Lookout delivers October surprise in commission race

John Q (KEPW-Whole Community News): An October surprise in our local 2026 elections as Lookout Eugene-Springfield chooses the final weeks of the campaign to publish an exposé about the CleanLane project. Noting the timing of their report in his response, Lane County Administrator Steve Mokrohisky:

Steve Mokrohisky (Lane County, administrator): A story published by Lookout Eugene-Springfield last week about the CleanLane project was disappointing for those who care deeply about balanced reporting supported by verified factual information.

Several community members have asked why the article was so one-sided and incomplete. I wondered this myself.

I’ve always been available to answer questions and would’ve for this article as well. As the county administrator who’s dedicated the past 13 years of my career and my life here, I was shocked at the article and knowing what is publicly available, I was doubly surprised and appalled that the reporter didn’t check his facts before publishing this article.

I’m issuing this statement today to present the information that should have been covered by this investigative reporter who’s done good work in the past, but in this case rushed to publish and missed what should have been evident.

The impact of this timing also cannot be lost on anyone in the community.

A confidential memo was leaked that only five commissioners and five legal staff members possessed. The leak came during a time when the impacts of incorrect reporting could have monumental consequences for a community’s future. Our community deserves better.

These are the facts that the story should have covered:

• There is no $300 million liability in the contract. This was an easy fact to check and well within the reporter’s ability to read the public contract with BHS. I negotiated a two-year cap on liability to protect the interests of the county. This fact has been verified by BHS in their own statement about this misleading article.
• Staff were not directed to withhold liability information from commissioners, ever. This would not happen throughout the entire project process. The team at Lane County has kept commissioners informed through numerous public and executive sessions to secure a two-year cap on liability, again, which limited the county’s exposure.
• We requested specific financial information from BHS (Bulk Handling Systems). As that information is proprietary and a sensitive part of its business model, the county agreed through negotiation with the company to limit access to that information to only the project team. There was no staff retaliation before or after the leaked memo was written.
• Talks about a transition plan for the then-director of Public Works started more than a year ago, and a transition plan was created.

At the end of the day, the CleanLane project is a good project for the people of Lane County. It will do good things for our community and help ensure our local public solid waste system can continue to operate well into the future.

We can’t let the maneuvers of a well-funded and connected opposition with a financial interest in halting progress derail our efforts to invest in our local systems.

As county administrator, I remain committed to working on behalf of our residents, conducting the business of the county in public, and carrying out the direction of the elected Board of County Commissioners. Thank you.

John Q (KEPW – Whole Community News): That’s County Administrator Steve Mokrohisky responding to a story in Lookout Eugene-Springfield. By shifting the local discourse from cronyism to CleanLane, Lookout announces that it is a player in local politics.