Sunday, February 7, 2016

Grading the Guardians and Oh, Laudy, Laudy!

Now that the bold and indefatigable Marolee Smith has filed her ethics complaint against Cherie Kidd, the next step will be for the members of the City Council - minus Gavel Gertie - to pick three people to become the "citizens' ethics board" provided for by City code.

Needless to say, with a split Council, this should be an interesting process.


And so, at this time, the pool of potential ethics board candidates consists of:

Jerry Dean

Roy Gotham

Grant Meiner

Frank J. Prince, Jr.

Danetta Rutten

Diana Tschimperle

Kenneth Williams

William Yucha

Edward Zoble

Anyone have any thoughts? Background info on these folks? Predictions?

Meanwhile...In a parallel universe...

Cherie Kidd says - and the PDN repeats it, without any sort of proof or context, not a word - that she has been "lauded for her actions." She says she's received an outpouring of support, and people telling her that they're sorry their fellow citizens have been so "contentious."

Translation: Scores of people have expressed their righteous frustration with the City and the Fluoride Four, which is their right and possibly even their duty as citizens. This means they are "contentious." Afterwards, Cherie's husband and Dick Pilling both probably said something soothing to her. This means she's seen an "outpouring of support" from "people."

Me am popular and respected!

I've always said that the hardest thing for a politician to say is "I'm sorry," or "I was wrong." And yet, it can be the most powerful thing a politician can say. It shows they can listen, and learn. It shows they recognize they are not perfect. It shows they can acknowledge that situations change and evolve. Gavel Gertie's total lack of even a hint of contrition for the part she's played in this only increases the impression that she's arrogant and out of touch. Her complete inability to empathize, sympathize, listen or learn only tightens the noose around her neck a little bit more each day.

Give 'em enough rope? Cherie's grabbing for it hand over fist.

Meanwhile...In a neighboring galaxy...

SeaPort Airlines has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, at almost the exact same time that the Port will be starting the search to replace (former) Port Commissioner Jim Hallett.

Here's a friendly tip: Find someone to replace Hallett who has a pilot's license and owns a plane. That'd be a win-win.



54 comments:

  1. Let them have their fun, the Brave New City Committee will install its own ethics panel when the new charter is adopted.

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  2. I'm not for the "Change the government " approach to solving the current problems, but with what is being revealed by the current officials sure gets me to thinking about it.

    Let's see. Sure, every meeting up until the last has been governed by Roberts Rules of order. Every meeting has been adjourned with a motion, a second and a vote. But at this last meeting, Cherie Kidd adjourns the meeting, then tells the audience the meeting can continue if everyone will shut up, and then walks out when people object to what she is doing. And, we are told by the City Attorney that is okay, because the use of Roberts Rules of Order is not mandatory.

    You know. The City can be run any old way a ranting Council member wants.

    Hunh?

    And then there is the Port of Port, and the supposed air service the PDN trumpeted was coming , starting 3 weeks from now. Headlines today? Ooops, the airline is filing for re-organization.

    Which shows us all how well the Port did it's research before making the announcement to the community.

    This all, just today.

    I'm still not convinced voting for a new form of governance is the answer, but the existing leadership isn't helping people to decide otherwise.

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  3. Cherie admits "didn't have a timer".
    That's rich. So, she was timing it with the wall clock, and interrupting people mid-sentence.
    This is why Clallam Public Eye is so important, and the PAPA will be valuable to the people of Port Angeles. I think the PDN watched the video and said "whoa."
    Cherie, Pat, and Brad all voted on this 2012 ethics code. They were the ones who devised it. (Presumably to muzzle Mania.) It should be used, and often, against them.
    Cherie should get an ethics complaint for her jumping on the Trust Lands Advisory Committee without ever disclosing it, or reporting back to the council. She should get an ethics complaint on a plethora of "business as usual" events.
    So should Gase.
    So should Collins.
    This isn't being fuddy-duddy. It is fixing our broken local government.
    They put the law on the books, now let them be judged by it.

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  4. Here's a thing, pure speculation on my part, but regarding ethics concerns and Kidd:

    Kidd recently voted in the majority along with the other FF to approve further funding for the EDC.

    Now, I'm not against the concept of an EDC, but it seemed to be dying and shows lack of results, so the idea of furthering it's life with more taxpayer money... it just doesn't seem like a good idea.

    Anyway, where I'm going with this. If you look at the EDC webpage and scroll down to the 2014 annual business report, plop down to page three then read the examples of those business helped through the EDC.

