Robert Pamplin: Ross Island Welcher?

For 81 years between 1920 and 2001, the Ross Island Sand & Gravel company mined thousands of tons of earth from the Willamette River island of the same name just south of downtown. It was seven years ago that mayor Vera Katz announced Pamplin would bequeath most of the island to the city—what’s left of it, that is. But as reported in Saturday's Oregonian, numerous times since then, culminating in his latest threatening letter this week to mayor Tom Potter, Pamplin has essentially welched on the deal because the city won’t accept outrageous terms he created after the fact that nobody in their right mind would take. (Granted, that's my subjective version of it; he may have a slightly different one.)

As the article reports, Pamplin wants to keep an easement over the donated parts of the island and give the city the donation without any inspections. Then he wants to exempt Ross Island Sand & Gravel from any responsibility for what he does with the land once the deal is signed. Next we may be hearing he wants to dump plutonium on the island and have Erik Sten pay him to for the right shovel it up.

This from a man with a fortune Forbes magazine estimated in 2002 at $575 million, including a 60,000 ranch and $22 million in Chinese art.

Pamplin, who also owns the Portland Tribune (which I strongly suspect will not report on the Ross Island issue) is a conservative businessman, and he’s survived this long by sometimes making some tough decisions (and inheriting a fortune) to keep his numerous companies and ventures afloat. But if he doesn’t give Ross Island back, I'd venture that even $575 million may not be enough buy back his integrity. Right now, that seems buried far deeper than any Ross Island excavation equipment can reach.

Comments

[billb]

The City should condemn Ross Island immediately !!
[p.s. does everyone know that there is a legally permitted radio-active waste storage facility on Sauvies Island ?]

[ws]

Pamplin must think he's some kind of slick cat, or everyone else is just stupid.

I'm wondering what it could be that's wrong with this person. Aparrently, he's aquired and demonstrated some intelligence and wisdom in his life that his wealth provides a certain proof of, but what can explain this incidence of his proposing such a bizarre offer to the city?

He wants to "donate" a number of acres on the island to the city, but wants to be freed from responsibility for things he or his company might do on those acres. What? Sounds like this means things he and his company might do on the property after the land has been donated. That's just crazy. If he's thinking about donating acerage on the island, all commercial activities on the acerage in question should stop, pending donation of the land. Once it's donated, he's done there.

Sounds like the city is desperate to get at least something from this island sacrifice. Right now, we need someone really smart in city hall that can hold the mirror up to Mr. Pamplin's face. He seems to have lost track of how he's looking of late.

[crow]

i thought the land was under a lease agreement, and that Ross Island Sand and Gravel had to return the land to the original state of environmental condition? for that reason the army corp of engineers was looking at options to the lagoon. whether to fill back in, cut through, or leave as is. i thought this was the piece that Pamplin was negotiating with Potter. All of this keep a portion of the land stinks like a rat. i suspect that there are some contaminated soils that Pamplin wants hold harmless on as part of his new deal. best for all of us if this is delayed until we have a different mayor in place to put pressure on Pamplin to do the right thing!

[crow]

i guess i was wrong about the land lease - just thought it was part of a state water system and why would the state part with it? now I am thinking Eminent Domain to protect the birds. !

[MarkDaMan]

In all fairness, the Trib did report on the island story today, even though it was hidden in their paper. On the online with comments story, they seem to have gotten quite a few early Pamplin apologists/anti-Portland comments, must have sent a e-mail to their reporters to get on their and wright something pro-Pamplin.
http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/story.php?story_id=118013843542168500

[MarkDaMan]

^ooops, that should have been 'write'...shouldn't be talking on the phone and blogging...

[MarkDaMan]

^^and also 'their computers'...oye!

[jim]

You guys are missing the point.

Pamplin never wanted to give anything valuable to the city - he wanted to give up the huge liabilities he has relating to the restoration of Ross Island.

This temper tantrum is all about Pamplin trying to convince the public that he wants to give something valuable away, and that the city is screwing it up by sweating the details.

This shows Pamplin's true colors - not that he's a welch - but that he is trying to screw over the city, and cries about it like a petulant child when he doesn't get what he wants.

Weak legal strategy by Frank Cable, IMHO.

[tovorinok]

Hi all!

Great book. I just want to say what a fantastic thing you are doing! Good luck!


Bye

[John]

This is why I hate Portland being such a liberal city. All of these lazy ass hippies think they are above everyone else just because they chose to be poor. In reality they are not smart enough to get 8 degrees which Mr. Pamplin has acquired. People in this city think they can write shit about someone just because they are rich and they must have some ulterior motives. Be thankful that there are still some good people in this town such as the Pamplin family who give back to their community.

[Brian Libby]

If it seems like we're picking on Pamplin because he has more money than most any of us, that's unfortunate. I also want to concur that Robert Pamplin has long donated generously to numerous worthy causes. But John, you've got to call a spade a spade. Pamplin acted the noble benefactor with Ross Island and then exhibited some very questionable behavior that struck me as welching, and unequivocally so.