TOM'S TALES FOR THE WEEK
Submitted to Shelton Blog by Tom Davis Mason County Progressive
Monday, July 23, 2012
9:00 AM: Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) Briefing
For the second time in as many months, Commissioner Sheldon suggested tying salaries of elected officials to that of a Superior Court Judge, proportionately. I reported on the improbability of this in a prior post, likening the relationship to half a bucket of rocks being compared to a pound of steak. After hearing the idea proposed a second time, I have come to feel that I may have inadvertently maligned the character of rocks.
Tom Moore, the recently enriched Deputy Director of Public Works/Utilities and Waste Management, announced a ribbon cutting ceremony to mark the official opening of the Belfair Wastewater Project set at 8:00 AM, July 30th, which also happens to be Commissioner Lynda Ring-Erickson’s birthday. A breakfast potluck was planned, but after some discussion it was decided the two events were incompatible. Commissioner Ring-Erickson breathed a sigh of relief, saying “A sewer ceremony, just what every girl wants on her birthday.”
And here I thought it was jewelry.
Executive Session - RCW 42.30.110 (1) (i) Potential Litigation
I looked up the referenced RCW and here’s part of what I found:
“The Board may conduct a closed meeting to “discuss with legal counsel representing the agency litigation or potential litigation” by or against the employee. RCW 42.30.110(1)(i). The agency attorney must be present either physically or telephonically. In order to use this provision for a closed meeting, the litigation must be between the agency and the employee, and not for the discussion of some other agency’s potential litigation. Potential litigation must be more than merely speculative. Potential litigation is defined as either “specifically threatened”, or where an agency “reasonably believes” that litigation may be commenced.”Tim Whitehead, the assistant prosecutor showed up, so I waited in the lobby for the scallywag plaintiff to make an appearance. But with nothing to do, my attention quickly turned to the half-eaten burrito in the glove compartment of my truck, and left my post for a higher calling.
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
6:00 PM: Regular session of Board of County Commissioners (BOCC)
As is becoming a habit, the highlight was contained in the public comment period. Led by Mr. Bob Dicks, residents of Lake Nahwatzel once again lined the chamber’s back wall. Mr. Dicks rose to inform the Commissioners of how deeply disappointed residents were at being left out of the process to rezone a section of shoreline from Timberland to Rural Residential (RR-5).
Rumor has it that some 250 acres of waterfront property belonging to Green Diamond Resource Co., will be sold to a developer, and then subdivided into 48 home sites. Mr. Dicks implied that a long-standing relationship with Green Diamond was now a thing of the past; and in a thinly-veiled threat of legal action, promised Commissioners that lake residents would not be excluded from the process.
Great! Just what we need: another lawsuit.
Next week’s BOCC briefing has been cancelled and the regular meeting will be held in Belfair (Homey don’t do Belfair).
FYI: Judging from the agenda, I suspect County Commissioners would like to disappear between now and the primary, as everything they touch seems to turn into something the Belfair Sewer Project was designed to handle. It is fair to say that past misdeeds have come home to roost. And it may just be that people are beginning to realize the effect of public policy decisions favoring special interests, i.e. the recent amendment to the County Comprehensive Plan that allows Green Diamond to do exactly what it is now doing to Lake Nahwatzel residents.
When a concerned citizen tries to raise an alarm before these decisions are made, they are branded as a “chicken little”. Sadly, it is only after the effects of such policies are felt that people start to pay attention, but alas, it is too late.
And it is with that thought in mind, I find the temerity to close with the following:
The Moving Finger writes, and having writ,
Moves on: Nor all your Piety nor Wit
Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line
Nor all your Tears wash out a Word of it.
Omar Khayyam c. 1300
Moves on: Nor all your Piety nor Wit
Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line
Nor all your Tears wash out a Word of it.
(From Edward Fitzgerald's translation
of The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyam)
of The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyam)
Later…
SHELTON BLOG NOTE:
Link to KMAS News Voters Guide:
http://masoncountydailynews.com/news/voter-guide-2012
Link to Progressive Voters Guide: 2012 Primary Edition, Mason County
http://progressivevotersguide.com/2012/washington/primary/county/mason/35th
TONIGHT:
STATE REPRESENTATIVE CANDIDATE FORUM
(Positions 1 and 2)
Oakland Bay Junior High School
3301 N. Shelton Spring Road
from 6:00 - 8:00 PM
(Sponsored by MCCC, MCLWV, & Mason Web TV}
Thank you Tom, for once again braving the chambers of the most on high. A friend of mine was included in the Lake Nahwatzel folks and she reported that Lynda arrived late and when the Lake group got up to leave she made a catty comment about them turning their backs on the commissioners... it sounded so Lynda. Always trying to make the little guy feel SMALLER!
ReplyDeleteLawsuits and lawyers in the land of Tim and Lynda.
Thank goodness we have this rare opportunity to send them both packing in the primary by carefully marking the box on our ballot for Roslynne Reed (so Tim can spend more time in Olympia, or in his trees) and for Jeff Davis, whose actions and whose words will be aligned as our next State Representative.