les ruark emails
TRANSCRIPT
From: Les Ruark <[email protected]> Date: April 18, 2014 5:06:40 PM PDT To: [email protected] Cc: [email protected] Subject: Governor's Task Force on Genetically Engineered Agriculture
18 April 2014
Cat McGinnis
Operations and Communications Manager
Oregon Consensus
Oregon Solutions Network@Portland State University
Laura Gleim
Communications Coordinator
Institute for Sustainable Solutions
Portland State University
Cat; Laura:
I request to receive via email at [email protected],or fax at (541) 454-2065, notice
of and agendas for all meetings of the Governor's Task Force on Genetically Engineered
Agriculture, beginning retroactively with the notice and agenda issued for the task force's
initial meeting held Thursday, April 10, 2014. Please provide me with an email
confirmation that my name and contact information has been placed on whatever
distribution list achieves this purpose.
Please know that I will anticipate that the notice issued and the agendas prepared for the
task force meetings will conform to the state's public records and meetings statutes and,
therefore, will be issued so as to provide actual advance notice of the meetings and that
the agendas will include a listing or identification of the topics anticipated to be
considered. I will also anticipate that minutes of each of the task force meetings will be
available within a reasonable time after the meeting; and that they can be made available
upon request once in draft form without the need of first being approved before being
disclosed.
I will further anticipate being able to obtain copy, on occasion, via email or fax, of
support material provided to the task force as part of the full agenda packet task force
members may receive, including draft versions of its written presentation or final report
to the Governor.
Also, I would appreciate receiving via email a listing of the specific Oregon Consensus
and/or Institute for Sustainable Solutions staff assigned to or who otherwise will be
assisting the task force, listing each by name, area of responsibility, and contact
information (telephone or email); aside from staff of the Governor's Office of Natural
Resources Advisor or staff of the Oregon Department of Agriculture (which I am already
aware of).
Thank you for your help in enabling me, as an interested citizen, to follow from afar the
significantly constructive conversation I'm confident the task force will foster.
Sincerely,
Les Ruark
12888 Lower Rock Creek Lane
Arlington, Oregon 97812
tel (541) 454-2511 fax (541)454-2065
On Apr 20, 2014, at 8:46 PM, Les Ruark wrote:
Rachel Wray
Acting Press Secretary
Governor's Office
Salem, Oregon 97310
Rachel:
As a longtime observer, and a supporter, of the Governor, and someone he knows, I'm not
all that surprised by his apparent attempt to keep a close hand on just how much his
newly created Task Force on Genetically Engineered Agriculture does to begin with.
However, I am surprised, and disappointed, at what certainly, from afar, appears to be a
matter of intentionally issuing short notice of both the announcement of the task force
membership and it's initial meeting. As John knows, the initial organizing meeting of any
task force is often among the most important of its meetings. For this to have been held
so closely to the chest, so to speak, with less than a couple days notice, is not the normal
or so called "Oregon way" that John himself helped to create. Perhaps there was greater
notice, and an agenda, issued than simply the Governor's press release. But if not, I'm
hopeful the important and serious issue here of the public's right to actual and timely
notice won't be a continuing one.
Sincerely,
Les Ruark
or (541) 454-2511
From: Les Ruark <[email protected]> Date: April 22, 2014 8:56:17 PM PDT To: [email protected], [email protected] Cc: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] Subject: Governor's Task Force on Genetically Engineered Agriculture
22 April 2014
Cat McGinnis
Operations and Communications Manager
Oregon Consensus
Portland State University
Laura Gleim
Communications Manager
Institute for Sustainable Solutions
Portland State University
Cat; Laura:
I ask for an acknowledgement by Friday, April 25, of my previous email communication
requesting to receive notice of and agendas for all meetings of the Governor's Task Force
on Genetically Engineered Agriculture.
And I ask again that this include confirmation that my name has been placed on whatever
distribution list achieves providing me with the notice and agendas I've requested (most
commonly known as an "interested persons" list).
Unless my understanding is incorrect that Oregon Consensus, with help from the Institute
for Sustainable Solutions (among others), is the primary entity providing administrative
support to the task force, I will expect to hear from you by Friday.
My interest in the work of the task force is sincere, and serious.
Oregonians should be able to receive actual notice of and appropriate identification of
agenda items for each meeting of the task force; notwithstanding the apparent attempt to
structure the task force so as to limit application of the state's public records and meetings
statutes.
