As I was weeding my garden today, I got to thinking why do we have a Port of Shelton? It can't be because of all the air traffic coming into Sanderson International Airport or all of that ship traffic coming into Oakland Bay. Is the Port involved in business that really should be done by a private citizen?
So why is each property owner within the Port of Shelton paying a portion of their 2010 property tax bill to support the Port operations? (On a home valued at around $200K this comes to $53.97.) All of these tax collections added up to $615K in 2008. (The more current budgets, 2009 and 2010 are not posted on the Port of Shelton website, unfortunately. Port Administrator John Dobson, if you're reading this, please get that fixed. You never know when a citizen may want to look this info up on a Sunday afternoon.)
Here's what the website says the Port is about:
The Port of Shelton is an excellent location for your business.
With competitive lease rates, central access and the quality of life in one of the most beautiful natural areas in the Pacific Northwest, the Port of Shelton is more than just a great base to base your business.
Our helpful and knowledgeable staff are available to assist you, call now for available properties and lease options.
I'm thinking if our elected officials, particularly the county commissioners, are pro-business, maybe they should seriously consider privatizing the Port of Shelton. Let's really get out of the way of free enterprise.
There's a win-win: private industry is allowed to profit and those property owners in the Port of Shelton get a reduced property tax bill.
What do you think? Should the Port of Shelton be privatized or eliminated? Our county commissioners hold the authority to make this a ballot issue.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Saturday, May 8, 2010
ADAGE: Reading Recommendation
I was tipped by a friend who told me to check this site out: http://blogs.info-engineering-svc.com/larye/?p=165
A Shelton resident, Larye Parkins wrote this excellent article, "The Elephant in the Room". Larye is a systems and software engineer who helped me understand the ADAGE technology from a new direction. Not surprisingly I have more questions.
Like what will ADAGE be burning in addition to slash? I recall on January 29 ADAGE representative, Lee Torrence mentioned that there would be an additional source of fuel to keep the temperature high and steady. Have I missed it? Has the "additional source" been identified? Is it trees they'll burn? Isn't that wasteful?
Then what about the waste disposal of ash and other secondary waste? In his article Larye mentions "concentrated tannins" that may be released into the ground water system. How will this impact our water quality?
There are so many unanswered questions that our elected officials should be addressing. Perhaps they are but I suspect it's behind closed doors with ADAGE in the room. I continue to call for a public dialogue on the proposed incinerator. As I said in my blog postings in January, all stakeholders are represented at the table except for the public. Our elected officials appear to have misplaced the public in "public service".
My thanks to Larye for taking the time to write this excellent article.
A Shelton resident, Larye Parkins wrote this excellent article, "The Elephant in the Room". Larye is a systems and software engineer who helped me understand the ADAGE technology from a new direction. Not surprisingly I have more questions.
Like what will ADAGE be burning in addition to slash? I recall on January 29 ADAGE representative, Lee Torrence mentioned that there would be an additional source of fuel to keep the temperature high and steady. Have I missed it? Has the "additional source" been identified? Is it trees they'll burn? Isn't that wasteful?
Then what about the waste disposal of ash and other secondary waste? In his article Larye mentions "concentrated tannins" that may be released into the ground water system. How will this impact our water quality?
There are so many unanswered questions that our elected officials should be addressing. Perhaps they are but I suspect it's behind closed doors with ADAGE in the room. I continue to call for a public dialogue on the proposed incinerator. As I said in my blog postings in January, all stakeholders are represented at the table except for the public. Our elected officials appear to have misplaced the public in "public service".
My thanks to Larye for taking the time to write this excellent article.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
ADAGE: Cougs not Kooks
When Tim Sheldon referred to the "fringe element" opposed to ADAGE as "kooks", some are thinking we misunderstood him. He was saying 'Cougs' - as in "Go, Cougs". Could we have misunderstood Tim? Did he think Duff graduated from WSU and was calling him a 'coug'?
The funny thing about words is that each of us may find different meaning in the same word. Take for example, women of a seasoned age and originating from other than Washington State might take exception to being referred to as a "coug" because that's short hand for cougar. Do not call us a cougar. Thems fightin words! We'd rather be called kooks than cougs.
But here's my point for this posting today. Let's all dispense with name calling and begin to have civil conversations with each other especially when we disagree. You and I should set an example for our children and our elected officials.
The funny thing about words is that each of us may find different meaning in the same word. Take for example, women of a seasoned age and originating from other than Washington State might take exception to being referred to as a "coug" because that's short hand for cougar. Do not call us a cougar. Thems fightin words! We'd rather be called kooks than cougs.
But here's my point for this posting today. Let's all dispense with name calling and begin to have civil conversations with each other especially when we disagree. You and I should set an example for our children and our elected officials.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
BOCC Meetings - May 4
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.
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.
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.
Belfair Sewer
Here's the outrage of the day. On the County Commissioners agenda tomorrow I find this item:
8.3 Approval to adopt a resolution authorizing the Chair to sign Amendment #1 to the contract with Engineering Services Associates (ESA) to provide additional technical assistance and comprehensive mapping services for the construction of side sewers for the Belfair wastewater conveyance system. The amendment cost is $193,420 bringing the total contract amount to $296,285.
