Thanks to the Port O Call for providing us some compare and contrast info from our neighbors to the north. So in case you're wondering what's up in Calgary, they've just voted to remove fluoride from their water. By a 10 to 3 vote of their elected aldermen. As in, by a very decisive majority. I think their Ward 7 alderman Druh Farrell sums it up simply and clearly:
"What this really boils down to for me is the question of ethics. Should we have a right to impose what many people see as a medication through the water supply that those same people also pay for?"
Well said! And given that the PDN has yet to print a single word about the efforts to fluoridate the entire county's water supply, I'd like to rephrase Farrell's question:
"What this really boils down to is a question of ethics. Should a newspaper have the right to knowingly censor the flow of vital information to the people of a community who financially support that newspaper?"
Or, to put it in the form of yet another question: Is it possible to file an ethics complaint against a newspaper? On less than vital issues, we get a steady flow of fluff. They have stories on things of no consequence. ("Breaking News: Scott Nagel STILL wants to buy the Lincoln Theater.") They have maybe stories about things that maybe might could happen in the future. ("Jeepers! The Port is trying to hoodwink another air carrier to come to Port Angeles.")
But elected officials talking about chemically altering the water supply for the entire population? Nothing to see folks, move along...
What this really boils down to is that any last little shred of journalistic credibility the PDN once may have had...Has boiled away.
Today's PDN carries an article on the Bloor ethics complaint written by Chris McDaniel, not Gottleib.
ReplyDeleteIt is becoming more and more obvious the PDN is in some sick conspiracy to shape the news it prints. Let's look at some examples. Last year when the county treasurer was being assailed from all sides because she did not open up the county's checkbook to Commissioner McEntire PDN reporter sent her threatening emails suggesting she would be prosecuted--none of which was true. Recently Paul Gottlieb was calling around scolding and abusing people who made ethic complaints against the city. Not too long ago the PDN ran a front page lie saying a grant had been approved for the composites scam when of course it had not been approved. No matter, McEntire used this bogus headline to stampede the county commission to approve a matching million dollar grant to the Port of Port Angeles. So, not only is the PDN censoring news the community should be getting it is also performing a radical disservice to the community by shaping the news that does come out. If we are going to have a local newspaper we deserve one that exhibits ethical considerations and is free of bias. So far this new publisher has not demonstrated any change from the old publisher. If you want to know what is holding this city back from competing in the new marketplace for ideas you can look directly at the PDN and its campaign of dis-information and censorship. I hope all of you will call all of their advertisers and demand a neutral coverage of the news.
ReplyDeleteconspiracy or incompetence? Hard to tell the difference.
DeleteThe following is from the California Government Code, but I think it accurately states what most Americans believe:
ReplyDelete"The people of this state do not yield their sovereignty to the agencies which serve them. The people, in delegating authority, do not give their public servants the right to decide what is good for the people to know and what is not good for them to know. The people insist on remaining informed so that they may retain control over the instruments they have created."
That is also the second paragraph of RCW 42.30.010, our Open Meetings Act.
DeleteThe Lincoln Theater, as noted, is still for sale.
ReplyDeleteIt also goes without saying that the news coverage (or not) in the PDN is also for sale.
So our job is to determine who it is that's buying this silence, and out them.
Jesus! How about any other local subject to discuss. This has gotten sooo damn boring. On and on and on. The definition of insanity!
ReplyDeleteYou're so right! Local governments going on the attack against their citizens in underhanded, sneaky ways? The local press obviously conspiring to try and keep it all quiet? Sooo damn boring!
DeleteQuick, somebody - send me a great soup recipe, or maybe a cute kitty video to share!
so boring...our town is in debt to it's eyes. The same old asshats are running things. The council doesn't listen.
DeleteYeah, so old....yeah, so irrelevant.
F-U 10:34 am.
Though, sure, I'm all for bashing Bill Bloor, and showing him the door ASAP, I'm not sure an "ethics" complaint is the way to do it. I'd prefer that the city council or city manager simply declare him totally incompetent, or an expensive embarrassment of an attorney, or something like that. In other words, let them take some responsibility, rather than nudging him towards retirement via a complaint from a member of the public.
ReplyDeleteBut, at the end of the day, anything that gets rid of dead wood like Bloor is a good thing.
Who wrote the city's press release about Bloor's ethics complaint? Did they need to seek outside counsel on how to interpret the city's ethics code?
DeleteHow in the HELL is Bloor not a "public official". Someone? Bueller?
DeleteBloor has his fat little toad fingers into everything, and has them all baffled with his "Being There" meaningless phrases that he spouts.
Delete(reference: 1979 movie: A simple, sheltered gardener becomes an unlikely trusted advisor to a powerful businessman and an insider in Washington politics. )
Bloor just makes it up as he goes along, and our stupid council nods their heads.
Meanwhile, I think, Bloor is like (to quote a more modern reference) a head of Hydra (e.g. Marvel Comics).
He is the last of the old guard that needs to be stomped out.
10:36, Bloor was not elected or appointed, is how. He is a City employee. See the 'Definitions' section of the ethics code. It's really very disappointing to see an actual lawyer miss that crucial point. It's like he had to pee so bad he ran into the girls' restroom.
DeleteThe City could have simply dismissed this complaint, as the code allows. It speaks well of them that they decided instead to honor it, and run it through the ethics process for employees.
@7:58
DeleteReally? You think it would have worked, in the current atmosphere, to "simply dismiss this complaint, as the code allows."?
