Greetings BES Employees

Dear Portland Bureau of Environmental Services Colleagues,

I am enthusiastic to be working with all of you as your Bureau’s new Commissioner-in-Charge, beginning Friday, July 1.

With the largest capital improvement project in the state since the Umatilla Army Depot, you definitely carry a full plate. Having said that, I recognize that BES is also more than “the big pipe”; you’ve got a nationally recognized Sustainable Stormwater Management Program, an integrated Endangered Species Act Program, a Holistic Watershed Management Program and much more. And you don’t need me to tell you that what makes these programs successful is your passion and commitment to the mission of the Bureau. I will look to you for your wisdom as we manage the challenges of protecting our environment.

Having both PDOT and BES in my portfolio, I have got a synergistic relationship through which we can do great things for our city. We know that at least 40 percent of stormwater pollution comes from roads, and with a passion for green streets we can build on the innovation and spirit for sustainability of both bureaus. I have a genuine passion for protecting our ecosystems, promoting healthy watersheds, and providing sewage treatment systems. Call me a wonk, but from removing ivy and other invasive species along roadways to advocating for the harbor cleanup; I love it all.

Allow me to tell you a little bit about the aspirations I have for myself, staff, and bureau colleagues. I encourage humor in the workplace (especially about me), but my commitment to public service is something I take very seriously. I strive for real results. I tend to work hard and to expect a lot from my colleagues because Portland is truly a phenomenal city and its citizens have high expectations. I love my job and I cannot imagine doing anything professionally that is more exhilarating.

Bureau innovation is part of our collective responsibility. While I am the Commissioner-in-Charge, it does not always mean I have all the answers, or even all the questions. After nearly 12 years with the City of Portland, I know from experience that empowered, solutions-oriented employees can deliver results more often than what we on City Council have traditionally asked for. So, if collectively we are going to do the very best job we can, I really do need to hear from you. Your experience and expertise can help to bring about the best ideas and the most accurate understanding of an issue. Thus, I want and expect you to challenge me to consider perspectives alternative to my own.

Good customer service is not a goal but a baseline for me. My commitment to this has led Mayor Tom Potter to appoint me one of the leaders of the Bureau Innovation Project recommendation to develop improved customer service plans citywide. In providing good customer service, there will be times when innovation is needed, when we must approach things differently than we have before.

You will see me at your work site. If your department has a project that would benefit from my on-site visit, I would welcome your invitation to observe and to learn from your expertise.

I especially want to invite you and your colleagues to meet me and my staff in an informal setting at my next monthly ‘First Thursday Open House,’ July 7 from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m., in my City Hall office, 1221 SW 4th Avenue, Room 220. We can share beverages, wine and hors d’oeuvres and view the guest artist’s installation.

In the meantime, I will also post this letter on my website, www.CommissionerSam.com , later today. I invite you to publicly post questions and comments in response to this letter. Thank you for your continuing service to the residents of Portland. I look forward to working with you all.

With warm regards,

Sam

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Posted Thu, 06/23/2005 - 1:39pm.

[[ Categories: Environmental Services | Livability & Environment ]]

re: Greetings BES Employees

Submitted by Name Withheld on Fri, 06/24/2005 - 4:17pm.

Hi, Sam.

I have seen you around - you look like your enjoying your new challenge!

I knew you would be a good Commissioner - and this memo is a great example.

It's up front, direct and very rare. We don't see this type of "top-down" communication very often, and when we do it rarely comes off as sincere. In this case it does. Though I won't be calling your personal cell number!

In your quest for improving the way the City works (with the goal of serving our citizens better), please don't forget about the workplace culture. Overall, it's not very positive, in my opinion. I am in many bureaus, and I hear and see a lot.

I can't tell you how many employees and managers I have seen over the past years who came to the City bursting with energy, enthusiasm and ideas. Because of the culture, they get beat down into minimally performing bureaucrats, usually in a matter of months.

Our employees cost the City more than anything else, right? We have huge reserves of talent that could lead to better ideas and the kind of cooperation that you and the Mayor talk about. But, when apathy prevails, the citizens get very little return on their investment.

I believe that morale is, in general, far lower than it should be. People who work for the City need to perceive that the culture is changing for the better.

If I had all of the answers, I might be sitting in your chair! But, I don't.

I do know, however, that HR is a big part of the problem. Check into the number of cases pending arbitration by employees who believe they have been dealt with unfairly, or other disciplinary issues. Talk to managers who can't get positions, promotions and transfers approved. I've heard it described as "beating my head against the wall".

Thanks for letting me put in my two cents-worth. I still care about things that others have abandoned - like integrity and valuing our people. Really valuing them - not just lip service. That's how you maximize the return on that huge investment.

No need to respond - but if you would consider the points I have made that would be enough.

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re: Greetings BES Employees

Submitted by Dawn Hottenroth on Wed, 06/29/2005 - 9:29am.

Hi Sam - Welcome to BES.

We are a very diverse group of folks who strive to make a difference in all we do. I just wanted to let you know many of us are looking forward to changes to the way we do some things and are concerned about changes to items and programs we feel make our bureau great.

I would enocurage you to specifically look at teh BES staff response to Mayor Potter's employee survey. They are very informative about some of the diversity and management challenges that lay ahead.

As you move forward with plannign your improvemnet efforts with BES - ask for the following items that may give you some insite on what the average employee has recommended:
- Previous Serivce improvement effort lists - especialy the labor management efforts from about 4 or 5 years ago. We did a lot of work identifying items and little implementing them.
- copies of the internal BES employee sureys from the last few years.
- Consider talking to front line staff directly - especially those of us who have been here over 10 or 20 years. We have seen this bureau d lots of things - good and bad.

Thansk for the chance to share some thoughts.

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