A4
Opinion
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, February 15, 2017
Before any tax
increase, ODOT
must restore trust
T
hose who proclaim
government agencies
should be run like
businesses are, in some ways,
wrong.
A case in point: If
government services and
infrastructure were awarded
to low-population areas in
proportion to the income
they produce, large swaths of
America wouldn’t have paved
roads, bridges or anything
but one-room schools. Basic
politic principles and simple
fairness would never allow
such overt neglect in the U.S.
When it comes to the
Oregon Department of
Transportation, however, a
valid argument definitely
can be made for a somewhat
more businesslike approach to
such fundamental procedures
as setting priorities, seeking
out differing opinions and
measuring how well goals are
being achieved.
With a budget of roughly
$2 billion a year and
thousands of employees,
ODOT is one of the state’s
largest organizations. It’s
no Nike or Intel, but it’s big
enough — and so crucial to
the state’s safety and success
— that it must adopt at
least some lessons from the
private corporate world in
order to achieve all it needs
to do with the resources it
has available. It wants even
more. ODOT, along with
Oregon’s counties and cities,
suggests they might need
up to an extra $5 billion a
year to preserve roads and
bridges, ease congestion and
bolster public transportation.
A nearly $1 million
performance audit from New
York-based McKinsey &
Co. — which the EO Media
Group/Pamplin Media Group
Capital Bureau successfully
pressed ODOT to release
last month — found the
department acts like a
complacent family. Nobody
in top management rocks
the boat by questioning the
agency’s decisions. Though
the audit is couched in the
diplomatic code phrases
of managerial consultants,
the overall picture of top
ODOT management is
uncomfortably close to the
old cliché of a clubby circle
of friends standing around
leaning on their shovels
kibitzing.
Consultant interviews with
senior management found
“no example of individuals
who considered themselves
a ‘dissenting voice.’”
Government agencies, boards
and commissions often go to
great effort to ensure such a
lack of disagreement within
their ranks. However, from
a public perspective, too
many unanimous decisions
within an entity like ODOT
are nearly always a sign of
trouble. It means no one
is really speaking up to
question old assumptions or
fight for significant changes
in budgeting, personnel,
project planning and other
important matters.
In the case of Oregon’s
transportation system,
Blue Mountain
EAGLE
P UBLISHED EVERY
W EDNESDAY BY
ODOT’s management team is
supposed to be accountable
to the five-member
governor-appointed Oregon
Transportation Commission.
However, this effort at
citizen oversight is not
functioning as it should. On
Jan. 10, Tammy Baney, the
commission’s chairwoman,
sent Gov. Kate Brown a letter
asking for quarterly meetings
with Brown, along with an
independent staff person to
carry out commissioners’
requests for information and
research. Baney also wants
an “active” role in ODOT
Director Matt Garrett’s
performance review. Most
Oregon citizens will be
surprised that such basic
elements of independent
oversight are not already
in place. Without routine
contact with the governor
or a role in reviewing
the ODOT director, the
commission becomes little
but a symbolic shell.
Former commission
Chairwoman Catherine
Mater said the request for an
independent staffer indicates
“a complete disintegration
of trust” between ODOT and
the commission tasked with
overseeing it.
ODOT’s front-line
workers clearly understand
what is going on. They told
the consultants: “We need
to ensure accountability for
performance and behavior
problems. High-level
managers can talk the talk,
but poor performers and poor
behavior is still tolerated .
Good employees currently
work hard through internal
motivation and personal
dedication to high quality
service, not because the
agency rewards them.”
There is no doubt that
Oregon needs substantial
transportation upgrades and
maintenance. In our part of
the state, the weather has
outfoxed the transportation
system more often than not
this winter. And while we
may never be able to win the
war against Mother Nature,
we must invest more heavily
in highways, bridges and
other essential infrastructure.
And better planning in the
Portland area, the economic
engine of Oregon, will help
keep its steady expansion
from bottlenecking future
growth.
Ultimately, even if
Congress grants President
Donald Trump’s wish for
major national infrastructure
spending, Oregon taxpayers
will have to pay much of the
tab for the things we need.
Deficiencies in ODOT’s
management system, along
with the debacle of the failed
Columbia Crossing project
on Interstate 5, necessitate
a convincing and thorough
rebooting of this critical
agency’s managerial and
oversight procedures.
It will be a fool’s errand
to ask Oregon voters for a
major hike in transportation-
related taxes until this basic
work is done and trust is
restored.
L ETTERS TO THE E DITOR
We need immigrants
To the Editor:
Did you know that Greg Walden
grew up on a cherry orchard in The
Dalles? Every fall, there are over
2,000 people employed to harvest
the fruit off orchards in the Hood
River Valley. After the harvest, fruit
packing, canning and shipping em-
ploys in excess of 1,700 people each
year. Who is going to pick, can and
ship this fruit? Northwest farmers
say they can’t hire enough people
to pick their fruit or work in pack-
ing houses. These are real concerns
coming from people who voted for
Walden. His Second Congressional
District, the six largest in the coun-
try, asks him to support the people,
the economy of Hood River and our
immigrant workers, by supporting
realistic immigration legislation,
such as the nonpartisan Bridge Act
in the House. In addition, opposing
legislation that is being introduced
to reduce legal immigration would
create an adverse effect on the econ-
omy in the Northwest, crippling an
industry that is a large majority of
his district. We need immigrants.
Carolyn Welty
Hood River
Geology class
‘fabulous’
To the Editor:
Hannah Grist taught a fabulous
class on the unique geology of
Grant County. It not only was an
extremely informative class, but it
also attracted one of the most di-
verse and representative groups of
Grant County citizens.
