It brings to mind comparisons of our "CAO science" to real science. Like replacement NFL referees, the Council's CAO science just doesn't cut it. It's replacement science all the way. It's not real eco-toxicology. It's not real conservation biology. It's not real fate and transport. It's not real hydrology. It's not real oceanography. It's not real environmental science. It's not real anything, except real you-know-what.
It certainly appears that some, if not most, of the key CAO methodologies have been dreamt up by Planner Shireene Hale and just sort of laundered through the eco-suggestible Dr. Adamus to come out as Best Available Science (BAS) on the other end. The wants and desires of Ecology and the Friends have been tossed into that sausage maker too.
Last December/January, for example, Hale resuscitated wetland buffer efforts after Adamus' initial buffer proposal died. Hale came to the rescue and cobbled together bits and pieces of inapplicable stormwater hydrology (her husband is the Stormwater Utility Manager for the County) to create the "site-specific" water-quality buffer method we now have. After flushing (pun intended) out the initial details, Hale handed it off to Dr. Adamus, so he could take credit for it. However, even now when the Council has questions about key aspects of the methodology, such as the Mayer paper, Hale answers those questions, not Adamus.
All during the near-death experiences of Adamus' credibility over the past year, the CAO Implementation Committee was convening, and we continue to see the individuals of that group act as ongoing life support for Dr. Adamus' ideas, no matter how ridiculous. The CAO Committee members included Patty Miller, Lovel Pratt, Richard Fralick, Shireene Hale, Jon Cain, Pete Rose, and Colin Maycock. Committee meetings were not public, despite having three participating Council members (enough to veto Council actions). "They" say that nothing really went on in those meetings except discussions about scheduling. Then why exclude the public?
It seems suspicious that some of the actions of the Committee members appear coordinated, such as when Dr. Adamus recently attended a Council meeting via phone conference. During that meeting, Rich Peterson asked Adamus a challenging question. Adamus prevaricated, hemmed and hawed. Lovel Pratt came to the rescue by interjecting a shiny-object question for apparent distraction purposes, and Hale directed the conversation towards Pratt's shiny object, never to return to the query of Peterson.
If experience is any guide, Adamus probably needs the help. Dr. Adamus has bombed in front of the Council and Planning Commission on a regular basis. Yet, he lives on. Like Lazarus, Adamus rises from the dead with the help of his miracle-working Life-Support Committee. If the CAOs are to have a prayer, the Council needs Adamus, and in a strange turn of events, the life-givers appear to be held hostage by him at this point. During recent public meetings, Council members almost seemed to be begging with Adamus to be reasonable, as his "science" recommendations were becoming more and more extreme. We heard Council members ask, "Dr. Adamus could you accept" or "Dr. Adamus, do we really need" ... but having ridden Dr. Adamus this far, they are in no position to bargain with the monster they've created. If Dr. Adamus says BAS requires all of us to abandon our homes to create a wild frog sanctuary, by golly, the Council is going to stand behind it as BAS.
That's replacement science.
And when any of us try to get answers from our public officials for their apparently illogical support for replacement science, "they" respond much like Howie Rosenfeld recently responded to CSA (see email reply below copied to all candidates). But it is the positions and actions of Council members who prop up replacement science that deserve scrutiny, not the motivations of those who can't fathom it.
_____________________________________________________________________
From: Howard Howie Rosenfeld <howierosenfeld@centurylink.net>
Date: September 25, 2012 10:17:02 PM PDT
To: Debbie Dickinson <debbie@commonsensealliance.net>, <bjarman@centurytel.net>, Lovel Pratt <reelectlovel@gmail.com>, Rick Hughes <starwave96@gmail.com>, <Getmarc@aol.com>, Howie Rosenfeld <howie@howardrosenfeld.com>, Scott Lancaster <orcasscott@hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: CSA FORUM
Debbie,
Can you please explain why in God’s name would I want to participate? It sounds like I’m being invited to my own roasting. The contributors to my opponent and Lovel’s are a who’s who of CSA members. You yourself are listed as an assistant. What kind of Fair and Balanced format does CSA have in mind? My position on the CAO is already well known. CSA’s position is well known. What’s the point?
Howie
On 9/25/12 5:39 PM, "Debbie Dickinson" <debbie@commonsensealliance.net> wrote:
To all Candidates,
CSA will be having a Candidate forum on Oct 20th at the Middle School Commons. The Title will be “Council Candidates and the CAO”
The meeting is scheduled to start at 12:00 and continue until 2:00 Saturday afternoon.
Looking forward to seeing you,
Deborah
CSA Assistant
360-298-1558
debbie@commonsensealliance.net
Howie, Howie, Howie. In civil society, you just say "No thank you. I have to watch Dancing With The Stars that night". Or if you need to keep it completely truthful and you don't like DWTS, then say "No thank you, I need to go etch the teeth and tusks of deceased protected species while thinking how far your compost pile needs to be from your pond"
ReplyDeleteHowie, at the end of the day, is pretty much a New Urbanist from New Jersey. He doesn't understand western independence. He is fundamentally clueless about our rural character.
