Engineer Memoirs
We had had a long history of relations with the Fish and Wildlife Service of the
Department of Interior. I don't think there was a lot of mutual rapport there, although
the Interior Department people and I got along pretty well. But there were a lot of
differences between us.
Some of the state administrations were more friendly to the Corps than others. My
recollection is that there was a basic antipathy with the administration in Minnesota. We
had a terrible time with the state of Minnesota over dredging on the Mississippi.
Another place where we had a problem, but really did well in terms of credibility, was
with Governor [Patrick] Lucey of Wisconsin, over projects in his state. He wrote
General Clarke a letter challenging the projects. [Major General Charles I.] Chuck
McGinnis and I went to see him. We conducted a short restudy and in the end he
supported us. He told me in a subsequent meeting of the Great Lakes Basin
Commission that he had really been impressed with the Corps' responsiveness and
integrity.
No, I don't think we had real credibility problems. That doesn't mean the programs
fared well. But we got respect for integrity and competence.
Q:
Did you comprehend your three-year assignment there in stages like that at the time?
A:
Yes and no. I may have mentioned that I always believed there was a learning period
at the beginning. Perhaps I am more cautious than some, but I always wanted to get the
lay of the land before doing things, unless there was such a serious situation that it
required immediate correction.
Typically, I wasn't one for making a lot of changes until I was sure what would be most
constructive. There was always a period in my assignments when I was trying to get
across an ethic and a mode of operation. In any organization, it takes time for the
people to adapt to new leadership--to be able to read the boss.
But I didn't have a formal concept of phases. I didn't say, "There are going to be three
phases to my tour." Those things just come about naturally.
Q:
How would you characterize the ethic that you tried to communicate at that time?
A:
It would be two-fold. If you are a government servant, you have to give the taxpayers
something for their money. Therefore, you should be product oriented. What results are
you going to achieve? Second, for the most part you have to make a plan of what to do.
I am not picky about plans. Any kind of plan will do, although it needs to be thought
through.
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