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Just a few days after Mayor Sam Adams highlighted the Portland + Oregon Sustainability Institute in his Jan. 5 inaugural address, the relatively new program began looking for its “vision.”
The city plans to spend about $20,000 to hire a consultant in the next month or so to develop that vision for the institute and its users. A report on that “vision” should be sent to the City Council by the end of April.
Rob Bennett, with the city’s Office of Sustainable Development, said the program already has a “broad strategy,” but the consultant would help “refine the strategic plan into action and fundraising.”
“There are many stakeholders to touch,” Bennett said. “This plan will help move the initiative into an organization.”
In early January, Adams consolidated the city’s Bureau of Planning and the Office of Sustainable Development into the new Bureau of Planning and Sustainability.
The Portland + Oregon Sustainability Institute was created last year as a hub to bring businesses, nonprofit groups, academic organizations and local governments together for sustainability research, training and outreach. More than 100 groups have expressed support for the program and have helped guide its early development.
The institute is housed temporarily at the Leftbank Project, 240 N. Broadway. The institute hopes to eventually move into a new “green” building constructed on part of a city block near Portland State University.
Under the institute’s plan, the consultant would develop long-term (10 years or more) and short-term (one to three years) plans for the organization. The plans will focus on governance, staffing, resources needed for the group, potential partnerships and “branding” of the program.
The good book states thatt where there is no vision-the people perish. That thought holds true today just as musch as it did five thousand years ago when this verse was written.
Vision can not be created or bought and sold by institutions of government. Individuals can create vision by the express use of their thought processes and meditation on what we want to happen in our individual lives plus that of our community.
Government would be better off if it held a visionary contest amongst the citizzens of Portland and offered a real prize that individuals could use rather than spend that money to a paid,hired gun, professional consultant. Mayber Mayor Sam should listen more to those of us little people who live, work and play in this wonderful city. Just one Native Americans' opinion.
(email verified)
Fri, Jan 16, 2009 at 10:01 PM
Mark and Glen:
I know SAM,he doesn't play well with others.
As I have said before when my recall failed of his God MOTHER....I told you this would happen.
If he pushs to much, and if Randy runs for his seat, then his massive ego may settle down a bit, otherwise, this is what you get.
(email verified)
Fri, Jan 16, 2009 at 10:15 PM
The good book also says that innovation costs more money than those who follow. Think about how generics cost a lot less than drugs that are brand new.
As innovators, we pay a higher price to create new processes and for failed experiments or unintended consequences. Those costs can be quite high, particularly in the unintended consequences section. Think again of how certain drugs were recalled and massive lawsuits followed.
True leadership understands how to balance the needs of everyone, not just leading with YOUR vision for everyone. I worry that Mayor Adams is driven by HIS vision and not through the balancing of everyone's needs. For instance: Yes, parks, roads and schools need funds, but at the expense of raising taxes on those that currently have a job? Take a cue from the private sector, and cut all salaries across the board, 20% (1 day a week) so that you don't need to cut jobs or raise taxes. If Government doesn't sacrifice, how can they ask the People to sacrifice?
(email verified)
Sat, Jan 17, 2009 at 01:30 AM
Let me see if I understand this:
Portland is going to spend $20,000, to find a consultant that will cost $100's, to do a job that Rob Bennett was hired to do?
Sounds to me like the only "Vision" in this project, is to spend money Portland doesn't have.
(email verified)
Sat, Jan 17, 2009 at 03:35 AM
If Portland doesn't already have a "Vision", why do we need an "Institute" to find one?
(email verified)
Sat, Jan 17, 2009 at 04:07 AM
The ONLY Sustainability we need to craft a "Vision" for is relevance. What is the relevance of Portland & Oregon to the rest of the US. Do we have something to contribute, or are we going to continue to be a leach on the Federal Treasury. To continue to rely upon Federal funds for our "development" is akin to being a lifetime welfare recipient.
If Sam Adams needs "Vision" he is not qualified and should resign. The Mayor of any city functions as the interface between the citizens and the rest of the world - as well as his other duties as commissioner. He, and the rest of the commissioners, have to tackle some tough issues and make some difficult, unpopular decisions, so what's the delay? We elected him for his vision, and he better get to it!
(email verified)
Sat, Jan 17, 2009 at 12:22 PM
Has Sam ever had a Job? Has he ever had to (capitalW) work for a living?
Is this elitist just too far removed from the constituency to be an effective leader.
Is Sam Adams just another visionless-effin-politician?
WHY'D YOU VOTE FOR HIM?
(email verified)
Sat, Jan 17, 2009 at 06:12 PM
To all:
Those of you that have ridden a horse, you would know that a horse can get it's bit in it's teeth and, if it wants to head for the barn or run, then you know that the ride at that point, is not fun and can be dangerous.
Sam, has the bit firmly held, and we are in for the ride, it will not be fun, and it may even be dangerous to us all.
We cannot afford Sam Adams in these times.
(email verified)
Sat, Jan 17, 2009 at 06:52 PM
Tom Potter spent well over a million dollars of taxpayer money and took four years to form his(our) VISION for Portland. Now he is gone and what has happened to his expensive visioning process? Very little if anything came from that huge investment. And then he didn't even run for re-election to implement his expensive vision, but decided it was time to be a fulltime grandfather after all.
Now we are buying another expensive vision so Rob Bennett doesn't have to do his job?
(email verified)
Sun, Jan 18, 2009 at 08:18 AM
This new office will not be sustainable.
(email verified)
Mon, Jan 19, 2009 at 06:36 AM
This is really about sustaining the process of envisioning something other than reality. As long as city leaders can continue envisioning their imaginary reality none of their dumb ideas and boondoggles seem so bad. And no one is going to have them face any real consequences for failure.
If we have learned anything it's that failure pays around here.
(email verified)
Mon, Jan 19, 2009 at 11:01 AM
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Re: Sustainability Institute looks for a ‘vision’
I think I'm going to be sick! City Hall obviously has to much money to spend. Why not just recruit companies to locate here. "Sustainability" can be replicated anywhere, and is not a unique feature of Oregon, the Pacific NW or the west coast, for that matter. We need to address the issues that inhibit companies from locating here. Infrastructure, Taxes & Fees, Location and no inherent inaccessibility to major markets, are just a few of the issues facing any company contemplating locating here.
Our Elected Leaders continue to treat residents as idiots with big wallets to fund the bureaucracy's checkbook while they act like the prima donna's we have let them become. We need to get off our high horse and realize that Oregon isn't special because of government, when in fact is is special because of what's outside - the outdoors.
"mark"
(email verified)
Fri, Jan 16, 2009 at 06:16 PM