Monday Jan. 12 was my first council meeting as a member of the Cascade Lock City Council. Just before the meeting, Tiffany Pruitt and I were sworn in by Cindy Mitchell and took our seats to the right of the Mayor. It was a humbling experience to take my seat on the council and represent the people of Cascade Locks. It is an honor to serve. I will always be grateful for the faith they put in me during the last election. The city staff was very kind in putting together a reception for the new councilors and mayor complete with a deliciously sweet cake and special recipe fruit punch.
While the agenda for the meeting was relatively light, several issues were raised or tabled that make our next meeting loom large.
First, there is an important public planning hearing on which I won’t comment here.
Second, that resilient serpent of an issue – fire hall funding – raised its head yet again. It appears there is some interest in revisiting how we will service the loan that the previous council approved from Oregon Investment Bank. While I place high value on examining these kinds of financial decisions from a variety of perspectives, it would seem that after nine meetings, we will have exhausted the possibilities. My commitment will be to working hard in the next weeks to insure that if we do raise the issue yet again, we can find a comprehensive solution and put the issue to a final rest.
Third, there is the issue of a tourism committee recommendation to award a grant to a sailboat racing association. This is crucial because it helps to identify our town as an international sailing destination. As I understand it, the funds will be used to market sailboat races - that will happen this summer in Cascade Locks – to a multi-national sailing audience. I hope the council will have the opportunity to hear from the organizers of this event and further strengthen our partnership toward bringing world class sailing to Cascade Locks.
These are only three of the many issues up for consideration at our next meeting. I hope our council will carefully select the priorities and not bite off more than we can chew. Our plate seems extremely full this month and I believe we are ready for the challenge.
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Councilman for Cascade Locks
- Lance Masters
- This blog is intended as a way for people interested in Cascade Locks to share ideas and opinions. Posts that are interpreted as hindering the free flow of ideas and opinions may be removed. Please be encouraged to discuss ideas and opinions rather than individuals and names.
34 comments:
The 'resilient serpent' problem seems to be rearing its head over legal issues and no one wants to face the fact, witness the 20+ minutes of I don't know - what do you do you want to do? that the council displayed last meeting. That indecision does our city no good.
Why don't we have a lawyer present at most meetings like we used to have? The last thing we need is another expensive and embarrassing lawsuit. You may not like the way Sandra Kelley presents her case, but she does her homework and she wins. How many meetings? As many as it takes to get it right is my answer. Stop whining about meetings going on too long, you weren't elected to handle only three issues at a time, and if the meeting is going on too long, reduce the number of items like that lady suggested or restrict the time the City Administrator talks. That man goes on and on and on with his "reports."
What you refer to as whining, I consider to be sound meeting management. Bad decisions can happen any time, but are much more likely at the end of long exhausting meetings. There is a reason why our council has a time limit on meetings. I hope you want council members clear headed when they make important decisions that affect all of us. As you have stated, reducing the number of items is a good way to limit the length of the meetings.
I can see where you would think 'whining' meant just you. I meant you as a Council. You have the power to run the meetings the way they should be.
Yes, reduce items, move the consent agenda first, have a sign-up sheet or a line of citizens waiting to address the council, ask someone with more than one item to be placed on the agenda, get rid of rumour control, that's covered in Councillors comments. Read the packets given to you the day before the meeting so that you pay total attention to what is in front of you.
But most important, do it right the first time. Don't rubber stamp previously paid bills, don't let employees apply for grants without matching funds lined up, and have loans approved and in place before the first or even second payment is due. If you need the CPI (Consumer Price Index) from the smaller, more relevant Gorge communities to vote on staff pay raises, get them, don't just say, "Oh well" and vote anyway. Don't ask staff for their opinion, it should be in your packets and that's your job.
You state that you want the council to be alert when you make decisions. Most of the council meetings I have watched are all yes sir to the so called city manager. That is not what we elected you people to be. You are supposed to try and control his actions.
As far as your so called lawyer I believe he was wrong in his advice on the conflict of interest and that that vote should be thrown out.
I have more but will wait till tomorrow.
Some of these comments remind me of a dartboard game with our City staff, attorney & council being the targets. From what I know to date, many of the issues regarding the funding of the fire hall happened because instead of working together as a community, a few people decided that not only did we not need an FD, we sure didn't the new hall either. As long as two forces work against each other no one wins and it drags out forever for lack of agreement. The issue with Tourism is that it's never had to really account for money given to groups for whatever purpose. Now that they are having to abide by the rules set forth for all committees, they aren't quite up to speed yet but I have faith that they'll be prepared the next time around.