    The second one down reads:
    "Helping an excellent truck and storage rental company to secure the various tax breaks mentioned earlier to lower the costs of its future expansion projects."

    Does that sound like anyone's business you know on the City Council that just voted to approve more funding to the EDC?

    Again, I don't know for sure... I'm just speculating. If there is another business that fits that description half owned by someone sitting on the council then I apologize in advance for any undue ethics violations aspersions.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bingo! Gold star for you.

      Cherie would say she's for business growth and retention. That's well established. So if a dirty deal (using tax dollars) resulted in her business growing...Well, that's not bad, right? In fact it's GOOD - for the local economy, of course.

      A very, very localized economy, actually. You can call Cherie and ask about it at 360-457-0226. You might also try 360-477-1825. Ask her how business is.

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    2. don't forget Brad Collins sits on the Board of the EDC.

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    3. This sort of nasty approach will only backfire on your "scorched earth" cause. It may feel good now and justified by your group, but if your goal is to bring change to city government, you're hurting your own cause. It appears that no one has given much thought to strategy, so your group has chosen to go with raw emotion and anger. Your cause is already being denounced by good and decent people, in other words, you're being exposed - just like you think you're exposing the City Council

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    4. "Good and decent people." Like the ones who support funneling public tax dollars to a few well-connected private hands? Are those some of the good and decent people you're talking about?

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    5. Actually, no problem. If you are legally entitled to a tax break, anyone can point it out to you, and help you "secure" it, whatever that is. There aren't any illegal ones.

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    6. Ooooh 2:44 are you also 3:03?
      And, this is supposed to frighten people?
      What are we back in junior high and there's going to be a rumble after school?
      Good and decent people wouldn't make thinly veiled threats.
      Who exactly are you exposing? Prey tell, oh evil speaking one.

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    7. Anonymous 4:57 PM: I don't think anyone is suggesting that Cherie's business would have gotten an "illegal" tax break. The concern is that Cherie's business would have gotten advice and/or services (that have a monetary value) via the dispersal of tax dollars to the EDC. There are lots of potential conflicts of interest there - and some of those could be illegal.

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    8. EDC is absolute BS.
      There are good grounds for a lawsuit against the city for unlawfully contracting with it, no due diligence, not even a statement of the "benefit of the bargain." All agreements to give $$$ to it are void for failure of consideration (basic law school stuff).
      Plus EDC's fraud in inducing PA to give money for nothing = white collar CRIME.
      EDC can't even get its own name correct (legal name ends with Council, not "Corporation").
      And why did their tax registration with DOR get closed in 2005? Where's their B&O returns?
      You can't prevent a private company from getting scammed, but governmental bodies have no lawful authority to deal with thieves.

      Surely there are good smart people with some extra time to serve part-time on council?
      Vacancy coming...

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  5. This is mostly all from googling the PDN for these names. I don't have any first hand knowledge of these people.

    Jerry Dean, pastor at Church of Christ. Has volunteered with the school district and done missionary work in Uganda.

    Roy Gotham, owner of The Toggery when it went out business. Donated to PDN's Peninsula Home Fund. Member of Rotary.

    Grant Meiner, former county superior court judge. Member and past president of the Rotary club. Worked with Grant Munro on a clean water project in Ethiopia for Rotary.

    Frank Prince, former PA high school athletic director who worked in the school system for 40 years.

    Danetta Rutten, former county probation officer, ran the Teen Court program at Juvy. Member of Soroptimists. Spoke in support of the drug treatment center near civic field. Donated to Mark Nichols election campaign in 2014.

    Diana Tschimperle, chair of the Parks and Rec advisory committee and member of the swimming pool advisory committee back in 2005 when they were trying to build a new pool instead of fixing the old one. Graduated from PAHS in 1971. Currently employed at PAHS as a bookkeeper.

    Kenneth Williams, former county superior court judge.

    William Yucha, can't find hardly anything. Someone named Becca Yucha posts a lot of comments at the PDN but they live at different addresses based on the county property records. Here's a letter to the editor in Port O Call where he claims to be a conservative christian and is against the school levy because big government and moral decay: http://portocallpublishing.com/2015/01/thoughts-about-the-school-levy-by-bill-yucha/

    Edward Zoble, donated to PDN Peninsula Home Fund and listed there as Dr. Zoble. Listed on LinkedIn as "consultant, hospital & healthcare". Donated to Feiro Marine Life Center in 2014.



