Canfield & Company: Multnomah County wants $400 million from you!

Canfield & Company: GREEDY Multnomah County

Canfield & Company: Why does Troutdale subsidize business water bills?

On this episode: Troutdale just raised residential water rates. So why does Troutdale subsidize business water bills?

Why does Troutdale subsidize business water bills?

Troutdale just raised residential water rates. So why does Troutdale subsidize business water bills? Watch our next episode soon at robertcanfield.com!

CANFIELD & COMPANY-- with guest: Troutdale mayor Casey Ryan

Cronyism is alive and well in Troutdale

Troutdale resident John Wilson gave me permission to share the public comment he gave at the February 28, 2017 Troutdale city council meeting:

"I would like to talk about cronyism.  For those who do not know what this means, I will give you the definition:

Cronyism is the practice of partiality in awarding jobs and other advantages to friends or trusted colleagues, especially in politics and between politicians and supportive organizations.  For instance, this includes appointing "cronies" to positions of authority, regardless of their qualifications.

  Mayor and the council, you may be wondering why I would like to talk about this.  The reason is what took place at the Committee Interview and selection meeting a few weeks back.

 First, let me say I am not hurt, upset or angry that I was not selected, and if Glenn White and Zach Hudson want to keep the Citizens Advisory Committee from having a knowledgeable member on that committee,  it was their call.

 I attended the entire meeting and I am here tonight for the other citizens of Troutdale that gave up their evening in hopes they could give back to the community.  I had told Rob Canfield who was also there, that after Corey Brooks interviewed  he would be selected for the Budget and Planning Committee, no matter who else interviewed.

 There were many better qualified candidates to be on the budget committee, more qualified than all of the City Council and myself.  You have one candidate who had a Masters degree and works for the county preparing budgets.  They have done this for many years.  Glenn (city councilor Glenn White) is on record as saying he thought there may be a conflict since he did budgets for the county.  Glenn, you have had the applications since January, you had plenty of time to check, you didn’t because you already knew who was going in this seat.  This was a very empty  gesture on your part.
 

Almost everyone that applied for the Budget committee had a bachelors degree and worked in accounting.    Glenn do you remember  last year when you were insistent that the person selected should have a degree in accounting?  You are on the record as saying this.  What happened to the same philosophy this year?  (City councilors) Glenn, Rich, Zach and David you could hear crickets around the room when Tanney announced Corey as his selection for the voting seat and alternate.

   The best qualified are supposed to be picked, but instead the friend of Glenn, Rich, Zach, David and got picked.  This person campaigned with Zach, Rich and Glenn and was supported by Tanney. For qualifications,  the other candidates had college degrees and experience with budgets and planning. The only qualification Corey Brooks could offer was his association with  (city councilors) Glenn, Rich, Zach, and David.

  The people who came in applying for the Planning Commission  had  college degrees.  One had a Masters degree in planning and land use laws.  Did he get picked?  No. The same person that was picked for the budget committee was also picked for the planning commission-- Corey Brooks.  

I do believe that Corey Brooks is a good husband, Father, honest and a good member of the community but he did not rise above the others, others raised well above him.

 My belief is that he was picked for the budget committee and planning commission  so he will have some city experience under his belt in two years to run for office. Because he is friends of Glenn, Rich, Zach and Tanney, all the other applicants had no chance of being selected .

In other words--- cronyism. 

Mayor,  I believe that as long as these three councilors  and the chair of the budget and planning commission are around,  the application to be on one of the committees should include “ Unless you are friends with Councilors Glenn White, Rich Allen, Zach Hudson or Committee Chair Tanney Staffensen ,don’t apply for the Budget Committee, Planning Commission or Citizen’s Advisory Committee because cronyism is key to getting on them”.

 Mayor, I believe that a committee person should only be chair of one committee and should only be chair once in their 2 , 3 or 4 year tenure. I believe that I have proved my point tonight with what has taken place in the Budget and Planning Committees by the current chair and certain members of the City Council.  I would like you to look into this and hopefully make it happen.

 While the council and the selection committee are free to choose whomever they want, certain council members have demonstrated that they have no ethics when it comes to selecting the right people for certain committees.  I do believe that the middle schools teach ethics,  and would suggest that these city councilors go back to middle school and take those ethics classes. 

 I do not hold you Mayor Ryan or Councilor Lauer responsible for this,  as this is the first rodeo of this type you have been at.  I also do not hold Councilor Morgan responsible as he was not at this meeting.
 

I do hold Councilors Glenn White, Rich Allen, Zach Hudson, David Rimpa as well as Tanney Staffenson, the Chair for the Budget Committee and Planning Commission responsible for the cronyism that took place at this meeting."

Troutdale's wind really blows. 30MPH all day yesterday.

