By Vern Holmquist
Recently, I have heard rumors of trouble and read accounts of some ridiculous things happening in Mt. Angel. I am not one of the town’s founding fathers – having only lived here for the past 11 years with very little happening during the first eight years.
While Oktoberfest is a bright event, Mt. Angel was more like a place for me to waste my remaining years, so maybe I have a slanted opinion.
Then I saw things start to happen. A woman visionary came up with some grand plans for a new building that would enhance the heritage of the German founders and make a big contribution to the town’s biggest attraction, Oktoberfest. This plan was to demolish a rather unsightly, beyond-its-use and beyond-repair downtown building and turn the location into a real asset for all citizens of Mt. Angel.
The fruition of these grand plans seemed a bit iffy for a long time, but tenacity and with the help of good, professional city management who knew how to put a very complex deal together, the new building now shines as the town’s major attraction, the center of business, the new spirit of this Bavarian-theme village.
This achievement was followed by a new, beautiful library. This project too had a lot of naysayers. There was great argument as to the location. I listened to two hours of costly testimony by hired professionals in their fields who convinced the council of the liability of building on the old site and the availability of grant money to bring improvement to the core area. The professionals made it clear the decision had to be made to put the library on the place where it stands.
Now, beautiful, functional and built with a grant not by taxpayer’s money, the library stands as a credit to our livability.
Now back to the city council and its ridiculous problems. Just a few years ago a costly search was made for a new city administrator. After careful consideration of the credentials, the past history, the qualifications to manage the town; the council decided they had the right man. And then in a short time discontents on that council said they had goofed, picked the wrong man and decided to make life so miserable for the man they had picked that he would feel forced to resign.
It appears that some members of the council wanted a shoeshine boy or someone that would respond to their every personal desire with disregard to professional proposals.
I agree with the council, Gene Miles was not only a very well-qualified administrator, but also a man who had fallen in love with the town and hoped he could spend his retirement here. I considered Gene to be a personal friend and thought he had been very unfairly treated by a discontent on the council. In Gene’s words “I can’t take any more …. I’m going to resign.” I understand the councilor in question had never visited Miles’ office for a personal discussion.
I wrote a little piece some of you may remember warning that this job could be hazardous to one’s professional career.
So another costly search was made for a new leader for city hall, the credentials of a number of applicants were studied by the council, they selected the available man with the best qualifications for the job of city administrator – not a city electrician or sanitation disposal specialist, but a man to manage the complex job of running a modern city.
After careful scrutiny the council decided Jim Hunt was the man. Now some on the council are telling all who will listen that they have again goofed and hired the wrong man – so let’s start another search…
I read the personnel review that this one disenchanted council member wrote as to the performance of Jim Hunt. UNBELIEVABLE. The documents have been made part of the public record, check them out!
It sure makes one wonder if it would not be more cost effective to recall some council members than to continue searching for a perfect new administrator (or someone who can make brown suede shoes shine brighter.)
Folks, a city manager can only propose the improvements or projects the tax revenue he has at his disposal can pay for or that he has the knowledge to apply for grants from federal, state and the county governments.
A manager’s goal is progress and improving the town’s tax base and livability. In Mt. Angel’s case, an estimated 37 to 40 percent of property within the city limits is not on the tax roles – religious organizations, municipal and charitable enities do not pay taxes but require all the services taxes pay for. Sorry, but that’s the way it is.
If you want better city services, better schools, improvements, etc., then you must pay the taxes that pay for these things. One might say there is no free lunch.
I approve of this message.
The Old Curmudgeon