I'm guessing you don't have a very good grasp of how the concept of "public" works.
Are you one of the current council members?
Au contraire....
DeleteRev. Code Wash. (ARCW) § 42.52.010 (TITLE 42. PUBLIC OFFICERS AND AGENCIES, CHAPTER 42.52. ETHICS IN PUBLIC SERVICE)
Definitions
(18) "State officer" means every person holding a position of public trust in or under an executive, legislative, or judicial office of the state. "State officer" includes judges of the superior court, judges of the court of appeals, justices of the supreme court, members of the legislature together with the secretary of the senate and the chief clerk of the house of representatives, holders of elective offices in the executive branch of state government, chief executive officers of state agencies, members of boards, commissions, or committees with authority over one or more state agencies or institutions, and employees of the state who are engaged in supervisory, policy-making, or policy-enforcing work. For the purposes of this chapter, "state officer" also includes any person exercising or undertaking to exercise the powers or functions of a state officer.
So the key phrase is: "employees of the state who are engaged in supervisory, policy-making, or policy-enforcing work"
Bloor is not an employee of the state. He is an employee of the city. PAMC, not RCW. Stuff like this is why Gase and Bloor and Kidd are not quaking in their boots.
DeleteSo, Anon 1:06, we are to interpret your quoting of the Rev.Code Wash. to say Bloor SHOULD be held accountable for ethics violations the same way Cherie and Dan are to be?
DeleteFor the city and the PDN article on the subject, who made the determination on how to proceed with the Bloor complaint the city is adopting? Bloor?
You guys are in over your heads.
DeleteAnon @ 10:39 - it is a challenge indeed but your trolling indicates exactly where you have YOUR head.
DeleteGood for Calgary! Now, locally, we need to keep pushing to get the Fluoride Four gone, and replace them with people who are smart enough to know that overpaid, underperforming staff members like Bloor also need to go. The city is sinking under all the dead weight.
ReplyDeleteIt is worth noting that Paul "Goat-Like" Cottlieb did not write the article about the Bloor Ethics complaint in the PDN.
ReplyDeleteCould this be an indication that the new publisher really is going to make changes? Be responsive to the public?
If I were mean-spirited, I'd say it was because Palsy Paul was too high to do the story. But, fortunately for Paul, I'm too kind to bring up his substance abuse issues for the sake of an easy joke.
DeleteAnd speaking of an easy joke...Paul Gottlieb.
Bill Bloor has a deep, resonant voice, and he is like the bullfrog of bullshit. Council members and City Managers come and go, but for the last ten years that I have been (periodically) watching the PA City Council, Bill Bloor has been the one steady beacon of BS and bad advice in City Hall. His glaring incompetence is impossible to miss.
ReplyDeleteUnless, of course, you're a member of the City Council, it seems....
Bullfrog of bullshit!!!! OMG, the very best description ever.
DeleteThank you, thank you, for making my evening.
Ladies and gentlemen, we have a new winner: The Bullfrog of Bullshit! Now let's see if we can't get him to live up to that name and croak his career in City Hall.
DeleteSomeone landed here in the last day after searching for "daniel williams port angeles aerial tram." Take the tram to the blog, because it sure isn't going to take you up to Hurricane Ridge...
ReplyDeleteChanging the subject for a moment. The EDC is SELECTED by the board of county commissioners to be the go-to entity for job creation in this county. They have failed miserably for the past 35 years. Why does the county board of commissioners continue funding this rotting hulk? The only answer that fits is these county commissioners are in league with the EDC which is doing all it can to keep good paying jobs OUT OF THE COUNTY. When you get good high-paying jobs you might get a higher class of workers who begin to look around at the local leadership and think, "I can do better." Then all these leadership positions are now in danger because many new and better ideas are out there but they keep getting tamped down by the current so-called leadership. Look no further than the Serenity House, run by a former county commissioner. They do nothing to abate homelessness. They own $7 million in real estate but cannot meet their utility bills. They do no fundraisers but rely solely on taxpayer handouts. They come to the commissioners time after time with sad tales which just a little more money will solve but they come back next month for money without any successes to point to that makes them worthy for more handouts. This is insane.
ReplyDeleteIf taxpayers want to save on their property taxes they need to call this board of county commissioners to invest only in those things that work and quit investing in those that don't. Short list here for starters: Discontinue funding the EDC, discontinue funding Serenity House until some degree of success is demonstrated. Discontinue funding ludicrous scams like the composites scam over at the port. Activist should start showing up at the commission meetings and let them know you are tired of waste and insider dealing. If you want to change the status quo you have to get off your ass and make the meetings. After you attend for a while and get to know the players you may actually enjoy the participation. Griping anonymously online doesn't help as much as you may think.
I totally agree. We really need to get out there, and change all this craziness. It is getting worse, daily.
Delete@9:29, that last sentence is a very good point.
DeletePA Council and the County meetings are only a block apart. Only the County Commissioners do their dirty work during normal work hours.
Today's PDN article by Gottlieb desperately tries to cast Mr. Bloor as some kind of authority regarding the petition to change the form of city gov't. What a crock of crap PDN is. Everyone gave that new owner a chance, but zero credibility.
ReplyDeleteHope everyone's happy with the latest crackdown on public comment - starting tomoorow 15 mins total each period, regardless of # of topics. It's in the council agenda.
ReplyDelete+ whatll it be next time?
Obviously, the City Council members want to hear from their constituents,
DeleteWhat a bunch of jerks.
Sign those petitions, folks.