If the City Admin. didn't report everything, he'd be accused of hiding something. Seen that happen a few yrs. ago (different Admin.) and it was pretty ugly. Got another solution Janissary? I'm sure we'd all be interested because it does make for a long meeting.
And Anonymous, all I can say is wow..... "so called" is a very immature term. Our City Admin. does his homework as well and when there are "issues" I have seen him questioned so you should really watch more of the meetings before you start slamming people. I won't even comment about the attorney, that's just a ridiculous statement. Obviously you haven't taken the time to learn about the attorney's experience or the firm he works for.
You say a few people and then you talk about a force. Which is it? Democracy works by obtaining consensus, not by ramming through projects that a only few deem necessary.
By FD I assume you are speaking of not getting the vote for a fire district, not a fire department. This is how Democracy decides - by vote.
I have not heard anyone, anyone say that we didn't need a new fire hall, It was the too-big, too-expensive, six-bay fire station with a training tower that most citizens became dismayed about paying for, not replacing the fire hall.
The attorney needs to either be familiar with our town like Mr. Carey or be given all the facts (including relationships) when asked for a opinion. I too believe he was mistaken in his advice regarding conflict of interest.
I kept it low level so that the simple minded people in this town would understand. Apparently it worked. Your SO CALLED City Adminstrator does his homework? What about the wonderful piece he wrote in the city newsletter that he got slapped with a violation of voting laws? Really done his homework on that one.
Now to your SO CALLED super attorney. I could care less about his firm or his experience. As far as I am concerned he was wrong and should be fired!
I'd like to address a few points on the previous post. You wrote that the city administrator was "slapped with a violation of voting laws." Unless you have newer information than I have been able to track down, the more precise description is that he was slapped with a complaint of a violation. Did you hear about any findings issued by the Secretary of State's office on this complaint?
I know that the administrator doesn't read this blog, so I called him and asked about the complaint. Interestingly, he told me that he asked our city attorney to review the "wonderful piece" before it was published in the Locks Tender and that it was approved. Since you have suggested that the attorney should be fired, I'm guessing you would say this is more evidence of bad advice. Do you have a particular law firm in mind to replace our current represetnation? Janissary has suggested that we have a lawyer present at most meetings - something that isn't likely with our current firm. Is there another firm that might be more available for meetings?
Finally, I'm fine with using the term "so-called." Just for fun, I looked it up on dictionary.com. It has two meanings, but I think your meaning is clear. You are certainly entitled to express that opinion. I doubt that you'll get much respect for that opinion when you refer to other people as simple-minded. As read it, however, the quality of legal advice we are getting is the essential issue in your comment, and I hope to hear your suggestions.
Lance,
Why are you are participating in meetings that are being conducted contrary to the requirements of the City Charter? Isn't this a bigger issue than how long a meeting lasts or how many times an issue comes up?
Section 9 of the Council rules requires the City attorney's attendance at Council meetings.
Section 13 of the City Charter requires the Council rules.
Council members take an oath to protect and uphold the law. For council members to allow actions they know are contrary to our City Charter, state or federal law is contrary to that oath. You can turn a blind eye to what you know is improper in the name of expediency, but once you start down that path are your standards going to get higher or lower?
The end does not justify the means; the laws and rules of the state and federal government represent hundreds of years of actual practice and experience. They are in place to protect the rights of groups and individuals alike. It is incredibly pretentious for any group, let alone a group of inexperienced, first time, part time people to believe that "They know better" and don't need to pay attention to established standards and practices.
Do you think the people that that you are “humbled to serve” would expect any less from you?
The OIB loan funding is back on the agenda because in the rush to push it through any way possible, it was done improperly.
You make some good points. Thank you. I hope you see from my comments above that I am already pursuing the issue related to the attorney. You have phrased this as a violation of the charter. Using that same rationale, any meeting that lasts longer than 10:00 p.m. is also a violation of the charter. My question to you is why would you "turn a blind eye" to the 10:00 rule but not to the attorney attendance rule? As you have stated, these rules are the result of years of actual practice and experience. Why ignore one rule and not the other?
I agree with you that we need to follow the laws and rules. I don't think we should pick and choose which ones are more important and should therefore be followed. The council rules, the charter and state and federal laws are the basis for action as a council.