What an increase this will make to the contract and with no effort to see if there is another firm who could do this for less? ESA is "in like Flynn" on this contract. Starts out with a contract at $103 thousand and with tomorrow's approval of the Board of County Commissioners will get a $193 thousand increase with no competition.
And here's the best part. This is part of the county's justification for ESA's expanded contract, "Most property owners lack the technical skills to make the conversion from their on-site systems to the sewer collection lines we are developing."
Belfair Property Owners, I have great faith in your reading comprehension. I'm thinking the county officials are using this justification to throw more money at ESA. That's what the real deal is.
After all it's grant money - not really Mason County money. Wrong answer - this is exactly how we got in this predicament that our federal and state budgets are out of control.
8.3 Approval to adopt a resolution authorizing the Chair to sign Amendment #1 to the contract with Engineering Services Associates (ESA) to provide additional technical assistance and comprehensive mapping services for the construction of side sewers for the Belfair wastewater conveyance system. The amendment cost is $193,420 bringing the total contract amount to $296,285.
What an increase this will make to the contract and with no effort to see if there is another firm who could do this for less? ESA is "in like Flynn" on this contract. Starts out with a contract at $103 thousand and with tomorrow's approval of the Board of County Commissioners will get a $193 thousand increase with no competition.
And here's the best part. This is part of the county's justification for ESA's expanded contract, "Most property owners lack the technical skills to make the conversion from their on-site systems to the sewer collection lines we are developing."
Belfair Property Owners, I have great faith in your reading comprehension. I'm thinking the county officials are using this justification to throw more money at ESA. That's what the real deal is.
After all it's grant money - not really Mason County money. Wrong answer - this is exactly how we got in this predicament that our federal and state budgets are out of control.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
ADAGE: Meetings This Week & Simple Questions
Today the Olympian has a front page article on ADAGE coming to Mason County. After reading the article in the Olympian I thought all of this scientific information about air pollution simply left me feeling overwhelmed and thinking that I should have paid closer attention in those chemistry classes in high school and college.
But then I happened upon an article in today's edition of the New York Times titled "It's Complicated: Making Sense of Complexity" by David Segal. The nugget I discovered in this article is that we find ourselves so in awe of the complexity in situations (just like ADAGE coming to Mason County) that we "pull away from the duty to ask simple questions". Questions like: Why is ADAGE good for the citizens of Mason County? And what are the risks involved?
As a friend pointed out to me yesterday why haven't we heard that our elected officials are preparing a cost benefit analysis on the proposed construction? I sure couldn't answer that question. I went back to him with my own question. Why, in the name of heaven, would Port of Shelton Commissioner Jay Hupp say it's a "subjective decision" whether to bring ADAGE to the port or not?
So, Mason County, we must ask the simple questions of our elected officials. And we must ask the simple questions over and over until we get our questions answered in a manner we can comprehend. Let's not let anyone dazzle us with their scientific background or fancy complex words and terms. Why is ADAGE good for us? What are the risks?
The following meetings will occur this week and each one is a great opportunity for "real folks" like you and me to ask the simple questions. Each of these meetings allows the public to speak to elected officials.
May 3 City of Shelton Commission Meeting 6 pm at the Shelton Civic Center 525 W Cota Street
May 4 County Commission Meeting 9 am in the Commissioners Chambers 411 N Fifth Street
May 4 PUD3 Commission Meeting 10 am in the PUD3 Auditorium 307 W Cota Street
May 4 Port of Shelton Commission Meeting 2 pm at 21 Sanderson Way
May 4 Joint Thurston/Mason County Board of Health Meeting 330 pm Thurston County Commission Chambers, 2000 Lakeridge Drive SW Olympia 98502
But then I happened upon an article in today's edition of the New York Times titled "It's Complicated: Making Sense of Complexity" by David Segal. The nugget I discovered in this article is that we find ourselves so in awe of the complexity in situations (just like ADAGE coming to Mason County) that we "pull away from the duty to ask simple questions". Questions like: Why is ADAGE good for the citizens of Mason County? And what are the risks involved?
As a friend pointed out to me yesterday why haven't we heard that our elected officials are preparing a cost benefit analysis on the proposed construction? I sure couldn't answer that question. I went back to him with my own question. Why, in the name of heaven, would Port of Shelton Commissioner Jay Hupp say it's a "subjective decision" whether to bring ADAGE to the port or not?
So, Mason County, we must ask the simple questions of our elected officials. And we must ask the simple questions over and over until we get our questions answered in a manner we can comprehend. Let's not let anyone dazzle us with their scientific background or fancy complex words and terms. Why is ADAGE good for us? What are the risks?
The following meetings will occur this week and each one is a great opportunity for "real folks" like you and me to ask the simple questions. Each of these meetings allows the public to speak to elected officials.
May 3 City of Shelton Commission Meeting 6 pm at the Shelton Civic Center 525 W Cota Street
May 4 County Commission Meeting 9 am in the Commissioners Chambers 411 N Fifth Street
May 4 PUD3 Commission Meeting 10 am in the PUD3 Auditorium 307 W Cota Street
May 4 Port of Shelton Commission Meeting 2 pm at 21 Sanderson Way
May 4 Joint Thurston/Mason County Board of Health Meeting 330 pm Thurston County Commission Chambers, 2000 Lakeridge Drive SW Olympia 98502
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