As has been reported Coos County Commissioners took some grilling during the regular BOC meeting when it was learned that a committee formed July 11 to work out a proposal to turn over management of the federal Coos Bay Wagon Road lands to the Coquille Tribe had met and deliberated outside of the public view. Cam Parry, Oubonh White, Walt Hogan who represent the county along with three tribal representatives have met or corresponded since the committee was formed to work out details of the proposal before presenting it to the public.
The commission has been running afoul of open meetings law since at least January when an illegal executive session was held to pick an interim county assessor. Since that time citizen advisory groups formed to discuss matters relating to several topics including forestry, roads, governance and structure and are subject to Oregon statutes 192.610 through 192.690 which require all deliberations be held in public and required to make all materials available to the public.
There is no disagreement from the commissioners the other citizen advisory committees must comply with ORS 192.610-192.690 but the commission doesn’t feel that the Coos Bay Wagon Road deliberations fall under the same restrictions. Some of the relevant sections are below [emphasis added]
192.610 Definitions for ORS 192.610 to 192.690. As used in ORS 192.610 to 192.690:
(1) “Decision” means any determination, action, vote or final disposition upon a motion, proposal, resolution, order, ordinance or measure on which a vote of a governing body is required, at any meeting at which a quorum is present.
(2) “Executive session” means any meeting or part of a meeting of a governing body which is closed to certain persons for deliberation on certain matters.
(3) “Governing body” means the members of any public body which consists of two or more members, with the authority to make decisions for or recommendations to a public body on policy or administration.
(4) “Public body” means the state, any regional council, county, city or district, or any municipal or public corporation, or any board, department, commission, council, bureau, committee or subcommittee or advisory group or any other agency thereof.
(5) “Meeting” means the convening of a governing body of a public body for which a quorum is required in order to make a decision or to deliberate toward a decision on any matter. “Meeting” does not include any on-site inspection of any project or program. “Meeting” also does not include the attendance of members of a governing body at any national, regional or state association to which the public body or the members belong. [1973 c.172 §2; 1979 c.644 §1]
192.620 Policy. The Oregon form of government requires an informed public aware of the deliberations and decisions of governing bodies and the information upon which such decisions were made. It is the intent of ORS 192.610 to 192.690 that decisions of governing bodies be arrived at openly. [1973 c.172 §1]
Watch the video clips and reach your own conclusions
I don’t know where people are getting that the Coquille Tribe has such great logging practices. The past lawsuits that have been filed against them sure have not indicated that. Several years ago when John Griffith was doing this same lobbying for the Tribe (and we all see where that got him) they did a field trip for people to go and take peek at both BLM and Tribal lands being logged. The Tribal logged lands were the most shocking, atrocious mess and here they were bragging about what great loggers they were. There is no comparison between BLM managed forest and the Coquille Tribe’s managed forest. Not even in the same ball park. This deal has nothing to do with sustainable forest practices, healthy fish runs or clean water. This is about money, money, money for a quick fix and the loss of public control.
That’s Right, we have more Lobbyist on the public payroll, these two were appointed just like the ones at the port, Ken Messerle and Kitzhabers chief of staff have and had the same kind of cushey deal as Cam and Fred now have. Being paid by the government to lobby the government, for corporations, what a deal.
These men have absolutely NO desire to move this county forward. Period. It’s nothing but a free for all to all comers. I agree Mr. Jennings, on everything you posted. And so much more. It’s insulting to those of us who would like to see this county catch up with the rest of Oregon. With Jonnie Barton at the helm that will be impossible.
Cam works for the tribe, that’s obvious. Clarification.
Cam represents some corporate interest’s, that very dearly want the tribe to gain “Administrative Control” of these lands. That will be as nice as having a public funded railroad with no oversight to deal with.
When your a water environmental specialist, your clients must be industries that need your expertise in calming public perceptions concerning potential pollution problems, (i.e. watersheds) just the kind of person the goodolboys needed to represent the county. Bob and Cam are going to make a great team for the logging interests, Freds a given. As Bob kept telling speakers at this meeting,
That’s my opinion.
The general public is still not seeing the bigger picture, as to the very few exclusive players involved in deciding who gets what share of the local resources in this county. All paths lead to and through Jon Barton aka Sherman.I wouldn’t be surprised to hear that he brought Cam into this area for his “Environmental” Lobbying skills. Jon is just the local point man who delegates for Kitzhaber and friends.
