I arrived about five minutes late for the meeting and here's what I walked into: Jack and Jay having at it over minutes of meetings. Don't know what that was about but, my goodness, there was a fierce conversation between those two. For those of you who were there perhaps you can fill us all in with your comments. I have a hunch this was more discussion about process.
The Mason Area Fair was very delicately introduced. Jay asked John Dobson to share where things stood on the fair and stated that by asking him to do so Jay was in no way micromanaging the Port Manager. Here's the deal on the fair in a nutshell. John and Rachel Hansen are going to be the executive directors of the fair. They haven't got their paperwork in order but John expects they will very soon as in within the next month. The question this blogger has upon reflection is whether this Hansen Enterprise is a profit or a non profit organization? Maybe someone else who attended today can answer this.
The Port of Shelton will contribute to the Fair along with others in the community many of which are "well heeled" according to John. While no dollar amount was approved by the Port today, I heard the number $20K tossed out by John who told Tom that if he gave him three years, the Port would get their investment back. So I'm doing a little math in my mind. The Fairground is only available through 2013. How's this going to work? We'll need to keep and eye on this one, right?
The issue of an advisory ballot regarding ADAGE came up. Jay thought this should be coming from the county not the port. John Dobson agreed to do some research to see what the deadline is for getting an advisory item on the ballot and what the costs are. Jay reaffirmed that he is neutral on ADAGE and hasn't made up his mind. Tom said he has the same position.
I learned today that all public disclosure requests go to their attorney for his approval or guidance. Skip Hauser says there have been only two in the last two years and he didn't even bill the port for them. He should get special recognition for being the first attorney ever not to bill for touching a piece of paper or answering the phone. I personally have never before had the good fortune of knowing an attorney who did something for free. By the way, apparently every request for info coming from Jack goes through the attorney. I didn't hear the attorney say this was pro bono work though.
During the public comment period, folks asked where are the minutes for the month of May? Shouldn't they be online? John Dobson is going to look into that. Jay says that may not be the most important thing the Port is doing. That's not what the State Auditor thought the last time they checked the Port out thus a finding.
How does the public get questions answered at Port meetings? Jay said he's loosened up the timing for public comments after seeking and following the advice of two superior court judges and former county commissioners. The pesky citizens in attendance today were quite positive in their comments expressing their appreciation for Jay's efforts to this end.
How are the commissioners going to deal with this issue of conflict of interest charge against John Dobson? Jay says they are still waiting on the complaint from Jack. The public needs to know one way or the other what the deal is. This message was loud and clear today from the pesky citizens who didn't have anything else to do this afternoon.
Another Tuesday shot, Mason County. Thanks for visiting my blog. Have a great week.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
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I though that the American Lung Association findings on the health hazards of particulate matter, being added to the mintues was significant. It looked like a lot of reading too. A couple of people did not look to happy about it see the pictures: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_n-H9SSVlHFs/TA7unk5xgbI/AAAAAAAAGM0/j_hgM11pxIQ/s1600/huff-dobson-listen-to-medical-report.jpg
ReplyDeleteHow does one get stuff like that added to the minutes? Just ask at a meeting or ask ahead of time?
I hope it was significant. It should be and if the port commissioners approve the Adage facility, they now know beyond a doubt they will be be contributing to morbidity and mortality of the citizens they are supposed to serve and represent. In short they will be killing some of us and shortening our lives by months or years. The study is from the American Heart Association.
ReplyDeleteThe original statement was issued in 2004 and in May 2010 they updated their scientific statement to reflect the latest science on PM <2.5mu.
You can find and download it here: http://circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/reprint/CIR.0b013e3181dbece1
All I did was request it be added to the minutes and public record. I also included the statement from the American Lung Association, the World Health Organization, and the Seattle head of the EPA. It is important that the latest science be included in the public record.
