The City with the healthy budget

"Healthy." I think that's the word Barlow used to describe the City's fiscal situation a few weeks ago. Last night at the Council's evening work session, Finance Director Marilyn Peterson once again told the council the same news she'd given them earlier this year. The City will be $1.2 million into the reserve funds by June 2009 and, without drastic changes, could be bankrupt by June 2010.

Currently each department has been asked to suggest ways to cut 10% from their budgets and define how that would affect services to the public.

At last night's meeting only Police Chief Steve Salle' put staff on the line. His $2.8 million budget is personnel-heavy; all but about $400,000 is personnel, in fact. So, a 10% cut for the PD means staff. He unwillingly offered up four positions and then (very well, I thought) explained the difficulties the department would face without these positions, and how it would drastically affect services.

Parks, the Library, and administration made their suggestions and there was little discussion, with the council deciding to consider their options and make some decisions at their next work session (December 2 at 1:00 pm in Council Chambers).

Two interesting comments: one from Barlow, which I heard, and one from Morten which was voiced after I left so I don't know the exact context. Barlow said he thought since the PD was "willing" to give up four positions, the rest of the departments should do the same. First, Chief Salle' was not WILLING, nor do I think the four people affected by this would be willing. Second, I wanted to ask him if he was willing to give up his self-awarded stipend as a show of good faith!

Morten apparently said something along the lines of how he thought it was important to continue to scheduled park projects (specifically, the Columbia View Park improvements and beautification efforts just underway). The way I heard it was that he was suggesting park projects should continue even though the PD was losing a patrolman, both code enforcement officers, and a clerk. Again, I'm curious to know whether or not he intends to cut his stipend before he cuts jobs OR continues park improvements.

Way to go, boys.

The budget discussion is worrisome no matter how you view it. With Boise's closures, the City is in an even more difficult situation. At least two of the councilors last night indicated that Marilyn Peterson's information about a $1.2 million deficit was news to them, despite the fact that she said it in the joint Council-Budget Committee meeting last Spring (it's on tape) and provided the information to them in writing at some point earlier this year.

THIS is why Sally's recall petitions said the city could be in trouble financially. We heard it, we read it, where were the councilors?

Something else to ponder, I think, is the reaction all of this will get from the public, if and when the council or city decides to address it in a very public way. Granted, their meetings are public. But, will there be a public forum? Will there be information in the newspapers? Will the public be asked their opinions? Or, will the council simply make their decisions and forego public input? Who knows?

Several of us were talking at work today about the opportunity the council has here to be proactive: make the situation very public and get people involved; ask the public what they think the city should do to stay on an even keel financially. I'll be anxious to see what they do.

One thing is certain: there will be no easy decisions. Even among City staff that I've spoken with, there is great dissension. One PD staffer actually said, "close the library completely." A public works fellow thinks the PD gets everything because they claim to be "essential," which he reads as "better than everyone else." A court employee says we can't allow the PD to be cut. Do you see where I'm going here?

It's a no-brainer that something has to go and it's just as clear that most people choose based on their own biases. Not a surprise, but not very conducive to mutual agreement.

I work with the Arts & Cultural Commission and support them, but I can see that the $15,000 that was allotted them this year is something that can be easily and wisely cut from the general fund expenses. I am a strong supporter of libraries, books, reading, reading programs, etc., but yes, I think the Library could and should go back to being open just six days a week if that will help the general fund. And, as much as I support the parks and know that they work on a shoestring as it is, I think any planned projects that are "beautification" only need to be set aside.

And, yes, I think the PD is "essential" and libraries, parks, and art are not. I don't always practice what I preach, but I'm a firm believer in "needs" over "wants." Cut whatever you have too, INCLUDING COUNCILOR SALARIES, but don't cut the PD staff in favor of the councilors pet projects.

Councilor Chronicles and other ramblings

The City's Tourism Commission recently voted to fund the private, non-profit St. Helens Foundation's event advertising. The Foundation is not an arm of the City of St. Helens. Is this ethical? Legal? And, oh gosh. Can we even guess which councilor is on that commission and suggested that idea??

Possibly the same councilor who stores Foundation items at City Hall (the big movie screen from Friday night movies, equipment, tables, supplies and road signs...road signs which, by the way, clearly say they belong to the SHPD...maybe when they aren't in use by this councilor?).

It's likely the same councilor who recently helped empty an old building downtown to get it ready to host St. Helens Foundation Halloween events. Sadly, the carpet remnants and such he removed from the building ended up in City Hall storage. Free, I'm sure.

Now the ramblings...

