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Posts published in “Day: July 17, 2009”

The wheel of death

July 17, 2009
Lowe

Pam Lowe

We've not followed the administration of the Idaho Transportation Department closely enough to know first-hand how well its just-departed director, Pam Lowe, managed the place. We do know that the Board of Transportation, to which she reported, gave her only positive reviews in her performance evaluations. Up until the latest evaluation; work on that one was interrupted by her firing, which was done for reasons not made public.

While we may not have the information we need to evaluate Lowe's performance, we do have enough to evaluate the board's: Either the performance evaluations or the firing, or maybe both, must have been badly flawed.

One indicator at least points to the firing being the problem, with some blame to go around to the legislators. In the Spokesman-Review Betsy Russell blog is this from state Senator (and long-time ITB member and for many years chair) Chuck Winder, from an interview this spring: "They [transportation directors] are a lightning rod. They’ve [legislators] whipped up on the last two or three . . . Some of ‘em are valid, some of ‘em are political, and some are just ways to try not to address the funding for ITD.”

Oh, well. Time to launch another six-figure nationwide search for a new scapegoat - ah, director - to toss into the pit . . .

A suggestion. There's good reason for keeping a lid on personnel evaluations of most public employees. But those of chief executives of agencies should be open and public.

Closing the Upper Yakima

July 17, 2009
Upper Kittitas

Kittitas development images/CELP

The Washington Department of Ecology on July 16 issued an emergency rule shutting down the upper Kittitas Valley groundwater basin - east of the Cascade Mountains roughly east of Seattle - to new wells, including wells exempt from ordinary filing requirements.

The decision marks something of a turnaround for Ecology, which had been more supportive of at least exempt well drilling in the area.

The Center for Environmental Law & Policy, which together with the local group Aqua Permanente had sought restrictions, praised the decision.

CELP and Aqua outlined the background for the case as, "Currently more than 7,000 permit-exempt wells are being drilled EACH YEAR in Washington state. Exempt wells are fueling rural sprawl, and used in unlimited quantities for feedlots and dairies. Because these wells are not subject to regulation, there is no control over when and where they are drilled. There is also no control over the impact of these wells on other water users and on hydraulically connected streams. Counties have the power to determine that water is not available for new subdivisions and building permits. But they are generally unwilling (with a few exceptions) to exercise this authority. Thus, rampant new development is being built on exempt wells without oversight or consideration of public interests."

The state Department of Ecology reported its rule-making decision this way: (more…)