From the National Weather Service at Troutdale:

                                       Sustained/Gust

13 Feb 9:53 pm	41	27	57		E	31G37
13 Feb 8:53 pm	41	28	60		E	31G39
13 Feb 7:53 pm	41	28	60		E	29G40
13 Feb 6:53 pm	42	29	59		E	29G37
13 Feb 5:53 pm	43	28	55		E	33G40
13 Feb 4:53 pm	45	29	53		E	29G40
13 Feb 3:53 pm	47	30	52		E	30G43
13 Feb 2:53 pm	48	30	49		E	26G40
13 Feb 1:53 pm	47	31	53		E	30G43
13 Feb 12:53 pm	46	31	55		E	29G46
13 Feb 11:53 am	46	30	53		E	31G43
13 Feb 9:53 am	43	30	60		E	31G44
13 Feb 8:53 am	41	29	62		E	33G43
13 Feb 7:53 am	40	28	62	28	E	33G45

Rich Allen has no right to expect blank check from Troutdale

The Troutdale city council, along with the city of Troutdale, are considering whether to have the city provide Troutdale city councilor Rich Allen legal fees in defense of a civil lawsuit filed against Mr. Allen. The city's insurance provider already declined to provide coverage for the libel lawsuit against Mr. Allen.

According to a Gresham Outlook article on December 26, 2016, 

"Troutdale's insurance provider has declined to provide protective coverage for a libel lawsuit targeting embattled City Councilor Rich Allen.

A review by CityCounty Insurance Services states that Allen "was not acting on behalf of the City of Troutdale … when he authored the newspaper article that gave rise to the lawsuit filed by Eastwind Development."

 "There is only coverage under the Trust Agreement if the lawsuit is related to actions taken by Mr. Allen in his official capacity as a city councilor," CIS manager Bill LaMarche wrote in an email. "Therefore, CIS cannot defend nor indemnify Mr. Allen in this matter."

Eastwind Development launched a $250,000 defamation lawsuit against Allen on Nov. 17, alleging he knowingly published false information that damaged the company's reputation and smeared the business as unethical."

Mr. Allen has no right to expect a blank check from Troutdale residents to defend his egregious behavior. The city of Troutdale should not pay Mr. Allen's lawyers to represent a city councilor engaged in alleged reprehensible conduct.

Mr. Allen's alleged conduct raised in the lawsuit was not performed on behalf of the city.  Mr. Allen's alleged conduct raised in the lawsuit was not in furtherance of any adopted city policy.

Payment of Mr. Allen's legal fees would serve only Mr. Allen's private interest and not in the public interest of Troutdale's citizens or the city itself.

I urge Troutdale citizens to contact the city and the city council, and demand that they refuse to pay Mr. Allen's personal legal fees.

Springwater Trail Homeless; Also: Cylvia Hayes re-invents herself.

Canfield & Company interview: Donna Erwin, Columbia River Gallery

Canfield & Company- The Brian Sheets Interview

Canfield & Company: Troutdale's Shrinking Airport; What happens if Troutdale goes broke??

Canfield & Company: Troutdale's new city councilor; East Multnomah County homeless crisis; Shake-up at West Columbia Gorge Chamber

2015 Troutdale Kiwanis Cruise-In Video!!!

You asked for it, here it is! Enjoy our video of the August 2015 Troutdale Kiwanis Cruise-In, with your host Tana Canfield! Producer/Videographer/Photographer/Video Editor-Rob Canfield; Host-Tana Canfield; Technical Advisor-Mike Canty; Produced via the facilities of Metro East Community Media.

Canfield & Company Ep. 30: Troutdale's Shrinking Airport! Also- What happens when Troutdale runs out of money?

The Epidemic of Poor Customer Service

THE EPIDEMIC OF LOUSY CUSTOMER SERVICE:

6PM TONIGHT ON EAST COUNTY NOW!
Comcast ch. 11/Frontier ch. 22.

COMING UP ON EAST COUNTY NOW July 11!

TOMORROW NIGHT ON EAST COUNTY NOW:

-Why can't you have your car DEQ tested at the Dairy Queen drive-through?

-Why kids should get a license before they drive...shopping carts!

-Why you should need a license... in bed!

-PLUS- things to do in East Multnomah County-- this summer!

All this and more at 6pm this Saturday July 11, Comcast channel 11, Frontier channel 22. (Portland Metro Area)

-THIS SHOW WILL REPLAY ON THE FOLLOWING DATES/TIMES-

Monday July 13, 5:30pm Comcast channel 21, Frontier channel 32

Monday July 20, 5:30pm Comcast channel 21, Frontier channel 32.

Why do cities FAIL?

Why do cities FAIL? Because they fail to PLAN.

We'll talk about this issue and more on the next. . .

EAST COUNTY NOW

Tonight at 6pm on Portland/East County Comcast channel 11, Frontier channel 22.

COMING UP TONIGHT ON EAST COUNTY NOW

TUNE IN AT 6 pm this Saturday, March 21,Comcast ch. 11, Frontier ch. 22!

We'll talk with Troutdale mayor Doug Daoust and Troutdale city councilor John Wilson about Troutdale's proposed police department merger with the Multnomah County Sheriff.

Have questions about the merger? We'll get your answers!

-Why now?

-How much money will the city save?

-Where will the saved money be used?

-What will happen to the police community center?

We'll also talk about the budget pressures Troutdale is facing in the next few years.

Previous shows have covered community involvement at the Rosewood Initiative, racism in Troutdale, public subsidies for artists, and the future of marijuana clinics in east county.

Check out the show's Facebook page: Facebook.com/eastcountynow.
Viewers can also contact the show at: info@eastcountynow.org.

East County Now is a monthly talk show focusing on issues, people, and opinions in east Multnomah County, including east Portland, Troutdale, Gresham, Fairview, Wood Village, and the Columbia River Gorge.

AN INSIDE LOOK AT A TAPING OF EAST COUNTY NOW