Wilsonville Spokesman Online

Maletis PR firm, Wilsonville to make presentations about Langdon Farms

Two sides will address area city councils next week

• By: Patrick Johnson  
• Published: 3/3/2010 1:28:38 PM
• Last Updated: 3/5/2010 1:54:34 AM

The PR campaign is starting.
 
Representatives of the Maletis family – owners of Langdon Farms Golf Course – are scheduled to speak at three city council meetings around the French Prairie next week.
 
The public relations road show comes on the heels of a letter written to Sen. Jeff Merkley from Wilsonville mayor Tim Knapp. The letter was sent to local jurisdictions in an effort to garner support for Wilsonville’s opposition to a potential land deal between the Maletis family and the Klamath Tribes.
 
The Langdon Farms owners want to place their land in trust for the Klamath Tribes. They claim their plans would allow them to develop 385 acres for an industrial complex.
 
Critics, however, say that putting the land into a trust would make way for a casino.
 
Now attorneys and public relations professionals representing Tom and Chris Maletis will be making presentations to the Aurora, St. Paul and Hubbard city councils – and city of Wilsonville officials will also be presenting their point of view.
 
“We want to give as much accurate information as possible at these meetings, because there is a lot of misinformation out there,” said Kelly O’Brien, a principal at Hubbell Communications, the Portland-based PR firm representing the Maletises.
 
Mark Ottenad, public and government affairs director for the city of Wilsonville, said that representatives from Wilsonville will attend the city council meetings to give an alternative view.

Ottenad said that other meetings conflicted with the presentations and as of Wednesday didn't know who would be giving presentations at the different council meetings.
 
“We will have someone (at the meetings) to give our perspective on the Klamath Tribe proposal,” Ottenad said.
 
The St. Paul City Council meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. Monday, March 8. According to city staff, 30 minutes will be given to Jack Issleman, an attorney for the Maletises from Tonkin Torp, LLP. Immediately following his presentation, the city of Wilsonville will give its 30-minute presentation.
 
On Tuesday, March 9, the two sides will present in Aurora and Hubbard – both meetings start at 7 p.m. In Aurora, city recorder Kelly Richardson said the presentations would start “pretty close” to the beginning of the meeting and that both sides would be able to give a presentation.
 
“There hasn’t been a time allotted for both sides, but I am assuming there will be some limit on how long the discussion will go,” Richardson said. Mark Cushing, another attorney with Tonkin Torp, LLP, will give the presentation in Aurora for the Maletis family.
 
In Hubbard, Ward Hubbell, president of Hubbell Communication, will give the presentation for the Maletis Family, O’Brien said. The city of Wilsonville will also give their point of view, according to Ottenad. City officials with Hubbard were contacted to confirm what will be on the agenda.

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