Many ‘action items’ the Port commission have acted in the last few years have raised concerns from the public especially the Weyco land option. Citizens have written letters dating from March 2009 to January 2011 to the commissioners, the staff and the attorney general and spoken out at public meetings, to put their concerns on the record. To date, not one commissioner or staff member has ever even acknowledged receipt of the letters much less bothered to address the concerns expressed.
Wednesday, I sent an email to Jeff Bishop asking for clarification on the Weyco land deal. Bishop did not respond and when I forwarded my questions to the Port commissioners the following day he fielded my questions to Elise Hamner. Our exchange follows below.
Morning Jeff,
As you are well aware there have been many questions raised about the two appraisals done in 2006 on behalf of the Weyco land option. It seems to me that directly addressing those questions would go a long way toward dispelling public concern. The questions raised are known to you but I will repeat them here.
1) Were the appraisals done before or after the price was negotiated? Before or after the loans from Umpqua and the State?
2) The appraisals are now old and market conditions change? How is the $25 million price still valid?
3) The appraisals appear to assume there are no unknown environmental contamination to the site. How is the Port protected in the event this assumption is wrong and the value is reduced?
4) The appraisals make the assumption there is rail service. How is the Port protected should plans to restart the railroad line fail?
5) The comparable used to justify price is the option sale which invalidates the value. What other factors are there that might justify the price?Additionally, two studies, namely the PB Marine study indicate that a container dock would not be economically viable or provide a positive return on investment to the public. What factors not covered in this report lead the Port to today continue pursuit of a container dock?
Thank you, Jeff, for your time on this,
Mary Geddry
Subject: Fwd: Weyco appraisals
Good morning,
The email to Jeff Bishop below has not been answered and so I am forwarding these questions along in case he is out of town or too busy. An additional question is how did the Port book the Weyco transaction? The Umpqua and State loans would obviously be a liability but how was the $25 million prepayment booked?
Your help in this matter would be much appreciated.
Thank you,
Mary
On 3/3/11 3:25 PM, Elise Hamner wrote:
Mary,
Jeff Bishop asked me to field your inquiry. I tried to respond to you yesterday, but the e-mail bounced back. The Port has an online question-answer section on its website for responding to questions related to the LNG project and other developments. Our intent is to respond in that venue to general questions from the public that haven’t already been addressed. We will work on responses to your questions and post them as our schedules allow.
Elise Hamner
Subject: Re: Weyerhaeuser appraisals
Thank you, Elise. As I am working under an editorial deadline, your answers would be much appreciated before 3PM tomorrow to make it into the article.
Mary
On 3/3/11 4:05 PM, Elise Hamner wrote:Mary,
It’s unlikely Port staff will have time to draft responses and post them to the website by 3 p.m. Friday.
Elise Hamner
Considering these questions have been raised in multiple public meetings and in letters over the last four years, it is unconscionable the answers have not been addressed already.
Mary
Firstly Ms Hamner, why didn’t Bishop ask you to ANSWER the questions? What the H does “field” them mean, other than BS the writer?
Secondly, now the board hides behind their fluffy website, no answers there and they know it. And if I remember correctly , We The People are NOT allowed at any time to ask the board a question at their “public” meetings. I believe I was told, you may speak, you may not ask us questions and we won’t answer them publicly anyway.
So these folks have had the county pretty much to themselves, it is high time We The People start demanding Jeff Bishop and his lemmings, start remembering they work for US. Enough Mr. Big Guy and your stenographers, you start answeing our questions and do so NOW. What arrogance these people surround themselves from.
I want to know where OUR money is Bishop-Not King.
Marks has been working for the Port at least since 2007
Thank you, fred. We should also be asking for a ‘work product’ detail for the consultant fees paid to Ken Messerle and Steve Marks. How long was Marks receiving $78K per year and what did the public receive for that money?
These are not specific to Jordan Cove LNG and therefore should not be constrained by the non existent ‘submission form’.
Another government feifdom that wants you to fill in the spaces on their form before they are motivated to respond – a form that – contrary to what was stated – you wont find at the web site. I tried. Every citizen owner of the port of Coos Bay should send a message to jbishop@portofcoosbay.com and ehamner@portofcoosbay.com requesting to be added as a copy of the in depth response to all of the questions of Ms. Geddry. These people work for you. They are acountable to you. As is well known, I have the attorney general on speed dial when I get bulljive like that from Ms. Hamner – former local bird cage liner reporter.