Per the controversy about the timber land exchange letters of support that Mike Chapman and Dim King Jim McEntire sent behind then Commissioner Mike Doherty's back, Dim King Jim had this to say:
"My conscience is clean. I think the allegations was founded in nothing other than the foul blast of partisan politics. Everything we do here, we do our very best to do according to the law as transparently and in an aboveboard fashion. I think this commission is a model of openness and transparency in all cases. So that's all I have to say about that."
Bad grammar aside, do you agree with Dim King Jim? Do you believe him? Was this a "foul blast" of partisan politics from Mike Doherty? Or is Dim King Jim practicing the classic art of accusing your enemy of doing what you yourself are, in fact, doing? Is it possible that the initial blast of flatulent foulness actually came from Dim King Jim himself?
Of the players involved, who do you trust? Who do you believe?
"Oh no! It's a blast of partisan politics! I swear!"
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ReplyDeleteLet's face it. Jim McEntire and Mike Chapman took it upon them selves to write two almost exact same letters endorsing a land swap for Green Crow, one of the most influential businesses in the county. This land swap went through and the county gave over to Green Crow valuable land that had marketable timber on it. The county got cut-over land that had one/tenth the value as what was given up. They chose a time to do this when Doherty was out of town on other county business. The swap never came up on an agenda, never came up as "correspondence" and never got the nod of anyone but these two commissioners. This is probably a criminal act and Chapman knows it. He apologized all over himself and offered to resign if Doherty just said the word. (wish Doherty had said the word). Don't be surprised. Green Crow's owner is the president or past president of the Economic Development Commission on which McEntire serves and which McEntire wanted to give $500,000 of taxpayer money from the Opportunity Fund. When a citizen filed suit to stop this nonsense McEntire came back and gave them $150,000 from the general fund anyway. This is the kind of shit that happens every day. Especially when the daily paper just parrots the party line and does no critical thinking whatsoever. In a just world they would be co-conspirators and all go to jail.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your excellent comments.
DeleteI want to know when any of the local leadership is going to wake up, look around, and realize that the local economy is stagnant. That their working overtly and (it seems) covertly to support the remaining timber interests is not helping the rest of us.
ReplyDeleteThe sweetheart deals afforded Grant Munro are a prime and very visible example. He was an "investor" in the failed mill that got all those breaks from local government, which folded owing the taxpayers I-forget-how-much money. His reply? "They can pound sand". He sure was happy to get the money to help to keep the mill going, but feel any responsibility to pay the taxpayers back? No way.
But, he was instantly rewarded by the local leadership who allowed him to use the same resources to facilitate his "Logs for China" operation that has dominated downtown Port Angeles. And the airport. (Oh-so attractive).
Sure. The few prosper, while the town stagnates.
Back to "Where's the planning?" Is it really "Everyone for themselves"?
And thank you for your excellent comments.
DeleteHonestly I think most of them are aware of the stagnant economy. How could they not be? The problem is this economy is obviously working for them. Being a "distressed economy" means more grant money, more opportunities for creating a panic that requires immediate action and more excuses for why nothing changes. The recent EDC debacle is a perfect example. The economy is crap, so we need to grab this half million over here for "economic development". I seem to remember McEntire promising to end the EDC if this "doesn't work". Of course there's no metric given for "working". In the meantime the EDC on their website admits that timber isn't affecting our local economy like it was, but they imply they want to focus exclusively on that industry. So just recently, acknowledgement that our economy is faltering, cry for immediately action, implication of accountability (which I assume to mean our politicians are aware of their reputation), no details of accountability (which I assume to mean an utter lack of respect for us on their part), further acknowledgment the economy is bad coupled with a call to action that obviously won't yield results... All with half a million on the line.
DeleteSo I think they know. I just don't think they care.
city rate payers are now covering Munro's quarter million dollar utility bill he left hanging when he bailed on Kply
DeleteThey could have just had public hearings and written contracts for the money they were trying to give away. Instead of doing that they withdrew the warrants and plan to hide them in the rest of the upcoming budget hearings.
