First the county and then PUD 3. I saved the best for last. Port of Shelton could have sold tickets to their meeting today. I'm just giving you the highlights because it was a really lengthy meeting and I'm getting tired.
Jack Miles started off by moving to stop all negotiations and communications between the Port and ADAGE effective immediately. You probably won't be surprised to hear that this failed 2 to 1 with Jack being the single vote in favor. Jay Hupp did go so far as to say that he'd never seen an issue that so fired up the community as ADAGE has. Nevertheless, he says has a responsibility to bring business to the port - in fact that's really where his heart is. Tom Wallitner admits he's still evaluating ADAGE.
Jack moved to have all recordings of port meetings maintained for up to two years using the Americans with Disabilities Act as partial justification. Tom put his foot in his mouth by saying that he'd personally read the minutes to anyone who couldn't see to read but that he wants all audio recordings destroyed when the minutes of a meeting are approved. (honest he said this - I can't make this stuff up) Things got real interesting when a member of the audience pointed out that the commissioners might want to maintain these recordings just to protect themselves from being charged with a felony for having improperly approved minutes of a meeting. How do you spell felony? The port's attorney had his work cut out for him today. He advised on way more than Robert's Rules of Order quite by chance having in his hands the RCW and past attorney general rulings on audio recordings and minutes meetings. I thought he might have forgotten that part about felony.
Here's a sampling of public comment.
Austen Farr spoke directly to Tom asking him why he wasn't working to learn more about ADAGE and it's impact on the community as Jack Miles had done? Tom called him a "young fellow" causing me to have a flash back on last week's meeting when I was referred to as "young lady" by Tom. I think he fumbled the answer but I was in the middle of a flash back so you may want to get the commissioner's response from another source.
Tom Davis expressed concern about property values depreciating if ADAGE comes to the county. As a property investor and former property appraiser he explained that when an area has a "stigma" the devaluation of properties is extreme - like 30 to 35 percent could be expected. (Yikes! is what ran through my head as I calculated what that means to Dean and me.) Tom says he'll dump all of his property upon the approval of ADAGE construction.
Should ADAGE be allowed to come to the port, Carol Hepburn said that she and her husband will be selling three business properties: Shelton Dance Studio, an organic fruit farm and a small engine repair company. (To this I'm thinking, who will repair our lawnmower?)
Della Rogers made the case that just because something is zoned as heavy industrial, that doesn't mean only heavy industrial must be accommodated. If the land was zoned agricultural, you wouldn't necessarily want to bring in a stinky hog farm, would you?
There were many more who made public comments but I think you get the drift from this sampling.
At this point, the floor pretty much went to Jack Miles as he moved away from the commissioners' table to stand at the podium where the pesky citizens normally stand to plea and argue their case. You heard me right - Jack totally aligned himself with the little people asking for John Dobson's resignation. He gave a bunch of reasons and I wrote as fast as I could but I think I missed some of it. I believe he said that John had investments with AREVA and that his job application had been destroyed so Jack couldn't go back to check to see if John had disclosed this prior to being hired. He said that John had been insubordinate and dismissive and that John worked for Jack who was after all a commissioner. After asking for John's resignation, Jack received wild applause from the audience.
Then we were kicked out of the room while the commissioners and their attorney went into executive session.
There you have it, Mason County. If I missed something important, be sure to add a comment to the blog posting. I don't want to leave out any of the "unvarnished truth".
Thanks for reading my blog. Last week the blog had 1077 hits. Wow! You keep me motivated and attending these meetings on Monday and Tuesday.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
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Thanks for keeping all those names straight so I can put proper captions on my photos. The ADAGE man came in late and he had to stand I also noticed that he was once again eating cough drops. I posted a link to your blog on my blog and quite a few people have clicked on it.
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I were outside holding an 8ft banner (No Incinerator!) before and during the first half of the meeting, At first we stood on the grass between the Port offices and Hwy 101, where we were approached by a Port vehicle and told by a polite employee that he had been sent out to tell us political signs are prohibited on Port property. We told him we didn't feel our sign was political, and that we were concerned citizens exercising our First Amendment rights. When he drove away, to avoid potential confrontation with law enforcement, we moved our banner to the right-of-way along Hwy 101. We were encouraged by many horns blowing, waves and thumbs-up from passing traffic but weren't able to stay there for the entire meeting because a strong wind made it difficult to hold the long banner. We were actually glad to go inside, get warm and observe the second half of the dramatic meeting. Outside, afterwards, a group of us questioned ADAGE's Jim Gaston and expressed our opinions. I shared my concerns about forest health and asked for his email address so I could send him a link to Paul Stamets' excellent TED presentation, "Six Ways Mushrooms Can Help Save the World"
ReplyDelete(http://www.youtube.com:80/watch?v=u6XAPnuFjJc&feature=player_embedded). He insists ADAGE will use a soft-footprint piece of equipment and ONLY remove slash piles left by logging operations. He proudly suggested we look at their bundles at the end of the airport runway, that were wrapped with a NATURAL material, and a group of us went out there to see them.
