I was curious how the recent newspaper advertising for National Public Works Week was paid for. I thought surely our tax dollars weren't used to pay for an advertisement of group photos of the Mason County Public Works Department employees.
So I put in a public disclosure request.
I'm sad to report, Mason County, your property tax dollars were used to pay for this advertisement. They used County Roads money. While $315 may seem trivial in the whole scheme of things, it's representative of how our money can be misspent and the cavalier attitude they have with our money. A frugal money manager would have done a news release and saved that money.
Could there be other efficiencies found within our county government? I'm betting there is.
Still following the money in Mason County.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
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I wonder if Shelton does the same thing with road money.. oh wait Shelton does not have designated road money or something like that..
ReplyDeleteDid the parks thing pass? How much of that money will be used for parks?
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
ReplyDeleteOPPOSE TOXIC EVERGREEN BIOMASS INCINERATOR
OPPOSE TOXIC EVERGREEN BIOMASS INCINERATOR
· When: 7pm, Tuesday, June 22.
· Where: at “Traditions” in downtown Olympia, 300 5th Ave., SW
· WHAT: Presentation by No Biomass Burn documenting the lethal pollution a biomass incinerator proposed for Evergreen campus would emit.
· Why: Evergreen is planning now to convert its existing natural gas boiler to biomass. BUT, compared to the current campus boiler, the biomass incinerator would double carbon dioxide emissions plus rain particulate matter pollution on us so toxic a single exposure could kill.
· Who: Presentation by Duff Badgley of No Biomass Burn. NBB is a state-wide group now fighting two highly polluting biomass incinerators proposed for neighboring Mason County. If Evergreen builds its biomass incinerator, and the two in Mason County are built, toxic pollution will be dumped on the entire region.
Has anyone seen the pollution permits from ADAGE do we have a table the says exactly how much pollution ADAGE and simpson proposing to dump on us? The EPA says that plant typically produce more pollution than then are permitted for. I read that on their own page that was answering questions about the filthy coal burnin plant in centralia. But a table what they claim they will be dumping on us would be nice.
ReplyDeleteRECALL THEM ALL NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
There will be a demonstration TUESDAY, JUNE 15 at HIGH NOON (until ?) at the
ReplyDeleteCHAMBER of COMMERCE OFFICE on RAILROAD, across from the P.O.
...This demonstration can have a BIG impact as the location is central, VERY
VISIBLE, and we have our friends at the C of C to entertain.
SOooooooooo. ....
*Tell all your friends through your medium of choice
*Invite co-workers to join you for a long lunch break
*Bring a sign if you can
*Invite strangers
BTW, the point of demonstrating outside the chamber of Commerce is, of course, that they support Adage and were really the first to know about it being that they were seeing presentations from TS and LRE for two years before anyone else was told. and since they support it and continue to have presentations for Adage and Simpson, we're mounting a "Vote with your dollars" campaign.
ReplyDeleteA sort of reverse boycott. They sell out for 24 jobs, but lose several hundred customers.
It's only fair. North County folks, head to Belfair! Shelton folks, you have many more choices and less expensive goods in Olympia.
Car pool with your neighbors! Stop and have lunch in Oly! It will bring your community together! Voting with your dollars is one of the most powerful things an individual can do, you can make a difference! Just stop voting at Shelton Chamber businesses.
"Just stop voting at Shelton Chamber businesses"
ReplyDeleteOh, wait a minute! Many of these businesses are against the ADAGE biomass thing. You end up hurting these people and your neighbors and friends by boycotting any business that is a Chamber member. Yes, the Chamber has some problems - but take out your anger at the Chamber not Shelton businesses. This isn't a war between the people and business it is a political process. Instead of boycotting, call or email the Commissioners - all of them - and express your anger in well thought out arguments.
Steve
Not to worry. We will shop at stores who will proudly display a sign in their window that states they are against the incinerators. All other stores we boycott. If you're nuetral we boycott. You're either with us or against us. There is no nuetral.
ReplyDeleteWe could even rent a bus for Sheltonians who now shop in Olympia. I am licensed to drive it.
ReplyDeleteWe have all written our commissioners and attended meetings. Our elected officials are not responding to us. They are all going to go down, city, county, port whoever! There is no such thing as nuetral in this battle for our lives.