We're in the throes of cutting back at City Hall, looking for ways to save money. (Remember when Barlow and Morten assured us we had no budgetary concerns?) Each department has been asked to suggest ways to cut 10% from their existing budget and define how those cuts might affect them and the services they offer.

Among my suggestions, which I can assume will not be very well accepted:

1. Cut councilors salaries (and this one had better happen before any staff is cut)
2. Charge the St. Helens Foundation rental fees
3. Cut out councilor snacks at work session meetings
4. Cut the Gazette ego-letter down to four pages
5. Put the Parks Department back together with Public Works to cut the cost of running the extra building, and maintenance, and communication/internet fees

Careful, I'm on a roll. Why don't we ask the councilors to give up the office which they rarely use, moving them to a space upstairs so that their office (downstairs) could be used for the cramped admin, building, planning staff in the front office. Customer service suffers because there's not enough counter space.

And, lastly, the City has, at the suggestion of its attorney, decided to revise wording on the Certificates of Insurance required with park use applications for groups of 50 or more persons. It is now required that the certificate clearly state that the City of St. Helens is an "additional insured" and that it name the date and place of the event for which the coverage is provided. I'm looking forward to seeing compliance from the St. Helens Foundation and its leaders.

But, as with all this stuff, I'm not holding my breath!

In case you missed it in the Spotlight 11-12-08

Sally Gump is taking a vacation.

And after fighting what seems to be two imaginary lawsuits against her for the past four months, a break is probably in order.

“You know, I’m happy to take two months off,” Gump says. “I’ve decided I’m not going to screw up my holidays because of those two. … But I’ll be back. I’m going to continue the recall effort.”

The St. Helens mother and local political activist has made news headlines over the past several months — first for her efforts to recall two St. Helens city councilors and then for the defamation suit those two councilors filed against her.

But after hiring an attorney to fight the libel suits, Gump learned last month that city councilors Doug Morten and Phil Barlow had never really sued her.

According to Columbia County Circuit Judge Steven B. Reed, until the two men’s attorney, James Huffman, served Gump the proper paperwork, there were no lawsuits.

The judge said Oct. 27 that Barlow had until Nov. 3 to serve Gump the correct paperwork and Morten had until Nov. 4.

When those deadlines came and went, Gump realized she wouldn’t have to fend off libel suits. She and her attorney, Michael Sheehan, believe the councilors filed the suits to scare people away from Gump’s recall efforts.

“People were really scared,” Gump said Monday, nearly a week after Barlow and Morten missed the filing deadlines. “Now I have more people willing to help me, willing to get rid of the bad seeds. People here want city people to work for them and not for themselves and their own agendas.”

Because the two men didn’t follow up on their lawsuits, Reed had no jurisdiction to rule on Gump’s attorney’s motion to dismiss the suits, which meant he also couldn’t award attorney’s fees to Gump.

As it turns out, Sheehan has said he won’t charge Gump for his services.

“I’m grateful he didn’t charge me,” Gump said. “I would be really (angry) if I’d had to pay for this.”

One thing that did upset Gump was the fact that Morten, who was unsuccessful in his recent bid against incumbent St. Helens Mayor Randy Peterson, stopped at the Gumps’ house during his campaign stops.

When Gump asked him about the defamation lawsuit, she says Morten told her “It was out of his hands.”

“He said Mr. Barlow was going to proceed with his suit, but then it never happened,” Gump said. “To me it was like, ‘Well, we’ll wait and see what happens, but then nothing happened.”

Doug Morten and attorney James Huffman did not return calls by The Spotlight’s deadline, and Phil Barlow could not be reached in time to comment on this story.

[by Kelly Moyer]

This, I realize in hindsight, is why Sally was a good Chief Petitioner for the recall. Not only did she do an amazing job of carrying the recall as far as she did, she also always maintained her dignity and integrity, and still does. Unlike Sally, I'd have my attorney drawing up papers to sue them for my attorney fees if the CP shoes were on my feet. I'd be dragged right down there with the bozos.

If she takes on the recalls again in January, I'm with her.

Hiatus?

Sally's taking back her life for the next couple of months and I'm inclined to do the same. I'll post as often as the news is there and you're all welcome to post anytime as well, but there won't be daily posts for the next couple of months.

Meantime, take this pat on the back: Randy was re-elected and Pat Martyn joins the council in January. The recall councilors showed their true colors and we maintained our integrity (even when they gave us repeated reasons to stoop to their level). We've learned a lot and made some new friends, and we've kept Doug in his place for another couple of years. We'll let you know when the victory party is.