Al Brotche asked the Port Commissioners to consider an advisory ballot on Adage, but Jay Hupp didn't think that would be feasible. Really? Isn't it just as easy to put that on a ballot as it is to run a referendum to ask voters to eliminate Port District boundaries?
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, I know about those cough drops. I've been sick now for about one week. Mystery solved - ADAGE flu is what I've had. I'll tell all of my friends who have had the flu that we've determined the source.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, thanks for standing out in the rain and wind. You and your husband have been such faithful demonstrators. I'm so glad those bundles of are being wrapped in NATURAL material. That makes all the difference.
Dj, you are on target. Why is this so hard for the Port and PUD 3 commissioners to seek the will of the people?
Count me among the people who will move if these plants get approved. I'll be sad to leave Shelton, but my family can't live next to biomass incinerators. One of my children has congenital heart disease and my husband has emphysema.
ReplyDeleteI love the Olympic Mountains but it won't be safe to hike there with two nearby incinerators. As it is the high country lakes have high mercury levels due to the Centralia coal incinerator and the fish in Olympic National Park are not safe to eat. How much more polluted will my beloved mountains be after these incinerators are installed?
Mossy Mom, we need to encourage everyone to come out to the county commissioners meeting. It's not enough to speak to the Port. The county is the lead agency deciding whether ADAGE will be permitted to build this facility. Help get the word out, please.
ReplyDeleteWhen do they meet?
ReplyDeleteYou people amaze me.. just because you few show up and wimper and complain about everything.. thats somehow the will of the people, all the people? wow..
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, I would like to suggest that asking our elected officials to properly and correctly document what happens at a public meeting isn't trivial. That's huge and a pretty low bar to set for our governance.
ReplyDeleteCome join the League of Women Voters Mason County to learn more about our efforts to educate ourselves about how our county works. We meet on the third Tuesday of each month (except for summer months) at 1130 am in the Library at the Olympic Community College.
Anonymous....we're asking for an advisory ballot.
ReplyDeleteTHAT would be the will of the people.
Don't you get the slightest bit concerned when local politicians want to raise your taxes substantially, find it easy to put port district questions on the ballot, but asking you about a major industrial installation with far reaching impacts for the entire county and beyond is too difficult to ask for the voters opinions? Are you serious?
My 25 year old son, Austin Farr, who spoke at the Port meeting, wants to know why we do not annex the Port and its facilities and divide it up between the City of Shelton and the County, insofar as the properties of the Port are clearly not only in the Port and within the confines of the city.
ReplyDeleteI found it to be a fair and good question.
Our Port is pretty small, we do not have large cruise ships coming in and going out, we have a very small yacht club, I have not seen any big ships taking those piles of wood out of the Port, etc., etc. I am wondering if the ballot measure might be (1) do the people believe that the Port should be annexed by the city of Shelton and Mason County? and (2) does our community want any biomass incinerators?
Part 2 would put Simpson on notice that some citizens are looking at their existing biomass burner in this discussion, not just the one they propose to build next. I am pretty sure if I had the knowledge and science I have now, and if it had been disclosed to me what was in the Port at Simpson already, I doubt that I would have bought a home up Turner, right above the Simpson "co-generator," or whatever they call it to disguise it's already poisonous presence in our community. 37 out of 39 counties in health... hmmmmm, makes you wonder....
Katherine, thank you for your comment. You are spot on as are so many others who've commented about the need for an advisory ballot on facilities to burn biomass in Mason County.
ReplyDeleteOur trust in public institutions is being destroyed. I've been seeing this now for several months at the local level. Because of ADAGE, more people are tuning in to what's happening at the local level. This is most serious. Once trust is destroyed, it's hard to restore.
The citizens have control through elections and staying informed on what their public officials are doing.. Many citizens are clearly asleep at the wheel, and partially at fault for where we are today. You don't need an advisory ballot, write, telephone, email, or go see your local public officials.. Put them on notice, they work for us..
ReplyDeleteRegarding the annexation or disolution of the Port of Shelton.. There are both much smaller and much larger ports in Washington.. ie, Allyn, Hoodsport, Grapeview, etc.. From washingtonports.org
If you live in Washington, chances are that most of what you eat, wear and use came through a Washington port. There are 75 port districts located in our state, and because of the work they do, Washington's products share a single market: the world.
