WEEK OF 11/12/12 MEETINGS IN REVIEW

TOM'S TALES FOR THE WEEK

Submitted to Shelton Blog by Tom Davis    Mason County Progressive

(Disclaimer:  After more than two years of attendance at County Commissioner Meetings, the author of this post can no longer be responsible for his comments, opinions or perceptions. The reader is forewarned that any of the information contained herein may be indiscernible from the political babble now indelibly etched on the author’s brain. Please read responsibly.)

Tuesday, November 12, 2012

9:00 AM: Regular session of Board of County Commissioners

There were 14 items on the agenda but only one worth talking about:

8.4 Approval to award $68,000 to the Mason County Economic Development Council from the Rural County Sales & Use Tax Fund (.09) in 2013 and 2014 for business retention, expansion, recruitment project and economic development planning, as allowed in RCW 82.14.370 and enter into an agreement.

In my opinion, giving $68,000 a year to the Mason County EDC is a waste of resources; I’d give them $34,000, but only if Matt Matayoshi washes every official County vehicle. When the community needed the EDC to step up, as was the case with the Shelton Hills Development, Matt was nowhere to be found. The man needs to break free of the political leash and reconnect with a good day’s work.  

The commissioners could have put this appropriation off until at least one new face took the oath of office, but that didn’t happen. The vote went down 3-0 in favor, and another $136,000 of public money went for dog-food.

Public hearing to consider the following 2012 budget adjustments:
(NOTE: the word “consider” should not be taken literally.)

9.1.1 Clerk - $15,000 supplemental appropriation in revenues from Auditor’s O&M transfer.
9.1.2 District Court - $26,300 budget transfer for juror and court expenses.
9.1.3 Probation - $5,450 budget transfer for re-classification approved on 8/21/12.
9.1.4 Sheriff/Jail - $189,000 budget transfer for jail overtime and medical expenses.
9.1.5 Courthouse Security - $11,000 budget transfer for unanticipated overtime expense.
9.1.6 Island Lake Mgmt Dist #1 - $2,000 supplemental appropriation for expenditures.
9.1.7 REET 1/Capital Improvement Fund - $115,000 budget transfer for modular jail cells.
9.1.8 Belfair Wastewater Fund - $3,761,000 supplemental appropriation due to unanticipated revenue/beginning fund balance and expenditures.

I won’t waste your time rattling on about each item, since only $231,750 will come out of the ending fund balance. But you should know that Item 9.1.5 was dropped from the budget the next day, and Item 9.1.8 authorizes the use of existing funds, not additional funds. (God forbid anyone should offer an explanation without having to be poked with a stick.)

FYI: I’m writing a book about my two years at County, Port and City Commission meetings titled, “We Don’t Need No Stinkin’ Public", which brings me to the next meeting.

(Same day, same place)

10:30 AM: 2013 Board of County Commissioners Budget Workshop

For those of us who have watched Tim Sheldon's methodical gutting of public services, the day’s events came as no surprise.  For weeks, Candidate Sheldon brushed aside questions about the potential impact of the Teamster’s lawsuit on the 2013 budget (See “Tom’s Tales" 8/27/12). That was before the elections, now he can’t stop talking about it. And then there’s the $2,000,000 gap in anticipated revenues and budgeted expenditures.

And so the minutes ticked by while the public looked at the commissioners, the commissioners looked at each other, and the clock on the wall started to melt like in one of those Salvador Dali paintings. Then Tim Sheldon piped up: "Hey, what about an 8% across the board cut? Whoa, that was close. Okay, who wants pizza?"

Let’s do a little recap before the revisionists rollout the smoke machine: Sheldon spent the better part of the past four years championing millions in overruns for a sewer project that nearly broke the bank, and it’s not over yet. Then he racks up more losses by instigating a huge labor lawsuit that never had to happen, and tops it all off by digging in his heels on commissioner salaries we can’t afford. Never the blushing bride, Sheldon then suggests balancing the budget on the backs of an already overworked, underpaid staff. (And you wonder why I’m losing it.)  

It’s no secret Sheldon wanted to kick the labor lawsuit down the road by appealing the court ordered settlement, but the other two commissioners nixed that idea; at 12% accruing interest, it was the only sane thing to do. 

The next great idea was to let HR Director, Karen Jackson walk out the door over a couple of grand a year, which she so richly deserved, and bring in a negotiator at twice the price to threaten cutbacks and layoffs if the Teamsters didn’t back away from their court ordered settlement. That one didn’t work out either, and now they have to offer the same salary Ms. Jackson was requesting just to attract a replacement of similar caliber.

First you create a problem; then you transfer that problem onto others; then you limit workable solutions to the one you think will best leverage your position; then it all goes to crap; and then you tell everyone we need to move on. Why it’s freakin’ brilliant!

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

10:00 AM:  Another County Commissioner Budget Workshop:
 
I don’t know what happened after I left yesterday’s meeting, but apparently Ring-Erickson and Bloomfield managed to meet with department heads and hammered out a deal without violating the open public meetings act. Good on you. When the dust settled, about $850,000 in cuts and $1,000,000 from 2012 budgeted returns seemed able to do the trick.

Here are the items being eliminated:
 
$35,000 for the Jail Nurse contract; $19,612 for a MACECOM fee increase; $11,000 for courthouse security overtime; $30,238 in benefits for commissioners (keep your eye on this one); $19,600 for WACO, WSAC & NACO dues; $75,000 for travel expenses; $10,000 for a clerk; $5000 each from H&R and Probation, and a whopping $700,000 (or so) from ER&R.

Total: Somewhere in the $850,000 to $910,000 range, depending on who squirrels out of the deal.

As for the $2M court ordered labor settlement: Long story short -- the County will make the payout in one lump sum, including cash in lieu of benefits, soon, very, very soon. Monies will come from Public Works and the Ending Fund Balance.

And there you have it folks, another massive Tim Sheldon, ego driven, out of your mind, couldn’t care less, look at me now brand screw-up, saved by the underpaid, overworked employees of Mason County.

Will this year never end?

Later…

Link to previous related post:
http://masoncountyprogressive.blogspot.com/2012/08/week-of-82712-meetings-in-review.html