 2007
Bonterra, Cabernet 2008
Elk Cove, Pinot Gris 2009
Maquis Lien 2006
Scott Paul, Pinot Noir, Le Paulee 2007
The Occasional Book
Hope Larson - A Wrinkle in Time, the Graphic Novel
Rudyard Kipling - Kim
Peter Ames Carlin - Bruce
Fran Cannon Slayton - When the Whistle Blows
Neil Young - Waging Heavy Peace
Mark Bego - Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul (2012 ed.)
Jenny Lawson - Let's Pretend This Never Happened
J.D. Salinger - Franny and Zooey
Charles Dickens - A Christmas Carol
Timothy Egan - The Big Burn
Deborah Eisenberg - Transactions in a Foreign Currency
Kurt Vonnegut Jr. - Slaughterhouse Five
Kathryn Lance - Pandora's Genes
Cheryl Strayed - Wild
Fyodor Dostoyevsky - The Brothers Karamazov
Jack London - The House of Pride, and Other Tales of Hawaii
Jack Walker - The Extraordinary Rendition of Vincent Dellamaria
Colum McCann - Let the Great World Spin
Niccolò Machiavelli - The Prince
Harper Lee - To Kill a Mockingbird
Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus - The Nanny Diaries
Brian Selznick - The Invention of Hugo Cabret
Sharon Creech - Walk Two Moons
Keith Richards - Life
F. Sionil Jose - Dusk
Natalie Babbitt - Tuck Everlasting
Justin Halpern - S#*t My Dad Says
Mark Herrmann - The Curmudgeon's Guide to Practicing Law
Barry Glassner - The Gospel of Food
Phil Stanford - The Peyton-Allan Files
Jesse Katz - The Opposite Field
Evelyn Waugh - Brideshead Revisited
J.K. Rowling - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
David Sedaris - Holidays on Ice
Donald Miller - A Million Miles in a Thousand Years
Mitch Albom - Have a Little Faith
C.S. Lewis - The Magician's Nephew
F. Scott Fitzgerald - The Great Gatsby
William Shakespeare - A Midsummer Night's Dream
Ivan Doig - Bucking the Sun
Penda Diakité - I Lost My Tooth in Africa
Grace Lin - The Year of the Rat
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: 29
At this date last year: 66
Total run in 2012: 129
In 2011: 113
In 2010: 125
In 2009: 67
In 2008: 28
In 2007: 113
In 2006: 100
In 2005: 149
In 2004: 204
In 2003: 269
Comments (4)
The League has never been adequately scrutinized.
I long ago discovered the League Of Oregon Cities had been taken over and become distribution central for all things conniving and dishonest by Oregon cities.
If it's shady, corrupted, dubious and self serving to bureaucrats and politicians at the expense of the citizenry they do it. On a grand scale.
The acceleration, expansion and abuse of Urban Renewal/Tax Increment Financing has been their doing for sure.
They package and distribute every mission creep experiment cities don't need and help zealous city councils hoodwink their citizenry while adopting them.
The channeling of money to consultants is another specialty.
I am certain you will discover a real stench as you seek to figure out what type of organization LGPI is.
Posted by Ben | May 16, 2011 9:45 AM
Hey, it could morph from nothing into something over time just like Metro.
Any gathering of "paid" government volunteers for donuts and coffee (or booze) to jabber is a potential weed. In the plant world Caseron works at the point of germination. We need fewer jabber sessions, at least while paid staff are, well, paid and fed a sugary diet.
Posted by pdxnag | May 16, 2011 9:59 AM
Jack, you're amazing. Your questions are right-on. LPGI and League of Oregon Cities providing background information for negotiations with Portland Fire Fighters is very dubious. Why would hiring this group which is made up of mostly public employees not be protective of their own kind? Conflict of interest reeks. I'm sure Kroger and Brown will get right on it.
Also, since CoP has a whole Bureau for labor negotiations and relations, why are taxpayers paying additionally for negotiations? What does that Bureau do anyway?
And I wonder, since the work product outline is in three phases, if the $31,250 covers only the 1st phase. That is a customary trick that CoP employs on consulting contracts in hiding the true costs. They almost become endless.
Posted by lw | May 16, 2011 2:23 PM
Ratty tat tat!
Rooty toot toot.
We are the boys from the Institute!
(Beginning of a really really gross college "fight song" parody from MIT in the 1960s. Trust me, you don't want to "hear" the rest.
Posted by Nonny Mouse | May 16, 2011 3:34 PM