In 1911, the state legislature authorized the Port District Act, allowing citizens to create port districts. Since that time, our state has grown to be the most trade-dependent in the union. And that trade activity is responsible for one in every four jobs in Washington.
But ports do much more than promote trade at our shipping terminals: they operate marinas, docks, airports, railroads, industrial sites, and recreational facilities. Ports bring economic development - investment and jobs - to their communities.
The Washington Public Ports Association was formed by the Legislature in 1961. WPPA promotes the interests of the port community through effective government relations, ongoing education, and strong advocacy programs.
The port community is proud of its many contributions to our state's economy and quality of life. You'll find a wealth of information about ports on our site. Welcome to Washington Ports!
Who is sensoring this blog? why do I see messages posted and then they are getting removed? Another visitor asked this and their post was also removed? What happened to freedom of speech? unless the comment has profanity, whomever is sensoring this forum is clearly as guilty as the crooked politicians...
ReplyDeleteTom;
ReplyDeleteThere is a place for Ports, however in the case of Shelton I'm beginning to think that their role is being abused. If I as a Mason County PUD user am asked to take on debt and build a waterline that arguable will be a huge benefit to the Port, is that right since I live outside the Port District. So living outside the Port district I have no say in who the Commissioners are or have any say into its management.
The cozy role between between government and industry is a big part of what has driven this country down a road of debt. That seems to be no different at the local level as the Port looks to be cozy with ADAGE and may be acting against the best interest of the community. People do NOT move to Shelton for the jobs they move here for the quality of life.
The argument has been made to expand the area of the Port District, but I for one want no part of that. I don't want another tax no matter how small and I absolutely don't want the liability obligation that this LLC could bring to the Port should something go wrong. We always assume nothing will go wrong but as GS and BP have demonstrated, that is not necessarily the case. These companies have deep pockets - how deep are the pockets of ADAGE?
Steve
Steve,
ReplyDeleteI am not in favor or ADAGE either, but ADAGE vs eliminating the Port are two totally separate issues. The one you should be complaining to about ADAGE is the County (Commissioners and Public Health), ADAGE to my understanding still have to go through the same permitting process as they would if they wanted to build there plant on private land. Which they could still do. I think the Port is just a whipping post for some unhappy people. I am not happy about ADAGE, but I am not blaming the Port, as of yet, they have not allowed it to happen, they are still in the research phase. I think the Port has an obligation to research the matter thoroughly... The same as they would if any other business was wanting to lease and operate on Port property.
The Port of Shelton from my research runs several large facilities, the Oakland Bay Marina, The Johns Prarie Industrial Park, and Sanderson Field Airport and Industrial Park.
The Oakland Bay Marian on the Shelton waterfront includes the following facilities:
109 moorage slips
Public Access
Pumpout
State Highway 3 access with parking
Boat Launch
Guest Moorage
Guests and tourists are welcome to make use of this facility to explore the coast and waters of the Puget Sound.
John's Prairie Industrial is a 380 acre area located northeast of the City of Shelton and is home to a variety of tenants.
Heavy industrial tenants make use of the rail spur, natural gas, water and the flat buildable sites that are all available.
These sites are largely unencumbered and are well suited for heavy manufacturing. John Prarie Industrial Park facilities include:
Approximately scenic 400 acres with mountain views
Truck compatible roads with good fire flow
Level large sites available on campus like setting
Build to suit with onsite stormwater management
Utilities and fiber optics
On site stormwater management
Managed forests and vegetation
Sanderson Field Industrial Park consists of 1,053 acres, featuring an excellent airport with a 5,000 foot runway and a general aviation facility with facilities to serve private aircraft and business jets.
This facility accommodates commercial, corporate, and recreational aircraft. Olympic Air provides charter airplane and helicopter services.
Firms may take advantage of the Foreign Trade Zones (FTZ) designation to postpone and, in the case of re-export of cargo, avoid the applications of U.S. Customs laws that impose duties, taxes, and certain other requirements.
In addition to aviation, Sanderson Field is also home to a number of light industrial tenants including aerospace manufacturing, vibration dampening equipment manufacturing, and micro technology machining.
The site is a quality industrial/commercial park located adjacent to U.S. Highway 101, 20 minutes off of Interstate 5, and has industrial land and buildings available that are ready for new corporate tenants to invest in.
Sanderson Field Industrial Park & Airport facilities include:
1,053 acres on a campus like setting
5000 foot runway with over 9000 feet of state highway frontage
Large level sites ready to develop, large parcels available to build to suit
Utilities and fiber optics available with on site stormwater management and good fire flow.
