The paralysis surrounding the burned-out Centennial Mills structure on Portland’s Northwest waterfront was a frustrating two-week showcase of municipal inaction, (“Centennial Mills demolition: Live updates, video as the tower goes down,” Aug. 17). Freight lines and Amtrak were forced to halt operations while the city managed a no-pass zone for a crumbling hazard, all because the ground vibrations from passing trains might trigger a collapse.
In an emergency, the process should be straightforward: put out the fire, assess risk, search for remains and send in the demolition crew. If the property owner wants to clear it first, great; otherwise, send them the bill. Instead, we get emergency declarations that do little more than form committees to debate what to do next.
There are moments when endless red tape, prolonged environmental reviews and bureaucratic friction must take a back seat to public safety and economic common sense. If a declared state of emergency doesn’t clear the path for immediate action, then what is it actually for?…