There were in attendance: young
children and senior citizens, stu-
dents and teachers, conservatives
and liberals, ranchers and Forest
Service workers — all gathered to-
gether for learning and conversation.
Ms. Grist’s teaching style engaged
her audience in a way that helped
us see anew the marvels of nature
that surround us. We need more of
this sort of positive gathering in our
community. (In fact, it is not too late
to join in the next class of this four-
part series. It will be held at 5:30
p.m. March 8 at St. Thomas Episco-
pal Church in Canyon City.)
Susan C. Church
John Day
Let’s not forget all
we’ve accomplished
together
To the Editor:
The last eight years, lest we for-
get ...
Dayville: re-opened restaurant,
vacation rentals, gift and beer shop.
Mt. Vernon: fi rst-time sidewalks
and new streetlights, second cafe
and rebuilt laundromat, expand-
ed services at Frontier rentals and
vehicle repairs, vacation rental
and bicycle inn, rebuilt communi-
ty center, large antique and wine
shop.
John Day and Canyon City: sec-
ond farm and feed store, expand-
ed services and rentals at Polaris,
rebuilt and expanded JD Rents,
Malheur Lumber mill saved and
pellet factory built, 10-year stew-
ardship contract with forest service
with 100 new employees in the
county, new Oregon Department
of Forestry compound, Juniper
Ridge mental health care facility,
new dental clinic, brew pub and
restaurant, new bistro present-
ly under construction, two new
coffee shops, pizza parlor, coun-
ty fair barn rebuild, community
garden, summer farmer’s market,
meditation and well-being center,
Chinese medicine herbalist and
masseuse, Kam Wah Chung mu-
seum re-opened with interpretive
center, Grant County Museum re-
built, new fi re station, new state
police offi ces, new Indian Center
offi ces, new chamber of commerce
offi ces, expansion of the People
Mover with service to other coun-
ties, Koyote antique store on Main
Street, Sue-Z-Q’s thrift store, new
cosmetology school, second vet-
erinary clinic, Canyon City Com-
munity Hall rebuild, new pellet
heating systems for high school,
airport, Prairie City HS and hospi-
tal, new education services build-
ing, rebuilt home health services
building.
Prairie City: Train depot muse-
um rebuilt, new forest service of-
fi ces, new vacation rentals, Prairie
City hotel rebuilt and opened, city
park rebuilt, Methodist Church
turned into a community center.
Grant County: The Fossil Beds
Paleontology center, two High-
way 26 bridges rebuilt, bicycle
lanes defi ned, increase in tourist
business to all service business-
es, Silvies Valley Resort built and
opened, internet service to all, fi -
ber optics cable system installed,
increase in new home construction
and general real estate sales, Bates
State Park opened, library founda-
tion created, new airport building
and forest service training center,
unemployment goes to 7.9 percent
after many years in the 20 percent
range and approximately 50 new,
unfi lled jobs now available around
the county.
Let us count our blessings for
all we’ve accomplished together in
the beautiful valley.
Jim Bay
Mt. Vernon
‘Throwing down
the gauntlet’
To the Editor:
During the Feb. 1 county court
meeting, Mark Webb stated the
reason he sought nullifi cation of
the Grant County Public Forest
Commission was the relationship
with the sheriff and militia! Webb
further asserted I was present with
him and county counsel when nul-
lifi cation was discussed. Patently
false.
Past
commissioner
Chris
Labhart, Judge Scott Myers and
Commissioner Boyd Britton allege
they knew nothing of the nullifi ca-
tion effort until the issue was heard
in circuit court. Who then autho-
rized county counsel Ron Yockim
to represent the county and receive
payment of $7,500?
I’m throwing down the gauntlet
in challenging Mark Webb to pro-
vide the location, date, time and
those present when nullifi cation
was discussed. Webb said I was
present, and I’m adamant I never
knew of such a confab and certain-
ly was not in attendance.
Harry Reid may have been able
to lie on the Senate fl oor with im-
punity and other politicians when
prevarication is exposed claim
they “misspoke.” However, this is
Grant County, and that does not cut
it with folks. Mark Twain wrote of
“simple liars, damned liars and ex-
perts.” So it is.
Dave Traylor
John Day
Coordinate
cooperation
To the Editor:
Local laws, regulations and
commissions should not easily
be dismissed or dispensed. These
commissions and regulations are
representative of the “local gov-
ernments” within which the lands
are located, and according to “The
Federal Land Policy and Manage-
ment Act of 1976,” must be coor-
dinated with, as stated under Sec.
202 (c) (9) Land Use Planning.
This, as stated, is dealing with
our public lands in our state and
county. We are not to be subordi-
nate but as coordinate is defi ned by
Webster: “equal in rank, quality, or
signifi cance,” not subordinate.
The Forest Service and Bureau
of Land Management are to care
for the land and serve the people.
Be aware and read it for your-
self.
From U.S. Code: “Land use
planning. Sec. 202. [43 U.S.C.
1712] (a) The Secretary shall,
with public involvement and con-
sistent with the terms and condi-
tions of this Act, develop main-
tain, and, when appropriate, revise
land use plans which provide by
tracts or areas for the use of the
public lands. Land use plans shall
be developed for the public lands
regardless of whether such lands
previously have been classified,
withdrawn, set aside, or otherwise
designated for one or more uses.
... (c) (9) to the extent consistent
with the laws governing the ad-
ministration of the public lands,
coordinate the land use inventory,
planning, and management activ-
ities of or for such lands with the
land use planning and manage-
ment programs of other Federal
departments and agencies and of
the States and local governments
within which the lands are locat-
ed, including, but not limited to,
the statewide outdoor recreation
plans developed under the Act of
September 3, 1964.”
Michael R. Christensen
John Day
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