I can only imagine the negative impart it would have on our local economy and the financial stability of our local area if the Port did not exist. The Port of Shelton has a facilitated and worked with so many businesses (tenants) who create MANY MANY JOBS for our local folks.. I would be interested in how many folks work on Port properties..
ReplyDeleteI just looked at their website, which was greatly done.. They list the following as some of their current tentants: AlphaTest Corporation, Belco Forest Products, B Plus, Inc., Brothers United Incorporated, Department of Natural Resources, Frantz Art Glass, Fungi Perfecti, Jacobs Fighting Systems MMA Safety and Fighting Training, James Johnson Productions, Kapowsin Air Sports, Ltd., Mason Conservation District, Mason County Forest Products, Mason County Sportsman's Association, Mason General Hospital, Masqs Corporation, McFarland Cascade, MT Machine Works, Noble Valley Farms, Olympic Air, Olympic Fabrication, Sanderson Hangar Condo Owners Assoc, Sanderson RC Flyers, Shearer Brothers Chipping, LLC., Shelton Flight, Inc., Shelton Yacht Club, Small and Sons Oil Dist. Co., Sims Vibration Laboratory, Techwood, LLC., Windcrafter, Inc.
Now that is an impressive list, and from my personal knowledge of friends who have had, or currently run businesses on Port facilities, they are far more receptive and easy to work with than the City of Shelton or Mason County government offices/entities.. We are all aware of the City of Shelton and Mason County's budget issues, both complaining of budget shortfalls, reduction of services, which will lead to raised taxes.. I have heard no such comments, rumors, etc from the Port of Shelton. They seem to run a very efficient operation, granted there have been some issues, but they are minor compared to the City and County. Mason County is trying to eliminate the Fire Marshall Position, but has kept him on Part time after citizens and all the Fire Districts made such a huge issue. The County ended their $1 A YEAR leave for the Fairgrounds facilities, because they couldn't afford to maintain the facilities. The City has has as many issues, recently implementing a new .55 cent per thousand of assessed value property tax for "Parks", thus moving parks from the general budget to a "separate tax." The City is working currently to get rid of their Fire Department and annex in to Fire District 5, which is ultimately going to cost tax payers more money, because the consultants have shown the short and long term plan will fail financially. Now, are these the people you would rather have holding the strings for your local jobs? Wow, scary thought!!! that's my two cents for now...
PS, I am glad so many people are trying to be informed on these matters.. There are some very complex issues, and the solutions are not as simple as some people think. This is why we are supposed to elect educated people to office. I am not going to go try to tell the Sherriff how to run his department. I have no experience in this area...
ReplyDeleteTom;
ReplyDeleteThanks for the well informed comments.
If you check my post I don't think it suggest that the Port District be abandoned. I believe in the Port - but if they no longer represent the interest of the community but instead the interest of Duke Power and the French company AREVA - then perhaps the community should review that option? Or perhaps shrinking the size of the Port if that is an option?
You might not tell the sheriff how to run his department - but if he abused that office you sure would. I believe the PUD was hood winked into putting in that waterline. What was the role of the Port in urging the PUD to do this? The role of the public has been mercilessly abused as secrete meetings closed to the public seemed to be where this initiative got started as was suggested in the Journal Letter week before last. You may think it is appropriate for our politicians to hold secrete meetings to obligate me - a PUD customer - to pay for Port upgrades - I do not.
What is needed here Tom is some sunshine. Well we need real sunshine for sure but we also need a little sunshine on what is going on behind those doors. Sunshine and a whole new fleet of politicians who will listen to the public. The Port, the County and the PUD commissioners - except for a couple of exceptions have lost track of who their fiduciary responsibility is with.
Steve
Frustrated, you really hit me hard with the criticism that I'm just like the "crooked politicians". (smiling as I type this)
ReplyDeleteI think you're right that I shouldn't have deleted a couple of comments posted last Thursday. Honestly though I wasn't sure how to handle. I do think we all need to be careful that we don't make overly personal comments. As the responsible individual for this blog, I must retain the right to remove comments that I feel are inappropriate. In retrospect though, I don't believe yours were. Give me a break - I'm learning. Okay?
I totally agree with Brenda's statement that trust in public institutions is hard to restore once it's been destroyed. If all our ELECTED commissioners think ADAGE is such a "good fit" for our community, why did they feel it was necessary to conduct preliminary negotiations with ADAGE "under the radar" of public scrutiny? When news about ADAGE finally became public, it was the catalyst needed to wake up our citizens so they would begin observing what's happening in local government. Whether we are for or against ADAGE, there is one thing we should agree on: WE ARE THE GOVERNMENT and our elected officials are there to represent US!
ReplyDelete