MASON COUNTY HAS GASTRO-SHELDON-ITIS!

THE CURE IS ROSLYNNE REED!

Submitted to Shelton Blog by Katherine Price  Mason County Progressive

During the re-election campaign for George Bush, our Commissioner/Senator Tim Sheldon started a group to support the re-election of George Bush, and called it Democrats to Re-elect George Bush, or something similar. I never heard much more about that particular group, but the very idea that even one Democrat would want to re-elect Bush was beyond my understanding.

I did a little Google search this morning of our illustrious Commissioner/Senator Sheldon and found some interesting facts from the Kitsap Sun's writer Steven Gardner.

One article, written in 2010, discussed the bills that were introduced in the Legislature, which were defeated, but which, if they would have won approval, "would have prohibited an elected office-holder at the city, county or state levels from being elected to another such job". Clearly, if those bills had passed, Sheldon would not have been able to run again for his Board of County Commission job.

But what appeared in that article that was more interesting was: "But according to Sheldon it won't be an issue in 2012, because he doesn't plan to seek re-election as a County Commissioner that year." Which year would be this year, which leads me to the conclusion that our Commissioner/Senator is either suffering from early dementia, or that he is a flat out liar. Frankly, I have heard enough drivel from said Commissioner/Senator to feel right comfortable calling him a liar, here and to his face.

The article I was reading also talked about how popular our Commissioner/Senator is with Republicans, so much so that when Dan Griffey thought of running against him as a Republican, he is quoted in an email as saying: "I was told that the House had a greater need of my service than the Senate." It is not certain who told him, but I suspect it was the Republican Party.

Randy Netherlin got a similar message in 2006, when he reports being told by a state party official that "if the district Republican Party put anyone up against Sheldon, it wouldn't get any money from the state for the two 35th District House Races." Interesting, how the Republicans, who usually only protect their own, would protect our sometimes Democratic, sometimes Independent, Tim Sheldon.

The article ends with Tim defending his dual elected roles: "It sometimes stretches your time, but it does keep you in touch with your local community," Sheldon said. "It seems to work for my constituents or they would not have re-elected me in 2008."

Well let's look at that 2008 campaign; the Mason County Democrats ran an untested, political novice, against the County's favorite good ol boy, and she lost.  One wonders how much her seeming inexperience counted against her, and how much her color -- she is Native American -- and/or her sex -- "she" being obviously female.

Fast forward to 2012:  Mason County Democrats are supporting Roslynne Reed, a woman of color, and female to be sure. But this time the candidate has been tested, the experience she brings to the job of County Commissioner is considerable, and she has a substantial record of working to improve our County for its citizens. 

Mason County Republicans are, as always, supporting Tim Sheldon.

But more about Tim...

Remember the Shelton-Mason County Journal article from April 9, 2009, titled "Open season on criminals"? This is where Tim shines one of his brightest light on his failure as a community leader.

As the County Commission reduced funds for the Sheriff's Department, Sheldon invites us to arm ourselves and to defend ourselves. Specifically, he stated:

"There is no bag limit. There's always an open season on criminals in Mason County. I think the Mason County citizens are very well aware of how to protect themselves in a situation that might need a response. I think our citizens network very well and are very involved in crime watch activities and other things."

And our Sheriff's comment when he heard about this statement was: "Holy Cow!"

Sheriff Salisbury added: "This sheriff, and this sheriff's office, believes in the rule of law and the legal process."

"There's always an open season on criminals in Mason County."  Holy Cow indeed! The Senator/Commissioner's position was that we have guns and we should use them to protect ourselves. And not long after this comment, one of our elderly citizens did just that with his gun and defended his actions by quoting our Tim Sheldon.

But back to why I have such nerve to call such a powerful and important man a liar? Well, starting with "I won't run in 2012" to the lie he told at the Commission Meeting about giving his outrageous raise money back to the County. Ask Auditor Karen Herr that question, as was done by KMAS, and you might get a different answer.

Ms. Herr recommended that the commissioners find a way to undo their mandated annual three percent raise (Commission Meeting on September 4, 2012). After the Commissioners' Meeting, Sheldon told KMAS radio that he has given back to the County any raise he had. "I've written a check to Mason County for that money."

Karen Herr wrote to KMAS that Tim's statement was "inaccurate" (she is too polite to say he lied).

Ms. Herr wrote:

"For what it's worth, the statement 'the Commissioners have returned their increases by writing a check to put their raises back into the County coffers each month' is not a true statement. Ring Erickson has never returned any salary (she took a reduction in medical) -- Sheldon returned salary increase for two years (our of eight); and Jerry Lingle returned a portion for one year."

So what can we learn from Tim Sheldon's statements and his actions, especially the ones that are contradictory?   We can agree that he is not to be trusted, and that he lies. And what should we do?  We should unseat him.  First from the Board of County Commissioners, and later from the State Legislature.

I hope that our blog readers will share with us their own favorite Tim quotes. Especially if someone has the full quote of his "hot lead enema" statement for those who want to commit crime in Tombstone... I mean in Mason County.

Every day I think about how amazing we could make our community if we replaced the existing BOCC with Roslynne Reed, Denny Hamilton, and Ross Gallagher.

• Ross has experience in the job itself and will help bring our new commissioners, Reed and Hamilton, up to speed in short order.

• A lot of things are going on in Mason County, many of them "under the radar", just as our elected officials like.

• We need transparency in our county government, we need the commissioners to tell us who is approaching them for what and how industry plans will affect citizens.

• We badly need the citizens to be HEARD when they speak to the commissioners, not talked down to and sneered at.

In Mason County right now we have opportunities, and we have challenges, and we also have a dysfunctional Board of County Commissioners. If we want to see a better future for our children, grandchildren, and ourselves, then we absolutely need a clean sweep on the Board of County Commissioners. 

Graphic: www.istockphoto.com 

SHELTON BLOG NOTE:

Link to related KMAS article:
http://masoncountydailynews.com/news/news-page/38549-auditor-disagrees-with-commissioner-statements