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OSBEELS Board Administrator Mari Lopez Placed On Administrative Leave
Mari Lopez, Board Administrator for the Oregon State Board of Examiners for Engineering and Land Surveying (OSBEELS) was placed on administrative leave in November. This information is just now being reported due to information released last week which contains the minutes of a special meeting held just before Thanksgiving.
The released documents say that there is an investigation in process in regards to “contract and banking issues and employee attendance”and that Lopez will remain on non-disciplinary leave until the board receives a report about the investigation as well as legal advice.
This latest situation is yet another strike against OSBEELS, who has been under fire over how it handled a situation with Mats Jarlstrom in regards to his use of the word “engineer”, free speech, and other issues stemming from that.
For more information:
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8 Replies
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If Ms. Lopez was place on leave in November that means she was not in the office directing things when the Jarlstrom ruling came in and the subsequent Allen Alley email incident happened. Just who is in charge over there?
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The story went from bad to worse.
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Ms. Lopez would have had nothing, beyond an administrative function, to do with the Jarlstrom thing from the start. This latest thing is a totally separate matter.
I’m satisfied that the board’s rulings in Jarlstrom stemmed from a literal reading and rote enforcement of the letter of the statute. The some long ago legislature passed a bad law – probably on the recommendation of the Professional Engineers of Oregon. That is were the real blame for that lies.
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If Ms. Lopez was place on leave in November that means she was not in the office directing things when the Jarlstrom ruling came in and the subsequent Allen Alley email incident happened. Just who is in charge over there?
Ha Ha, the AAG who has sticky fingers in the pie and dictates the boards every move from the “advisory” position without having to take any blame or defend those dictations.
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Jered, after attending most OSBEELS Board meetings and a goodly number of committee meetings last year I can say that AAG Katherine DiSalle does, sometimes
overstep her advisory role, but hardly dictates the board’s every move. Another thought about that occasional usurpation of power, is that the I have not seen
one Board member attempt to reign her in. As to who has been placed temporarily in Mari’s position, that would be Jenn Gilbert, a public member of the Board.
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An investigator has been put on leave too! That board is so backlogged with law enforcement cases I can’t imagine how they can function.
‘HOLD PARAMOUNT THE SAFETY, HEALTH AND PUBLIC” ??????
Attached is some good reading material if any one is interested in the state of Oregon Board.
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Jered, after attending most OSBEELS Board meetings and a goodly number of committee meetings last year I can say that AAG Katherine DiSalle does, sometimes
overstep her advisory role, but hardly dictates the board’s every move. Another thought about that occasional usurpation of power, is that the I have not seen
one Board member attempt to reign her in. As to who has been placed temporarily in Mari’s position, that would be Jenn Gilbert, a public member of the Board.
Love and appreciate your participation as a Liason with the board Scott. Truly a great way to give back to the profession and help all of us that cannot carve out the time to be there in person. I read the minutes rather religiously to keep tabs and have formulated my understandings from only that which makes it to the published version over the last 10 years. I have known and know many of the past and present board members, just as you do I’m sure. I still respect their dedication to make changes in the state. I would just like to see them run a little more independently and try and foresee when they are chasing dead ends or He Said, She Said cases but alas, they can only do what they can do as a collective force and they will be scrutinized when that decision goes against the social norms. I find that when presented with a situation that may require a judgment of common sense vs. Letter of the law. The board is always pushed to make that letter of the law decision. Granted Laws may need to change, but the reason the board is made up of humans is to make a human judgment. I find other states boards don’t have such a strong letter of the law element and they are not anywhere near the situation that our state is in. Im also still a bit bitter on the past changes to ROE that reworded the term, Notice in person, to Personal Notice. The latter term has a legal definition the essentially requires one to “Serve” the notice to an owner / occupant rather than my opinion of the original intent that would allow a surveyor to Talk to a landowner and get permission. One can still talk, ask, and be allowed but that doesn’t meet the definition…… I guess that it is just one of those “Letter of the law” examples that gets me and maybe it is better for us all if we practice the letter of the law in our business anyways. Cheers man, Hope that leg heals fast.
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@jered-mcgrath-pls, don’t get me started on ROE, what started out (maybe) as a good idea has turned into one the worst things ever. Best thing that could happen is total repeal and go back to like it used to be, ask permission, and do our jobs. If a land owner refuses (very rare in my experience, one time in almost 40 years) then deal with that on a case by case basis. More surveyors have been disciplined by the Board since this implementation than I bet almost any other issue they should be concentrating on. Glad I only have a few more years, at least in the field anyway.
SHG
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