By RODGER NICHOLS
The Dalles Chronicle
October 12, 2007

Most of the heat and noise at meetings of the Columbia River Gorge Commission for the past year have been generated by a controversial proposed amendment to convert the former Broughton Lumber Mill site to a destination resort.

All that drama has drawn media attention like tornados to trailer parks.

But in the shadow of that spotlight, the Columbia River Gorge Commission and its staff have been making serious progress on a long-awaited program that will have effects felt long after Broughton’s fate is decided.

They call it the vital signs indicators project, and it’s proceeding now at a satisfactory clip after 20 years of waiting.

One of the real problems with the commission’s work over the past two decades has been the lack of any sort of objective standards to measure how well — or poorly — they’re doing their job.

The indicators project seeks to fill that gap with scientific, objective, verifiable measures of the health of the Columbia River Gorge.

At its August meeting, the commission approved a set of working goals and the creation of 12-person technical and community advisory committees. Monday, the commission announced it has chosen members of the technical committee, and appointed Dr. Susan Wolff of Columbia Gorge Community College as its chair.

Wolff has a background as a facilitator who can bring people together for a common goal. She has done similar work on master academic plans for the college and for School District 21.

“I don’t have any agenda and I’m not trying to bias the results in any direction,” Wolff said Wednesday. “I haven’t had any work with the commission. I’m not a member of the Friends of the Gorge, and I haven’t been a homeowner who’s had issues. I come in with a very open mind.”

The commission is still seeking members for a 12-person community advisory committee to work in tandem with the technical committee. Nomination forms are available through the commission Web site, www.gorgecommission.org.

Though there was originally an Oct. 15 cutoff for nominations, Assessment Committee Chair Dan Harkenrider said Tuesday that the deadline would be extended, if necessary, to ensure a large and diverse pool of candidates.

Members of the community advisory committee will be appointed jointly by Harkenrider and the commission’s executive director, Jill Arens.

The first meeting of the technical advisory committee took place Thursday from at the Gorge Commission offices. All advisory committee meetings are open to the public.

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In other actions Tuesday, the commission:

• Approved a work plan for the 2007-09 biennium. The indicators project and the proposed recreation resort amendment (Broughton) were expected to consume the largest allocation for staff time for the next six months.

• Decided to hold a work session at its November meeting on issues connected with the potential expansion of urban growth boundaries by urban areas within the gorge. Several commissioners expressed a desire to have this discussion prior to receiving any specific proposals in order to clarify policy issues.

• Heard an update from the Metro waste transportation project. Solid Waste and Recycling Director Mike Hoglund told the commission that Metro had issued a request for proposals for a 10-year contract for the transportation of Portland’s waste to the Columbia Ridge Landfill at Arlington from 2010 to 2019.

He said the RFP was open for comment by rail, barge and trucking companies until Nov. 9, after which a final RFP would be issued and the contract awarded by July 2008.

• Heard presentations from the Gorge Technology Alliance, Mid-Columbia Economic Development and the Sandy River Connections Working Group.

• Approved revisions to Multnomah County Scenic Area Ordinance and Management Plan.