Previously, I wrote about the International Port of Coos Bay staff apparently advocating on behalf of Oregon Resources without benefit of commission approval or a public meeting. From the commissioner’s packet of November 19, 2009 I quoted the following and encouraged everyone to file a FOIA request with the Army Corp of Engineers when Dan Smith thanked Port Director, Jeff Bishop for helping them get their permits.

Upon a motion by Commissioner Scott (second by Commissioner Smith) the Board of Commissioners authorized staff to explore the record surrounding the Oregon Resources Project and come back to the Commission at a later date concerning advocacy.

During a January 28, 2010, SCDC meeting Dan Smith, COO of Oregon Resources is warning his investors may bail out if they can’t start driving pile at their processing plant by March 15. The Army Corp is telling them they will not have a permit in time to start work by this deadline. Miraculously, in February, Smith advises the commission they have a permit and that ORC’s attorney says without the help of Jeff Bishop it could not have been done. Commissioner Kronsteiner’s company, West Coast Contractors gets the contract to drive pile at the processing plant.

In April, I asked the commission when the decision had been made for the port to advocate on behalf of ORC as there is no evidence in the public records that staff requested permission during any public meeting. Bishop advised me staff never took it to the commission because all they did was make inquiries, they did not advocate.

As I requested of the readers of this blog, I filed a FOIA request with Army Corp.Today I received a response from Army Corp claiming there had been no communications with the port regarding Oregon Resources.

A follow up email to the FOIA officer, Janice Sorenson confirms …”Yes, a telephone log would be included in the phrase all communications.”

So either the Army Corp did a poor job of researching or the inquiries occurred in private and were not ethical or someone isn’t telling the truth. See for yourself in the video montage below beginning with Dan Smith on January 28, 2010 at the SCDC meeting, moving to the the February 18, 2010 port meeting where Smith thanks staff for talking to DEQ and gives credit to Bishop for the permit, to April 15, 2010 when Bishop confirms he spoke with Army Corp. You decide. For my part I have serious doubts about what went on here and emailed the FOIA office and Bishop to see if we can clear this up.

Maybe Arne Roblan should investigate this matter since he seems so concerned with public process at the moment.