Remember that Irving Street Garage controversy? In late February, the city council voted to uphold a neighborhood appeal of a long-debated parking garage—a garage proposed for a lot just off of NW 23rd. It was a victory for neighbors, who are apparently celebrating that victory by mediating with Singer Properties, the developer who wants to build the garage. (Yeah, I don’t know why they did that—the neighbors had a win, then decided to negotiate…)

Enter Allan Classen, publisher of the NW Examiner, and a great neighborhood watchdog. He’s not thrilled that the mediation—the product of which will affect the entire neighborhood—is happening behind closed doors. He sent this note—subject line: “The Perils of Mediation”—to plenty of neighbors just a few minutes ago.

NWDA [Northwest District Association] is in the middle of mediation sessions with Singer’s people over the Irving Street garage, and I have grave concerns with the whole process.

For one, the sessions are totally private and confidential. The public and press cannot attend, nor can anyone speak later of what went on. The decision to accept these terms was made by NWDA representatives participating in the mediation. That decision has not been discussed at any NWDA meeting that I know of.

I understand the mediation sessions are held twice a week and each last three hours. Nobody but a $500-an-hour attorney being paid to attend should be comfortable with such a schedule (and all the people who fit that definition are on the other side). A grueling schedule like this is designed to wear down citizens and volunteers. It also creates a tremendous drive to finish, much like the forces that make mountain climbers or marathon runners risk all to complete their mission.

If a NWDA representative should “give away the store” just to reach peace, members of the organization will never know who, how or why (because of the confidentiality provision).

But in this case, finishing (meaning reaching an agreement) will likely be more harmful to the NWDA than not coming to agreement. Remember, that this mediation is taking the place of an outright NWDA victory before City Council, which would have been finalized had NWDA refused to mediate.

Neighborhood associations should stand on the side of open government, full disclosure and accountability to their constituents. Secret meetings are the domain of power brokers and special interests. Why are we playing on their home turf?

I’m with Allan. While I think mediation can be great, I’m too often frustrated by Portland’s tendency to take their spats behind closed doors, where the mess that characterizes democracy—debate, compromise, discussion—is kept confidential. To be perfectly blunt about it, I think it’s bullshit.