Do the words “conflict of interest” mean anything in the David Douglas School District?
Apparently not for this week’s rogues, District Superintendent Barbara Rommel and the east Portland district’s school board .
At issue: a potential $2 million payday at taxpayers’ expense for Rommel Architectural Partnership, which is headed by the superintendent’s husband, Terry. In 2005, a committee of three school board members and two district employees awarded Rommel Architectural a contract in a competitive bidding process, says district spokesman Dan McCue. The firm edged out two others because its low bid was 6.5 percent of construction value—and because of its greater familiarity with the district. The latter was a slam dunk.
“The Rommel firm has a 25-year history with David Douglas, going back long before Barbara Rommel became superintendent,” McCue says.
OK. But here’s the problem: Barbara Rommel is the district’s most powerful and highest-paid employee, making $133,740 a year. She’s also, as far as she and school board chair Annette Mattson know, the only one married to somebody who enjoys a lucrative contract with David Douglas.
The issue has surfaced because of City Commissioner Erik Sten’s proposal to shift $20 million to $30 million of urban renewal money from the River District to fund a new elementary school and community center in the David Douglas district (see “PDX’s Robin Hood Tale,” WW , Sept. 26, 2007).
Terry Rommel’s firm has done preliminary design and permitting for the planned elementary. If Sten’s plan proceeds, Rommel Architectural could make up to $1.95 million in fees.
Mattson says the superintendent played no role in the “open and fair” process won by Rommel Architectural. Mattson and Rommel both say they’re open to a different architect if David Douglas gets the city money.
That’s good, because one Rommel family member drawing a big check from the district is enough.
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Rommel went through a legitimate competitive process for the District's design services. DDSD solicited proposals from prospective firms via public notice. A committee of District representatives reviewed the submissions and selected a firm based upon their evaluation of the submittals. The process was executed within the bounds of the Oregon Regulatory Statutes. In this case Rommel was the successful architect. This process was discussed publicly in an article in the "Oregonian" in 2006.
Since I am familiar with the David Douglas School District through the business my company does with them, I closely observed the process the DDSD undertook in hiring Rommel. From my perspective DDSD has been transparent, open and within the bounds of ORS in their selection of Rommel. Rommel has provided a great service to the District with strong consideration for cost control awhile providing facility design that has greatly improved the District
Quick! You better make a mountain out of it! Hurry, before it's... gone.
Oh well, you guys don't actually need a reason, do you? Go ahead, make a mountain anyway! Yay!!!
Terry Rommel was doing work for the David Douglas School district at least 13 years ago (when I worked for him), and long before Barbara Rommel was superintendent. As long as she is not on the selection committee, there is no conflict of interest.
Her husband built a relationship with the district long before his wife reached her current position. Should he throw away his career because his wife did well?
And your statement that "Rommel Architectural could make up to $1.95 million in fees" is obviously stupid, as was noted in the letter above. Their actual profit will be about %5 of that, spread out over several years. And obviously, a six percent commission is pretty low - they will be lucky if they don't lose money.