In the meantime, be well and check back now and then. And, don't forget to be involved--let them know we continue to watch and that we expect responsible representation.

A happy high-five and THANK YOU!

All they ever really wanted.

As we fully expected, of course, the deadline for Doug and Phil to serve Sally properly and get on with the suits has passed. No service, no suits, no day in court. No opportunity for people to see their councilors defend themselves in public. And, if I remember correctly, that's all they ever wanted. At least they said that was all they really wanted.

By the way, no further word yet on the extra 28 days that Judge Reed supposedly gave Huffman to finish the case. We'll keep you posted.

Wonder if April will testify to that?

The news April gave me is this. She was told by Judge Reed that he is extending their filing on me for another 28 days. She's going to go find out what it's about. I'll call Mike tomorrow after work. I'm not worried. Morten told April that they only filed it to scare me and have me fold in. They didn't think I was smart enough.

from an email from Sally

I'm lost for a title for this one .......... you choose!

I've been hesitant to post this, because it feels a bit like voyerism. But, the race is won and I'm still scratching my head over this. It was the only comment posted on his website, it's seven years old, and it sounds kind of, uh, personal. Why did he post it on his campaign website? Note that even "Cindy" suggests these comments should be shared "quietly." Wonder if she knows it's been posted for the world to see?

6/15/01

Mort,

The program at the luncheon seemed so scripted that I didn’t find an appropriate moment to interrupt, then it was too late. I really felt badly in that I did prepare remarks that I think the staff should have heard from an arts person. But to follow the humorous and raucous tribute of the Troika and Slick was too much for this serious stuff. Perhaps it is better to share these thoughts quietly.

I intended to start by asking if any one knew of Ansel Adams or Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane. And then Hockney, which I would suspect few would recognize, yet many may have seen the student work inspired by him. I think Hockney provides the perfect paradigm to describe your career in arts education and athletics.

I would have explained to everyone that Hockney investigated Picasso’s pictorial ideas known as cubism. Picasso essentially attacked Renaissance concepts of space, “looking through the window” school of realism. Cubism is about seeing from multiple perspectives, the way in which our eyes take in multiple and shifting view. Hockney calls this the “flicker and scanning of binocular vision,” which with the camera can capture space, time, and movement.

Some may see the students’ photo collages as lightweight investigations or fanciful trickery. Yes, some may appear that way, bug Hockney affirms that “vision is like hearing, it is selective, you decide what’s important.” To me this is the paradigm that represents what you have brought to students over 31 years—-the ability to see from multiple perspectives and to capture space, time, and movement. You have inspired, befriended, taught almost 5000 students in ceramics, graphic design, photography, and year book. (My first inept calculations produced the modest number of 29,000 – glad I’m not teaching math. After 31 years it probably seems the number could be that large).

As a Lincoln parent I can say with great appreciation that you have inspired my son in ways that will affect him the rest of his life. You have opened his mind to the wonders of photography, but you have also created awareness about life skills such as team work, organization, cooperation no matter what direction he takes in life.

As a student teacher at Lincoln 13 years ago, I had the good fortune to work with an outstanding department—Crosier, Speros, and Morten. You all are part of a generation of arts teachers who passionately believe that the arts make a difference in the lives of their students; that content knowledge gives shape to vision and creates meaning; and that the experience of studio work can build self esteem and appreciation of others.

As a colleague these past 12 years, you have always been ready with a smile and a pat on the back. You are the calming force in our sometimes dysfunctional department. I say dysfunctional only in that we are a small department of both visual and performing arts and sometimes get stretched to the point of fragmentation. You Mort have always seemed to be the voice of reason.

An finally a tribute I heard from a senior humanities student as our class discussed your retirement. She said “Mort taught me to see.” Some of our faculty may think this is a small thing, but those of us in the arts know this is a wonderful tribute and a gift that all arts teachers should hope to impart to their students.

Man Ray in his book on modern photography (1957) said: “Of course there will always be those who look only at technique, who ask ‘how?’ while others of a more curious nature will ask ‘why?’ Personally I have always preferred inspiration to information.” You Doug have been both informational and inspirational as a teacher, a colleague, and a friend to many of us at Lincoln! Thank you and congratulations on your retirement!

Most Sincerely,

Cindy

ST HELENS RE-ELECTS RANDY AND OUSTS CHARLES FOR PAT!

YAHOOOOOO!!!

St. Helens voters got at least two things right! Congratulations to Randy Peterson and Pat Martyn!

I'd have posted sooner but I've been on the phone doing the "we won, we won" dance with friends!

