MWHITF: Growing Conflict

Revised: December 2018

By Sarah Owens and Michael Livingston

[From material originally posted January 1 and 8, 2017, under the title, "The Hopeless Task Force", and on March 25, 2017, under the title, "The 'Pointless' Task Force."]

While the Task Force was taking its summer break, Commissioner Carlson contacted a former friend, colleague, and specialist in collaboration, Karen Ray, and asked her to submit a proposal for a personal services contract.  The services would be to the Task Force, but paid for by Marion County.  The proposal Ray submitted set out four objectives:

1.  "create individual leaders committed to championing the elimination of homelessness",

2.  "garner organizations and their resources",

3.  "market the effort by making the Task Force's work consumable to the layman", and

4.  "develop a plan for a high-profile roll-out event to the implementation stage."

On September 9, 2016, Carlson wrote to Ray,

Hi Karen - Thanks so much for your proposal! I've edited [sic] to make sure we're in synch with the factual pieces (edits attached).  My plan is to send a revised draft, once I get it back from you, to the other three conveners for their review and feedback.  Then, assuming they like the concept, we can move forward.

One of the "edits" Carlson made was to take out "any references to me, or anywhere where I am separated from the other three conveners.  I think we will avoid sensitivity if we just talk about the conveners and staff generally."   

Carlson was also concerned about the contract's original $25,000 price tag, an amount that exceeded the "sole source" cap, and would require a deliberative public process.  Carlson asked Ray, "Any way you could scale the proposal down to [$20,000]...?" 

Carlson was unable to persuade her co-chairs, particularly Commissioner Jennifer Wheeler, of the need to go out-of-state or pay $20,000 for services that were available in the community, and probably for a lesser or no charge.  It appears that Wheeler especially did not like the idea of the co-chairs making the decision for the Task Force, rather than bringing the question to the Task Force, as a whole. 

Wheeler was unable to attend the next meeting.  On October 4, 2016, Carlson informed Ray,

The co-chairs agreed to move forward with your contract and are excited to work with you towards a strong implementation plan for the future...And since Jennifer could not attend yesterday's meeting, we appreciate your offer to set up a time to visit with her by phone to gain her perspective.

Carlson's announcement that the co-chairs had agreed to move forward with Ray's contract included notice of two "leadership team " meetings with Ray.  On October 6, 2016, Wheeler replied, 

Regarding the proposed upcoming conversations with Karen Ray, I feel that those conversations would be crucial to have before the entire task force as a whole, not just the leadership team.  I do not see the benefit of attending a leadership team meeting with Karen Ray and would rather utilize my time and her time before the entire task force.

Wheeler's reply received no response.  She conferred with her team.  At regular Polk County "Conference & StaffMeeting" on October 17, Wheeler reported that the "all agree that the task force is pointless and [the team] would like to withdraw participation."  On October 18, 2016, Wheeler submitted a memorandum on behalf of the Polk County appointees by email to Lisa Trauernicht.  The  memo stated, "It is with the full consensus of the Polk County team that we will no longer be participating on the Homeless Initiative Task Force.  We will continue to focus on the needs and partnerships in Polk County that best reflect our community, utilizing resources and strategies that support our collaborative nature."

In the email transmittal, Wheeler asked that the memorandum be forwarded to "all members of the task force."

Trauernicht forwarded Wheeler's email and letter, but only to the other co-chairs, Carlson, Mayor Clark and Mayor Peterson.

Through a series of private emails and meetings over the next several days, the three decided not to forward it to the other Task Force members, acknowledge its receipt, or let the Task Force or the public know that "the Polk County team" did not intend to participate in future Task Force proceedings.  

Gloria Roy, Marion County's attorney, would later opine that none of these leadership decisions  constituted "substantive task force matters", and therefore, the leadership was not a "governing body" or a Task Force committee for purposes of Oregon's Public Meetings Law.