I have read and re-read the article on leadership at the Oregon Employment Department at least three times in utter disbelief! (“Oregon Employment Department chief has been ‘acting’ for 3 years. Will Kotek replace him, or give him the job permanently?” Feb. 20).
.What a travesty of human decency and utter disregard and lack of sensitivity for Acting Director David Gerstenfeld and his feelings. For three years the Oregon Employment Department has held him in abeyance as a mere placeholder, keeping him on the hook while they lollygag around with no sense of urgency.
Oregon governors fired each of Gerstenfeld’s three predecessors, responding to leadership failures that had been thoroughly documented by a succession of state audits. Common decency demanded that, after one year of failed searching, Gerstenfeld should have been permanently promoted to director.
Three things are clear. Gerstenfeld is obviously the best candidate that the department has or can find; there have been many in the position that have failed and been fired; and potential candidates witnessing this cavalier and disrespectful mistreatment are hesitant to place themselves in a potentially similar position.
And, as the article rhetorically asks: “Who else can do the job?”
Has the Oregon Employment Department no shame? Or common sense?
Michael Sturgeon, Portland
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