When Zari met Randy
Here an interesting e-mail message making the rounds on the internet:
From: "Santner, Zari" [PKZARI@ci.portland.or.us]Fireman Randy, misinformed? Doesn't sound like the guy I know. But then again, I may be misinformed.
To: "Shaff, David" [dshaff@water.ci.portland.or.us]
Cc: "Potter, Mayor" [mayorpotter@ci.portland.or.us], Commissioner Adams [CommissionerSam@ci.portland.or.us], Commissioner Leonard [randy@ci.portland.or.us], Commissioner Saltzman [dan@ci.portland.or.us], Commissioner Sten [erik@ci.portland.or.us], "Short, Casey" [cshort@ci.portland.or.us], "McAllister, David" [dmcallister@ci.portland.or.us], "Scott Montgomery", "Barbara Walker (Walker, Barbara), "Bethel Rev. T. Allen (Bethel, Rev. T. Allen)", Bill Hawkins, "Chet Orloff (Orloff, Chet)", "Josephine Pope (Pope, Joey)", Keith Thomajan, "Mary Ruble (Ruble, Mary)","Mike Houck (Houck, Mike)", Nichole Maher, "Rich Brown", thomas Bruner, jeffrey tryens
Subject: Powell Butte Nature Park
Date: Fri, 9 Mar 2007 16:04:06 -0800March 9, 2007
MEMORANDUM
TO: David Shaff, Director
Bureau of Water Workscc: Mayor Tom Potter
Comm. Sam Adams
Comm. Randy Leonard
Comm. Dan Saltzman
Comm. Erik Sten
Parks Board Members
Casey Short, OMFFROM: Zari Santner, Director
RE: Powell Butte Nature Park
During Parks budget work session before City Council yesterday, Commissioner Leonard made several statements regarding the Parks - Water Bureau IGA for shared management costs at Powell Butte that greatly concerned me.
Commissioner Leonard stated the following:
· He was frustrated with Parks lack of action in completing the IGA since it had been over a year since his offer of assistance.
· He also stated that he was confused on why Parks would walk away from the Water Bureau's offer of over $100,000 in management costs.
· Finally, he said he was involved in all details of the deliberations to date and, as a result, was deeply troubled by Parks lack of commitment, particularly in light of their 07-08 budget request.Frankly, I was shocked at Commissioner Leonard's statements. As you know, David McAllister, City Nature Manager, has been leading Parks' effort on the IGA. I asked David to review his records since you, David, and I met together on April 4, 2006 on the topic. I am adding an outline of his records below. I also have attached the complete E-mail records as an attachment.
April 4, 2006 Agree on IGA framework in meeting Shaff, Santner,
McAllister
April 20, 2006 Commissioner Leonard meets with PB Friends Group
April 28, 2006 Commitment to PB Friends Group Commissioner
May 2, 2006 Early IGA draft outline to WB McAllister
May 2, 2006 WB IGA comments Shaff
June 1, 2006 Draft IGA sent from Parks to WB McAllister
June 14, 2006 Parks request for receipt of IGA to WB McAllister
June 20, 2006 IGA receipt confirmed Shaff
July 26, 2006 Parks offer of assistance to WB to expedite Santner
July 31, 2006 WB promise of IGA to Parks - Aug 4, 2006 Shaff
Sept 30, 2006 WB IGA deadline extension - Oct, 2006 Shaff
Oct 30, 2006 WB confirms Shaff too busy to review Shaff
Assigns new staff to coordinate
Nov 2-21, 2006 Discussions with WB on draft IGA begin McAllister, Klutz
Jan 18, 2007 Parks inquires on 6-1-2006 draft IGA status McAllister
Feb 05-14 2007 Discussion with WB on Draft IGA continue McAllister, Klutz
Feb 27, 2007 IGA completed, budgeting close to final McAllister, Klutz
David's compilation substantiates my understanding of our work in making this IGA a reality. Rather than Parks being an impediment to progress, this record indicates that Parks has been a very engaged and enthusiastic partner. Based upon Commissioner Leonard's public statements, it is important that I clarify the record on this subject. Given the Commissioner's involvement, I can only conclude that he has been misinformed on Parks efforts to date. I am looking forward to your viewpoint on the subject.[Powell Butte emails.doc]
Zari Santner
Director
Portland Parks & Recreation
(503) 823-5379
(503) 823-6007 Fax
www.PortlandParks.org
"Healthy Parks, Healthy Portland"
| Posted at 11:29 AM | Permalink |
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Comments (8)
I guess no one except Jack and I find this fascinating, but this is an exquisite email!
Zari is going on the counterattack by calling out Randy's boy at the Water Bureau. Between the lines, the email pretty much says: "Hey Schaff, either you lied to your Commissioner about this process, or your Commissioner lied at a public meeting. Which is it?"
You have to assume that Zari cleared this through HER Commissioner (Saltzman) before sending it, so we could be witnessing the start of a proxy war.
The gloves are coming off! Thanks for posting it.
Posted by Miles | March 13, 2007 7:16 PM
Further evidence to support a "yes" vote on dumping our commission form of city government.
Posted by Loner | March 13, 2007 7:24 PM
It'll be interesting to see if true cost accounting, i.e., value of older growth trees and open space is used to value the part of Mt. Tabor Park the Parks Department wants to sell to the Warner Pacific hawks. I've read their 2005-2008 business plan and there is no mention of partnering with the Office of Sustainable development or emulating what is happening in Havana Cuba. Havana is similar in size to Portland and grows 50% of it's food locally via 1000 farmers Markets. How about a farmers market in every park?
Posted by Martin | March 13, 2007 7:33 PM
Further evidence to support a "yes" vote on dumping our commission form of city government.
How's that? That's there's differences of opinion and they surface in public? Isn't that a good thing for more open and transparent government?
Better that all city employees have one boss and carry out the top-down party line?
Posted by Frank Dufay | March 13, 2007 8:18 PM
A difference of opinion isn't what is going on here - it's pure politics. It's one commissioner trying to make another commissioner look incompetent in public. Such foolishness consumes untolled $millions each year in public funds, consumes thousands of hours of staff time, with no productive results. It's just a big %#*^ing waste of public resources. If you want more of the same, then vote to keep the status quo.
Posted by Loner | March 13, 2007 8:59 PM
While this kind of problem may go away with a strong Mayor, so many others will arise that it's not worth it. I'd rather have some infighting between Commissioners than the misguided, poorly thought out charter reforms on the May ballot.
Posted by Miles | March 13, 2007 11:10 PM
It's one commissioner trying to make another commissioner look incompetent in public.
Commissioner Saltzman has no reason to try to make Comm Leonard look foolish...or vice-versa. Comm Leonard does have strong feelings about the Park Bureau...as does Zari, as its Director. Who's right and wrong here? I don't know...but should everything be done behind closed doors? That doesn't seem healthy.
There's "politics" in how you run government? So what? We should be shocked, shocked that politics are going on? That's part of governing. Better to have a government that brooks no opposition and everybody's on the same page, reading from the same book?
Posted by Frank Dufay | March 13, 2007 11:20 PM
what i don't see on that list of activities is: "showed draft of IGA to Commissioner Leonard." am i wrong, or wouldn't he at least be the one approving such a sale? never mind the lack of public involvement in such a community-changing event.
Posted by ecohuman.com | March 16, 2007 4:35 PM