Metro Chief Operating Officer Michael Jordan’s $3 million proposal for a regional task force to focus infrastructure investments toward job creation was met with skepticism Monday from some leaders of Oregon’s special districts.
About 20 representatives of the Special Districts Association of Oregon visited the Metro Regional Center on Monday to hear Jordan’s outline of the proposed Community Investment Strategy.
A key part of that strategy, and the part that seems to be piquing the interest of most of the stakeholders at Jordan’s 20 briefings, is the creation of a regional task force that can help the region focus infrastructure investments in areas where they are likely to spur the most private capital growth.
An exploratory committee is ironing out the details of the task force now; Metro has committed $3 million through 2013 to see the task force through its charge.
The representatives of sewer districts, fire departments and water management agencies at the briefing seemed to generally support one statement in particular: “Nobody’s going to hand the Metro Council a big sack of cash and let them make all the investment decisions for the region,” as Jordan put it.
Marilyn Wall, a Clackamas Fire District No. 1 board member, expressed concern about Metro’s role in targeting investments.
“I understand Metro’s function as a planner but I’m confused as to Metro’s statuatory or charter authority to be doing implementation of any of these types of programs,” she said. “I thought, with pluralistic jurisdictions, we’re the ones with implementation authority.”
Jordan, a former Canby City Manager and Clackamas County Commissioner, said Metro’s role is to convene people who can think broadly around the region to discuss the problems and solutions.
“If I’ve learned anything about elected officials over the last 25 years, it’s that they are really good at slipping punches and not facing difficult questions,” Jordan said. “We’re all good at that. The other part… is not letting people escape the tough question.”
Paul Savas, a member of Clackamas County’s Oak Lodge Sanitary District, said he’s concerned that Metro is not focused enough on developing transportation infrastructure in areas it’s brought in to the urban growth boundary. He specifically questioned the lack of highway infrastructure connecting Damascus to the regional transportation system.
“Metro brought in 13,000 acres but never brought in road dollars to serve that,” Savas said. “I think that has been a sore spot with a lot of businesses in Clackamas County, and I think we’re suffering because of that.”
Savas was referring to two-lane Highway 212 and the unfunded Sunrise Corridor project.
“I know these moneys are difficult to get,” he said. “But gosh darnit, if we can’t do this, what good are we? If we’re getting so far behind, I really wonder if we are dysfunctional.”
John Hartsock, a Boring Fire District board member, said that at least highways have a hope of getting federal stipends, unlike other infrastructure needs the region also is faced with funding.
“The replacement of water lines, sewer lines, sewer plants… they were all initially funded, but all that’s gone and it’s back on local communities,” he said. “It has to grow. If the region doesn’t grow, we won’t have small businesses. So how do we convene and think about how to do it together?”