Calls and inquiries from constituents are treated with high priority in Commissioner Sam Adams' office. He continually stresses the importance of excellent individual customer service - the need to listen, respond quickly and work effectively to resolve all issues brought to his office.
I have been the Public Advocate for Commissioner Adams' office since July 2006. It has been a very busy six months. Many of the queries I receive are from frustrated citizens trying to work through a permits process or to understand a utility bill, and they see the Commissioner's office as a last resort for seeking help and understanding. At times, listening to the stories has been personally frustrating - I listen in utter disbelief at the obstacles some constituents encounter. At other times, it has been very rewarding to work with city staff to solve problems, come to a consensus and reach a compromise agreeable to all parties.
Of the constituent calls and letters I received in 2006, some were simply informational - where do I go, who can I talk to, what can I do, or why does the city do it this way? Lots of questions were easy to answer. Others were referred elsewhere in the city for expert advice and accurate answers. However, some of these inquiries required much more time and attention, involving the collaborative efforts of multiple bureaus and city staff to resolve internal issues before addressing specific citizen concerns.
Most inquiries were from City of Portland Utility customers concerned about high sewer and stormwater rates. Due, in part, to the stormwater rate increase implemented July 1, 2006 to prepare for the new Clean River Rewards Program. Clean River Rewards allows stormwater customers who contain stormwater on their property to receive as much as a 35% discount on their total stormwater management charge. We also received lots of inquires from those wondering how to apply for the discount.
A number of calls were from incensed constituents trying to navigate the permit process. One customer called with a sewer back up problem and, to his dismay, discovered he was on a party sewer. This single call instigated the creation and implementation of new citywide party sewer standards by the Bureau of Environmental Services (BES) and the plumbing inspectors from the Bureau of Development Services (BDS). These new standards now require most properties to reconnect their sewer line to a single connection in the street. This process can often be very expensive and I work diligently with each customer to help them understand the rationale behind changing their connection and to find the most cost effective solution.
Usually, City of Portland residents and contractors understand the permit process and know how to obtain permits and work with the BDS to complete building projects according to City Code. But every once in a while a homeowner or contractor will be notified of a problem that will bring construction to a standstill and sometimes add thousands of additional dollars to their project. These impediments take them by surprise and, out of lack of understanding or frustration, they call Commissioner Adams for help.
Nate, a local business owner, was working on a remodel that would significantly increase the size of his building. As part of the permit process, he was asked to check the on-site sewer line to ensure that the system could handle the additional flow. He discovered that the sewer line was actually broken. As luck would have it, the damaged portion of the sewer line was in the right-of-way and not on private property, so he assumed it would be the city's responsibility to repair. He notified the city of the broken sewer line, but was then informed that the previous owner had not acquired a permit for the connection and, therefore, the city was not responsible for its maintenance. Nate was befuddled. He had not budgeted the extra $10 to $15 thousand needed to fix a sewer line and was left asking, "What do I do now?"
Through Commissioner Adams' Office, I researched City Records and talked to BES, BDS and Bureau of Maintenance (BOM) staff. Eventually, I found the records that clearly identified the sewer branch to his property had been built by BES and then worked to convince staff that the maintenance needed should be provided by the city. In time, BOM agreed to build a new branch, provided that Nate paid the on-site costs to re-connect and have it inspected. Nate was very happy with this compromise and worked with the city to obtain the appropriate permits to complete the project.
The Commissioner's Office receives several calls a year from concerned citizens who report potentially harmful situations for their neighbors, their property or the environment, in general. For example:
Joe noticed that a creek in southwest Portland was green. He discovered it was a dye used by the city to detect leaks as well as sewer and storm pipe flow. Joe did his research and questioned whether the dye was environmentally friendly enough to be used in a creek. The Commissioner's Office responded by calling together both BES and BOM managers to re-evaluate their use of this dye for leak detection. After some research, they found that, indeed, the dye was safe provided it was used in small amounts. This inquiry also prompted them to change their business practices and directed staff to use less dye whenever possible. They concluded that to use the dye near a creek in non-emergency leak and flow research, the water volume would need to be high so the dye would be diluted once it reached the creek.
