My goodness, it's grand to see Mason County showing up at the BOCC meetings. It used to be that I could arrive minutes before the meeting and find lots of open parking - not the case today. People, lots of people, were there to make their case against ADAGE inside the commissioners chambers and in front of the building. Plus a crowd showed up both for and against changes to the Noise Control Ordinance.
The ADAGE proposed construction is getting attention far and wide. National Public Radio (NPR) showed up today as protesters picketed in front of the county building. I know he was there for ADAGE because he left when the public hearing on noise started.
Diedrick Allen from KMAS was in attendance but then he can always be counted on. On the other hand, the Shelton Mason Journal has been absent at the county meetings since Greg Skinner left the newspaper. Too bad since this is our only local newspaper.
1. Here's a sampling of the ADAGE comments made during the open forum time.
- Annie Flynn asked the Board to look at the quantity of available slash and to take into consideration the amount of risk the county will assume versus the risk that ADAGE will see. She was extremely articulate in making her case as were many others speaking at the meeting today.
-Sandra Herndon said she's not a kook nor is she part of the fringe element and made a solid case to the commissioners that as our leaders they have a moral duty to study the ADAGE proposal and share their rationale with the public prior to any final decision.
- June Sims Willepp told the commissioners that she is concerned about children playing ball in fields that are contiguous to what she referred to as a "big burn barrel". What an image!
2. In the public hearing on amending the Noise Control County Ordinance, our number one race car driver and Chair of the Board Ross Gallagher was called on early in the hearing to excuse himself from the vote because of the appearance of unfairness. Later Tim told him it was okay for him to vote on this decision because he couldn't see any conflict for Ross regarding race tracks or noise control.
The most articulate and perhaps the only speaker against changing the code, Wendy Matthews made a well stated case against the elimination of that one small word "existing" from the county code.
But the overwhelming number of speakers stood in support of the change and some of them made a good case for bringing a race track to Mason County. Interesting that out of town speakers (I counted five) in support of a race track in Mason County were never once referred to as kooks by Commissioner Sheldon. Commissioner Ring Erickson pointed out repeatedly that today's hearing was not about bringing a race track to Mason County.
As I sat watching this first of four public hearings today I thought of that line in the movie, "Hump, what hump?" The noise control ordinance change, which all three commissioners voted in support of, had absolutely nothing to do with an upcoming race track. Yeah right, I thought dubiously. Please keep in mind I'm just a simple minded blogger who hasn't even formed an opinion on whether a race track is a good idea. But I will admit, I do get exercised when the process seems slanted in favor of one group over another and I really hate to be treated like I recently fell off the turnip truck.
The rest of the meeting was fairly mundane.
But here's a little tidbit I picked up from last week's BOCC meeting. The county has three department heads who live outside the county and the Director of Public Works and Facilities take county vehicles home. This was provided in response to former county commissioner Annette McGee's question.
There you have it, Mason County. Hope to see you around and please drop a comment. I love to hear from you.
Showing posts with label noise control. Show all posts
Showing posts with label noise control. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Monday, May 3, 2010
Briefings - May 3
Here's a quick run down on what happened at the county commissioners' briefings. All three commissioners were in attendance. There was no media coverage.
1. Union Contracts. Recall on April 6 the commissioners voted to approve the settlement of the contract with the jail and corrections facility staff. At that time I asked what the 2010 budget impact would be. I got a vague answer from Monty Cobb (who just happens to be an attorney working in the Prosecutor's Office and, oh by the way, is running for Prosecutor this election coming up). He said that there was no specific dollar amount at that time. He expected a 1% to 6.5% increase and for each percent we could expect to see a $15K increase in salaries. He surmised somewhere around $65K after the salary survey had been completed.
Well today the Auditor came in to break the news on what the real deal is. In 2010 it's going to cost the county an additional $95K in salaries and benefits but for 2011 it will be over $200K plus an expected increase in pension costs. This is for 42 employees. The county still must settle with the other unions - another 300 or so employees.
Today the commissioners decided to send a memo to the Sheriff telling him to absorb the salary and benefit increases which the commissioners had approved.
This is almost like a kabuki dance.
The real problem rests squarely in the commissioners' laps. I asked were they surprised at how much of an increase they'd approved for this one bargaining unit and both Lynda and Tim said they were surprised. I didn't ask Ross because he's admitted he signs stuff without reading. He's on record the fall of 2009 stating that he signed without reading the settlement to the Unfair Labor Practice with the Deputies. Honestly, if you gave the Board a ham sandwich on some days I believe they'd sign it.
2. Noise Control. Tomorrow there's a public hearing to revise the Mason County Code, Title 9, Section 9.36. Barbara Adkins advised the commissioners that tomorrow the folks opposed to a race track coming to Mason County would likely show up. She went on to say that this could be a challenge for the Board and that they should emphasize to the public that the purpose for revising this code was merely to allow the county to have more "flexibility".