ReplyDeleteHowie isolates himself from the diversity of viewpoints around him, and lashes out when his little world seems disrupted. He depends upon the intellectual voice of the radical local mafia, David Dehlendorf, on what to do and what to say.
He calls for civility and then screams at his colleagues for driving a stake through the heart of Friday Harbor. And then promptly falls asleep on the job, paying little attention to anything.
Meanwhile he is hammering hard on that very stake he decries in shoving his Critical Areas Ordinance down our collective throats. Even while within his own district, the Town of Friday Harbor merely reviewed their existing ordinance, and changed nothing about their CAO at all. At the end of the day sir, have you no shame?
This shows Howie's true colors, his true agenda, and how pathetically out of touch he is.
It is time for change. Howie is fundamentally an OK guy. He's a great artist. He has performed a lot of good in his days of public service. But he has gone astray, wandered a bit over to the dark side. He'll come back around and feel better for it. It will take a little time.
In the meanwhile, since he did not extend the community the courtesy of not seeking re-election, it is awkward, but it is time to let him go and feel OK about that.
Howie: "A who's Who of CSA members?" What, you have a list?
ReplyDeleteYou and Lovel are on the same ticket? Who's the veep?
Everyone who disagrees with you, and Lovel, is probably a CSA member?
You're sure about all that?
The reason you have a major problem Bro is you see everything as us against them. "Them" is the people you should be trying to connect with, to understand their concerns. If you had any feeling of responsibility to the community you are sworn to serve you would have LISTENED to the countless hours of public testimony, you would read every word of comment on TH, in short you would have made an effort to at least understand the people you despise so much.
Frankly, I think it is all about power for you. Like a lot public officials it becomes a contest of who has the power, NOT what is best for the people or even the environment.
Be the MAN Howie. Move to table the CAO until the new Council is seated.
I think you will feel good and sleep well.
Folks, the commenter hit it yesterday. If this isn't stopped, its over.
ReplyDeleteIt is time to bring out the heavy hitters folks. Writing letters to council members ain't going to do it.
Massive peaceful protest to stall voting actions?? Maybe, but can it be kept up until after the election and seating??
Not likely.
Folks, we need to get this in court before it goes in to place. I am not a lawyer, and don't have the deep pockets. I will give all I can to the CSA if it will help, financially.
I hope and pray that some suits get filed before this goes through. Just get it delayed until the next council is seated. Please. Those with the means, please, step forward.
I hate to say it, but start suing them. File injunctions, whatever is necessary....
As I see it there will not be much of a tax base left after the conservation, wetland and Geo Hazard, critical areas and guilty by association Buffers take over.
ReplyDeleteCounty Regulations can’t really take effect until all parties are informed of their reasonably necessary reduction in principle use and notification of remedies potentially justifiable either by payment for property taken, or open space tax reductions, requirement as conditioned by the upcoming regulations.
WHEN APPLYING FOR CURRENT USE ASSESSMENT
ON BASIS OF CURRENT USE UNDER THE
"OPEN SPACE LAW"
CHAPTER 84.34 RCW AND CHAPTER 458-30 WAC
The Open Space Taxation Act, enacted in 1970, allows property owners to have their
Open space, farm and agricultural, and timberlands valued at their current use rather than their highest and best use. The Act states that it is in the best interest of the State to maintain, preserve, conserve, and otherwise continue in existence adequate open space lands for the production of food, fiber, and forest crops and to assure the use and enjoyment of natural resources and scenic beauty for the economic and social well-being of the State and its citizens.
WHAT LANDS QUALIFY FOR CLASSIFICATION
The law provides three classifications:
Open Space Land, Farm and Agricultural Land, and Timber Land
Open Space land is defined as either:
1. Any land area zoned for open space by a comprehensive land use plan adopted by a city or county legislative authority, or
2. Any land area in which the preservation in its present use would:
o Conserve and enhance natural or scenic resources,
o Protect streams or water supply,
o Promote conservation of soils, wetlands, beaches or tidal marshes,
o Enhance the value to the public of abutting or neighboring parks, forest, wildlife preserves, nature reservations or sanctuaries or other open space,
o Enhance recreation opportunities,
o Preserve historic sites,
o Preserve visual quality along highway, road, and street corridor or scenic vistas, or
o Retain in its natural state tracts of land not less than one acre situated in an urban area and open to public use on such conditions as may be reasonably required by the granting authority.
Is Howie having a Moooonday?
ReplyDeleteThe shame in all this that the CSA has some of the real makings of a democratic coalition. Yes, Howie is right that there are some right wingers in the CSA but there are other political views also among the farmers, builders, real estate agents, tradesmen, and homemakers. By not coming, and by not comings so rudely, he dismisses the chance to hear from and communicate with everyone in this coalition. I am Nick Power.
ReplyDelete