Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Hallett Hauls It

Yes, Jim Hallett is hauling ass out of the Port Commissioner's office. In a Mike Chapman-like fit of publically displayed conscience, he says he is leaving because fellow Commissioners Connie and Colleen have "violated the public meetings act" and "destroyed any trust" he once may have had. (Maybe he's also upset because the morons at the PDN misspelled his name in the headline of the article.)

In any case, you soon won't have Jim Hallett to kick around anymore! Or James Hallet!

Clallam County Knife Holder?

So, is this a case of truth-telling? Have Connie and Colleen been sneaking a conversation here and there? Or could it be that Jim Hallett's ego-puffed personality didn't mix well with having to rule with, you know, girls? Or could those rumors about Mr. Hallett's failing health have something to do with this?

Or, in classic Port Angeles fashion, is he simply bailing out because he's found a better scam elsewhere, and/or he's paving the way for the next conman to take his place at the Port?

So many questions yet to be answered. I do declare! I just can't keep up with all the backstabbing and scheming and quitting that goes on in Clallam County.



35 comments:

  1. Didn't the girls meet in a coffee shop after they were elected but before they were sworn in? And I want to say I remember Jim being upset about it and not participating. So it could be that event unless there's some new allegations.

    What is the procedure for filling the vaccany? Appointment, special election?

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    1. I'm wondering about the Passing of the Torch as well.

      Meanwhile, someone at the PDN must check in here, because they corrected the spelling of Hallett's name in the headline - but without adding the little note stating the article has been altered/corrected.

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    2. If I'm reading the RCW correctly and port commissioner is a non-partisan position then the remaining commissioners get to appoint someone who serves until the next election.

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    3. Colleen and Connie and Cherie does have a certain flair to it!

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    4. the three C's? I can think of a fourth word that could go with that....

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  2. Let's remember that the Port is the primary proponent of the "Composites" toxic garbage reprocessing plant project.

    Hmm. I wonder if something isn't going so kosher there? Otherwise, why wouldn't Jim keep his mouth shut, and ride that train to fame and fortune?

    Why bail out, now?

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    1. Since the Port is creating a potential toxic-waste-site-to-be, I'd say that, yes, it's not a bad time to be leaving. Especially since sexist Mr. Hallett doesn't want to play nice with women, and, as mentioned elsewhere here, he might even be able to spin his departure into a little cash in pocket. (Let's be frank. People like Jim Hallett don't do anything for free.)

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  3. I don't blame Hallett for being sick and tired of all the BS. I'll bet he'll be on the next plane outta....Oh.

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  4. https://youtu.be/iA94ZtYlupE?t=1h36m36s

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    1. This is a link to the most recent Port meeting. Thank you to whoever posted it!

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  5. How ironic, the whistle blower is being whistle blown. This "good oleboys" club has skirts

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  6. Jim Hallett complaining about unethical behavior is like Edna Peterson complaining that someone is rude and overbearing. It's like Karen Rogers complaining that someone eats without using silverware. It's like Cherie Kidd complaining that someone has latched onto a stupid idea. Jim Hallett is a pocket-lining sleaze. Now that the ladies have made it clear they didn't need him to dance, he's crying foul. But they're ALL foul.

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  7. "Mr. Kettle? I've got the Pot calling on line one - he wants to tell you something."

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  8. CK, Did you see the "Commentary" written by Karen Rogers, and signed by Orville, Gary and others that is in today's paper?

    Yeah, with the utmost in hypocrisy, they are telling us to be polite. That the council should stand firm and not bow to the voices of the small vocal minority.

    Now, any of us that lived through Karen Rogers rule know it was her crowd that ignored the thousands of signatures against fluoridation, and instead sided with the (not local) Washington Dental Association.

    If you haven't read it, you should. If you ever had any respect for Rogers, Gary Braun, Orville Campbell or Wiggins, you won't after reading this.

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    1. Who has ever - EVER - had respect for Karen Rogers? Of this group of "former mayors," only Orville has gotten his role down well. He plays the rural, folksy-but-not-farmerish, small town elder statesman thing fairly well. Now, he's as nasty and hard as can be inside, but he at least fronts better than the rest of this group.

      But really...These are the creeps (and Mayors) who got the town into the messes it's in now in the first place. They have NO standing - NONE - to criticize. As Karen Rogers has told so many people before, they should just sit down and shut up.

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    2. With the growth of the hospital, and the time that's passed since the "bad old days" of Karen Rogers on the council, and with the current council looking terrible all on their own, I don't worry about Cherie Kidd getting appointed to the port position - I worry about Karen Rogers getting it.

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    3. Karen doesn't work for OMC, she is the head of board of the OMCF (the Olympic Medical Center Foundation). And, like usual, where she goes she creates sturm und drang. Scandal rocks the foundation... read these articles:
      http://www.sequimgazette.com/news/251287361.html and part two: http://www.sequimgazette.com/news/251288201.html

      I'm sure this is the tame version of what is going on over there.

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    4. p.s. Funny how for all that Cherie Kidd will say she can't stand Karen Rogers, she lists the OMCF on her bio as a board member.

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  9. Wow! Even the likes of Karen Rogers, Orville Campbell, Gary Braun and Wiggins are saying in the paper, publicly saying that Cherie Kidd, Pat Downie, Brad Collins and Dan Gase have screwed things up so much that " What we have now is complete chaos..".

    It is one thing to have your opponents complaining about your leadership style and the results, but to have people like Karen Rogers writing op-ed pieces about it, too?

    How bad do you have to be?!?!

    Those four should just do the right thing, and step down now.

    They have everyone pissed off.