The length of the meetings is to long, those who work will not be able to concentrate after 3-4 hours sitting in chambers in the evening.
The length can be controlled by limiting public comment to 3-4 minutes, a public meeting does not necessarily mean public comment, only that it's open to the public. Removing those obstreperous few who insist on interfering with the meetings after public comment would also help.
As to the fire hall, that was first proposed by a council over 20 years ago, it's a shame that people with to much time on their hands insist on doing everything they can think of to bring progress on it to a halt. The responsibilities of the department are spelled out in state law, we are responsible for the Oregon side of the river within the bounds of the city to the east and west, and on the highway. We've already wasted $5000.00 finding out the obvious about how our department performs and now we have that much less to implement more improvements to our public safety.
As to councilors not being prepared, it's obvious that some don't read their packets, you can tell by their comments, they're usually the ones that talk the most about inanities. One or two of the others seem not to comprehend or understand what they read and might as well not even be there for all the good they do. Our city administrator needs to spend time explaining himself and why he does what he does, that's what he's paid for, and does quite well. It would be nice if some of you would read what you write before making postings, it would make your comments more coherent and easier to read.
Ores
So far, this council and the one preceding have accomplished nothing. Can anyone tell me anything they've done of value to the community? They don't necessarily have to get along or have the same view point, but they should be able to find a few needs in our city to take care of and get them done. The new federal government has proposed spending hundreds of billions for shovel ready projects, where are ours, and if we don't have any, why aren't we working on getting some instead of fighting over an affordable housing project and a fire hall? What I've seen so far ranks up there with a TV reality show, people in the audience playing to the camera and the 6 blind mice pontificating.
Ores
The ravings of the short-sighted Ores are not only typical but necessary to obscure the facts and manipulate those not capable of thinking for themselves.
A firehouse? Sure but must it be the largest in the vicinity and a total eyesore as well? This firehouse will always be an embarrassing symbol of little men that need something very big so that they can feel better about themselves. Members of this community have lied, cheated, borrowed and manipulated for this symbol. Congratulations!
As for affordable housing? What about an affordable community? That would start by not having the highest utilities in the Western United States. Any person who would take action to add to these costs is either without conscience or the ability to think rationally or maybe both.
This subject is not going to go away. We've yet to pay the piper.
After reading the arrogant blogs posted by Ores, I have one comment before you are critical of the writings of others you should learn the proper application of the word TO. I'm afraid spell check can't help you with that one. So, now you can go back to your Scrabble game.
I'm so pleased Anonymous is in love with our emergency services building. It probably is the nicest in the gorge and Cascade Locks can be proud of it. It's large enough to hold all our current equipment and if we need a ladder truck latter on will accommodate that quite nicely also. It's also nice to have a hose drying and training tower, this will help keep our volunteers at the peak of their skills. By the way Anonymous, there are numerous psychiatrists in the area who can help with dementia and anger management problems.
Ores
By the way Anonymous, it's quite obvious you've never lived in the western states or you wouldn't make such an ignorant comment about our utility rates. Go check PGE, or any other utility that's not a pud, you won't find anything much better. I suppose you're the seventh blind mouse.
Ores
The problem with the sailboat grant is that there is no accountablity nor do we know how the last grant was spent. Why are members of the tourist committee who are also part of the sailing club voting on this grant? It is a clear conflict of interest. Just giving money away isn't good government.
If we are going to give money away like that, can I have $20,000 for the bicycle club? We'll promote bicycling in the gorge and bring in lots of tourists. No, you can't see how I'm going to spend the money, but I'll be most careful with it and will spend it only at the finest stores.
Why are we spending this kind of money when we are searching for funds to pay the final loan on the firehall? If the anti-firehall crowd supports the sailboat boondoggle then we will see them for what they really are.
Let's pay our bills first, then use what is leftover for luxuries.
Please remember that this blog is intended for a discussion of issues facing Cascade Locks. It is not for personal attacks. It is not for a discussion of grammar or amateur psychology as interesting as those topics may be. Nonetheless, I am pleased to see anonymous and ores engaged in the exchange of opinions about our new firehall and what it means for our town.
I agree with almost all of Arnie's assessment of the sailing issue. However there is a receipt at city hall for the sail boats, to that degree there has been accountability. However there was no coordination with continuing education as they didn't even know that the purchased of boats had been made. They also reported 3 canceled classes due to a lack of attendance. I'm at a loss to understand why we're subsidizing children from outside the area, we don't hire employees from outside the area at the city except on very rare occasions. There was at least one business person who voted for these boats who ran a retail business which could potentially benefit from the sailing community. The contract with the city was incredibly vague, it failed to spell out who even owned these boats, who bore responsibility for maintaining them, who took care of vandalism damage or lost items, and who was liable in case of injury or death.