    ReplyDelete
  6. Grant Meiner is a local attorney.

    Jerry Dean is Dr. Jerry Dean Church of Christ

    Roy Gotham was the owner of the Toggery (weren't they among the people who tossed the Farmers Market from downtown?)

    Fran J. Prince JR..? I think his wife is a teacher at Jefferson Elementary

    Danette Rutten is the President of the Soroptimists (Cherie is a Soroptimist) she runs the "teen court" and is a process server (Strait Servers, LLC)

    Diana Tschimperle is a 1971 Graduate of PAHS, and is an employee of the PA School District (PAHS)

    Kenneth Williams is a retired Clallam Superior Court Judge. He and Cherie serve (as of 2013 990 filings) on the GML foundation (ein 91-6030844) He as the President, and Cherie as the Director.
    http://990s.foundationcenter.org/990pf_pdf_archive/916/916030844/916030844_201312_990PF.pdf
    He is also the President of the Board of the Boys and Girls Club. http://www.bgc-op.org/newpage

    William Yucha has posted on the Port O Call website, and describes himself as "conservative, Christian, taxpayer and a voter". http://portocallpublishing.com/2015/01/thoughts-about-the-school-levy-by-bill-yucha/

    Is this a good representation of our town?

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    Replies
    1. Meiner is a local attorney. Isn't his daughter part of the revitalize group?

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  7. Don't think for a second that people don't know who you are or where you live . . . .

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    Replies
    1. Yeah, yeah...I don't usually allow these types of pathetic comments through, but, I thought I would this time just to show the sad, desperate depths those clinging to the status quo will plumb. If all the threats of "We're gonna get you!" were true, well, I'd have been "gotten" long ago. Loser.

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    2. ...who is that comment directed at? 3:03. Should I load the gun and keep it handy?

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    3. Oh, I can't even imagine the horror....Thanks for writing in, Cherie.

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    4. Please don't get distracted by the troll, folks. I just used this one as an example. It's not that interesting a topic, even as a sidebar conversation.

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    5. I took the comment about "people knowing who you are and where you live" simply as a fact that we no longer live in an anonymous world..with the internet etc. not as a troll threat. Am I wrong here CK ? No big deal just showing how differently comments can be interpreted.

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    6. Yooo-hooo, troll. Oh Troll. Please come visit. I have a surprise for you. You know where I live, right?
      Oh trollie, trollie trollie..come out, come out wherever you are.

      Delete
    7. Believe me, I've had this blog long enough to know what was meant. It's off a piece with the other comments that come in sporadically, like, "Hey fucker, I know exactly where you live!" and things like that.

      In any case, I've yet to wake up with a horse head beside me in bed. But the pistol is always within reach from the bed - just in case.

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  8. Roy Gotham's wife Mary is part of Cherie's cadre of Soroptimists.

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  9. From my experience the only people who say things like "I know where you are or where you live.." is more in keeping with stupid 20 year old men and crazy, fat, old women.
    In this case, I'm certain it's the fat old women making the idle threats.

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  10. Will start researching city four and look for kickbacks and graft. Follow the money.

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    Replies
    1. Will start researching the other three. Capital idea!

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  11. Dan Gase works for Northwest Security Services. City of Port Angeles is a client of Northwest Security Services per their website. Conflict? Still digging.

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  12. Anyone have the actual name of Kidd's business so we can research?

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    Replies
    1. AAA affordable storage and uhaul which her husband owns on Bean Road.

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    2. Except the UBI is only in her husband's name. Presumably he owned it prior to the marriage, so that makes it his business. She claims to have "RUN" a successful business, and claims to own that one. Only, the UBI is a sole proprietorship, lacking her name.

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    3. Yes that appears from the public database to be correct. As a licensed, but unincorporated, proprietorship, he is the business licensee, she has a community property interest in some of it, since it goes back to 8/1/2007.

      Thus, consider this: any EDC funds that might have went to this proprietorship business, as a matter of law went into her personal pocket.

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    4. thank you for that interpretation of that. Yes, it was clearly "advice" and my CPA charges a chunk-O-change for that kind of advice.
      And, depending on how much it saved the business, that sure looks like she should have recused herself from voting this year, last year, and all years on the EDC.
      That's the problem with the four-block on the council -- they just don't pay attention to disclosures, or ethics, or recusing themselves often enough.

      Hell, just bringing potential conflicts up and disclosing and allowing the other members to vote would be a pleasant surprise.

      Meanwhile, how many times have the F-Four voted as a block? Seems like they do it so regularly that I, for one, find it suspicious.

