Judge Elizabeth Farrar Campbell presented a million dollar (actually $1,143,600) contract for Court approval on February 7th. It was NOT approved. But if it had been, more than a million dollars would have gone to a Portland firm in exchange for 9,500 hours spent consulting 10 county organizations over the next three years. When asked, Judge Campbell was either unwilling or unable to identify the targeted organizations.
Seems like a lot of money for an extraordinary number of hours. More disturbing is the fact Campbell’s proposed contract had not been competitively sourced…that is, no other firm was considered for the job. In contracting lingo, it was a sole source contract. Judge Farrar Campbell said she met the consulting firm’s owner a couple years ago and the proposed contract resulted.
The contract was not only for an absurd amount of money and inappropriately sourced but also called for an astronomical number of consulting hours. Judge Farrar Campbell proposed paying over a million dollars for 9,500 consulting hours divided by 10 county organizations. So, 9,500 hours divided among 10 organizations equals 950 hours on average which, in turn, translates to 24 weeks per organization. Since the project was to occur over three years, the result would have been roughly 8 weeks consultation per organization per year for three years.
Now ask yourself what, if any, nonprofit organization's staff and board do you know that can step away from it’s primary function for 8 weeks out of the year for 3 years? I can’t think of a single organization able to close its doors; cease providing services; or put business as usual on hold for 8 weeks, let alone 24. But that is exactly what the Judge’s contract called for.
And if you think 8 weeks a year for 3 years is woefully unrealistic and that one or more of the local organizations could opt out if it had received ample assistance; could no longer continue to dedicate staff and board time to the effort; or for any other reason…think again….HERE’S THE KICKER…
A month before the consulting firm’s proposal was prepared last November and four months before Judge Campbell brought the contract to the Court for approval, Judge Campbell was securing written commitments from local organizations, obligating them to participate and naming Kelley Nonprofits as consultants. Kelley indicated she was adding staff in project anticipation. Why was the Kelley firm identified in October and why was Campbell give Times Journal advance notice that Kelley was awarded the contract BEFORE the Court considered it; especially since Kelley was NOT…. NOT FOR A MILLION BUCKS
This information and much more was available on Gilliam County website on February 7, 2024 but is no longer, thanks to Judge Campbell. Judge Campbell’s actions to date regarding the Kelley contract raise a host of questions and those questions are amplified by Judge Campbell’s having deleted relevant public records.
Denny Newell, Blalock
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