What pomposity. Farquaad Cogen will give a "state of the county address" to the City Club today. A packed house is expected. He's told the O in advance what he's going to say, and so they dutifullly -- and exclusively! -- report it.
Breaking news: He's going to hire an as-yet-unnamed contractor for about a quarter-million to come to town and teach some government employees "mental illness first aid." It's actually a wonderful metaphor for the state of mental health in Portland. We've got an army of ill people roaming the streets with the equivalent of severed carotid arteries, and we're handing out Band-Aids. And a no-bid deal, no doubt.
The laugh lines in the story are plentiful:
"Budgets are tight, but one role of leadership is to prioritize decisions. This is going to be a priority for us."
Now, there's a spit-take line if we ever heard one. What hypocrisy. What Cogen won't mention to the adoring City Club faithful is how he's sold out the county, and lots of others, by going along with the city's ridiculous "education urban renewal" district. He gets a new building out of it for his personnel department, and the rest of you school kids and sick poor people will get less services as a result.
He hopes to find the money to continue the program into the future...
No kidding. Isn't that every Portland politician's platform these days? "He hopes to find money." Us too. We definitely, fondly, fervently hope to find money.
Anyway, the Cogue will be sure to sprinkle in some gun control stuff for the City Club sheep to bleat their approval at. Background checks -- that will solve everything. Ginny Burdick will save us.
And of course, sitting in the front row for the whole speech will be Former Mayor Creepy himself, probably with some twenty-something-year-old know-nothings in tow, about to give the City Club directors the same nervous breakdown he gave the city for the last four years. Adams, City Club, Cogen -- ewww. Just ewww.
Comments (3)
My career was in public mental health in an enlightened county at a time of decent funding. The mentally ill can be stabilized and lead meaningful lives with the correct "wraparound" services. Current services in Multnomah county are woefully inadequate and the vast majority of mentally ill people have become a police responsibility and are "treated" in jail.
This is an incredibly costly and inhumane way to deal with a societal problem. It is ridiculous to "train" law enforcement beyond the basics. The money should be spent on professional mental health resources.
Speaking from second hand experience, more often than being treated in jail they are "treated" in the back of a squad car for hours until they're calm enough to release back on the street.
Amelie,
Thank you for your comment.
Many of us somehow know this, but to hear from someone who has had a career in this field is important.
I have been so disappointed in our Multnomah County, not surprised knowing that Jeff Cogen comes out of the city office, Saltzman's office.
If any of you have heard in the news recently, we have a radon problem in our area, Multnomah County should be on top of this issue and be advocating for open reservoirs so the radon can dissipate in the air rather than come into our homes with water/showering etc. Multnomah County should be on top of the garbage issue as well.
In my opinion, not only are they not taking care of mental needs, but are not taking care of important physical healthy needs for our community.
The new building Cogen went along with on that URA is an unacceptable priority.
When will we learn to stop supporting some of the familiar names, going from city to county from city to Metro, from county to City to Congress to . . .continuing revolving doors??
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 (3)
My career was in public mental health in an enlightened county at a time of decent funding. The mentally ill can be stabilized and lead meaningful lives with the correct "wraparound" services. Current services in Multnomah county are woefully inadequate and the vast majority of mentally ill people have become a police responsibility and are "treated" in jail.
This is an incredibly costly and inhumane way to deal with a societal problem. It is ridiculous to "train" law enforcement beyond the basics. The money should be spent on professional mental health resources.
Posted by Amelie | February 1, 2013 11:29 AM
Speaking from second hand experience, more often than being treated in jail they are "treated" in the back of a squad car for hours until they're calm enough to release back on the street.
Posted by Mr. Grumpy | February 1, 2013 11:53 AM
Amelie,
Thank you for your comment.
Many of us somehow know this, but to hear from someone who has had a career in this field is important.
I have been so disappointed in our Multnomah County, not surprised knowing that Jeff Cogen comes out of the city office, Saltzman's office.
If any of you have heard in the news recently, we have a radon problem in our area, Multnomah County should be on top of this issue and be advocating for open reservoirs so the radon can dissipate in the air rather than come into our homes with water/showering etc. Multnomah County should be on top of the garbage issue as well.
In my opinion, not only are they not taking care of mental needs, but are not taking care of important physical healthy needs for our community.
The new building Cogen went along with on that URA is an unacceptable priority.
When will we learn to stop supporting some of the familiar names, going from city to county from city to Metro, from county to City to Congress to . . .continuing revolving doors??
Posted by clinamen | February 1, 2013 4:56 PM