Troutdale City Council Campaigns: The Good, The Bad, The Empty.

They're not running against each other, but  Troutdale city council candidates David Ripma and Larry Morgan have both posted campaign videos on YouTube. And what about Morgan's opponent, Norm Thomas? Thomas has no campaign video, but we'll discuss his campaign web site.

In their videos, neither Ripma or Morgan said anything particularly valuable to potential voters regarding specific visions or goals for Troutdale. However, there was a tremendous difference in the impact of each video. 

First: the good: Morgan's video was short, concise, and to the point- about a minute and a half. He appealed to voter emotions by talking about growing up in Troutdale, and wanting to give his generation the same opportunities as previous generations.

Next: the bad: Ripma's video was extremely long, tedious, and unfortunately un-watchable due to Ripma's  decision to descend into policy wonk-speak. He droned on with numerous "umms" and aahs" about the tiniest details regarding a Troutdale city hall replacement.

He even contradicted himself regarding refurbishing the old city hall, saying refurbishing would be the "least expensive and best option". In his very next breath he said, "But that remains to be seen". Classic politician double-speak- Yes! But maybe No!

Ripma continues to drone on for the remaining video-over five minutes! The video violates a basic YouTube video rule: Grab their attention, keep it short, and use attention getting sound bites people will remember.

And last but most definitely the least: the empty. Incumbent Norm Thomas is Larry Morgan's opponent. Thomas doesn't have a video on YouTube. As far as I have seen, Thomas doesn't even have yard signs out yet. Thomas does, however, have a campaign web site.

On his website, Thomas listed several campaign endorsements, including the following:

PAUL THALHOFER, Mayor of Troutdale.

What can you say about a candidate for city council who claims to be endorsed by Thalhofer, who passed away seven months ago? It certainly shows a lack of respect for the late, great Paul Thalhofer, not to mention Troutdale voters.

There you have if so far. The good, the bad, and the empty of local political races in Troutdale.

Troutdale Council Continues To Ignore ADA Laws

  After Troutdale's City Hall was condemned  last year by the city's building inspector, the City Council moved its meetings to the city's City Conference Building (CCB) at 223 SE Buxton Ave.

Fellow Troutdale resident John Wilson recently asked City of Troutdale Building Official  Dick Bohlmann if the CCB's restrooms needed to be ADA compliant.

Bohlmann told Wilson they weren't, and haven't been ADA compliant since the city purchased the building in the early 1990's.  Bohlmann also told Wilson that Troutdale's recently condemned City Hall restrooms were never in compliance with ADA standards, despite being the meeting place for City Council Meetings, City Court sessions,  and Planning Commission meetings for many years.

Bohlmann also gave a short history of the CCB building. It was originally Troutdale's US Post Office. After the USPS moved to its new building in 1989, a church purchased the CCB. The church was given one year to make the restrooms ADA compliant as a condition of occupancy. But they never made them ADA compliant. Several years later, the City of Troutdale purchased the building. The City also failed to upgrade the building's restrooms to comply with ADA requirements.

Fast forward to a Troutdale City Council Meeting a few weeks ago. Wilson, speaking during the public comment portion of the City Council meeting, brought up the issue of the CCB restroom lack of ADA compliance and requested that the City Council direct city staff to bring the building into ADA compliance. Wilson asked how could the City require Troutdale residents, businesses, and developers to spend thousands of dollars to comply with ADA requirements when the City had ignored ADA laws for years.

 The City Council refused to appropriate funds to bring the CCB building restrooms into ADA compliance. According to Wilson, a source from the city government stated this could be done for around $5,000. Even now, the CCB building is used weekly by city committees and local clubs and groups including the YMCA.

The City Council has directed the City Manager to enter into multi-year lease agreements for a non-city owned building in downtown Troutdale for meeting space to hold their City Council, Court, Planning Ccommission meetings etc. 

The City Council has appropriated funds to bring this non city building's restroom and a wall ($5,000) into ADA compliance as well as another $10,000 in annual rent to hold their City Council, Court and planning meetings in.  This pencils out to approx. to 70 meetings a year at a cost of $214.00 per meeting (1^st year costs $15,000) the first year.  

Say Goodbye To Your Tax Dollars, Troutdalians!

 Troutdale taxpayers: Is this ok with you? $5,000 to make a city owned building's restrooms ADA compliant, versus  spending $5,000 to make a non city owned building ADA compliant in addition to 1st year costs of $15,000 in rent?  What other buildings in Troutdale are out of ADA compliance?

This belongs in the "It's easy to spend other people's money" category, if you ask me.

Say Goodbye To Troutdale Taxpayer Dollars

Original Estimate of Troutdale's Centennial Arch: $80,000. Actual Cost: Over $350,000.
Original Estimate of Troutdale's New Parks Maintenance Building? $700,00. Actual Cost? $1.2 Million.
Original Estimate of Troutdale's Sunrise Park Parking Lot? $150,000. Actual Cost? $210,000(so far).

When private companies make mistakes, they lose their own money and eventually go out of business. This makes private business owners cautious and careful.


However, when a city like Troutdale makes mistakes on things like building project estimates, there are no consequences. It's your money that's lost. And the city has no reason to be cautious and careful with your money, because there are no consequences when they waste your money. The city just spends more of your money. And it raises your taxes.  

What a way to run a city.