Uprooting Legacy Challenges at the City of North Plains

If you're on social media, you’ve likely seen the news that North Plains' interim City Manager resigned. The way that the news broke says a lot about what is happening behind the scenes. The announcement was first posted on the Facebook page for "real friends" of North Plains (read more about them below). It was then announced on North Plains' website by a communications consultant whose contract the former City Manager extended on his last day. Only after that wereCity Councilors informed... Unfortunately, it appears that developer-allied groups like "real friends" are still closely connected with the workings of the city. If there is dysfunction, it is by design and intended to reflect poorly on the pro-good governance Councilors.

On the positive side, the City likely dodged a bullet when Mr. Marks resigned. A simple internet search reveals that Mr. Marks resigned from the position of City Manager of Lebanon after substantiated allegations of “disrespectful and abrasive conduct” and “bullying and retaliation.” How he rose to the top as one of only two candidates presented by the unusually small selection team of the city attorney and Mayor Dumbrow is a mystery. Council was not allowed to see the names or résumés of the other City Manager applicants. But the meeting where the Council was presented with Mr. Marks as a candidate was one of the last days of employment for the North Plains staff person serving as Interim City Manager. Council did not want to leave the position empty, so they voted to retain Mr. Marks because the Mayor and attorney gave them no real choice. This flawed process shows that systemic challenges at North Plains are not over.

Mr. Marks' resignation was one of many recent resignations at the city, which points to deeper dysfunction in the system that current Councilors inherited and are working to address. As a general matter, when an organization's administrator resigns followed by many of their colleagues, it is wise to conduct not only normal audits but forensic audits, and to do a forensic search to make sure that public records were left in place.

You can see the gameplan clearly in the glossy mailers and rampant social media posts by groups like "real friends" of North Plains. We do not know for sure who they are or how they are funded; the group does not appear in a search of Oregon businesses, nonprofits, or political groups. We do know that other groups supporting massive, North Hillsboro-style development in North Plains are funded primarily by developers and land speculators. That includes the Political Action Committee North Plains 1st, which funded the campaigns of councilors who pushed forward the excessive urban growth boundary expansion in 2024. Of the $36,895.50 North Plains 1st PAC raised for the 2024 elections, $20,000 came from one landowner in the proposed expansion area (and more from other landowners) and $10,000 came from the Portland Metropolitan Association of Realtors PAC.

“Real friends’” unsigned posts are misleading and exaggerate the city's problems, which were largely caused by previous Councils' and administrators' actions. We are, as always, up against powerful forces. After losing another election in 2024, former pro-excessive growth Council President Russ Sheldon was overheard consoling UGB promoters by saying: “Don’t worry we have a plan.” We might be seeing that plan in action right now. City dysfunction is orchestrated to make it impossible for new City Councilors to govern. This is being “spun” as the current Council’s fault by a well-funded misinformation machine, with the goal of influencing your vote in November.

But we at Friends of Smart Growth also have a plan. A plan to improve governance, fiscal responsibility, and quality of life for all North Plains residents. Better yet, the voters are with us. And we are building a movement. 

Here's how you can help today: Contact your City Council to let them know what you'd like to see in a City Manager. What expertise, goals, communication style, and engagement is meaningful to you? As always, please be very respectful to these public servants. 

Email: Aaron.dumbrow@northplains.gov, Mark.deforge@northplains.gov, Mandy.hagedorn@northplains.gov, Trista.papen@northplains.gov, Anna.warrington@northplains.gov, Don.weber@northplains.gov

If you can, please consider donating to help us pay for mailers, web development, and more.

Thank you for your engagement. We'll be in touch.

Friends of Smart Growth‍ ‍