Bobbleheads vs. bureaucrats
I'm getting the sense that the socialist book club known as the New, Improved Portland City Council and the arrogant, mean-spirited entrenched city bureaucracy are not playing well with each other. The two groups are taking adversary stances, or at best are circling each other with extreme wariness. From the Weed we've recently gotten a couple of stories about it:
As the City Council gears up to confirm Mayor Keith Wilson’s appointment of interim city administrator Mike Jordan, members of the new council are publicly airing their displeasure at what they perceive as bloat on the administrative side of the government.
Both in public and in private since taking office Jan. 1, councilors have grumbled about what they feel is excess staffing on the administrative side of City Hall—in particular, the added layers of management created during the two-year government transition that preceded the new council, mostly notably the six deputy city administrators that work under Jordan....
In an email to city employees Friday afternoon, interim city administrator Mike Jordan gave them the green light to speak directly with the 12 members of the City Council.
It had been unclear up to that point, according to city staff and city councilors who described the matter to WW, what license bureau directors and city staff had to furnish information directly to councilors under the new form of government, which recently split the city into legislative and administrative branches.
Some city staffers, as a result of the unclear directives, declined to speak with councilors or were deeply wary of doing so when asked for information in their areas of expertise. It became another among many gray areas as city employees and elected officials navigate the new form of government that took effect Jan. 1. Unlike the previous form of government, councilors now make policy but do not oversee bureaus.
The inconsistent communication between the council and the city’s administrative side was causing frustration for some councilors, who felt it prohibited them from learning about city services and programs as they approach a budget cycle in which they’re being asked to make steep cuts.
My money's on the bureaucrats. The city council is predominantly a bunch of newbies, mostly far-lefties hot to tilt at windmills, while the people in the cubicles and Zoom meetings have been there forever and have had a year or two to consolidate power and perks while the new charter was put in place.
If there is going to be an us-vs.-them down there, it will be hard to choose a side to root for. Pick your poison.
"Both in public and in private since taking office Jan. 1, councilors have grumbled about what they feel is excess staffing on the administrative side of City Hall..."
ReplyDeletePretty rich stuff coming from "The 12 Chairs" whose first official act was the triple their own staff.
There shouldn't be 12 of them. There should be seven, one from each of seven districts. But then Candy or Angelita might not have a job, and so that's out.
DeleteJack is two years too late. WillyWeek couldn't be bothered to do anything beyond cheerleading; the Oregonian, as usual, was fast asleep. The charter commission, under the thumb of Julia Meier (the great unknown of Portland government), put this nonsense together without any real scrutiny. It was engineered to do what it has done.
ReplyDeleteThen Ted Wheeler created his one masterpiece: accelerating the transition (again, under the direction of Ms. Meier) to the new government, long before any of the Dizzy Dozen were elected. He and Jordan created a fait accompli--an off-the-shelf strait jacket for the dopes on council.
Our outta-nowhere mayor committed two dumb mistakes: he bought Jordan without any real vetting; and he chickened out when the council deadlocked on their president. He was sitting in the audience--a spectator--when councilor Loretta Smith virtually begged him to break the tie, as the charter plainly indicated.
He blew it. So did our legacy media.
Live with it.
How many times are you going to leave the same comment? Answer: No more times.
DeleteIt takes a little while for the truth to sink in to the Portland brain. Congratulations: you get it.
DeleteIf the council actually read the charter, they'd know that they have enormous power to make staff speak to them. Just check out Section 2-109.
ReplyDelete"In aid of its legislative function, the Council, or a committee of the Council duly authorized by
it, may investigate any board or department of the City government, and the official acts and
conduct of any City officer, employee, or agent; and for the purpose of ascertaining facts in
connection with such investigation, shall have full power to compel the attendance and
testimony of witnesses, to administer oaths, and to examine such persons as it may deem
necessary, and to compel the production of books, documents, and other evidence. Willful
false swearing in such investigations and examinations shall be perjury, and punishable as such
under the laws of the State of Oregon."
You write: "My money's on the bureaucrats."
ReplyDeleteAre you giving odds/
Maybe a new version of the Underdogs!
DeleteIn the long, long run, maybe the politicians will take control of things. But we're talking three city councils from now at the earliest.
DeleteYou heard it here first... This whole 12-member city council and RCV/STV scheme will be gone before the next Charter Commission convenes. The City can convene a Charter Commission sooner than every ten years. I believe the City can gin one up in response to a citizen initiative too.
DeleteThe potential for graft on a large, organized scale not seen in Portland since the days of "Big Jim" Elkins is EXTREMELY high these days.
Fire up the popcorn popper! And, expect even less to get done.
ReplyDeleteThe beauty of this setup is that no one will be held responsible for anything that happens. Admins will say, "we're just doing what we're told". The dirty dozen will claim, "we have no power to make decisions". Stay tuned.
ReplyDeleteA reader writes: It was so cold this morning, I saw a Portland politician with his hands in his own pockets.
ReplyDeleteTough, but fair!
DeleteIm ready for the some fentanyl gras at the James Beard Market this summer. Portland {and Multnomah County} are losing high populations earners like Pacific Palisades lost residents.....{too soon?} Seems the only realistic thing to do is culture jam while moonlighting as staff. Animals Need Diversity too! or Water the Only Amorphous Object, paved streets, schmeets.
DeleteIt seems to me there is nearly no one who honestly thinks there is any positive progress possible for Portland. The city's suffocation by the long term saturation of social justice warriors and policies is just not fixable. Worse yet there is not much recognition or acknowledgement of how bad off Portland & Oregon truly is. Yet everyone in the club, cult & chorus is certain of the left wing superiority to everything else.
ReplyDelete