Tuesday, January 29, 2013

The Ties (And Blather) That Bind Us

Here are the connections for the campaign committee for Byers:
  • William Appel - Charter Review Committee member.
  • Sandy Bishop - Lopez Community Land Trust Director.
  • Bruce Botts - Lopez Community Land Trust resident.
  • Janet Brownell - Orcas Island School District, former Legislative Liaison.
  • Sarah Crosby - League of Women Voters; Chair of the Advisory Council of the Madrona Institute; San Juan Democratic Party PCO.
  • Cathy Faulkner - Scenic Byway Steering Committee member.
  • Steve Garrison - Charter Review Committee member; 2006 Citizen's Interview Panel for County Administator.
  • Dick Grout - former San Juan County Planning Director; former head of Ecology's Bellingham Field Office; finalist for County Administrator in 2006.
  • Larry Hendel - Charter Review Committee member; 2006 Citizen's Interview Panel for County Administrator; former Planning Commissioner; former Lopez Port Commissioner.
  • Kevin Ranker - State Senator; ex-Friends Director; Pratt Campaign Committee member.
  • Sally Reeve - National Conservation Area Steering Committee; Pratt Campaign Committee member; San Juan Preservation Trust Land Counselor.
  • Mary Riveland - San Juan Preservation Trust Land Counselor.
  • Barbara Rosenkotter - County employee Salmon Recovery Lead; Marine Resources Committee.
  • Richard Ward - Charter Review Committee member.
Here are the connections for the campaign committee for Pratt:
  • Stephen Adams - Planning Commissioner; Lopez Port Commissioner.
  • Karin Agosta - Planning Commissioner; San Juan Preservation Trust Land Counselor.
  • Julie Brunner - OPAL Housing Manager.
  • Tom Cowan - Land Bank Commissioner; National Conservation Area Steering Committee; State Transportation Board member; former County Commissioner; County and Ecology consultant.
  • Carolyn Haugen - San Juan Nature Institute Board member.
  • Robin Jacobson - former Communications Manager of the San Juan Visitors Bureau.
  • Liz Illg - Scenic Byway Steering Committee member; Leadership San Juans Program Coordinator.
  • Kevin Ranker - State Senator; ex-Friends Director; Byers Campaign Committee member.
  • Sally Reeve - National Conservation Area Steering Committee; Byers Campaign Committee; San Juan Preservation Trust Land Counselor.
  • Tom Reeve - National Conservation Area Steering Committee.
  • Jonathan White - Marine Resources Committee member.
The other campaigns really aren't structured like these two, and the lists above don't even take donors into account. The Pratt/Byers campaigns are their own highly-funded Network phenomena. They are a tidal wave of money and influence ... the same sort of influence that made our County government what it is today ... despised because of insider-ism

How do you feel about equal access to government? Because with these two campaigns, some are more equal than others.

By the way, listen to Lisa Byers speaking before our Council today about the types of qualities she would like to see in a County Manager. She seems to place great emphasis on behavior. Heaven help the poor results-oriented manager who might ruffle feathers ... no place for people like that in a Byers administration.
So a couple of things around the qualities of the County Manager ... I encourage someone who has demonstrated a collaborative work style rather than one who is stuck in rigidly hierarchical roles ... experienced building teamwork in an environment with volunteers such as a Board of Directors and also working with Unions ... someone who commands respect through compassionate action and high standards ... someone who sets high standards and clear expectations ... someone who knows how to lead a culture of continuous improvement ... someone with experience in establishing and implementing constructive and consistent grievance resolution ... experience with bringing realistic metrics of success into the work environment and establishing appropriate motivation to reward innovation ... and experience in managing communications that develops trust through clarity, honesty, and consistency.
Is it just me, or do you feel like Dilbert when you listen to this?




20 comments:

  1. As a postscript to this post, I have to say that I am pleasantly encouraged by the "Winter Council." In their brief time in office, I think they show what is possible when we have Council people who break the mold from the recent past. They are a breath of fresh air.

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  2. But Ed, isn't the winter council the driving force behind this "community conversation"?

    I'd like to see the winter council do as little as possible... Let lame ducks be lame!

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  3. (Excuse the re-post. I have a knack for commenting minutes before ECK starts up a new thread)

    We have been pelted in the last few weeks by campaign advertising. There are half page print ups in the paper and a handful of very expensive postcards in the mail. All of this has me questioning, "Does money really win elections?"

