GOOD DAY AT THE COUNTY - BAD DAY AT THE PORT
Submitted to Shelton Blog by Tom Davis Mason County Progressive
It was an historic day for Mason County residents -- two County Commissioners voted to enact the 1/10 of 1% tax increase for sales and services to fund mental health, chemical dependency and therapeutic court programs. Commissioner Tim Sheldon cast the only “No” vote, then promptly burst into flame.
Few people from the business community showed up, though many were invited. Randy Churchill, the realtor and former candidate to replace Jerry Lingle, spoke in favor of the tax. FYI: Randy is going to run against Tim Sheldon in next year’s Commission race.
Seventeen citizens testified in favor of the tax, but the day belonged to our newest Commissioner, Steve Bloomfield, who made the motion that sealed the deal. It didn’t come easy -- nothing good ever does, but at the end of the day, it was a good day to be alive in Mason County.
At least till I got to the Port:
Port Commissioners renamed the fairgrounds “Sanderson Field Event Center and Fairgrounds”, so said Jay Hupp, sending a clear message that public involvement was neither sought nor desired.
I get a kick out of elected officials who make important decisions so cavalierly -- the new name all but drivels from the lips: “Hey, Dad, let’s go to the Sanderson Field Event Center and Fairgrounds and see the … oh … never mind … I think I’ll take a nap instead.” God forbid, these lackluster leaders of lethargy would venture outside of their uncreative circle to solicit suggestions. When it comes to promotion, you’d find more imagination in a graveyard than at the Port.
I asked Commissioner Hupp to delay changing the name till the next meeting so as to give the public an opportunity to submit suggestions. He said there was no need for public input, that it is well within the Port’s authority to change the name on its own. You gotta wonder if any of these guys ever had an original thought.
There was also a power point presentation during which Dobson painted a bright future for the Port, as soon as they get out of debt. (I bet the 300+K they wasted on legal fees fighting Shelton Hills would have done the trick.) Moving forward, Dobson vowed to itemize, collate, scrutinize and document the economic life expectancy of every building on Port property.
That’s what he said; here’s what I heard:
“I don’t have any idea how to attract new businesses or jobs to the Port, so I’m going to dazzle you with some administrative BS in the hope you won‘t notice.”
I have a problem with people who think of themselves as arbiters of economic growth but never made it in the “real world”; it’s all about drawing focus to the hand that’s NOT rummaging around in the public’s pocket.
I wouldn’t go so far as to say the Airedales at the Port don’t know what they’re doing; it’s that their heads are so far up in the clouds they’ve lost sight of their mission, and the public be damned.
Enough truth for one day.
Graphic: actionnewsjax.com
Are these OLD GEEZERS serious?
ReplyDeleteDo they think by calling BULLSHIT a rose, it becomes a rose? This is the same thinking that tries to call TAXES "REVENUE".
So if we call the Mason County Fairgrounds "Sanderson Field Event Center and...what was it again? I lost my train of thought part of the way through that freight train of a name.
Hopefully the EVENT is these OLD MEN losing their part time jobs.
BTW, good luck. I still call ProBuild "Lumbermans". It will always be Lumbermans to me and the Mason County Fairgrounds will stay the same too.
As a matter of fact, let's just keep referring to it that way to piss them off. Hupp will Huff and Baby Killer Huey, I mean Wallitner, will have palpations. It's time for some new blood. These guys run on embalming fluid.
Many a train of thought carries no freight, as our Port Commissioners and their fearless leader Dobson continue to prove.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Tom, for sitting through this painful dissolution of reality in our community.
When will someone put an end to our misery and retire the three stooges????
The Port missed a great opportunity to generate public interest in the Port activities.
ReplyDeleteA fairgrounds naming contest would have been a great PR plus for the port.
Instead, as usual, the Port does whatever it can to keep citizens away. What are they so afraid of?
I guess it is hard to think when you have your head up your ........
HOPEfully our community rallied around Jack Miles & VOTED him IN for another term as commissioner.
ReplyDeleteWithout Jack at the Port, there won't even be a CRACK in the door for us citizens to peek into.
Too true Christine. Without Jack, and with Dick Taylor yessing Dobson and Hupp all day at the Port the citizen will be well and truly shut out of any goings on at that Port.
ReplyDelete"Many a thought train carries no freight...". The bumper stickers are on the way.
ReplyDeleteAlmost forgot: Remember that FAA mandate we were told was carved in stone? The one where the Port HAD to move the fairgrounds by the end of 2013? Hupp now says he's "optimistic" about its reversal. Funny how mountains just get up and walk away when the Port's friends are involved. Here come the lease, here come the lease...
Have to give credit to my little brother, Steve, for "Many of train of thought carries no freight." It applies in so many instances and it really seemed PERFECT for Hupp, Wallitner and Dobson - Shelton's very own Three Stooges!
ReplyDeleteOne more try, without any typos:
ReplyDelete"Many a train of thought carries no freight."
That's for the bumper sticker!