Last night was the public forum on the topic of whether or not Benton County should be part of Linn County's lawsuit against the state of Oregon...Over 100 people attended, and it seems like at least half of them made public comments.
What is it all about? Well, the crux of the issue is that, back in 1939, a number of counties in Oregon made a deal to turn over dedicated areas of forested land to the state, with the understanding that the state would manage those parcels so they achieve their "greatest permanent value," and share any proceeds resulting with the counties. Now, Linn County's position is that the state has failed to do that, and, as a result, they have been undercompensated. They, along with other counties, are engaged in suing the state, asking for a total of over a billion dollars.
So, the question for the forum was: Should Benton County be a party to this lawsuit, or decline to participate? And, underlying it all, there was the question of what actually constitutes the "greatest permanent value"? (Another pertinent question that remains unanswered is: Who thinks the state of Oregon, already facing a $1.8 billion dollar deficit, has a billion dollars to spare? But more on that later.) For context, there are 8,400 acres of these lands in Benton County - a few small lots up in the northwest corner of the county.
Speaking from the stage for the pro-lawsuit side was Mark Gourley, who works for a forestry company. (A majority of these in attendance who spoke in favor of joining in on the lawsuit were people who self-identified as owning land to be logged, and/or as people who worked in logging industries.) Gourley's presentation started with him going way, way off topic, talking about the county fairgrounds, and his being a fifth generation logger. He then went on a tangent about the sewage systems in coastal communities and the troubles they have. (Yes, really.) Then he took a few shots at environmental groups. Then, finally, he talked briefly about how this was really just a breach of contract lawsuit, and then wrapped up. It was a somewhat bizarre and fractured free-form presentation.
Then, speaking in favor of the county not participating in the lawsuit, was Chris Smith, who works for the North Coast State Forest Coalition, and is a coordinator for the Sierra Club. Smith's presentation was much more focused, and provided a lot of pertinent facts and figures. He showed how the current arrangement - the one that Linn Co. and company are so upset about - has already paid out $1.4 billion to state forest counties. Smith also spoke to the ecological damages that would occur if the status quo changed to more logging, and how those changes would then have a negative effect on recreational use of those lands. He pointed out that, if this lawsuit proceeds, and if the counties prevail, it will create a tax burden for all counties, and a budget crisis at the state level. (Remember that already existing deficit?) In other words, he made a good case for the position that, though the current management plan isn't perfect, and doesn't satisfy all involved parties completely, it is very much preferable to the financial and environmental damage that would almost certainly occur if these counties prevail.
With all that in mind, it then made sense when Smith informed the audience that Clatsop County, the county that has more acres of these disputed forest lands than any other, has decided to not be a party to the lawsuit.
When it came time for the public to speak, I joined many others in taking a turn at the microphone. Needless to say, I urged the commissioners to decline to participate in this lawsuit.
It was so interesting, and so revealing, to note how so many of those who spoke in favor of the county participating in this lawsuit did so from a position of self-interest. They were primarily loggers and/or owners of land to be logged. Those urging the county to not join in the lawsuit seemed to be viewing things from a longer-term, more altruistic perspective. It will be interesting to see how the commissioners come down on this one.
What is it all about? Well, the crux of the issue is that, back in 1939, a number of counties in Oregon made a deal to turn over dedicated areas of forested land to the state, with the understanding that the state would manage those parcels so they achieve their "greatest permanent value," and share any proceeds resulting with the counties. Now, Linn County's position is that the state has failed to do that, and, as a result, they have been undercompensated. They, along with other counties, are engaged in suing the state, asking for a total of over a billion dollars.
So, the question for the forum was: Should Benton County be a party to this lawsuit, or decline to participate? And, underlying it all, there was the question of what actually constitutes the "greatest permanent value"? (Another pertinent question that remains unanswered is: Who thinks the state of Oregon, already facing a $1.8 billion dollar deficit, has a billion dollars to spare? But more on that later.) For context, there are 8,400 acres of these lands in Benton County - a few small lots up in the northwest corner of the county.
Speaking from the stage for the pro-lawsuit side was Mark Gourley, who works for a forestry company. (A majority of these in attendance who spoke in favor of joining in on the lawsuit were people who self-identified as owning land to be logged, and/or as people who worked in logging industries.) Gourley's presentation started with him going way, way off topic, talking about the county fairgrounds, and his being a fifth generation logger. He then went on a tangent about the sewage systems in coastal communities and the troubles they have. (Yes, really.) Then he took a few shots at environmental groups. Then, finally, he talked briefly about how this was really just a breach of contract lawsuit, and then wrapped up. It was a somewhat bizarre and fractured free-form presentation.
Then, speaking in favor of the county not participating in the lawsuit, was Chris Smith, who works for the North Coast State Forest Coalition, and is a coordinator for the Sierra Club. Smith's presentation was much more focused, and provided a lot of pertinent facts and figures. He showed how the current arrangement - the one that Linn Co. and company are so upset about - has already paid out $1.4 billion to state forest counties. Smith also spoke to the ecological damages that would occur if the status quo changed to more logging, and how those changes would then have a negative effect on recreational use of those lands. He pointed out that, if this lawsuit proceeds, and if the counties prevail, it will create a tax burden for all counties, and a budget crisis at the state level. (Remember that already existing deficit?) In other words, he made a good case for the position that, though the current management plan isn't perfect, and doesn't satisfy all involved parties completely, it is very much preferable to the financial and environmental damage that would almost certainly occur if these counties prevail.
With all that in mind, it then made sense when Smith informed the audience that Clatsop County, the county that has more acres of these disputed forest lands than any other, has decided to not be a party to the lawsuit.
When it came time for the public to speak, I joined many others in taking a turn at the microphone. Needless to say, I urged the commissioners to decline to participate in this lawsuit.
It was so interesting, and so revealing, to note how so many of those who spoke in favor of the county participating in this lawsuit did so from a position of self-interest. They were primarily loggers and/or owners of land to be logged. Those urging the county to not join in the lawsuit seemed to be viewing things from a longer-term, more altruistic perspective. It will be interesting to see how the commissioners come down on this one.
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