BY THE WAY, the boyz didn't refile against Sally. She's catching up on sleep and her personal life until January and will make new recall announcements then!

I'm calling them out!

Isn't that what you say when you want some one to show up for a fight?!

I'm calling out Doug and Phil--bring it. If you want your day in court, your chance to "tell your side of the story," then by all means, do it. Amend your court papers, file properly, serve the malicious Ms. Gump and let's get on with it.

I, for one, am dying to hear YOUR side of the story.

I'll hold my breath until Tuesday, November 4th at 5:00 p.m., when your papers are due in court, and then I'll just have to assume that you couldn't come up with any facts to dispute the recall statements or just weren't interested in putting any effort behind your words. Worst of all, guys, I'll know this was a game. So will all of your constituents.

So, prove me wrong. St. Helens is waiting.

To the Publisher and Editor of The Chronicle

Please discontinue my subscription to your paper.

When I moved to this area four years ago, I started a subscription to the paper I considered “local” to my home in Columbia City. Yours. In those four years, I’ve read the paper cover to cover, week after week, and while picking up some bits and pieces of the news, I’ve primarily used the paper as a piece to practice my proofreading and spell-checking. (Did you know there’s a feature on computers these days that does much of that for you??)

During the past three months I’ve been heavily involved in the recall effort against St. Helens City Councilors Doug Morten and Phil Barlow, as have many residents of the St. Helens area—whether they were for or against the issue.

Your paper was given the first opportunity to run with the story, courtesy of Sally Gump’s personal friendship with one of your writers. Imagine my dismay and confusion to find that the South County Spotlight broke the story, and then, in form with a “news” paper, followed it throughout. This, despite repeated efforts to offer information first to your staff.

There are two things that should have triggered my decision to cancel my subscription, early on:

First, the St. Helens City Council's decision to switch back to the Chronicle as their paper of record after the South County Spotlight ran an interview with Mayor Randy Peterson in which he criticized the actions and behavior of the current council. This article was followed shortly afterward with an interview with Councilor Doug Morten. Even reporting, I think. The Council, however, at the urging of Councilor Phil Barlow, voted to change paper of record almost immediately following the interview with Peterson.

That decision might have been a simple change of heart among councilors, perhaps even to bring the paper of record distinction back to the town paper, IF the Chronicle had even once printed a story after that time that was not pro-council. It left many of us at City Hall shaking our heads and commenting on the power of a few councilors as opposed to the historic power of the press.

And, second, the day that Sally Gump told me she had all but been tossed out of the Chronicle because management there didn’t want her and her recall buddies in the building. This came in response to another attempt by Sally to give your reporter a heads up regarding the recall. And, predictably, nothing of the recall efforts made the Chronicle columns until Phil and Doug filed their SLAPP suits against Sally. The Chronicle in its infinite wisdom ran a glorifying article about the poor, put upon councilors as well as the indignant replies of the councilors to Sally’s attempt to recall them. (Keep those councilors happy and stay in business, I guess, huh? Damned be the news.)

Still, I wanted to believe you were truly good to your name and would report the news. So, I've watched the papers for weeks; I’ve never ceased to be amazed at what the Chronicle considers newsworthy and, oddly enough, what it chooses to ignore. Absolutely no word of the lawsuit coming to court made the paper the week it occurred. (I am anxious to see if the topic will ever appear in print again if left to you.) The only concession to actual coverage of the court scene was my letter, which appeared in the letters to the editor section two days after the court date. My assumption here is that if you print a letter to the editor in direct opposition to the councilors, you have "reported" on the topic without putting yourselves in the line of fire, so to speak.

I studied journalism in school. I read avidly. I know the definition of “news.” You have missed the boat more than once on this front; you are NOT publishing a newspaper according to the acknowledged definition of the word. Control of the press is the often the first sad sign of the demise of democracy and freedom. Many locals may not recognize your part in that, but I do. It is clear that the councilors of St. Helens, led by Phil Barlow, Doug Morten, and Keith Locke, have control of what you print, whether by their actions or your acceptance of their control.

My fondest hope is that you will pick up a dictionary or an old textbook and refresh your memory as to the purpose and, indeed, the responsibility of a newspaper. The councilors already have their propaganda rag, the city’s "news"letter, the Gazette (and it is proofed and edited about as well as yours). Citizens don’t need another councilor ego piece, especially one disguised as a newspaper.

I’ve had enough. I’ll find my proofreading exercises elsewhere. Please cancel my subscription.

Good luck.

Kim Bauer
Columbia City