Who's Benefiting?

It's great having trusted reporters getting to all of the meetings I can't make. My priority these days is meeting the voters. Thanks a bunch for the following posting, Ros.


I'm really impressed at how well the local elected officials are working so well together on preparing the infrastructure for Johns Prairie. They frequently and vehemently insist they are maintaining their neutrality on ADAGE while doing so. Great. We are cautioned not to discriminate against ADAGE by referring to ADAGE because it has not come up for a vote by the County Commissioners.


For quite sometime, the electeds have been busily adding water lines, expanding sewer capacity, changing zoning, changing height restrictions, noise restrictions, and who knows what else. A lot of the actual "work" seems to be done out of sight of the taxpayers but at the expense of the taxpayers. Community members are trying desperately to understand what is happening and believe me, it is a lot of work. It almost feels like something is being done TO us instead of being done FOR us. The electeds are so busy, they don't even have time to listen to the taxpayers. Worse yet, they tell us they don't have to because there are no specific rules that say they do. In all fairness, I must add that not all electeds are "going along" on this taxpayer swindle.



The taxpayers seem to think they need a voice in what the elected officials are doing on their behalf, with respect to the proposed ADAGE incinerator. The electeds tell us not to use the word "incinerator", but any smart person knows that you can't have ash without incinerating something. So, we pesky citizens will continue to use the word because ADAGE spokespersons say their ash will be trucked to eastern Washington. Probably a good idea they get their ash out of town.


At the July 13 Commissioners' Meeting, Tom Davis, who read an addendum he prepared for inclusion in real estate transactions regarding his "near incinerator" properties, was told by Commissioner Sheldon that he was speculating and that wasn't reasonable. I think ADAGE's permit application information is based on a computer model because the plant has never been built? Isn't that speculation? There is a lot of emotion surrounding something that may not even be real.

On that same date, the 216 meeting (read as Port of Shelton) was interesting as most of them have been since January 29. My guess is, meetings before that were interesting, we were just too busy with our lives to check in on them. Matt Matayoshi, Executive Director for the Economic Development Council of Mason County, decided to announce the Council's support for ADAGE. Matt said, "He/they will be working with ADAGE as we work through the SEPA process." It wasn't clear if he meant they, the Council and ADAGE, are now one, so they should be referred to as "we" or could he have meant the Council and County will be working the SEPA? He further stated there would be other entities stepping up in support.

So, another entity did. Steve Bloomfield stepped up and said he didn't live in the Port's District, but his business, Seattle Shellfish, is in the District. He claimed to be speaking for a silent majority (didn't say if they were in the District or out), who are influenced by the possibility of jobs, trucks running around, etc. He labels this invisible group as "We who work for a living." Suggesting those who are against ADAGE are just unemployed welfare recipients. He didn't actually say that, but the inference was there. Although he could have been suggesting we were all independently wealthy and just happened to have plenty of time to sit around and monitor how our money is being spent.

Anyway, Port Commissioner Jack Miles received stern looks of disapproval as he requested a new version of the Advisory Ballot, proposed by Al Brotche, be added to next Tuesday's agenda. Commissioner Hupp argued that the matter had already been voted on, to which Miles stated, "Not this one." See you all Tuesday.