Instead, City Manager, "Do Nothing" Dan McKeen, has meted (not feted) out two mild slaps on the wrists, suspending one employee (light Operations Manager George Drake) for one week, and another (Warehouseman-Purchasing Agent Sean Hairell) for two weeks, without pay. Call me old fashioned, but, given the scale, scope and dishonest nature of what the whole Slush Fund Follies represents, this doesn't seem enough. I mean, at a minimum, is it too much to expect your employees to cooperate with a law enforcement investigation? Honesty anyone? Transparency? Accountability? Hello? Anyone?
This seems like just the opening bars of what is increasingly looking like a chorus of disappointment that will be coming the way of those who are hoping for some sort of higher legal/ethical standards to be upheld in City Hall. Marolee Smith's ethics complaint is creaking forward, with most of the creaking coming from the Bullfrog of Bullshit, Bill Bloor, as he "assists" the ethics panel with their decision-making process, while stonewalling Marolee at every turn. (Again, it must be noted that it seems odd at best that someone who is themself the subject of an ethics complaint is so instrumental in guiding this first foray into Ethicsland.)
Meanwhile, across the street, poor Yvonne Ziomkowski's much, much, much delayed trial is also grinding along, with the City's expensive Seattle attorney scoring point after point while Yvonne's local attorney Karen Unger sits, smiles and nods.
Or, to sum up all of the above: The fix is still in.
So the question becomes...How does a community find, get, extract something resembling fairness and justice when the whole rotten system is, well, rotten? How do you get to accountability when the people in charge are no accounts with no ability?
Dan McKeen is just biding his time until retirement. Don't expect anything good or productive to come from him. No heavy lifting will occur.
ReplyDeleteVery, very typical of Clallam County.
ReplyDeleteI notice there are numerous ads for various positions at the PDN - social media consultant, reporter and a few others positions. Are they doing so well that they can afford to hire more staff or is the PDN such a misery to work for that people have started to bail out?
Probably bailing out. The PDN makes Numerous mistakes and is very Biased!! The new word is "SPIN "...I prefer the old fashioned words.. Just Plain LYING!!!
DeleteThe PDN has an agenda to form and manipulate the publics thinking. IT is for keeping the status quo . Any money changing hands??? Would not surprise me. Follow the money trail is good advice on many accounts.
I like this site and the Port O Call Newspaper. Thanks for keeping it REAL.
I see there's an ad in the help wanted section of the PDN for a "Portable Toilet Technician" - I'm assuming this the title for Paul Gottleib's assistant.
DeleteYes, I agree. The PDN has really changed, and not for the better, recently. Not that it was worth reading before what ever changed. It still twisted stories around. But it didn't blatantly omit big issues, and lie straight up, like it does now.
DeleteAnybody that spends money with that paper is no friend of the town.
Maybe if the PDN paid wages sufficient to get their employees off welfare it might be a desirable gig. Of course you have to worry about the interns getting knocked up by their senior reporter...
Delete"One thing you can't hide is when you are crippled inside."
ReplyDelete--John Lennon
I love this quote,very accurate.
DeleteSo........
ReplyDeleteAfter having been on paid administrative leave for six weeks or so, these two now must forego a week or two of paid salary. Awwwwwww.
Anybody want to bet whether city taxpayers will be paying for their fringe benefits like health insurance premiums while they are on "unpaid" leave?
Part of the problem, as you can see reflected in comments on the PDN website, is that people see this as either just a "little" wrong, or even a good thing ("At least they were recycling").
ReplyDeleteBut these weren't their materials; this wasn't their time. We, the people, paid for this. Our tax dollars. As such, we should expect more, we should expect better.
Except, it seems, in Port Angeles, where the people in charge have created a system that makes it clear to citizens that they shouldn't expect anything. Nothing at all. "Sit down and shut up, and let us do our thing."
Then they wonder why this area doesn't prosper.
This site is new to me and I love it. Finally. Some truth!!
DeleteI'm not sure hiw/where to make comments on the main, starting article, so I clicked on one of the Reply buttons. So bare with me as I learn or kindly instruct me.
I am VERY appreciative of Ms. Marolee Smith for her courage, time and energy , intelligence, power,persistence and about REALLY caring about OUR City and WE THE PEOPLE!
I STRONGLY agree that Mr. Bloor should not be involved AT ALL with the decision-making of the ethics panel. This is a total conflict of interest!! I am VERY disappointed in the panel for allowing such crap.
DeleteI also STRONGLY agree that the message is, "sit down, shut up and let us do our thing".