Don’t expect a little oyster to slow them down, when they tell us their Luba review decision on LNG. Cam’s water expertise might appear again at that hearing.
Cam works for the tribe, that’s obvious. How the tribe gains is obvious. how Coos county gains giving 50% away to 10% of the population is very fuzzy. The tribe can do as it pleases once the timbers rights are transferred, the advantage to people looking to exploit public resources will be in place. Cam keeps extolling the excellent logging practices of the tribe, only to sell the public on this resource giveaway.
All three commissioners are in step with this deal, they act as if the whole county populace is with them, Bob had this deal going with Cam and Fred before they where appointed, its too far along in the planning on their part, and their talking points are too developed for the time they have had to work on this deal.
Cam says the house is favorable to his deal,(Defazio), but the senate will be harder to con-vince.
I have never seen commissioners (lobbyist) work so hard for a tribe since Jack Abramhoff and and Grover Norquist, worked for some tribes on casino issues.
Jack went to jail, Grover and Cam still work for the tribes.
Thanks, JM, what is also left out of this equation is that any windfall or receipts from timber harvest are dependent upon market conditions. There is no guarantee the market will support regular logging or income. The commissioners and the CBWR committee blame BLM for not cutting enough even though they have logged 150% of their quota but in truth, if there is no market, except to ship slightly processed logs to Asia, cutting more in a down market makes no sense. In fact, it would serve to lower the value of logs domestically because the market is over saturated.
The Preamble of the Constitution states that the Government is to “promote the general welfare” of we the people. Government of the people, by the people, for the people. The people are supposed to be in charge here and not just a select few either! We elect “public servants” who are to carry out our wishes. Perhaps what is needed in Coos County is a better understanding by our local public officials and public entities as to the role of Government. The Government is not supposed to be run like some private (secret) club or business even though there are some people trying their best to get our Commissioners to do just that.
It is past time to put the brakes on here and get some legal counsel by someone who really knows because at the present moment our county is spiraling out of control. I am appalled at what some of these “committee” members are doing or are planning to do. They are missing it by a million miles and doing nothing but setting the county up for some incredible lawsuits. Our county can’t afford that.
With regard to this Wagon Road Land issue, the people have been speaking rather clearly and loudly. What I can’t understand is why our Commissioners are not listening.
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The proper way to handle the Coos Bay Wagon Road lands
http://mgx.com/blogs/2011/07/12/the-proper-way-to-handle-the-coos-bay-wagon-road-lands/
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Wagon Road land belongs to all of us
http://theworldlink.com/news/opinion/mailbag/article_01edecf8-af08-11e0-92d9-001cc4c03286.html
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Main flip-flops on wagon road land
http://theworldlink.com/news/opinion/mailbag/article_01edecf8-af08-11e0-92d9-001cc4c03286.html
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Don’t Give up Control of Wagon Road Lands
Letter to the Editor – The World Newspaper – August 6, 2011
[The World did not provide a link for this letter but it is WELL WORTH THE READ!]
Since I don’t know anything about the Hatfield proposal I can’t say if this is any different. The discussions with DeFazio’s office probably had more to do with procedural matters related to enacting any legislative change rather than terms and substance… that is purely a guess. However, I have requested a copy of any proposal presented to the Congressman from both Commissioner Parry and Travis Joseph and further requested to know DeFazio’s position on said proposal. We the public only know what we have been told so far from the commissioners as to the terms of the proposal.
What does that mean?
Despite Parry’s claims, Tuesday, that no one said “no” in DC, Travis Joseph who spoke with the CBWR delegates informs me “Congressman DeFazio has no intention of moving the Coquille’s plan forward. As you may recall, Congressman DeFazio opposed Senator Hatfield’s proposal to transfer the Coos Bay Wagon Roads to the Tribe as part of the Coquille restoration in 1996. Mr. DeFazio does not see how this proposal is any different.”
Yeah, the big takeaway from the video is that the commissioners have made a decision and the meetings are all about how to sell it to the rest of us
Its starting to look like these committees are mostly a tool for distraction, while the public chases the actions of what each formed committee is up to, the real decisions about the fate of Coos County Resources, have been made privately by the same goodolboys. This is an attempt at simple ass covering on the commissioners behalf.
We will not be able to hold them responsible since what they do is recommended they do by their friends on the committees.
My understanding from watching the video is that their decision has been made, but they’re not in violation of any laws because they haven’t officially presented it to themselves in public view yet, because they haven’t drafted the proper language to sell it to the public yet.