Whitman Mission Administrative History

Chapter Four:
ADMINISTRATION

SYSTEMATIC MANAGEMENT: ROBERT C. AMDOR, 1980-1987

Perhaps more than any previous administration, 1980-1987 marked a time when major projects were undertaken in all areas of the park. Superintendent Amdor aggressively attacked problems and was personally involved in each decision. Unlike the past two administrations, interpretation was not the primary focus. Instead, Superintendent Amdor turned his attention toward the somewhat neglected maintenance and administrative divisions in order to improve their operation. To achieve this goal, Amdor stressed efficiency, productivity, and management skills. Before examining this changing emphasis, the 1980-1987 administrative structure deserves note.

Administrative Structure

Each administration increased its staff and 1980-1987 was no exception. From six permanent employees in 1980 to nine by 1987, the permanent positions include superintendent, supervisory park ranger, maintenance worker (leader), laborer, administrative technician, clerk typist, park ranger, permanent-part-time park ranger, and a subject-to-furlough park ranger. Assisted by seasonal rangers, maintenance workers, Youth Conservation Corps enrollees and volunteers, this enlarged staff was particularly useful in 1986 when the 150th anniversary of the Whitman Party's arrival in the Walla Walla valley increased visitation and mission-sponsored events.

Daniel J. Tobin replaced Ed Hummel as regional director in July 1980. In 1985, William J. Briggle became acting regional director until Charles Odegaard transferred from the Midwest Region in 1987.

Robert C. Amdor replaced Stan Kowalkowski as superintendent in July 1980. His first superintendent assignment, Amdor worked in the National Park Service for fifteen years prior to transferring to Whitman Mission. Previous assignments included Mammoth Cave National Park, Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, the Golden Spike National Historic Site, Fort Vancouver, Castillo de San Marcos and Fort Matanzas. In February 1987, after seven years at the Whitman Mission, Amdor was promoted and transferred to the position of Management Programs Analyst, Western Regional Office, in San Francisco, California.

Principal Accomplishments: 1980-1987

By Superintendent Amdor's own admission, "there were no pressing challenges" [166] when he arrived at the mission in 1980. Partly because Whitman Mission is, as Amdor describes, "a 'teenee' spot without a whole lot of pressing issues," [167] he and his staff had to analyze and evaluate the entire operation. This opportunity to involve himself with all the programs was "one of the real benefits" for Amdor:

It's a unique experience being superintendent of a little area because you end up being involved in so much of the day to day decisions. Maybe that's part of the thrill of it all, you're really involved in all the issues. [168]

Amdor took full advantage of this "hands-on" opportunity and quickly emphasized productivity in all three divisions. This results-oriented push was partly due to Amdor's own style and partly a result of the 1980 budget cuts.

Reduced funds forced each National Park Service superintendent to prioritize programs and to postpone or even eliminate those of lower priority. [169] For the Whitman Mission, this prioritizing resulted in a new maintenance program, additional building construction, and a documented management system. As for Superintendent Weldon, maintenance was Amdor's biggest concern, therefore, an overview of maintenance accomplishments follows.

Maintenance

By 1980 the millpond, "a continual maintenance problem," [170] needed rebuilding because of the water motion and an increased geese population. A bentonite clay seal was placed on the bottom of the pond to hold the water and river rock was used to rebuild the banks. Superintendent Amdor remembers a particularly enthusiastic visitor, who, in spite of the sludge and dying fish, "rolled up his pants . . . mud up to the middle of his thighs--he was out there looking at the fish." [171]

The park became wheelchair-accessible in 1981. A ramp was built from the parking lot to the sidewalk, the restrooms were rehabilitated, and the picnic tables were also made wheelchair-accessible. [172]

Stabilizing the Great Grave was one of the most important cultural resource and long-term maintenance projects completed in 1983. The project began after Dr. Norman Weiss of Columbia University recommended methods for cleaning, stabilization, and long-term preservation. [173] Amdor recorded the event in the 1983 Annual Report:

Stabilization consisted of removing the cracked marble slab . . . removing the original brick and mortar foundation wall and replacing it with a concrete wall. The metal casket was removed temporarily and stored while work proceeded. A concrete cap was placed over the crypt and the marble slab placed on it. This provides support to the entire underside of the slab. [174]

The Great Grave stabilization is a long-term project designed to protect and preserve this important cultural resource for years. [175]

Ever since 1950, when Robert Weldon first planted rye grass, the park's grassland acreage has concerned administrators. Grassland management began anew when park administrators requested Dr. Gerald Wright of the University of Idaho's Cooperative Park Studies Unit to study the grazing conditions on the park's south pasture. An Agriculture Use Plan for this acreage was developed after consultation with the Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the County Extension Office, and the mission staff. [176] A plan for revegetating the park's remaining acreage was developed in 1984 by Cathy Gilbert of the Regional Office and in 1985 by Dr. Jim Romo and Dr. William Krueger of the Cooperative Park Studies Unit at Oregon State University. Amdor explained their prescription in the 1985 Annual Report:

They divided the Park into five areas, and provided revegetation prescriptions for each area. The first phase, involving the north and part of the west side of the Park, proceeded smoothly in 1985. It involved the use of prescribed fire, herbicides, and livestock grazing to eliminate noxious weeds and prepare for revegetation in fall, 1986. [177]

Unfortunately, the results were not as expected so preliminary ground preparations continued in 1986 with results anticipated in 1987. Thus, an idea that first began with a few clumps of rye grass under Robert Weldon's guidance culminated in a project designed to revegetate the entire park with native growth, predominantly rye grass. This is a long-term management solution to a long-term maintenance problem.