Karen is a single family homeowner in outer southeast Portland. Her home is in a new housing development that uses a detention pond to manage stormwater. The facility is maintained by the City of Portland, BES. BES contracts the work to private companies to design these facilities. Karen noticed that the work had come to a standstill leaving an open fence and a very deep hole. She was worried about leaning trees and the possibility of erosion, but also, very concerned about the safety of her neighbors. Her call to the Commissioner's Office resulted in a more aggressive oversight of the project, completion of the fence, removal of unstable trees, and hillside re-vegetation to reduce possible erosion. Collaboratively, BES, Karen and Sam's Office are monitoring the continued progress.
Clyde, a prominent business owner from southeast Portland, owned property adjacent Johnson Creek. He called stating the creek bed had eroded to the point that he felt his building was in danger of falling into the creek. Commissioner Adam's Office brought this to BES where they promptly sent an engineering crew to address any possible damage to the building or the creek. The initial evaluation showed substantial erosion to the creek bed, but the BES staff concluded that the building was not in immediate danger. BES developed a plan to restore the eroded embankment and plant vegetation to help slow future erosion. Although Clyde was satisfied with the response, he felt the city was liable for damages and is currently pursuing a claim with Risk Management.
Some inquiries were generated through neighborhood visits by Commissioner Adams. Any concerns that could not be addressed at these meetings were forwarded to me.
Regarding Sam's work with Hayden Island calling for a building moratorium based on the area's unique location characteristics and access, Barb called regarding an emergency preparedness plan for Hayden Island. We connected Barb with the Planning and Mitigation Manager at the Portland Office of Emergency Management (POEM) who informed her of the plan under development. The manager provided Barb a list of scheduled meetings and invited her to participate.
After visiting a northeast business neighborhood undergoing a major sewer repair, Commissioner Adams observed an unfavorable construction sign. The construction site had a large electronic sign that was able to display three different messages with a very limited use of letters. The sign read "SEWER CONSTRUCTION AHEAD" and "EXPECT DELAYS." He asked BES to devise a more positive message to notify traffic to both be aware and careful of the construction project as well as that the businesses along the construction route were remaining open. After some thought and a creative choice of words, the BES Communication staff conceived, "ROAD WORK", "REDUCED LANES" and "OPEN FOR BUSINESS." This simple signage change was very popular with the affected local business owners and maintained the integrity of the message for oncoming traffic.
The most intriguing inquiry we received this year was from Jona, a resident of north Portland. She called on behalf of her neighbors who were looking for someone to address their concerns regarding a neighborhood business. This business was a rendering plant which sectioned large, dead animals for shipping to another rendering plant in Washington. This process permeates the area with an odor that the neighbors have dealt with for years. The more Jona disclosed the more it appeared that this wasn't simply an offensive smell, but a potential health hazard. It seemed that carcasses were routinely dumped on Friday then left outside in the sun for the weekend awaiting processing on Monday. Jona conveyed that a myriad of complaints had been lodged, but the business never admitted to the practice and that, in fact, indicated anything left out was illegally dumped and not their responsibility.
After receiving this call, I searched City Code and eventually located a smell ordinance. With this as a guide, I contacted Multnomah County to investigate. When the county visited the rendering plant, they did not encounter any illegally dumped carcasses, but warned the company that they would be held accountable for any future incidences. The county also strongly suggested that if the company was serious about stopping the illegal dumping, they should post signage indicating that it was illegal to dump during non-business hours and to install cameras to catch the culprits. The company took the county's advice and posted signage within the week. Since then, there has been no evidence of any illegal dumping. Sam has promised to follow this one very closely.
I would like to finish this Year-end Report with a personal, "Thank You," to the many city staff with whom I have had the privilege to work in resolving some of the issues. Sam's Office could not have helped the people they did without the knowledge, expertise and the genuine determination of city staff. I would also like to thank Commissioner Adams for giving me the opportunity to make a difference and pursue the potential for a positive change to the way Portland residents view city government.
Our Blog
UPDATED: Yes, Wal-Mart is Eyeing Hayden Island for New Store Location: Our Fight Begins [0]