Greg Smith first quit as economic development director and now has quit as project manager for the Treasure Valley Reload Center. He has had a troubled tenure in Malheur County.
November 2000 – Greg Smith is elected to the Oregon House, serving as a Republican from Heppner.
December 2000 – Greg Smith forms Gregory Smith & Company as an economic development and business consulting firm.
November 2013 – The Malheur County Court contracts with Smith’s company “to coordinate existing and new economic development opportunities” in the county for $9,000 a month. Smith at some point begins using the title “director” though he is never formally given that title by the county.
July 2018 – Malheur County contracts with Gregory Smith & Company to serve as project manager for the Treasure Valley Reload Center for $6,000 a month.
September 2018 – Greg Smith on behalf of Malheur County Development Corp., created by the county to oversee the project, submits a plan to state, anticipating opening of rail center in July 2020.
August 2019 – Greg Smith advises a new Ontario business it isn’t eligible for a property tax break after his team told the business otherwise and it launched construction. Malheur County officials took no action when the duplicity became public.
May 2020 – Greg Smith’s team applies to the federal government for money to develop a county industrial park. The application is so weak the government rated it “unacceptable.”
October 2021 – Smith orchestrates groundbreaking ceremony at the Nyssa site.
April 2022 – Greg Smith says in press release that estimate of $9.8 million cost overrun on the reload center is a “worst case” figure. “We look forward to a grand opening in 2022!”
June 2022 – Greg Smith notifies the county he won’t continue as economic development director, because “the environment surrounding economic development has become incredibly toxic.”
February 2023 – Greg Smith notifies officials his company is resigning as project manager of the Treasure Valle Reload Center, effective in 11 days.
RELATED COVERAGE:
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