The program was sold to the city as a tourism booster, but the port gave a 33% discount on camping and the park was full when the sailors were here, hardly a windfall for the motels and business community. This winter the Eastwinds drive in has been shuttered, so they apparently didn't benefit enough to make it through the winter, and the deli has been open only on an intermittent basis and is rumored to be for sale. Any sailing program should be conducted from Parks and Rec, that would certainly be more appropriate. Children from the metro area or Hood River will not return here to sail, there isn't any room at the marina, and there is only one boat launch area. Again, Arnie's correct in that we need money for our fire department, not for dinghies.
I agree with Arnie's comments other than I've seen a receipt for the boats, to that extent there's been accountability.
Continuing Ed didn't even know about the purchase of sailing dinghies. They also reported that 3 classes were canceled for lack of attendance. As to this program being overseen by tourism, that's a mistake, it should fall under the auspices of parks and rec. The Port gave a 33% discount to the sailing participants for camping, destroying any potential gain by the motels and rv camps. As to our retail, the Eastwinds drive in has shuttered it's self, and the deli is only intermittently open, and rumored to be for sale. The contract with the city was at best vague, it didn't spell out who owned the dinghies, who maintains them, who takes care of vandalism, and who has liability in case of injury or death.
Wow, guys can we slow down, proofread our posts and stop the insults? Although I must note that Ores has the same modus operandi on the Oregonian's blogs. Try really hard and see if you can post without a personal insult and just use logic. I notice you are unable to decide whether or to be anonymous, Whoopsie - double post. Trollhood isn't easy, is it?
Give the Council a chance, why don't you people- it has had one session and quite a mess to clean-up.
Lance: How can you possibly give equal weight to staying after 10 to not having a lawyer present? Isn't one just an inconvenience and the other a potential liability?
Anonymous #? has made the wild assumption that the EastWind has closed for monetary issues. I can think of many other reasons for a mid-winter closure. Lack of demand is an obvious one.
Now let's see if we can use some respect and play nice, shall we?
Janissary: Who appointed you the blog monitor? Isn't lack of demand a monetary issue?? Maybe you should proof read your posts.
On most internet blogs, we police ourselves, we are our own monitors. Agreement is a measure of social acceptance. Proofread (which is one word, by the way) MY posts? What hot button did I hit on you? Which anonymous are you? Gets difficult telling you apart.
Lack of business within a tourist economy in an off-season is not a monetary issue, rather a fact of life. Tourism economy, if an area is lucky will be a two-season one. Most are a single season dependent upon weather conditions and gas prices.
I have to disagree, the Skamania Lodge is doing just fine, so are the other restaurants in Stevenson, as far as I know Bonneville Hot Springs is open, as is the Multnomah Falls lodge. I think there is nothing going on to attract people out here, that's why our businesses have such a hard time surviving, call it seasonal or monetary, it amounts to businesses closing their doors.
Ores
How cute, comparing Multnomah Falls Lodge to a drive-in. Get a grip! hahaha, and while you're at it, talk to the employees of Skamania Lodge and find out for yourself that they had a very bad spring, a slow summer and have had hours reduced.
Oh, and have you picked up a newspaper and checked out the economy lately? Try the WSJ. I have to say I just adore how you cherry pick between being anonymous and Ores. Of course there is nothing here. That's the whole argument for expanding the sailing.
Here are some thoughts on the council rules issue. We should follow them. If we don't want to follow them we should vote to change them. The rules are the standard for council action. To clarify, I don't believe I have given equal weight to both the attorney attendance and length of meeting rules other than this - they are both part of the council rules and they should both be followed. Both rules have been ignored in the name of expediency. This is the issue to which I was responding when I compared the two rules.
It is also interesting to note that each of these two rules allows for exceptions. In the case of the attorney attendance rule, they attorney does not attend if he has been, "excused." In the case of the length of meeting rule, a consensus of council can extend the meeting beyond 10:00.
Dear Lance,
Who "excuses' the attorney?
The council rules are silent on the issue of who excuses the attorney. I would like to have that specified in our rules. Until then, there are a number of interpretations that could be made. The most obvious to me is that it is a council consensus that provides an excuse. Another option would be to put the mayor in charge of the excusing. The recent practice seems to have been that the administrator determines if the attorney is required at the meeting.