ReplyDeleteClallam County, same shit different day.
Selinda delivers again with a report [0] on the timber taxes. It also shows the 12.3 million dollars they have in reserves, and they have been claiming to be broke all this time, cutting employee salaries and the like.
ReplyDelete[0] https://patodaydotcom.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/2015treasurerstimbertaxreport.pdf
Thank you!
DeleteIt's difficult to believe that we couldn't believe Mike Doherty. His history here is deep, and his record of public service (in many ways) is long.
ReplyDeleteMcEntire also has a pretty extensive, and expensive, public record. If you shake hands with him, count your fingers afterwards to make sure they're all still there.
The sad fact is, Dim King Jim could be telling the truth, at least how he sees it. It's entirely possible he's either too naturally crooked and/or stupid to know any better. Especially given the hazy moral atmosphere he has to operate in here in Clallam County. I mean, really, if he looks at his peers...
ReplyDeleteIf they all are so transparent, how come I can still see them?
ReplyDeleteThe follies continue in PA/Clallam County. One thing for sure there is more to follow. Bank on it.
ReplyDeleteSo...I volunteered tonight at a community music event, and one of my fellow volunteers and I got to talking. Her name is Pat, and she asked me where I'd moved here from. I told her Port Angeles, and her face kind of scrunched up. She told me about how she'd been in Port Angeles a couple of years ago on her way to Victoria. Since she'd never been to Port Angeles, she decided to stay overnight and explore the town. Her face scrunched up again when she told me that she quickly realized that was a mistake. She said, "I wish I'd just caught the last ferry over to Victoria instead of spending the night."
ReplyDeleteShe stayed at the Port Angeles Inn. Right in the heart of downtown. The Center of It All.
I am in Victoria this morning, having enjoyed Canada Day on the Legislature Lawns and the Inner Harbor yesterday. The festivities were wonderful. Great music. 35 thousand people. About twice the entire population of Port Angeles, and half of all of Clallam County.
DeleteBoats of all kinds in the harbor. Stand-up paddle boarders and kayaks to huge yachts. The buildings were lit up beautifully, and cast colorful reflections in the harbor.
The vibe was wonderful. People smiling, mellow. Lots of families and young people. The fabulous fireworks show started at around 10:20, and was the best I've seen in years. The Crowds spontaneously started singing as the fireworks were going off over the harbor.
Once again, Victoria showed how wonderful a place and it's people are.
I can see why Cherie Kidd said she gets depressed when she returns to Port Angeles.
As you relay CK, when ever Port Angeles was mentioned, peoples' faces would scrunch up, and they would make some negative comment. Every time.
CK, please post this link on the appropriate use of apostrophes. Many posters need the refresher course, especially those who attended Port Angeles Schools.
Deletehttp://www.scribendi.com/advice/using_apostrophes.en.html
You post apostrophe's after any word that end's with an "s"... Your post should have read... "CK, please post this link on the appropriate use of apostrophe's. Many poster's need the refresher course, especially those who attended Port Angele's School's." Your welcome.
DeleteNo, it's "you're welcome." Unless you're kidding.
DeleteI think I'll just go back to Victoria!
DeleteHappy Sales Tax Holiday, everyone! Now, let's all go out and buy a new car! Gosh, thanks commissioners!
ReplyDeleteJust curious, but how much would you have complained had they increased the sales tax by 2/10's, instead of decreasing it ?
DeleteWell looka here. Ole Dan Wilder, member of the Economic Development Commission where Mcentire wanted to park half a million dollars, got hisself a tax holiday that will only attract big ticket auto purchases. Old Dan got the state to build up his highway access, got the city to run sewer and water out to his new dealership, got the state to put in a so-called "Rest Area" in such a location you have to drive by ole Dan's dealership twice. Now ole dan is telling everyone how we must lift ourselves by our own bootstraps. what a crock.