3. School Impact Fees. The Planning Advisory Commission (PAC) asked the Board to schedule more public meetings on the topic of impact fees as proposed by several local school superintendents. Lynda said, "We delegate to the PAC. They don't delegate to the Board." So there, PAC, go deal with it. The Board wants to see an up or down vote by the PAC. But why would the PAC do that when both Tim and Ross say it's a dead issue? There will be no public meetings or public hearings on impact fees. I'll bet the supervisors are surprised since they thought both Lynda and Ross were going to support the impact fees. Ross could afford to support this initiative when he was running unopposed. New day in Mason County for Ross Gallagher - some one else is after his job.
4. Storm Water Task Force. I'll bet you thought 29 people was a large enough committee to study storm water but you and I would have thought wrong. Today the commissioners deliberated bringing another member aboard, Gary Yando. Gary, if you're reading this you might want to listen to the tape of today's briefings prior to joining up. I didn't get the impression you'd be welcome. One who shall remain nameless has a problem with your management style while two commissioners have "reservations" about bringing you in to the taskforce. Egads. Enough said.
5. Sale of Surplus Property and Accrued Leave Fund. On tomorrow's BOCC agenda we find that the county is holding a public hearing to declare 28 parcels as surplus which should bring in to the county coffers over $1M. After paying off any delinquent property tax obligations and reimbursing the Road Fund for their expenses, the remaining dollars will be placed in the Accrued Leave Fund per county Resolution 70.04. Public Works came to the commissioners today to make sure they wanted to put this money into the Accrued Leave Fund or did they want to change the resolution so the dollars could go elsewhere? Tim says we have to put it into the Accrued Leave Fund because there's this one retired budget analyst who has expressed continued concern about this unfunded liability. Thanks a bunch, Tim.
Why aren't there more of us tearing into these meetings? If for nothing more than the entertainment value, they are worth the price of admission.
That's all, Mason County.
1. Union Contracts. Recall on April 6 the commissioners voted to approve the settlement of the contract with the jail and corrections facility staff. At that time I asked what the 2010 budget impact would be. I got a vague answer from Monty Cobb (who just happens to be an attorney working in the Prosecutor's Office and, oh by the way, is running for Prosecutor this election coming up). He said that there was no specific dollar amount at that time. He expected a 1% to 6.5% increase and for each percent we could expect to see a $15K increase in salaries. He surmised somewhere around $65K after the salary survey had been completed.
Well today the Auditor came in to break the news on what the real deal is. In 2010 it's going to cost the county an additional $95K in salaries and benefits but for 2011 it will be over $200K plus an expected increase in pension costs. This is for 42 employees. The county still must settle with the other unions - another 300 or so employees.
Today the commissioners decided to send a memo to the Sheriff telling him to absorb the salary and benefit increases which the commissioners had approved.
This is almost like a kabuki dance.
The real problem rests squarely in the commissioners' laps. I asked were they surprised at how much of an increase they'd approved for this one bargaining unit and both Lynda and Tim said they were surprised. I didn't ask Ross because he's admitted he signs stuff without reading. He's on record the fall of 2009 stating that he signed without reading the settlement to the Unfair Labor Practice with the Deputies. Honestly, if you gave the Board a ham sandwich on some days I believe they'd sign it.
2. Noise Control. Tomorrow there's a public hearing to revise the Mason County Code, Title 9, Section 9.36. Barbara Adkins advised the commissioners that tomorrow the folks opposed to a race track coming to Mason County would likely show up. She went on to say that this could be a challenge for the Board and that they should emphasize to the public that the purpose for revising this code was merely to allow the county to have more "flexibility".
3. School Impact Fees. The Planning Advisory Commission (PAC) asked the Board to schedule more public meetings on the topic of impact fees as proposed by several local school superintendents. Lynda said, "We delegate to the PAC. They don't delegate to the Board." So there, PAC, go deal with it. The Board wants to see an up or down vote by the PAC. But why would the PAC do that when both Tim and Ross say it's a dead issue? There will be no public meetings or public hearings on impact fees. I'll bet the supervisors are surprised since they thought both Lynda and Ross were going to support the impact fees. Ross could afford to support this initiative when he was running unopposed. New day in Mason County for Ross Gallagher - some one else is after his job.
4. Storm Water Task Force. I'll bet you thought 29 people was a large enough committee to study storm water but you and I would have thought wrong. Today the commissioners deliberated bringing another member aboard, Gary Yando. Gary, if you're reading this you might want to listen to the tape of today's briefings prior to joining up. I didn't get the impression you'd be welcome. One who shall remain nameless has a problem with your management style while two commissioners have "reservations" about bringing you in to the taskforce. Egads. Enough said.
5. Sale of Surplus Property and Accrued Leave Fund. On tomorrow's BOCC agenda we find that the county is holding a public hearing to declare 28 parcels as surplus which should bring in to the county coffers over $1M. After paying off any delinquent property tax obligations and reimbursing the Road Fund for their expenses, the remaining dollars will be placed in the Accrued Leave Fund per county Resolution 70.04. Public Works came to the commissioners today to make sure they wanted to put this money into the Accrued Leave Fund or did they want to change the resolution so the dollars could go elsewhere? Tim says we have to put it into the Accrued Leave Fund because there's this one retired budget analyst who has expressed continued concern about this unfunded liability. Thanks a bunch, Tim.
Why aren't there more of us tearing into these meetings? If for nothing more than the entertainment value, they are worth the price of admission.
That's all, Mason County.
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