It seems that if going past 10:00 is worthy of a council consensus that having an attorney present deserves the same. I understand that these are new rules, but somehow the legal quagmires that the city, staff and council have recently found themselves in are directly due to the lack of good legal counsel. The situation provide its own answer. If the Port can afford an attorney present, so should the city. We have have a more complicated mission. How about an attorney instead of a lobbyist?
Haven't we had enough complaints and lawsuits? Aren't you tired of re-doing? Aren't we sick of fighting among ourselves? Cannibalism is not fun after the first couple of appendages.
One person, (especially one hired person) should not be the sole 'decider' in these matters. One mayor can and has cost us a great deal of money making these arbitrary decisions. A consensus protects from us from that.
I am wondering how some can equate the fire department with tourism. What income does the fire department bring except to minimally support itself? Tourism benefits most businesses and is set up for that purpose not to support a fire department or other city wants. Also they do it with only 30% of the Transient Room Tax that is generated here which means the City gets 70% so there is a good possibility that because of the events that tourism sponsors they do support the fire department.
As far as the tower for drying hose, you talk about using money wisely, although we currently have hose that may require a tower to dry, fire hose that is made today is self drying and does not require an outdated tower. There is some money that could have been applied toward the needed things of the fire hall and not "luxuries".
As far as the sailing classes not being full, all new events take time to get established, anybody been to a Festival of Nations event? It has been going for a few years and is still not well attended, it is a two day event, sailing is a 30+ day event(s). How much does it cost to run a two day event compared to something that lasts most of the summer? Everybody talks about spending money wisely but then they whine because it doesn't benefit them or their personal interests, how self-sighted.
Sailing races have been here for years, I've seen hardly anyone coming to see them. No one comes to see classes except parents. How this benefits the town is hard to understand, unless spending $8000.00 yearly of hard to come by city money is a benefit. That doesn't include the $5000.00 the Port kicked in last year for a total of $13,000.00 plus. As to Skamania Lodge, the last time I looked it was still open and doing just fine. Multnomah Falls Lodge has the advantage of an incredible natural feature which helps it. Hood River has windsurfing. Also the blossom festival and other events. My point is our retail merchants don't have these advantages and I don't see sailing as a viable way of bringing an alternative here to help them. As to Janissary comments, I'm well aware of the economy as is almost every American. Again, for those of you who've got a chip on your shoulders, there are good shrinks to help you with your anger issues.
Ores, I agree with Jannisary, you are funny. Spending a lot of ink telling others to go to therapy and dealing out insults. You, yourself are in need of anger management. You are responding to a fight that just isn't there.
Jannisary has talked with employees of Skamania, I myself have talked to some sailors with very expensive rigs. In particular one couple from the Coronado Yacht Club in San Diego who obviously had money and obviously travelled to sail a lot. Some of those races bring in sailors who don't stay in the campgrounds. I see your opinions, I don't see a lot of hard facts or personal knowledge.
All towns here have the Columbia River as a natural feature to attract tourism. Why didn't Cascade Locks take advantage of the wind/board surfing boom at the time it happened? You sound a little sour grape-ish to me.
I know that the dinghies represent a long-term asset. I know that the sailing classes need boats in which to teach students and that the Festival of Nations cost us $11,000 with little attendance to show for it. I don't know which Continuing Education you are talking about and why they should have been notified. Park and Rec doesn't have the money, Tourism does. Why not further lessen the burden on the budget and also give Tourism the Museum?
Do disagree, don't be disagreeable.
Kate, yes we get people from different areas, but to say that a sailor from San Diego represents the racing community up here is to use one person or family as a representation of the other sailors. That's anecdotal at best. I'm sure there are people staying at our motels, but the bulk of the sailors are in the Port camp ground, go look for yourself, I have, including checking the motels. As to Skamania Lodge, it's open and doing business, nobody out here does as much business in the winter as during the summer. Given that fact you have to be able to make enough during the good times to carry you through the thin times. This hasn't happened for very many, I've seen restaurants close their doors, gas stations close, Whiskey Flats close, hair dressers close, along with various assorted others It just points out the need for an all season attraction to bring tourism out to our town, sailing and hiking and our festivals don't seem to get it done. I suppose that means a casino, it fits all the criteria.
Don't even go there, Don't drop that bait, cause I ain't gonna bite on it here.
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