      HOW do four people agree so often?

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    5. Dan Gase works for Northwest Security Services.
      Dan Gase voted as councilman to have Northwest Security Services donate K-9 to city.
      https://wa-portangeles.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/2641

      Northwest Security Services provides K-9 training for donated K-9. They charge departments for training there. http://www.konp.com/local/11172
      Dan Gase should have at very least removed him from vote because of conflict of interest.

      Delete
  13. Whoa, folks.

    Let us step back and see what is in front of us here. This is the next incarnation of the OJ trial.

    This is the first time, in the 150 years of Port Angeles' existence, that ANY public representative has been charged with Ethics violations.

    And, Port Angeles is not just any old town in America. President Lincoln named Port Angeles America's "Second City", after Washington DC. We have Americas' history to uphold.

    We need to create awards to present to Cherie Kidd at the next council meeting. "In the last 150 years, no one has been able to defame Port Angeles for all history to record, but you, Cherie Kidd." Or other words to this fact and reality.

    Come on, folks! This is a (hopefully!) once in a lifetime event! Never before has a council person disgraced the office like this, before. Lets present Cherie with appropriate awards!

    Office Depot has pre made awards you can fill in.

    She will be "on trial" at this next council meeting. This is a public meeting not to be missed. Bring your children.

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  14. Bloor lies! He said, in the most recent PDN article that there was a prohibition of signs for October 22, 2015 (the special meeting) and the council voted 4-3 to not have signs at the January 5 meeting.
    Not in the minutes, for either thing. Id' think something like that would be in the meeting's minutes. It wasn't on the agenda. It wasn't in the newspaper.
    If Cherie and Pat "discussed it" that didn't make it a quorum, nor was the new rule made in accordance to the public meetings act.
    So, Bloor just makes stuff up?
    Really?

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  15. Just goes to show you Bill Bloor represents the fluoride four and no more. He is not YOUR city attorney he is their attorney. That is why the city spends nearly 3/4 of a million dollars for legal fees. Bloor makes $160 and the rest he farms out to legal buddies to prop up this sinking city council. When the new city is being developed we must have a city attorney to represent the taxpayers instead of just the council members. Bloor must go--the quicker the better. Bloor will do nothing in the meantime but confuse the issue and issue lies to protect the fluoride four.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bloor must have skipped Property 101 in law school, because he blessed the 2005 "gift" of the fluoride hardware from the LLC. The only "gift" was a trojan horse of toxic industrial waste. The city paid not in cash but with a full indemnification of the LLC (in violation of city code 14.01.110) and other forms of consideration.
      It was not a gift transaction, but to heck with the law, let's all goose-step with it and not ask any questions whatsoever.

      7:56 makes a very asute observation. The role of a city attorney is to represent her/his client, which means speaking up anytime you see something illegal. Bloor acts more like a politician...F5 perhaps?

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  16. The PDN should publish the entirety of Bloor's memo on the subject so that all can be educated on the nuances of his legal analysis. The city may argue that the memo is exempt from public disclosure because it is "confidential and privileged legal advice"; however whatever attorney-client privilege may have been attached to the memo was arguably waived by disclosing its contents to the media.
    Somebody, please make an official Public Records Act request for a copy of Bloor's memo, and report back to us on whether the city will produce it.

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    Replies
    1. 8:48, very astute there.

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    2. Dear Ms. Veneklasen,

      I am making a Public Records Request in accordance with RCW 42.56 Public Records Act.

      I am requesting a copy of the Port Angeles City Council “Rules of Procedure” in accordance with RCW 42.56.040 DUTY TO PUBLISH PROCEDURES, (1) (a) Rules of Procedure.

      I also request a copy of any memos, records, meeting minutes, agendas and public notification, time and place for the January 5th, 2016 Port Angeles City Council Meeting and the vote on “sign prohibition” in City Council Chambers, including each council members recorded vote for or against the “sign prohibition”.

      Please notify me by phone or e-mail when the requested records are ready and the cost of copies.
      If possible, you may e-mail the records in MS WORD or PDF format if you prefer.

