The more things change, the more they stay the same - at least in Port Angeles.
After knowing for YEARS that they had to deal with their combined sewer overflow (CSO) problem, they City finally "did something" and bought into the biggest boondoggle ever, Cutler's Million Dollar Turd Tank. After committing to this "solution" and spending millions of dollars and committing millions more...Apparently you folks just experienced 20 hours of partly processed poo going straight into the Strait. I read about the warning to stay out of the water there in the Bellingham newspaper. You just can't buy publicity like that. Thank goodness you've got Russ Veenema around to counteract the bad PR, eh? (And by the way, has it even been raining up there? Why an overflow now?)
And after knowing for YEARS that they have a serious and totally unsustainable utility rate problem, which is in part due to the aforementioned Turd Tank, the City is now apparently considering "doing something" about it. I guess there's a proposal on the table to increase the City's already expensive utility rates for FIVE YEARS running. Given that a third of Port Angeles residents already are delinquent on their utility bills in any given month, this classic City "solution" seems like a surefire way to solve the problem - if the problem is that there are still people who can afford to pay their utility bills. Is the goal 100% "participation" in being delinquent?
Am I the only one who ponders the notion that Port Angeles is badly run on purpose? As in, with the purpose of totally and completely bankrupting and wrecking the town for some reason? I mean, like the saying goes, even a stopped clock is right twice a day, but the City of Port Angeles is remarkably able to be wrong pretty much every single time, in every single way.
You can also see articles about the sewage on our shoreline in the Sequim paper, the Longview paper, and the Tacoma paper - and many others, I'm sure. Thank goodness for the internet, It makes it so easy to get the good word out about Port Angeles. No wonder our economy is booming!
ReplyDeleteIf we can have CSO "events" now, I just can't wait for the rainy season. Maybe we'll have a garbage bluff "event" too?
DeleteThe article, by the always sleazy and questionably accurate Paul Gottlieb, states that "Some raterpayers will not see increases." But it fails to explain who these lucky few might be.
ReplyDeleteDetails? Who needs details? This is the DPN we're talking about, after all...
See from the article that Sissi missed the city council meeting - again.
ReplyDeleteSo does this pattern mean that, if she's elected county commissioner, she'll miss most of those meetings to be off campaigning for something else? Just wondering if there's a pattern here.
It is somewhat dispiriting to see how often Sissi has been absent lately. It makes her look like one of those career politicians, always off chasing the next job, rather than doing the one at hand.
Deleterates rising, turds flowing -- business as usual.
ReplyDeleteThe overall feeling emanating from City Hall is hostility. Hostility towards the environment. Hostility towards the City's own ratepayers. Hostility towards outsiders and newcomers. Hostility towards openness and transparency.
ReplyDeleteSo much hostility. It's almost a physical presence. Then these hostile fools in charge seem dumbfounded that no one wants to invest here, put down roots here.
Well, uh, it's pretty easy to understand, actually.
Port Angeles, home of the Roughriders.
ReplyDeleteThere is a concerted effort to run the town down. Run everyone out of town so the Seattle elite can buy it up as "cottage country" and have a weekend getaway. This is brought about by the local real estate lobby who like to "churn" the properties a few times. The only way realtors can make money is to sell property. The only way to sell property is to run off property owners. See how well it's working...This is also the reason everyone is so keen to have the airport readily avialable to the jet set. See if you can get out of Seattle and be on the ground in PA in 30 minutes it's a sell.
ReplyDeleteWhy the hell would "the Seattle elite" want to go to Port Angeles? It has all the charm of a gas station restroom. Your argument makes little sense to me. Run it down, down, down, destroy it - then take it over, but only on the weekends. Huh? What are they gonna do while here? Where's the culture? Where would they eat? Huh? I can see the appeal of getting out of the city - but not if you're jumping into an outhouse to do so. No way.
DeleteAnon 4:39, what in the HELL are you talking about? Most of the downtown is owned by a very few old-OLD farts, or their estates/trustees. Most of those buildings haven't sold in decades. The "Seattle elite" doesn't want a bunch of run-down, not to code, structurally questionable buildings with nearly ZERO foot traffic. There is no "churn", until recently. And, jet set to Seattle? Really? Who in the hell wants to commute from Boing Field to here? Why? For what reason??? What you are describing might be a Clallam County wet dream, but it is a dream none-the-less. Our downtown is screwed because there is very little to offer the locals (junk stores, a pawn shop, a couple of restaurants, a bookstore...please, who reads here?) and, because the Chamber is a joke. The PADA is lead by an incompetent happy chattering hen, and the same old doofus offspring keep thinking they are the "town leaders". This town is suffering from lack of vision, leadership, and an identity crisis. Add to that an insolvent city, and corruption everywhere.
ReplyDeleteAnon 11:11 AM to Anon 4:39 AM - great example of a couple of jackass braying at each other in the barnyard!
ReplyDeleteHilarious!
