Raymond picks his first fight: Forest Park
Portland is abuzz today with the news that our fearless new city manager, Raymond Lee, is going to buck local environmentalists, and probably most of the City Council, to join Portland General Electric in pushing for new transmission lines through Forest Park, at the expense of hundreds of trees.
Lee signed an agreement last week with the head of PGE, Maria Pope, pretty much guaranteeing that the city's staff people will reverse course and recommend that the project be approved. The NW Examiner has the story here, and the contract here.
Of course, that green-light recommendation will be challenged and appealed, and it could wind up, years down the road, before the state Supreme Court. But in the meantime, it will be quite amusing to see Lee and his minions try to sell the new deal to the City Council, half of whom are up for re-election in November – including all three council members from Northwest. The last City Council vote on this was 12 to 0 against PGE.
People ask me why the mayor hired Lee. I don't know, but one possibility is to be the fall guy for unpopular decisions. If that was the motivation, we'll likely see how it plays out pretty soon.
It's pretty funny seeing Lee refer to himself as "City administrative leadership." The verbal equivalent of the pocket squares. Let's just hope there's no arithmetic involved in the deal.
Council certainly doesn't want to have anything to do with unpopular decisions. Tiffany Koyama Lane and Angelita Morillo didn't even bother to show up for today's meeting to decide whether to support the appeal to preserve Lloyd Center/push back on development. Glad to see at least the 10 who were there supported moving forward (with much hand wringing).
ReplyDelete“Let’s just hope there is no arithmetic involved in the deal”. Priceless
ReplyDeleteFunny thing ... under the new charter, the mayor has the "duty" and/or "responsibility" to "Authorize, negotiate and execute all contracts and intergovernmental agreements, consistent with the City budget." Council has no authority to stop this, unless it's via the budget.
ReplyDeleteAnd, yes, the charter is a mess.
The mayor blind-sided the Forest Park Conservancy and their allies with this decision, and the mediations/negotiations with PGE excluded them as well. If this is the battle Lee wants to fall on his sword in, it might be a quick exit for him.
ReplyDeleteI’m not surprised that PGE prevailed on this issue. I’m surprised that some people didn’t see it coming.
ReplyDeleteGet power lines up there and next thing you know the developers will start licking their lips for that big giant parcel of opportunity...
ReplyDeleteSure...because everyone wants their McMansions in a transmission line right-of-way with high-current transmission lines overhead (subject to arcing during hot-weather events and snapping during wind events)! I wouldn't want to be ;paying for homeowner's insurance for these places!
DeleteI read this on Substack yesterday. In general, my experience watching and later dealing with PGE on a significant redo electrical upgrade project in my parents yard vs. dealing with Portland Parks & Rec. and Urban Forestry on the adjacent park and forestry issues of the neighborhood is that PGE is managed better overall— no surprises there. The albatross around the city’s and the state’s neck, along with the entire west coast is the HELL problem…Homelessness-Enabling homelessness-Lawlessness-Lack (of ability of government to solve homelessness).
ReplyDeleteInteresting to see the CA go-against the Council on issues that will likely lose them votes, that's gotta be creating some tension at City Hall...
ReplyDeleteAnd any new power & transmission lines should be required to be placed underground. Many developed countries require it nowadays, to prevent wildfires (when I sent in testimony about it last year, I brought that up & probably included a link about it, but stated that either way this should NOT go-through Forest Park).
Lee left our city in a huge mess. Greeley, Colorado that is. He is only about his next job up the ladder and cares nothing for the people. We are losing our city museums, annual events, and any funding for the only trail system we have here. But the project Lee pushed through has cost us so much money! One of our former city council members, Brettt Payton, is now being paid by the city to "consult" on the Cascadia project. Weird, huh? First push it through despite public outcry, two petition campaigns, and a special election to try and stop the thing. They are voting tonight to pay him $ while they are cutting city staff and programs. Watch out! Trees are something these people pass by on a golf cart.
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