Within the last 5 years or so I began to "WAKE UP" and get involved in local issues by participating in city council meetings. I can not and will not "go back to sleep"!! I can not and will NOT sit down and shut up and let you do your most asinine, corrupt "thing"!!
I can not and will NOT unsee what I have seen , nor unhear what I have heard. IT IS APPALLING!!
I believe it is a local picture of what is happening all the way up to the Presidency of the USA.
Welcome aboard, Anonymous 3:37 PM. Yes, you'll find some truth here...
DeleteYou sure said it right!
DeleteHow long do we have to keep doing this, before we see that relying on these people, and this system, isn't getting us where we want to be? The examples of the corruption and lack of moral character in this community continue to pile up, year after year. Storefronts downtown have been empty for years now. As we know, the streets and sidewalks are empty.
ReplyDeleteThe politicians make promises that never materialize, and the city keeps building multi-million dollar projects, hoping to attract people from somewhere else, because spending on who we already have here doesn't make any sense, does it?!
Look at the big picture. Most of the jobs in this area are government jobs in one form or another. Out right agencies like Department of Licensing, Health and Human Service, and Behavioral Health, or they are grant funded projects paid for by tax money. Public money. Pseudo government.
It isn't like this town can make it on it's own. Atleast, not in the "traditional" manner.
So, we end up with what we see. the "Get what you can out of the situation, while you can". The "Rape, Pillage and plunder" way of doing things.
Or, what we see today. Get what you can from City Lights, or from your employees.
What we need are a few large corporations to locate in town like when the mills ran the town. Crown Z, Rayonier, Warehouser, etc. Those entities would run this town the way it needs to be run. No more flouride, no more whining about jobs, get to work or get out. No more long-hairs with their disabilities sitting at the meta room claiming to be musicians and artists. No more hugging trees. No more spotless Owls or other BS. America you are soft and weak.
ReplyDeleteGee, Anon 4:14, why do you think these wonderful large corporations are not locating here, after your wonderful leadership, made up of former managers of Rayonier and crew have spent millions of your tax dollars trying to get them to locate here?
DeleteMaybe because there are so many clueless morons still running this town?
They are not clueless morons. They know exactly how to protect THEIR turf, and THEIR public trough, and THEIR skim machine. Don't underestimate.
DeleteThink about what you can do. Talk to your neighbors. Come to the council meetings and speak. File complaints. Post here. Write to the council. We don't have to wait until the "hope we change" at the Jan. 2018 swearing-in.
I think we should dissolve the Port of Port Angeles and sell off the water front and airport property to the highest bidders. We have already seen the results of having the property held by the Port. They recently turned down a decent offer from Platypus Marine. Who in their right mind is going to develope property that belongs to the Port? They are essentially slum lords because any revenue from our property goes into their budget to support the Port and whatever stupid economic development ideas they have managed to come up with. I sometimes wonder do they have a few cocktails before during and after the meetings where they come up with their "Master Plans"? Platypus wanted to buy the property and pump 5 million bucks into it. That would have added a chunk of change to the cities tax revenue. They were also talking about creating dozens of jobs that would pay a actual living wage.The Ports sole reason for not selling the Property was the fact they had a lease so they "The Port" could still collect the rent.The Port has shown over and over they know nothing about economic development. So little in fact they cannot even support their own operations and projects without getting into the tax payers pockets over and over. It's time that the waterfront property and the airport property all gets sold to businesses who are in a position to thrive and prosper. That will create the local jobs we need.
ReplyDeleteThis idea might have some merit if we forget that all the leadership n this town are former managers of the mills that once ran this town, or are in some fashion running businesses themselves. Or, retired from the mills that used to or still are running this town.
DeleteWaterfront? Let's remember former Rayonier mill manager Grant Munro, who has been running his "logs for China" venture on Port lands for years now.
There is no lack of people using publicly owned lands for their own profit. What Greedheads tend to forget is what NOAA said, when it looked over different coastal towns to locate in. "Port Angeles lacks quality of life".
They were not willing to subject their employees to what Port Angeles is.
Get it?
As a taxpayer in Clallam County, I'm not interested in knuckling under to the hostage taking demands of a private business to sell industrial waterfront property. Sorry.