For those who like their science instantly, (and perhaps don't want to read all 50 pages or so of a rather complicated study) here is the abstract:
"Particulate Matter Air Pollution and Cardiovascular Disease
An Update to the Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association
Robert D. Brook, MD, Chair; Sanjay Rajagopalan, MD; C. Arden Pope III, PhD;
Jeffrey R. Brook, PhD; Aruni Bhatnagar, PhD, FAHA; Ana V. Diez-Roux, MD, PhD, MPH;
Fernando Holguin, MD; Yuling Hong, MD, PhD, FAHA; Russell V. Luepker, MD, MS, FAHA;
Murray A. Mittleman, MD, DrPH, FAHA; Annette Peters, PhD; David Siscovick, MD, MPH, FAHA;
Sidney C. Smith, Jr, MD, FAHA; Laurie Whitsel, PhD; Joel D. Kaufman, MD, MPH; on behalf of the
American Heart Association Council on Epidemiology and Prevention, Council on the Kidney in Cardiovascular Disease, and Council on Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism
Abstract—In 2004, the first American Heart Association scientific statement on “Air Pollution and Cardiovascular Disease” concluded that exposure to particulate matter (PM) air pollution contributes to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. In the interim, numerous studies have expanded our understanding of this association and further elucidated the physiological and molecular mechanisms involved. The main objective of this updated American Heart Association scientific statement is to provide a comprehensive review of the new evidence linking PM exposure with cardiovascular disease, with a specific focus on highlighting the clinical implications for researchers and healthcare providers. The writing group also sought to provide expert consensus opinions on many aspects of the current state of science and updated suggestions for areas of future research. On the basis of the findings of this review, several new conclusions were reached, including the following: Exposure to PM 2.5 m in diameter (PM2.5) over a few hours to weeks can trigger cardiovascular disease–related mortality and nonfatal events; longer-term exposure (eg, a few years) increases the risk for cardiovascular mortality to an even greater extent than exposures over a few days and reduces life expectancy within more highly exposed segments of the population by several months to a few years; reductions in PM levels are associated with decreases in cardiovascular mortality within a time frame as short as a few years; and many credible pathological mechanisms have been elucidated that lend biological plausibility to these findings. It is the opinion of the writing group that the overall evidence is consistent with a causal relationship between PM2.5 exposure and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. This body of evidence has grown and been strengthened substantially since the first American Heart Association scientific statement was published. Finally, PM2.5 exposure is deemed a modifiable factor that contributes to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. (Circulation. 2010;121:2331-2378.)
I'm posting as anonymous, but most of you know I'm Craig Watson. Someone at the port meeting said I should identify myself.
Don't we already have too many people that pass away from heart attacks? So why would we want to bring somehting in that will increase this? I really hope someone in the Federal Government will put an end to biomass plants! We are just going to kill ourselves off and at the same time destroy our planet!
ReplyDeletemossy mom, send me an email at "brendahirschi@comcast.net". Don't have you in my address book.
ReplyDeleteThe deadline for an advisory ballot to be placed on the on the upcoming primary election ballot August 17th has already past. Also, to note, if the Port decides to run an advisory ballot, it costs them several thousand dollars to do so, as they get billed from the County.. Yay, teamwork!! haha
ReplyDeleteBrenda,
ReplyDeleteWhat is this 2013 end of the fairgrounds date you are referring to? If I am correct, the County ended the $1 a year lease they had with the Port, sighting budget cuts and the inability to fund the maintenance and operation of the fairgrounds facility, the main stipulation of the LOW COST lease the Port gave them. It is my understanding that the Port now leases the facility, as the County did, for events such as Oysterfest, the fair, etc..
Simpson, The Evergreen State College and ADAGE want to install these filthy things that will add massive amounts of carbon to our atmosphere. The Evergreen State College is calling it gasification but the end result is the same, carbon, particulates and dioxins..
ReplyDeleteHow about a recall petition for Tim Sheldon? What does it take to get a recall petition rolling?
ReplyDeleteToo bad one of Port Commissioners who are favoring AREVA isn't up for reelection this year. The days of these guys running unopposed are over. As of this morning filing, three people now are after Gotts position at the PUD. Kenny Knudson doing so this morning.
ReplyDeleteSteve