It wasn't a CSO. It was a malfunctioning pump. Just for clarification. Carry on.
ReplyDeleteStill, you'd think for all the MILLIONS of dollars the city has spent on this system that they might have pumps that work. Or a plan to deal with ones that don't that takes less than a full day to kick into action.
DeleteBut, then again, this is Port Angeles, so...
You are assuming the goal was to honestly create a solution to the problem, when in fact, it is all about getting tax money to the select few via grant funded projects.
DeleteI was told by someone involved that the contractors just covered old existing parts with fresh paint, and called it good.
The comment was that "With the quality of people who run the city, the contractors know what they can get away with."
Hey ya want to see what dictator Sheila Miller has going for us out here in Carlsborg? Checkout the total lack of code enforcement for her buddies in the Industrial Park. Yeah some of them are on the CCAC (Carlsborg Citizens Advisory Council) who are proponents of the CARLSBORG SEWER PROJECT at a cost now of over $17Million dollars and rising.
ReplyDeleteAll this spending for the few businesses who cry "WE CAN"T EXPAND" and we need the residents to pay for it. That's 547 homes of which 334 in the mobile home parks that are exempt from the sewer equals 213 homes plus 113 businesses for potential hook up. So, $17 million divided by 326 equals $52,147.24 per hook up. HOW IS THIS FINANCIALLY FEASIBLE?????
Oh, I forgot the CCAC has proposed increased housing dencity of 4-14 dwelling units per acre in a critical aquifer recharge area where "new comers" will have to pay $1000.00 (mitigation) for 150 gallons per day domestic (indoor only) water use. Assuming that if they Build it (the sewer) and they will come. So goes PA so goes the county.
Please see my blog YEAH REALLY digginforfacts.blogspot.com. Crypt Kicker we gotta meet
ReplyDeleteSorry, but, please see previous posts that will explain to you that I got smart and moved away from Port Angeles. I maintain this blog as a warning and source of information for others who might - foolishly - be thinking of moving there.
DeleteThanks, I forgot you got the heck outa Dodge. Sorry for the delyed reply. You keep fighting from the west side of Clallam County and I'll keep fighting from the east side. I'm pissed that the county rezoned my farm in Carlsborg to 1 house per acre and my taxes skyrocketed. We're not moving and will continue to be a pain in the ass for the county.
Deletehttp://www.sequimgazette.com/news/271448451.html
ReplyDeleteMcEntire says "Not Conducive for Economic Growth" "Working age" and "School age" population leaving. I guess that means that the Carlsborg UGA will become a retirement mecca with 1000 to 1300 square foot cottages on 4400-5000 square foot lots sucking up what's left of the water after flushing the sewer system every day. Then we get to pay Sequim $900,000 a year to treat the sewage. These people are NUTS.
http://www.clallam.net/PublicWorks/documents/FCS2-11-2014.pdf
Come on down to Carlsborg and buy your cottage and by the way it will cost you $1000,00 for indoor water use and oh yeah and $7,640.00 for sewer hook up and $68.00 (we hope) per month to flush. If you want a lawn it'll cost ya $2,000.00 for 150gpd indoor plus 89 gpd outdoor use for .06 acres approx 50x50 feet of lawn. If ya want more it'll cost ya $3,000.00 for 150gpd plus 200gpd for .13 acres approx. 75x75 feet of lawn...so come on down and bring your bank account with you you're gonna need it.
By the way PA dwellers there's a plan afoot to pump your water through Carlsborg to Sequim for water mitigation when water gets low here. http://www.clallam.net/PublicWorks/documents/12_12_13Minutes.pdf
ReplyDeleteSo far I've found the BOCC has committed Clallam County to $500,000 a year payments for a $10,000,000 loan they took (and I cannot find accounted for in anywhere). Next they want to commit to $900,000 a year to pay Sequim for processing sewage from Carlsborg (which, BTW, is handy for Sequim cuz someone talked them into overbuilding their sewage treatment facility with wrong figures for projected growth). As stated above by bdfraz, I've heard, with mine own ears, discussion of purchasing Port Angeles water rights (and the necessary pipeline) to mitigate the water problem in Carlsborg. Buckle your seat-belts folks....it's gonna be an expensive ride.
ReplyDeleteAha! So that's why Port Angeles officials aren't worried about accumulating so much long term debt. They'll pay their bills by selling Elwha River water to the Dungeness Basin!
DeleteThanks, National Park Services, for over-building the Elwha water treatment facilities that will make this exchange so lucrative for the City of PA!
Sorry, Chinook salmon returning to the upper Elwha for the first time in over 100 years. De-watering the river will be a bigger impediment than dams.
The only resource - and I do mean the ONLY resource - that Port Angeles has, is its water rights. Like CK and others here have pointed out, watch and see who tries to get them away from the crooks and simpletons who run the city.
DeleteCK, if you can't post yourself please don't let morons like Dale Wilson post for you. Just sayin' ....
ReplyDelete???
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