2/7/12 PORT MEETING REPORT

WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE PORT THESE DAYS?

Submitted to Shelton Blog by Tom Davis Mason County Progressive

Readers of this blog have probably noticed little has been reported on Port of Shelton activities over these past few months. The reason for this is twofold:

First, reporting the goings on at the Port has been like watching a train wreck happen at the same time and at the same place, month after month. Even considering the tragic consequences, the events themselves tend to become less interesting with the passage of time.

Secondly, given the abdication of Jay Hupp from the Chair position, I wanted to give our newest Chair, Commissioner Dick Taylor, an opportunity to introduce a bit of professional reasoning to a dysfunctional process. That time has now passed.

So it was with these thoughts in mind I found myself on the way to the most recent regularly scheduled Port meeting on February 7th. Here’s what happened:

First, there was the ubiquitous public comment period that precedes the cryptically written action/discussion items, this day sparsely listed as: “A. FTZ” and “B. Fairgrounds”, with no further information provided. I had brought this particular failing to the Commissioners' attention several times in the past, but to no avail. Still, with the heart of an eternal optimist, I decided to give it another whirl, broaching the topic before the new body, hoping for a more positive outcome. After a bit of head-bobbing, eye-averting and double-talking, Chair/Commissioner Taylor said the board would take the matter under consideration. This particular response has been aired before, but with no action forthcoming. I’ll let you know if a more “user friendly” agenda materializes at the next meeting.

As it turned out, the “FTZ” (Foreign Trade Zone) topic was a discussion item, whereby Jay Hupp informed the public that the two "FTZs" he had so gallantly proposed last year included a provision that allowed for the transfer of these zones to anywhere in the county, a fact Mr. Hupp failed to disclose at the time he presented his proposal. Apparently, Mr. Hupp enjoys hiding his light under a bushel, and delights at the prospect of outmaneuvering the very people he has sworn to serve. And, while I am not at this time opposed to transferring a "FTZ" to another part of the county, it has been my experience that things that do not begin well, seldom get better over time.

And then it was onto item “B. Fairgrounds”, which, as you might suspect, turned out to be the lease of the Port’s Fairgrounds to the Hansens, or more precisely, Northwest Event Organizers, Inc. Well, shut my mouth and light me a-fire, who would have guessed the Port would circle back to that old dog? Everybody, that’s who.

Immediately after the meeting, and with an arm draped around the shoulders of Commissioner Wallitner, Rachel Hansen accepted the “Key” to the Fairgrounds. Yes, grasshoppers, an actual key was presented. But like a story about a one-legged duck, this one sounds funnier than it actually is. That said, I extend my best wishes to the Hansens for success, and hope their efforts will attract more tourists and bring more business to our community (along with untold wealth to themselves and their foster child, John Dobson).

But the height of the meeting was embedded in its final moments, under the heading, “Commissioner Comments”. Dick Taylor announced that the Halls Equity Proposal known as Shelton Hills was “going to happen”; we don’t know when, he said, but it is definitely going to happen. Given the money, time and effort involved in bringing us to this point, I view such news as a bittersweet victory over one's own failings. But before my tongue becomes too acerbic even for me to tolerate, I want to publicly thank Commissioner Taylor for his efforts in bringing the Shelton Hills issue another step closer to its inevitable conclusion.

As you may suspect, there is also much going on at the county level: discussions revolving around privatizing water, sewer and solid waste systems; policy decisions aimed at who can serve on how many citizen advisory committees; and always Belfair wastewater issues up the wazoo. (And some other issues too sensitive to discuss at this time.)

But right now, there are many things to do and not so many people to do them. So, do all that you can with all that you are, and remember: Life is short and you’re dead a long time, so get on with it.

Truth is power (TIP).

Graphic: www.enlightenedmarketing.com