No Answers Yet From County Officials
Submitted to Shelton Blog by Theresa Jacobson Mason County Progressive
Ask a simple question; do not expect a simple answer.
No answers are forthcoming from Mason County elected officials.
I recently spoke before Mason County Commissioners and Port of Shelton Commissioners/ Executive Director John Dobson. I respectfully requested the total dollar amount of public funds each entity spent on the (failed) ADAGE biomass incinerator proposal.
What did ADAGE cost taxpayers?
Mason County Board Clerk responded: “there… are no records…(to)…show the specific dollar amount spent… on…ADAGE.”
Apparently there is no accountability for time invested on ADAGE by personnel employed by the Commissioners, Prosecutor, the Departments of Community Development, Building or Public Works.
County Commissioners have no idea how many dollars they blew on ADAGE.
I received no response from Port of Shelton Commissioners/Executive Director/Staff.
I did, however, receive an astonishing three-page letter from one of the numerous Port attorneys, Mr. Charles ”Skippy” Houser III.
The document, printed on expensive stationery, was sent (duplicate) via first class and certified (costly) U.S. mail.
My exact wording: “This request is to obtain a specific dollar amount of public funds spent on…all aspects of the ADAGE application.”
I just want to know: How much did the (failed) ADAGE deal cost taxpayers?
Skippy didn’t get it. He wrote: “I am seeking…an identifiable record…” and “Unfortunately, your request does not designate a…record…”
He asked for “…further clarification….”
Houser cited a variety of RCW’s/WAC’s, case law and Washington Supreme Court decisions explaining why he/Port of Shelton could not answer my simple question.
How much money did Skippy charge taxpayers to send a letter that said nothing?
The Economic Development Council, the main driver of the ADAGE project, receives almost 90% of their operating funds from taxpayer subsidies. EDC is not in any way accountable to those of us who foot the bill.
The last eighteen months in our collective civic life have been an eye-opening time for citizens.
I am proud of each member of our community who came together to organize, mobilize and stand together to oppose the very real threat posed by ADAGE.
Our work is not done. Our community is strong.
Citizens must remain vigilant and hold elected/appointed officials accountable for their actions.
Photo/graphic by Christine/John
SHELTON BLOG NOTE:
Link to previous related 4/23/11 post:
"COUNTY & PORT PUBLIC DISCLOSURES REQUESTED"
http://masoncountyprogressive.blogspot.com/2011/04/county-port-public-disclosures.html
SUBMITTED BY Jack Miles
ReplyDeleteSurprise...Surprise... That's how they roll. Use attorneys, spend your tax dollars, and laugh at you behind closed doors while they are meeting illegally. Oh yes, and censure you for exposing them!
Amen Theresa!
ReplyDeleteResubmit your PDR to the Port and specify total fees paid for legal services from 4/2010 to 4/2011; we'll draw our own conclusions.
ReplyDeleteI just got the bills for most of that time period; they are at the port for me to pick up; 272 pages; let's see what time frame I actually requested and what I got and then we can draw our own conclusions and, if necessary, specifically request further billings.
ReplyDeleteThis will only be a part of what the Port's costs were, but we can put together a picture.
If Mr. Houser wants to be difficult, we have sufficient vocabulary between us to come up with the words that will release the documents we need to get a full picture.
Ultimately, perhaps a lawsuit against the Port for violating public disclosure laws will be necessary. During litigation we can exercise our discovery rights, in the form of interrogatories and requests for production of documents, WITH SUBPOENAS.
The choice is the Port's, but they are creating a body of evidence for us to use which shows that they are violating the spirit, if not the letter, of the public disclosure law.
As citizens, we have become a little disillusioned with the Port's attorney; perhaps pressure should be put on the port to hire an attorney who understands the needs of balancing the environment and industry; and balancing the citizens right to know what is happening in their Port District with the desire of certain commissioners and the executive director to walk a fine line between what can and what cannot be done in secret, outside the sight of the citizen, and in complete disregard for the citizens input.
Skip Houser appears to look for, and find, ways to make questionable activities legal. His job in the past year and a half has been in helping the commissioners and the ED to thwart the will of the citizens.
He really should be replaced with someone who will advise the Port authorities on what their duty to the citizens is, and what their actions should be. Instead, his job seems to have been to help them perform questionable activities in the shadows, and then to cloak them with some part of the law that justifies, or helps conceal, their activities.
Once I have reviewed and summarized the bills, I will happily report what I have learned and what we still need to request.
It is something other than coincidental that Skipp administered the oath of office to Hupp, and not even in Mason County. Hupp then set Skip up as Port attorney before bringing in loyal-to-a-fault friend Tom Wallitner to run for commissioner. the final nail in the Public coffin was John Dobson, Pres. of WPA. Supported by Hupp, Dobson slid easily into the ED slot. Don't let anyone fool you, these guys are thick as thieves and twice as crafty.
ReplyDelete