Archives West Finding Aid

This oral history interview with Michael S. Lincicum was conducted by John P. Strassmaier from January 11 to April 6, 2011. In this interview, Lincicum discusses family background and early life in Portland, Oregon, including his early education. He discusses attending Willamette University, particularly his role as president of his fraternity. He talks about attending the University of Wisconsin and his transfer to the University of Oregon. He also talks about student protests against the Vietnam War and his feelings about the prospect of being drafted. He describes how his status as a conscientious objector led to a job working for the Oregon Educational Coordinating Commission. He describes conducting a study on education programs for children with disabilities and speaks at length about the reforms that were underway during Governor Tom McCall's administration. He also discusses his other duties at the commission. He then talks about working as a budget analyst under Robert W. Smith for the Oregon Budget and Management Division. He describes Smith's philosophy of budget analysis; his first assignment as budget analyst for the Mental Health Division; and the process of calculating budgets without computers. He describes the workplace culture in state government and how it changed under different governors. Lincicum discusses working as administrative services director for the Oregon Children Services Department, then in the Oregon Mental Health Services Department. He speaks at length about mismanagement of Mental Health Services, particularly at Fairview Hospital. He also talks about his brief time as acting director of Mental Health Services; the decertification and re-certification of Fairview Hospital; a state employee strike in the late 1980s; and personnel changes at the various state hospitals. He talks about the closure of Damasch Hospital; leaving the Mental Health Services Department; working as an administrator for the Oregon Health Plan; and returning to the Budget and Management Division. He speaks at length about political appointees he's worked with and other state departments he did projects for, particularly the Department of Motor Vehicles. He talks about his job duties leading up to his retirement in 2000. He closes the interview by talking about his retirement activities.