In 1984, the maintenance staff demolished the audiovisual room ceiling and Jim Corn of Jims Building Service contracted to install a new audiovisual room ceiling and ductwork. [178] That same year, a contract was given to Pacific Power and Light Co. to lower the overhead powerlines, [179] which were placed underground by 1985.

Superintendent Amdor also takes great pride in making the residence "more liveable," realigning the mission fences, improving the park's main entrance, and purchasing computers for administrative work. [180] While this brief mention of maintenance does not do justice to the number of improvements enacted in these seven years, it is evident that maintenance was high priority and achieved success. In fact, in 1983, Whitman Mission was chosen to perform a maintenance pilot study for the Pacific Northwest Region. The results of the study and its significance to Whitman Mission follow.

Maintenance Study

Faced with budget cuts in 1982, Federal agencies were required to determine the cost-effectiveness of performing a commercial activity in-house versus contractor performance. [181] The agency that could perform the work at lowest cost or the private contractor--would do the job. Whitman Mission was chosen to develop a system for the Pacific Northwest Region that enabled superintendents to determine how competitive their maintenance divisions were compared to private contractors. After several months of work, the pilot study team, consisting of permanent members Bob Amdor, Irv Dunton, and intermittent members John Tamble and Bill Funk, completed the maintenance study and were assigned to teach this work evaluation system to other National Park Service administrators. [182] Or, in Amdor's words, "to help others streamline their implementation of it." [183] Collectively, the group traveled to Vancouver, Washington, the Denver Service Center, the Harpers Ferry Center, and Washington, D. C. [184] Amdor's commitment to this training program is reflected in the 1983 Annual Report which noted that, "Superintendent Amdor spent about 1,000 hours on special projects during the year." [185] Much of that time was spent presenting these "A-76" training programs. As a result of this project, Whitman Mission's maintenance operation was carefully reviewed and a Maintenance Management System was designed to save money and increase productivity. By 1985, the superintendent noted in his Annual Report that the maintenance division operated "with a very 'lean and mean' staff. The work accomplished is of the highest priority and is well done." [186] Amdor was personally satisfied with the project: "The A-76 project was a good chance to feel good about what I'd accomplished and to feel good about working at Whitman Mission. It wasn't like having outgrown the job--the job was expanded by quite a bit." [187]

Amdor feels that this systematic management was "a natural maturing of an organization." [188]

Interpretation

While there was little change in the interpretive program from 1980-1987, the artifact storage room, added to the visitor center in 1984, visibly improved cultural resource management, providing the space and controlled environment required by NPS standards to house the park's collections. Amdor remembers that acquiring this addition was not easy:

One of the toughest things for a little Park to accomplish is to add additional square footage to a building--a visitor center or an office. There are Parks that exist that don't have visitor centers that need them desperately . . . . We added a major addition to the visitor center at a time when dollars were really tight. It was a true strike for the little Parks. [189]

Supported by Regional Director Tobin, Whitman Mission awarded the construction contract to Vern Johnson Construction Co., Spokane. Construction began in November 1983, and was completed by May 1984 for approximately $87,000. [190] The addition included an office for the Chief of Maintenance, a more satisfactory work space for the clerk typist and administrative technician, lunch facility, sufficient hall space provided for forms and catalogues, and, of course, the artifact storage room with controlled temperature. [191] Kent Bush, Regional Curator, assessed the mission's cataloging and storage needs and, with the help of Southeast Regional Curator Dale Durham and nineteen volunteers who contributed 341 hours over five days, the collection was placed in the new addition. [192] After completion, David C. Wright and Associates contracted to develop a Collections Management Plan for the artifacts. By 1985, these and other suggestions were implemented to manage the mission's collection. This construction project improved the 20-year old building, but more importantly it improved management's ability to preserve the park's cultural resources.

Although interpretation was not Amdor's primary concern, one of the most important interpretive changes in twenty years occurred during his administration. A new museum and lobby, designed by Harpers Ferry Center in consultation with the Regional Office and Whitman Mission, was approved by Superintendent Amdor in 1985. Although the museum issue is examined in chapter six, the resulting change in interpretive theme will affect not only the interpretive division, but the entire park.

Superintendent Amdor said of the Whitman Mission, "Our problems and our situations are manageable." [193] The challenge is to determine the best way to manage them. As a result, several complicated, long-term projects were initiated including maintenance management, revegetating the park, and designing a new museum. Superintendent Amdor's high-energy, action-oriented management style created many new projects; the process of directing these projects to successful completion falls to his replacement.