WEEK of 8/6/12 MEETINGS IN REVIEW

TOM'S TALES FOR THE WEEK

Submitted to Shelton Blog by Tom Davis Mason County Progressive

First, a little catch-up:

Last week’s briefing of County Commissioners was cancelled, and the regular meeting was held in Belfair, so I decided to stay home and wage war on an unruly mob of moles that have been terrorizing our lawn. (Note to self: Injecting propane into a mole-hole and setting it on fire removes all the hair off your legs but has little effect on moles.)

Amy and I attended the Mason County Fair, where no less than four political booths were open for business. Especially disturbing was talk of how we should be making Mason County a better place to raise a family -- disturbing because, if half of what is being proposed by some candidates comes to be, the County won’t be a fit place to raise mushrooms, much less healthy children.

And now to this week’s episodes:

Monday, August 6, 2012

9:00 AM: Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) Briefing

Most important was the presentation by Loretta Swanson, head of the two year old Storm-water Task Force (SWTF). Some of the recommendations made were: “more education and outreach around forestry best management practices", and that "the County document and scrutinize the effects of logging on residential property adjacent to forest land”.

Well, hallelujah! Somebody finally took a shot at the 700 pound gorilla! I felt like the heavens opened up, and Gabriel was trumpeting a familiar tune -- only Gabriel was Bob Marley, and the tune went something like this:

Clear cut loggin’ so bad for us,
trow water quality under de bus.
Can’t help wonda’ no one know,
fellin’ da trees turn on de hose.
Wash de contaminate into de bay,
poison de water in shellfish we raise.
Kill all de fishes, ruin de shore;
time to show clear-cut harvest de door.

6:00 PM: City of Shelton Commission Meeting:

Before the meeting, Mayor Cronce circulated his idea on how to attract new business to the City. In a nutshell (pun intended), the Mayor proposed a two year moratorium on impact fees. I’m not opposed to waiving impact fees since there’s no development going on anyway. If the city wants to give up a revenue stream they don’t have, for one they never will, that’s their business -- just don’t come crying when talk turns to mandatory installation of sidewalks.

Consider this:

A summer evening and a young couple, with toddlers in tow, take a stroll in the street because there are no sidewalks. With no delineation between the walking path and the roadway, it would take only a couple of seconds for an inattentive motorist to irreversibly change all their lives.

And what about civic responsibility and community pride? Aren’t those elements considered by creators of new businesses? If the Mayor wants to attract development, a good place to start would be his own home. Sitting like a dilapidated brothel at a busy intersection, the house is a poor advertisement for leading by example.

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

9:00 AM: Regular session of Board of County Commissioners (BOCC)

Once again, there was entertainment value in the public comment period: Citizen Joe Mark, speaking through his attorney, told a sad story of being thrashed by a man who thought Joe had shot his dog, and then accentuated the point by spatting a wad of "chew" in Joe’s face. Joe told his accoster it was not he who had caused the canine’s untimely demise, and pointed a boney finger toward a house across the field.

Joe reported the incident to the Sheriff’s Office, and then to the County Prosecutor, and then to the Attorney General. But in each instance he was told, with no witnesses, nothing could be done. So it came to pass, Joe stood now before the court of last resort, his County Commissioners; and it was in these hallowed chambers was sung the final chorus of official apathy -- their hands were tied.

And so it was, another citizen seeking justice is sent back into a cold world to fend for himself.

Thank God we still have our guns.

2:00 PM: Port of Shelton Commission Meeting

It was standing room only, as the community came to support the Mason County Fairgrounds.

It would be easy to go into detail of who said what, but that would only be buying into the Port’s machinations, posing as a citizen outreach effort, so let’s just cut to the chase:

Commissioners Taylor and Wallitner, and Director Dobson want the fairgrounds gone off Port property, and it became apparent the citizen outreach effort was just a ruse. But such disingenuous attempts at public relations serve only to further disenfranchise the community, and (as difficult as it is to imagine) further damage the Port’s image.

I am most disappointed in Commissioner Taylor, who acts as if going through the motions is the same as citizen input in the decision making process; that civility is more important than action; and that so transparent a strategy will improve the situation.

Anyone who left the meeting thinking the outpouring of community support for the fairgrounds will have any effect on its future is poorly mistaken.

On a personal note, I am, admittedly, in a sour mood, because what I am witnessing in our municipalities -- County, City and Port – leads me to believe we are committed to the wrong direction.

If there is to be any hope of a better future, it lies in our ability to pick better leaders. If we fail to do so, the last laugh will be on us.

Later…