As reported by Anna Griffin in today's Oregonian (it'll be interesting to see if the Tribune picks this up), Robert Pamplin has gone back on his pledge more than two years ago to mayor Vera Katz to donate the entirety of Ross Island to the city.
This is the same Ross Island that Pamplin's company, Ross Island Sand & Gravel, has been removing an infinite succession of dumptrucks full of earth from over the last several decades to make and sell concrete.
The article explains that Pamplin has been angered over the last couple years that city leaders haven't given his pledge a proper amount of attention. In a September 27 letter to mayor Tom Potter, quoted in the piece, Pamplin wrote his company "made several overtures to the City, but those came to no avail for lack of response."
Well, Dr. Pamplin certainly has the city's attention now - and ours. The problem for Pamplin, though, is that (at least in my view) the attention is showing him to be a welcher and a crybaby.
Awww, poor Dr. Gazillionaire, didn't get your phone calls returned fast enough. And after you were kind enough to offer back the island you've carved into for a half century and carted away. If only the City that Works were the City that Puckers Up.
Yes, of course there are other, more practical factors in this debacle, about environmental liability post-handover and other legal stuff. But there's just no getting around the fact that Pamplin pulling his donation of the entire island seems petty, shortsighted and sad. I'd prescribe the good doctor a long, hard look in the mirror.
UPDATE: The Portland Tribune, which Pamplin owns, did indeed cover the Ross Island handover. But there is not one single mention of the donation being a reduction from the original pledge. Which of course is ignoring the elephant in the room. I'd have expected the paper to at least acknowledge the controversy, even if they cast it in a more Pamplin-favorable light.
Brian
I am much more interested in hearing the thoughts of you and others on this blog about Randy Gragg's article today: "A condo project and a question: Does it fit?" It is hard for me to understand why the Bureau of Development Services would "resoundingly" reject this proposed Kurisu condo project on Mississippi--which has the support of the Neighborhood Association and which Jeff Joslin is quoted as describing as "the right client with the right architecture firm and the right project"--because it supposedly doesn't "fit into" the context. Yet that same Bureau of Development Services gave a resounding pass to the Allegro -- which did NOT have the support of the Neighborhood Association and which did NOT conform to existing code (CCP), as the City Council later affirmed, noting that the Allegro as proposed did not fit into the neighborhood context. What is wrong with this picture?
Posted by: Ellen | October 05, 2006 at 11:24 AM
Ellen, I'm definitely aware of that project and the unequivocal lunacy behind its rejection and appreciate your bringing it up. Look for a future blog post about this, and next time feel free to email me directly with suggestions so we can keep the comments here about the existing topic.
Posted by: Brian Libby | October 05, 2006 at 12:30 PM
Ellen, you really ought to check out the indy article which the following URL will take you to:
http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2006/09/346175.shtml
I think it may answer at least some of your questions.
As for Pamplin's island:
What is wrong with Pamplin? I seem to remember the Oregonian doing a really fine center color spread about the futre natural resouce potential for this desecrated island. Some concerns were expressed about environmental issues associated with the commercial use of this island over the years, but no one that I can remember, was ever noted as commenting that they didn't care about Pamplin's gesture of giving this island to the city.
What does Pamplin expect the City to do for him in terms of recognition for his contribution? Does he want to be the Grand Marshall of the Rose Festival, or have a parade mounted in his honor? A statue of his likeness in the Park Blocks?
We should stay tuned. Someone with this kind of burr in his saddle is likely to have a much bigger beef at issue, the likes of which we may come to hear about in due time.
Posted by: ws | October 05, 2006 at 12:33 PM
I'm guessing the environmental cleanup aspects of the island must be pretty steep...
Probably didn't want it to surface on how much he IS spending on cleaning it up, and the city of Portland didn't want to pay for HIS cleanup costs.
Oh well, at least we got the prettiest part of the island. And it's not like they can really do much with this sandbar that they haven't already done.
Posted by: Justin | October 05, 2006 at 08:16 PM
Pamplin is committed to the Department of State Lands to refill the gravel that has been mined with 5 million cubic yards of clean fill. He is also responsible for the cleanup of hazardous waste dumped there.
News items proposing the unfilled gravel mine as a "place for salmon to rest on their swim up stream" and "only a partial donation to the City" are a public relations smokescreen to relieve Pamplin of his costly responsibilities.
Potter is smart to not bail out Pamplin, even if the City could afford it, which it cannot.
Posted by: riverwatcher | October 08, 2006 at 11:57 AM