1998 Annual Leadership Symposium Proceedings
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Proceedings of The 1998 Annual Leadership Symposium Two States, One Region: The State of the Bistate Region November 20, 1998 Oregon Convention Center Portland, Oregon Hosted By: The Institute of Portland Metropolitan Studies College of Urban and Public Affairs Portland State University and Washington State University Vancouver The 1998 Annual Leadership Symposium Two States, One Region: The State of the Bistate Region November 20, 1998 Oregon Convention Center, Portland, Oregon Contents: Introduction ..............................................................................................................................3 Agenda.......................................................................................................................................5 Welcoming Remarks .................................................................................................................7 Governor John Kitzhaber.......................................................................................................11 Governor Gary Locke.............................................................................................................17 Questions and Answers with the Governors ..........................................................................21 Ethan Seltzer - State of the Region Report ............................................................................29 Neil Goldschmidt.....................................................................................................................39 William Dodge.........................................................................................................................51 Discussion Groups Report ......................................................................................................65 Registrants...............................................................................................................................67 About the Institute..................................................................................................................73 1 2 Introduction The Institute of Portland Metropolitan Studies was created to better connect the resources of higher education to the issues of the six-county Portland-Vancouver Metropolitan Area, and to bring new attention to critical regional issues. Annually the Institute organizes a Leadership Symposium to bring citizens and leaders together to hear new information and ideas about the metropolitan area and its issues, and to discuss and identify new courses of action. For the past two years we have been privileged to be able to bring Governors Gary Locke and John Kitzhaber to the same podium to discuss issues of bistate significance. The Portland- Vancouver region is one of only 44 metropolitan regions in America that span a state boundary. Vancouver is now the second largest city in our region. The jobs in the metropolitan area, particularly on the Oregon side of the river, make our economic region a powerhouse in the Pacific Northwest. At our 1997 event, the Governors challenged us to develop a short list of issues to focus bistate interest and activity. We’ve learned a few things about bistate issues since the first event. Although many issues are common to communities in the metropolitan area, not all issues can be addressed at a metropolitan scale. For example, school funding and quality are issues everywhere, but differences in school financing from state to state make a regional response unlikely. On the other hand, there is a short list of issues that will require a response at a metropolitan scale. Responding to the listings of salmon and steelhead populations under the endangered species act, addressing transportation issues in the I-5 corridor, dredging the Columbia River channel, the provision of affordable housing, and the availability of jobs in all parts of the region will require bistate thinking, collaboration, and innovation. These issues, along with continuing to build a metropolitan sense of place and community emerged at our second event in 1998 as cornerstones of a bistate agenda for the future. In addition to the Governors this year, we were joined by two other distinguished speakers. Former Oregon Governor Neil Goldschmidt inspired the audience with his 10 prescriptions for building and sustaining a worldclass region. Bill Dodge, Executive Director of the National Association of Regional Councils, spoke about the work going on in other communities to work across the often deep divides created by state boundaries. This year we had 290 people registered for the event. The evaluations that were returned tell us that those in attendance were very satisfied with the event, and we got some good suggestions for next year. Two comments stand out in particular. The first is that we ought to start focusing on bistate issues as metropolitan issues. That is, in addition to bridging a state line, we need to continue to invest in building relationships throughout the metropolitan region. Linking Clark County communities to those south of the Columbia is important, but linking communities east and west of the Willamette, or north and south of Burnside, are equally important and pressing challenges. 3 Second, there is tremendous interest in taking action. Participants wanted to know what would follow the symposium, and how discussion of bistate issues could and would lead to new initiatives. Right now we’re pursuing two parallel activities. First, we have put together a team of graduate students to profile the issues requiring urgent attention identified at the event. Those issues include transportation, growth management (jobs/housing balance), environment (endangered species, air quality), education (k-12 and higher education), and building the regional community. Briefing papers will be developed describing who is doing what, and how folks can get involved. We are also doing this to determine how, if at all, this Institute should be involved. Some of these issues have well-developed activities already underway. If we can add value to the activities out there, we will. Otherwise, where the lead is being taken, we’ll try to help you find out who to contact and how to connect. The briefing papers will be sent to all participants in the symposium, and posted on our web site. (http://www.upa.pdx.edu/IMS/bistate.html) At the same time, we are beginning to think about what we ought to focus on at our 1999 event. Our planning is just getting underway, and our research on the issues outlined above will certainly shape our plans. Nonetheless, if you have ideas for us, please feel free to write, phone, fax, or e- mail. Finally, there would not be an annual event without the strong support of our sponsors, all of whom are listed on the inside front cover. These organizations have made it possible for the symposium to take place, for us to send you these proceedings, and the follow-up activities now underway. Our thanks to them and to the participants for making the 1998 event both possible and successful. 4 Oregon and Washington: The State of the Bistate Region Hosted by: Institute of Portland Metropolitan Studies (College of Urban and Public Affairs, Portland State University) Washington State University Vancouver Sponsored by: City of Portland M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust City of Vancouver Norris Beggs and Simpson Clark County Northwest Natural CTRAN Port of Portland GTE Port of Vancouver Greenbrier Companies Portland General Electric Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Portland Safeway Samuel F. Johnson Foundation Schwabe Williamson and Wyatt Metro Agenda: 7:30 am Registration and Coffee 8:30 am Presentation of the Colors - Buffalo Soldiers/Pacific Northwest Chapter, 9th and 10th (Horse) Calvary Association 8:35 am Welcoming Remarks - Jay Waldron, Chair, Institute of Portland Metropolitan Studies Board Ed Washington, Metro Councilor and Member, Institute of Portland Metropolitan Studies Board Judie Stanton, Clark County Commissioner and Member, Institute of Portland Metropolitan Studies Board 8:50 am Introduction of Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber - Rob Drake, Mayor, City of Beaverton and Member, Institute of Portland Metropolitan Studies Board Presentation by Governor John Kitzhaber 9:10 am Introduction of Washington Governor Gary Locke Ginger Metcalf, Executive Director, Identity Clark County and Member, Institute of Portland Metropolitan Studies Board Presentation By Governor Gary Locke 9:30 am Questions and Answers 5 10:00 am Break 10:15 am State of the Region Report - “What Defines the Region?” Ethan Seltzer, Director, Institute of Portland Metropolitan Studies 6 10:40 am Identifying the Issues - Small Group Discussions Introduction by Thane Tienson, Symposium Organizing Committee and Member, Institute of Portland Metropolitan Studies Board 12:00 pm Lunch 12:30 pm Building a Region that Works - Introduction by Thane Tienson, Symposium Organizing Committee and Member, Institute of Portland Metropolitan Studies Board Presentation by Neil Goldschmidt 1:15 pm Building a Region that Works- Small Group Discussions Introduced by Tom Koenninger, Editor, Columbian and Member, Institute of Portland Metropolitan Studies Board 2:30 pm Making a Difference with Bistate Partnerships - Introduction by Ed Washington, Metro Councilor and Member, Institute of Portland Metropolitan Studies Board Presentation by Bill Dodge, Executive Director, National Association of Regional Councils 3:00 pm Town Meeting - Questions and Answers/Small Group Discussion Results with Bill