      Sincerely,

      Delete

  17. A couple of things...
    First, it is correct that Roberts Rules are nor mandatory, nor are they the only form of parliamentary procedure. That being said, it would be expected that the City Council, would at some point have adopted the rules under which they govern their meeting. This most likely would have been done by resolution and may have happened long in the past. But shame on the council member who gets elected and doesn't bother to learn what proper protocol is. There are agencies in town that have never adopted their rules and so the conduct has just been set by precedent and you end up with situations like this where a board can blindly do what they want day in and day out. Have a few members of the public show up though and they totally lose control of the meeting because they have no idea what to do. The let themselves get emotional and reactive instead of keeping their professionalism. It's ok if they don't know the answers - they can ask for contact information and get back to somebody after they've had time to research the question. But no - they'll make a knee jerk decision and make themselves look like idiots.

    Second, whether it's "legal" doesn't mean it's the right thing to do as far as having anyone with the power to make decisions to provide funding to the EDC also benefit from the EDC. (Not that the EDC is actually providing measurable benefit anyway.) The proper thing to do would be to show that you make an effort to exempt yourself and your business from their services.

    Lastly - does Cherie drive some large grey sedan of some
    sort? I'm pretty sure she pulled out in front of me and cut me off and then slowed to a crawl and couldn't get up to speed safely, like you are SUPPOSED to do when entering traffic. When I was able to pass the car and try to see the driver, I couldn't see the face but the rats nest of bottle blond straw-like hair was a giveaway, as was the Soroptimist license plate frame. Just another behavior that shows the entitlement attitude and complete lack of respect she has for anyone else.

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    Replies
    1. one answer here is dementia. Cherie might have lost the noodle factory.

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  18. I expect them to take full advantage of Bloor's statement and prohibit both signs and all public comments at the next meeting.

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  19. The only reason the sign prohibition is even being talked about by our elected representatives is to silence their constituents!

    WTF????

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  20. Since when can one council person, after "discussing it" with another council person in private, make city policy?

    Cherie Kidd talks to Downie about prohibiting signs, and then just goes to the next council meeting telling everyone there will be no signs!!

    Is this the way our city government is supposed to work?

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  21. Which of the current council members campaigned on a platform that they were going to shut down public comment? Which ones promised us they would ban signs from the council chambers?

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    Replies
    1. EXCELLENT question. I'm gonna guess...none of them.

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  22. I will not allow Cherie Kiddler to trample willy-nilly over my right to free speech - which includes bringing a sign.

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    Replies
    1. It might be a "policy" but from what I know its not breaking any laws (the cop at the last council meeting even said so). The only thing she might do is have a temper tantrum and attempt to abort meeting early. The police aren't going to step in and arrest people just for holding a sign. Especially if everyone has one.

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  23. First, thank you to whoever hosts this forum.

    My point is that there is no "contempt of council".
    The council chambers are not a courtroom, and I'm reasonably certain you cannot be arrested for violating the COUNCIL's own rules. Meaning their rules actually only regulate themselves, NOT the public.
    Kiddo can try to order the police to haul someone away, but that would be false arrest/false imprisonment. She can try her best to eliminate the public comment periods, but FWIW, heckling, like skateboarding, is not a crime.
    It might be an interesting tactic to bait her into eliminating public comment altogether, then maybe more folks might look up from the TV and get involved.

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  24. Maybe we can get 92 year old Eloise to carry a sign into the council chambers, at the next meeting.

    I know she can't be arrested, because there is no ordinance, because Cherie and Pattie just thought this whole thing up before the last council meeting, and there has been nothing official done to change the status quo.

    But still, it will be nice to do a Ghandi-esque Salt March thing, with little old ladies lined up at the council chambers with signs, challenging the council members to have them arrested.

    Hard to believe these council folk are this stupid. Do they realize how easy they are making it to knock on peoples doors with petitions, and to say "These council people are openly doing everything they can to silence your free speech. Do you want to sign this petition?"

    It doesn't get much easier than that.

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  25. Any other Public Records Requests before I send this e-mail to the City Clerk?

    Dear Ms. Veneklasen,

    I am making a Public Records Request in accordance with RCW 42.56 Public Records Act.

    I am requesting a copy of the Port Angeles City Council “Rules of Procedure” in accordance with RCW 42.56.040 DUTY TO PUBLISH PROCEDURES, (1) (a) Rules of Procedure.

    I also request a copy of any memos, records, meeting minutes, agendas and public notification for the January 5th, 2016 Port Angeles City Council Meeting and the vote on sign prohibition in City Council Chambers, including each council members vote for or against the sign prohibition.

    Please notify me by phone or e-mail when the requested records are ready and the cost of copies.
    If possible, you may e-mail the records in MS WORD or PDF format if you prefer.

    Sincerely,

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The rules are now posted at PortOCall

      Delete