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  10. Now Jim Hallett and Tim Smith can sit around and 'wine' about how how they were mistreated.

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  11. You read it here first...Hallett will huddle with the port's attorney and claim his due process rights were violated and file for a settlement. The port will cave and pay up just to move on--it's only your money. Maybe he'll just hold out the threat to resign and never show up for work. Hostile environment. Then PTSD sets in and his "damages" go up. This could go on till his term ends in 17.

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    1. You could well be on to something. Let's hope that none of the Fluoride Four tumble to this. They might have to sue the community for being so mean to them and "inflicting emotional distress."

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  12. Show four the door

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  13. Port of Port Angeles Commissioner Jim Hallett abruptly resigned, or at least threatened to resign, at the Port’s regular meeting Tuesday, January 26th. Hallett listed, as reason for his resignation, a lack of trust in his fellow commissioners, Colleen McAleer and Connie Beauvais, accusing them of unethical actions including violations of the state’s Open Meetings Act.

    Hallett did not report his concerns of ethical lapses to the County Prosecutor’s office.

    “It’s time for us to part company,” said Hallett. “I intend therefore to offer my resignation as port commissioner,” he continued. Hallett stated he would meet with the Port’s attorney to work out the details of his resignation--a process he figures will be accomplished “within a month.” This seems a bit unusual as resignations are usually accomplished by a simple letter listing an effective date of the resignation.

    Upheaval at Port of Port Angeles?

    This is the fourth recent departure of personnel at the port. Former executive director, Charles Robb was forced out of his job by commissioners a while back and--at the same meeting--hired back in a newly created position and at the same pay. Hallett was in on that decision.

    Robb’s replacement, Ken O’Holloran recently resigned as of December 31, 2015 citing his desire to move to the Portland area to be nearer his family. Port Commissioner John Calhoun decided not to run for re-election opening the way for the recent election of Connie Beauvais as the newest Port Commissioner.

    With Hallett’s departure the two remaining port commissioners, Beauvais and McAleer have 60 days to name his replacement. The appointed commissioner will serve out Hallett’s unexpired term. Hallett was one of the last commissioners elected to six-year terms. His term would have ended in 2017. The appointed replacement will serve until then.

    Apparently Hallett’s concerns are that the newly elected, but not sworn in commissioner, Beauvais and Commissioner McAleer held a series of public meetings before Beauvais was sworn in. Hallett seems to imply that these meetings were unethical because they included a quorum of commissioners even though Beauvais was not officially a member of the commission when the meetings occurred. Even so, the meetings were widely advertised and occurred in public places such as Olympic Bagel Company and on KONP Radio.

    Others suggest the cause of Hallett’s departure is more mundane. Commissioners McAleer and Beauvais were on record as desiring to change the official meeting day for the port commission. Both Beauvais and McAleer have full time jobs and such a change in meeting dates would allow them to better coordinate their regular job with their duties at the Port. Port Commissioners are paid approximately $12,000 per year which necessitates having a full time job. Hallett is on record as opposed to moving the meeting day suggesting it is only to accommodate the other two commissioners schedules.

    Another reason, not mentioned by Hallett, but on the minds of many, is Hallett’s correct estimation that he would not be re-elected as President of the board of port commissioners. Colleen McAleer was recently elected President of the board of commissioners of the Port of Port Angeles.

    McAleer was once an employee of the Port of Port Angles when she filed a “Whistle-Blower” complaint listing lapses in business protocols at the port. She was later elected port commissioner.

    McAleer, responding to Hallett’s resignation said: “Commissioner Hallett has served the community well as a public servant over the years. I have full faith and confidence in the Port going forward. We will continue to drive economic development in Clallam County in a professional and transparent manner.”

    Port O Call reached out to Hallett and Beauvais for comment but received no response by press time.




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  14. Don't you just love the way the PDN describes the air service fiasco as a " delay"? No contract, and the company is bailing out. There are no other "service providers" stepping forward, but this all is just a "delay".

    "Delay" means there is some assurance it will "resume". It never even STARTED!

    But, the PDN rephrases everything into happy talk, if it will support keeping things the way they are.

    No need to be concerned, it is just a delay.

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    1. Just like the delay Scott Nagel is experiencing in restoring the Lincoln Theater. Just a small bump in the road, a mere flesh wound. Nothing to see here, move along...

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    2. Yeah, but even Scott formed a Board, got a hundred thousand or more in .. oh, yeah.

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  15. Look for the "change government" petitions out on the streets tomorrow.

    Boy, this council sure screwed things up, big time.

    Should be a real interesting next couple of months in Port Angeles!

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  16. Don't you love the PDN rah-rah headline from a few days ago saying "City official: Major projects spur growth in building permits in Port Angeles"

    Cleverly worded to infer growth in the town, when in fact, they are just listing mostly government projects like the pump station redo.

    Why didn't they list the number of potholes the city filled last year, while they were at it!

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  17. Blast from the Past Dept.: Someone landed here in the last 24 hours by searching for "Harold Norlund".

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    1. Egads! Could it be that people in his new location are beginning to wonder how he was regarded in his former capacity at Nippon PA?
      Is somebody checking references because Harold is looking for a new job?
      Either way, the sight of the name Harold Norland evokes only unpleasant memories.

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    2. Who's Harold Norlund?

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    3. Perhaps it is regarding the lawsuit by the Halalt First Nations against Catalyst Paper.

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    4. Nah, that lawsuit concerns the Crofton paper mill, on the east side of Vancouver Island. Harold (who used to be the mill manager here, at Nippon) moved to Port Albernie, to manage the mill there.

      Different mills, different First Nations band.

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