DeleteI think the BIG corporations is just what we DON'T want.....We need to band together and develop ONE identity for this town..Ever seen the Newfoundland Labrador ads on CBC TV? Let's take all paint color restrictions OFF the downtown buildings,,imposed by PADA.. Everyone put an outrageous color on their homes and businesses..brighten the town up....make it unique.inviting..people will flock here and support our unique sustainable industries but we have to make it happen..not outsiders...heck, even partner with another depressed coastal town like CornerBrook Newfoundland...Start something inovative..sustainable businesses that don't hurt the environment but WORK with what we have in the environment---and I don't mean chopping down trees....Just elect a city council and Port Authority that are willing to look outside the box...Not more of the same thing...We cannot rely on big business coming here we need to do it ourselves..I'm all in!
DeleteI have seen that ad! Didn't remember where it was, but I do remember the bright colors.
DeleteYes, things will never change here, if we just sit around and wait for the elected people to do it. They have to worry about getting elected, or re-elected, so they won't do anything possibly controversial.
We need to just do it ourselves. Make up some fliers with our ideas, and start passing them out. Find others in town that see things the way we do, and band together.
As you remember, that woman on First Street (across from the PDN ) did just what you're saying. She painted that big building bright yellow, like a place in Iceland. It was so cool to see somebody take initiative, and do what they wanted. Of course, the PADA came down on her, but she didn't care.
We don't need permission from anyone.
Yes, the fix is in, which is a key reason why so many smart people get OUT. They can see there's no use banging your head against the wall trying to help a community whose leaders refuse to even entertain the notion that there might be something wrong, and fight tooth and nail to keep things just as they are. "It's another great day in Port Angeles!" Right?
ReplyDeleteOh, so the poor blokes left here should all just give up, shut up, and let the perps keep lyin & stealing?
ReplyDeleteIf you're not part of the clean-up, you're part of the dirt.
There is a movement in this town toward throwing off the chains of inept "leadership." A change is coming--and soon.
ReplyDeleteWatch them scurry like roaches when you flip on the light in the kitchen late at night.
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, this ethics panel is broken. This morning Cherie Kidd repeatedly referred to her having consulted with the city attorney prior to instituting her new sign prohibition. Now this is the same attorney who is advising the ethics committee He cannot advise both the committee and have his advice to the accused used as defense for her actions. This is Conflict of Interest 101. Moreover, it is very likely the Ethics Ordinance was in whole or partially crafted by the city attorney which should automatically evict him from advising the panel on operating procedure. This is not unlike a legislator becoming a judge and ruling on the meaning of a law sponsored and passed by the legislator turned judge.
ReplyDeleteSecondly, it has never been determined, to this point, how Cherie Kidd came into possession of the chair that night. There was no vote by city council and no ritualistic passing of the gavel as would be proscribed in such a meeting. Otherwise why couldn’t anyone just take the gavel and run a city council meeting? They must be anointed by the remaining members present. Since the mayor was present, albeit over the phone, he was present for all intents and purposes and could have chaired the meeting. Since he decided to pass the gavel it would have been with some more pomp and circumstance than just handing it over to someone else.
What happened February 2nd is akin to the way things work in a banana republic.
Further, it was evident from today’s testimony Kidd is untruthful. She made conflicting statements of which one must be false. She said there was no history of signs inside council chambers and in the same statement said in January the council chambers were filled with signs at both January meetings.
Finally, she said she unilaterally adjourned the meeting because she thought the climate “unsafe” for the participants. This is patently false. Everyone was pretty calm until she had her “moment” and then of course the wheels came off. Fact is the meeting continued long after Kidd and Gase split. No one got hurt. Everyone got to speak to the remaining council members and the entire senior city staff who remained for half an hour.
Also, there may be some conflicts with Judge Meiner sitting on this committee. On day one he stated he only knows "Cherie" to "say hi on the street." Unconfirmed sources say he and Kidd have, in the past, or currently serve on the same board of directors for one or more foundations in town. Is this the best we can do?
May I suggest a "do over" and allow the Ethics Committee from Port Townsend or some other nearby city hear ethics complaints in Port Angeles and have our Ethics Committee reciprocate as needed in their ethics concerns.
As a footnote, at the beginning of this process there were nine members of various ethic committees--3 on each. Two of the nine have now resigned since this circus began--without ever hearing their own cases.
What a pathetically stupid scene!
DeleteMs. Smith did the right thing by filing the complaints on our behalf. The City has let the people down by allowing the obvious conflict of interest with Bloor to continue. If there ever was a semblance of "fair", it was destroyed by the use of Bloor as legal counsel for the proceedings.
Well, it looks like something happened oin that regard, and Bloor stepped down.
DeleteBut it's only for this one case.
Delete