Engineer Memoirs _____________________________________________________________________
A:
We really didn't use that term, work for others, back then like we've picked up in the lexicon
since then. We may well have.
Q:
Would you have had much contact with state agencies, Illinois, or other federal agencies?
A:
No, I didn't because, I guess, the Chief of Planning would do those kinds of interactions, like
now. Colonel Mattina would do those kinds of things, but I was not involved. We would
know that the state of Indiana was at the public meetings we had at Indiana Harbor and for
the dunes issue, but I didn't have personal interaction with them.
Q:
The Corps ran the public meetings.
A:
Yes.
Q:
Were you involved much with those in terms of--
A:
Yes, I helped put them up, sat at the front table, and helped put them on. I did not preside; the
district engineer presided.
Q:
Before we move on, maybe we could talk just a little bit more about the public meetings. I've
noted later that the Corps' role in that kind of activity in the federal government is kind of a
pioneering one, and I think maybe this is a very early example of that kind of thing, and so
that's kind of what I'd like if you could address that.
A:
Sure. Now, mind you, I was just coming into the civil work business, so as far as I know
what we were doing was old hat. I didn't know that we were doing these public meetings for
the first time or a second time. I recall that about that time there were Corps publications--I
think developed by what's probably now the Institute of Water Resources--on how to
conduct public meetings. We had that kind of document and I read it because I was involved
with doing it.
For instance, the big one, the famous one at the time because it was such a cause clbre,
was the Indiana Harbor, "Save the Dunes" affair. There were strong antidevelopment forces,
and there were strong development forces. Our planning folks, who ran the public meeting
with great help from Public Affairs, put on what was to be a very contentious public meeting.
We were going with the rudiments, and so I was learning. We approached it in a rather
structured way. We'd try to take the contentiousness out of it and make sure everyone had a
chance to be heard so the district engineer wouldn't be backed into a corner. We were
looking for options; we were developing a way and an approach. There were media there;
there were people for both sides of the question; and there were other interests, without doubt
to include federal and state.
I think we probably ran a textbook public meeting, looking back on it, I would say. What I
observed my district engineer run that day, with his staff, was a textbook public meeting.
I went to several others. I remember one incident that had a note of humor to it. We were
looking for harbors of refuge for the small boats that would go out and ply Lake Michigan on
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