ReplyDeleteThat sales tax holiday means diddly in light of the gas tax the legislature just passed. Well, I guess it meant diddly anyway...
ReplyDeleteNo water in our rivers, and fecal contamination in the water on our shoreline.
ReplyDeleteIt's going to be a GREAT 4th of July.
"For over a decade, PUD has known that if the Morse Creek flows hit a level of 25 cubic feet, it did not have a way to supply the Upper Fairview customers with an adequate quantity of water for every day living."
ReplyDeleteAnd: "PUD representative Tom Martin believes that as early as July 7th, we will hit that 25 cubic feet flow mark in Morse Creek."
That is in about 6 days or so. Be generous, and say two weeks. Then what? 566 properties get water trucked in? To what? Tanks that don't exist yet?
Tanks how big? Coming from where? Ever see how big just a 350 gallon tank is ( Drive by Leitz Farm Supply for starters)? Who is paying? Who is coordinating this? In a week or two?
And, water trucks? One truck every hour per property gets 23 days at 24 hours a day, non-stop. 46 days on a 12 hour shift. Not including trips to re-fill from, where? So, how many water trucks needed? For the next 4 months?
Amazingly, the PUD simultaneously sent out a robocall to the same folks: Here, from a friend up there:
" Just now I got a call from PUD saying that we should take the time now till July 5th to water our lawns to make them less fire dangerous! We should use less indoor water, but can water the outside areas surrounding us! This is to prevent us from fireworks danger catching the place afire! What an amazing last ditch futile effort! Why not simply ban all fireworks, at least any in private hands?"
Confidence inspiring?
Are you kidding me??? Use less water inside (don't pee or do laundry) so we can keep our lawns "fireproof " from fireworks which we DON'T want or need.....OMG!
ReplyDeleteKing Jim will say anything to absolve himself and his cohorts of any wrongdoing, just because he says they did nothing wrong doesn't mean they didn't. We'll let the State Auditor sort that out, but, I agree with Mr. Doherty, I was there, I had comments of my own in addition to Norma Turner of the Charter review Commission and Dale Wilson, Port O Call News. At one point County Prosecuting Attorney Mark Nichols stood and said to the commissioners "we need to talk before this goes any further."
ReplyDeleteWe were successful in getting the commissioners to refer their budget and agenda of June 23rd back for financial review. On that agenda the commissioner were once again attempting to re-write our county policies and were turned back.
Couple this with the attempt to re-write the county code post facto to justify their actions concerning the two grants of May 12th that resulted in our Treasurer withholding the money and the withdraw of the warrants on June 30th only further points to more wrongdoing on the part of the commissioners. So, What do you think, agree or disagree?
The financial review of June 23rd and withdraw of the warrants on June 30th are not a political win for Jim or the commissioners as Jim would have you believe, "we've gone the extra third mile" not that they had a real choice.
Add to this record the $500 thousand for the EDC that resulted in a court filing from another former commissioner Ron Richards, http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20150209/NEWS/302099981
as further proof of King Jim and the commissioners financial shenanigans.
So, who do you believe, agree or disagree with seems to be a rhetorical question. I choose to believe Mr. Doherty.
CK and Anon., If you would like to see them, I have the Clallam County Financial Handbook Revenue/Expenditure History 2015 and other financial documents and contracts as well as documentation of potential violations of state RCWs which include the Appearance of Fairness Act, Sales and Use Tax for Public Facilities, Open Public Meetings Act, and others. I'll share.
"...documentation of potential violations of state RCWs...". What a joke. It is more likely that aliens will land in Carlsborg and potentially show us how to turn septic tank effluent into gold.
DeleteI see, I offer proof and you scoff. I will show you and you deny.
DeleteBy the way, do you write for the PDN or the Gazette?
What do you think turned them back? Please let us know or do you simply believe everything the commissioners tell you?