In late 1994 when I had my home built a septic tank was installed on the property by Mike Daly Construction. Just this past Monday I learned that it’s a steel tank although all my paperwork and county documents state it’s concrete. Steel septic tanks have rarely been installed since the 1980s because they rust and corrode in Central Oregon soil and ooze waste which ultimately ends up in the Deschutes River. Because of this septic fiasco the couple who were buying my home withdrew their offer. I had Dan Haldeman (Deschutes County Environmental Health Director) perform an on-site visit and he verified the tank is steel.
I contacted Mike Daly to ask why he would pull such an underhanded trick and he conveniently can’t remember anything about my install. Well, these guys are members of the “good ole boys club” so I have not been able to get to the bottom of this issue because they are covering each others’ backs. Who knows how many other good people of Deschutes County have been duped by Mike Daly?!? Being that he is a county commissioner, I question whether he has pulled the wool over our eyes on local issues. Come on Mike Daly, “do the right thing.”
MaryLou Hansen
This article appears in Jul 31 – Aug 6, 2008.
MAKE LOCAL JOURNALISM HAPPEN
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
Marylou: Rip off artists seldom do the right thing. They got where they are by persistent deception. Public disclosure, such as this, of the pervasive moral rot that infects them is probably your only recourse. Keep spreading the word in every way you can conjure…Show up at public meetings and loudly call him out about it. Inquire how it got past inspection. See if you can bring suit against the inspecting authority for falsifying public documents (county/city?) Unfortunately, the statute of limitations has probably expired, but remember, your mouth and pen haven’t.
I echo everything Jerard had to write. The shyster-turned-politician problem is not unique to central Oregon; we deal with it constantly here in the north Atlanta, GA suburbs. Thankfully, the power of public protest often can bring around even the most stubborn of malfeasants. Many of our most despicable characters have succumbed to the wrath of public opinion and lost most if not all of what their underhandedness gained them simply because one person had the nerve to stand up and say something. So keep doing what you’re doing. Hopefully this guy will wise up and at some point see the writing on the wall, figure it’s better to be agood corporate citizen and commissioner and do the right thing as you ask.
Mike Daly is incapable of telling the truth. Remember he likes the idea of men keeping women in their place. Mike Daly is also the vermin responsible for watching the backs of big developers who are in violation of the laws of this state.
Funny how all of the slime in this county are starting to lose their foothold as this town becomes more educated. Stand your ground, do not back down and keep after him to do the right thing. Sometimes miracles happen and people come full circle on their old ways of doing things. Mike Daly may be a huge stretch on this issue. He is the good ol boy club.
I feel compelled to comment about Ms. Hansen’s misleading letter. First of all, I have never met Ms. Hansen. When she had her home built in Deschutes County, she was apparently living in Washington and contracted the construction with a General Contractor in Bend. This General Contractor hired me to do the septic system and it was installed according to his instructions. Also, Ms. Hansen is incorrect when she says Steel Tanks were rarely used after 1980. In Deschutes County, Steel tanks were used extensively in 1994 when she built her home. They were approved by the Oregon Dept. of Environmental quality and steel tanks are still approved for use in Oregon by the DEQ.
When she tried to sell her home, she had her tank dug up and pumped by a septic pumper and they discovered the tank was steel and not concrete. The County inspector records do show a concrete tank but it has been determined that the inspector just made an error when he filled out the inspection report. An inspection was made just a few days ago by our County environmental director of the tank and system, and there is a letter coming to Ms. Hansen that the tank is in very good condition, the septic system is working perfectly, and was installed according to Oregon DEQ Rules and specifications. Ms. Hansen’s issue is with the person she hired to build her house, not me. She insinuates that I did something illegal, unethical and underhanded. I installed a septic system as I was directed by the General Contractor and did not talk to Ms. Hansen ever. I will let you the reader be the judge if she told the whole story.
Since 14 years have passed since the job was done, the elected public official is the one easiest to try to destroy. She has never mentioned the General Contractor and her agreement with him ever. If she had an agreement with the General Contractor to install a Concrete Septic at her home, I am sure she would have mentioned that fact also.
It appears Ms. Hanson lost a sale on her home and wants to blame someone, and I am the easiest one to blame. She is a Democrat and I am a Republican, and politics may be playing a role in this also in an election year. Thank you all for your time and I appreciate you reading the other side of the story.