Sincerely,
Les Ruark
or (541) 454-2511
c: Dan Arp
Jennifer Allen
Richard Whitman
Katy Coba
From: "WRAY Rachel * GOV" <[email protected]> Date: April 23, 2014 10:47:13 AM PDT To: Les Ruark <[email protected]> Cc: Jennifer Allen <[email protected]>, Peter Harkema <[email protected]>, "Cathy McGinnis" <[email protected]>, Laurel Singer <[email protected]> Subject: Re: corrected email initially sent April 18 re GTFGEA
Les,
Thank you for your interest in Governor Kitzhaber's GE Task Force. For more
information about this group, please visit the Task Force
website (http://www.oregon.gov/gov/GNRO/Pages/index.aspx), which has been
established for the public to stay involved with the work of the Task Force. Items related
to the Task Force will be posted on the site, including meeting notes, and public
comments will be welcome through the site. Task Force coordinators are in the process of
finalizing a meeting schedule through fall of 2014. Once this is confirmed, it will be
posted to the website.
Please note that the Task Force is not subject to open meetings laws. However, the group
recognizes the strong public investment in its work and is committed to keeping the
public informed and providing opportunities for input into the process. A description of
the public engagement process will be included in the Task Force Operating Principles,
which will be posted the website once they have been finalized.
Please let us know if you have additional questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Rachel Wray Press Secretary, Office of Governor John Kitzhaber 503.378.3336 Office | 503.559.1277 Cell www.facebook.com/johnkitzhaber | @govkitz
From: Les Ruark <[email protected]> Date: April 24, 2014 1:44:43 PM PDT To: [email protected] Subject: Governor's Task Force on Genetically Engineered Agriculture
24 April 2014
IMPORTANT: Please respond as soon as possible. Thank you.
Rachel Wray
Press Secretary
Office of the Governor
Salem, Oregon 97310
Rachel:
Your email to me of yesterday prompts the need to ask several questions. So I trust you
will make good on your offer to answer additional questions concerning the Governor's
Task Force on Genetically Engineered Agriculture.
My questions are as follows:
1. Why the does the Governor's office believe the task force is not subject to the state's
public records and meetings statutes, ORS chapter 192? It would be helpful if your
answer would please identify the specifics this determination is based on.
2. Why can't or why hasn't the Governor's office chosen to apply chapter 192 to the work
of the task force? Again, it would be helpful to learn the specifics.
3. Why is your office responding to my email request to receive notice of and agendas for
meetings of the task force, when it is the staff of Oregon Consensus that has been
designated the support entity for providing assistance to the task force and it was that
staff that my email was addressed to? Why is it that the staff of Oregon Consensus
cannot itself respond? After all, are they not the entity the $125,000 in pass thru dollars
has been appropriated to for providing support assistance to the task force?
4. Why didn't the website for the Governor's Natural Resources Office include advance
announcement of both the membership and the initial meeting of the task force?
5. Why can't the Governor's Natural Resources Office website include a link to enable
interested citizens to signup for email notification of the task force meetings, such as
many governing bodies (and other entities) provide for? I should be able to receive either
an email copy of the notice and agenda for task force meetings or an alert that provides
me an instant link to that information, without necessitating having to continually visit
the website.
6. Who, specifically, among the various staffs working to assist the task force is drafting
the "Task Force Operating Principles" you refer to in your email as yet to be finalized?
Why was this document not specifically identified as a topic of consideration at the initial
meeting? Why has there been no meaningful opportunity for the public to comment on
this document before its finalization?
Rachel, if the task force is truly, as you state, "...committed to keeping the public
informed and providing opportunities for input into the process", then there really is little
reason why the task force cannot actually abide by at least the spirit of the state's public
meetings statutes, if not in fact the statutes themselves.
As it stands today, the task force is portrayed as an open affair yet it's being, for all
practical purposes, functionally orchestrated. A situation I recognize is intended to
exemplify a unique approach, but one that is actually and
simultaneously exemplifying an inappropriate image. And unnecessarily inhibiting the
public's right to know. The use of Oregon Consensus can still occur. It doesn't have to
include avoiding use of the so called "Oregon way" of governing. And it shouldn't.
I await your email response., Rachel. Hopefully, it can arrive by Friday and will include
complete answers to my questions. And, presumably, a thought or two about my
accompanying observations.
Additionally, if you want to call and discuss this with me, I'm available today and
tomorrow by phone, although I will be traveling in the morning hours on Friday. I can be
reached at either (541) 454-2511 or my cell at (503) 931-9145.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Les Ruark
12888 Lower Rock Creek Lane
Arlington, Oregon 97812
tel (541) 454-2511 fax (541) 454-2065
From: Les Ruark <[email protected]> Date: April 24, 2014 2:45:04 PM PDT To: [email protected] Subject: GTFGEA
24 April 2014
Laurel Singer, Director
Oregon Consensus
Portland State University
Laurel:
Notwithstanding Rachel Wray's email to me of yesterday, I still expect to receive a
response from Oregon Consensus to my April 18 and April 22 email requests by
tomorrow, Friday, April 25. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Les Ruark
or (541) 454-2511