You're either with us or agaist us and you will all be accountable! We are MAD, and we are not gonna take it. YOU WILL ALL GO DOWN, YOU WILL NOT PASS THE BUCK.
The Chamber IS local business. If the Chamber leadership is promoting Adage and continues to hold Adage promotions, then there is really no choice. Either they speak for local business or they don't. We know the local businesses that are responsible and many merchants have been active opposing the incinerator. They are the true business leaders.
ReplyDeleteBut the Chamber is run by political elites, promoters and lobbyists, and the most powerful thing we can do is support only those businesses that directly oppose making their community sick or worse.
I wonder if some of these "anonymous" posting are plantings by those favoring ADAGE to make the opposition look like extremist? To take your business out of Shelton just to spite a few rogue misguided Commissioners is really misguided and makes no sense unless you are the ADAGE guys trying to make those opposing ADAGE look like "kooks" as Sheldon called them. Concentrate on those wacko Commissioners who stopped listening to the public.
ReplyDeleteSteve
And you sir or madam sound like a planted, planted to make us afraid of plants. I will gladly continue to shop and pro-clean air shops in our community.
ReplyDeleteBut there is no such thing as nuetral. If you are nuetrual then you are up for incineration.
Steve, have you attempted to talk to the County, Port and PUD Commissioners?
ReplyDeleteAre you a member of the chamber? Have you talked to the responsible Chamber committees?
With all due respect, you don't know what you're talking about. I suggest, if you are a member, that you make your views known at the Adage presentation to the chamber on June 17th.
We aren't whackos or kooks, we're dead serious.
We plan on recalling and voting out anyone that supports the incinerator and not frequenting those businesses/banks etc. that support the incinerator and the chamber promotion. Afterall, this is about money and those businesses that would sell out our health for a few (24) customers don't want our business. Many have announced their plans to move their businesses out of town and many others plan to shop elsewhere.
The Chamber and it's members have a choice.
Support Terri and Lynda Ring Erickson and their promotion, or lose customers. No, we're not kooks, we're customers and we are going to vote with our dollars.
Failing that, we are going to vote with our dollars and our feet. It's not misguided at all, it's the most powerful thing any individual can do and something they exercise everyday.
Your target needs to be the ones making the decisions; the County Commissioners and Port Commissioners. To favor a business because they have come out against ADAGE is very positive - but to stay away from a business just because they happen to be a member of the Chamber is hurting your own cause.
ReplyDeleteSome of these Commissioners have very different values than the majority of the people in Mason County - concentrate your efforts on them. In unimaginable twist of logic, they claim to be Conservatives while sucking at the teat of federal pork to the tune of 70 million dollars of your tax money. That they are able to rationalize this largess paints them as the hypocrites they are - stay focused on the problem.
Steve
"Steve, have you attempted to talk to the County, Port and PUD Commissioners?"
ReplyDeleteYes. I spent two hours yesterday with one of the Port Commissioners and considerable time with one of the PUD Commissioners a few days before that. I am not a member of the Chamber and have lost a lot of faith in them as they fought against the Health Care Bill. But individual businesses are NOT the Chamber. Small local businesses need just about all the help they can get to survive and just because they may have joined the Chamber doesn't make them evil. And when you attack them you lose their support in your cause. That's just plain dumb in my mind.
steve
Oh no, we are not joining in the game of pass the buck. We will hold everyone who has any part in this accountable. We have been to all the commissioner meetings and the PUD meetings. We have talked to all our local politicians and commissioners. We are done talking, it got us nowhere. Now we’re going to get serious.
ReplyDeleteThe port tries to pass the buck to the county; the county tries to pass the buck to the port and so on. No one is going to get away with passing the buck. You're either with us our your with the incinerators. Neutral does not exist, if your neutral you're pro-ADAGE / SIMPSON incinerators. You will not be re-elected, you might be re-called and we will not patronize your business. You have a choice to make!
Business people if you are with us post a sign in your shop window that says you are against both biomass incinerators. Politicians quit fence riding; we know that neutral means you are pro-incineration and pro-pollution.
We are protecting our health. We are in a fight for our lives and our way of life. The carbon output of this incinerator is unacceptable! The particulate output is unacceptable the immanent deforestation is unacceptable. We will not stand for this. Some of us are done being polite. Polite got us nowhere.