    A striking feature of Lisa and Lovell's ads are large blocks of names from Alderton to Zee. I put a great deal of time into studying these lists and compared them with the list of supporters which I have compiled.

    In the end I concluded that those whose names are printed in the paper have nothing to lose by publicly endorsing a candidate.

    My list cannot be published, you see. My supporters cannot afford to make waves with those who provide their income. My supporters are business owners, self-employed, service providers, builders, bankers, teachers, secretaries, cooks, mechanics, market farmers, equipment operators, lawyers, and landscapers.

    Please forgive my lack of paid advertising. I can assure you that it in no way indicates a lack of support. I promise to make up for it in public forums after this Primary is over. If my band of working stiffs can pull some cash together we'll get some promotion rolling. Keep the great dialog flowing.

    McClerren4Lopez.com

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  4. Truthfully, I can't decide whether the Byers video reminds me more of the Chewbacca defense or Stuart Smalley.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clKi92j6eLE
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DIETlxquzY
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fny40Ut_RZA

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  5. Not sure who Ed is, but alas "encouraged" doesn't mean they are perfect. I agree that the Community Conversation is a waste of time for the Winter Council. I don't really even think it is a "conversation." I don't know what it is, and I don't think they know what it is either.

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  6. I vote for Stuart Smalley ... xD

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  7. Where do you think the likely locations of the first three pot stores on the three major islamds will be?

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  8. Pot store will be on orcas then Lopez village with a drive thru then some guy from Waldron will come around with a cart delivering on thursdays.

    Heck, hope someone has a booth at the Brickworks.

    Is hash legal too??

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  9. Want to start a non-profit call Coast Consulting Group, Sen.Ranker is a principal there. Buy your self a Senator! The "Ocean Hero" endorsement is extra.

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  10. Total quality management, or whatever they are calling these days. Or, fostering proactive go-forward community resilience for the sustainable common good.

    This is classic Dilbert. In fact, anyone remember the insanely great Dilbert Mission Statement Generator? Was taken off line apparently some years ago, but someone recreated it ...

    Go here:

    http://cmorse.org/missiongen/

    What's neat is that you can put in your own adverbs, verbs, adjectives and nouns and turn the crank.

    Then, you too, can talk just like Lisa Byers and Lovel Pratt!

    Let's build some mission statements for county departments, advisory committees, the Brickworks and the Land Bank.

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  11. The pot stores will have to be 1000 ft from any wetland, not located on an aquifer and outside of shoreline view...

    So where will they be?

    Sumas

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  12. The Brickworks Funny Farmer compound. An urban back-alley far from the waterfront, surrounded by asphalt and garbage bins. Adjacent to a public restroom to sneak off and try out free samples. This is an important economic development opportunity. Having just past GMO free laws, we can now market to ecotourists, GMO-free locally grown, artisanal marijuana. Lopez Looney Tunes. Prattfall Pot. Orcas Oz. Waldron Wacko. San Juandering in the Weeds.

    Think of the branding possibilities for the Visitor Bureau.

    "For your next Soma Holiday, come to the Fantasy Islands. Space out for a weekend and learn why they say if its Island Grown, you're totally blown!"

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  13. To an earlier poster who seems to want the apparently lame duck Council to sort of do nothing if they know what's good them.

    Scratching my head. Didn't we just have a lame duck Clowncil ram the CAO down our throats at the last minute.

    We're just beginning to turn blue from choking on that one.

    So maybe new new lame duck Council can sort of pull off a political "Heimlich Maneuver" and expel that obstruction to our collective air supply and save our rural character.

    But you know, like Mark Twain's reflections on reports of his death, presumptions that we actually may have a lame duck Council might be "greatly exaggerated." We'll know pretty soon.

    I know now what that bloated political warchest being built by the Lisa and Lovel show is really about. If the court throws out the designs of the CRC and hits the reset button, what are these guys gonna do with all that money?

    I'm taking bets.

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  14. Small correction: Janet Brownell is on the Orcas Island School Board. Tony Ghazel is also on the Orcas Island School Board and as of 11/12 is the Legislative Rep for the Board

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  15. Thank you. I will correct the information in the post.

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  16. Thanks, for the lists, appreciate the time and effort, not so sure about the video.

    Sorry but 3 minutes and 51 seconds of that bird Byers was just way more than I could stand. From the preacher beginning to whatever, total UGH and I had to hit the red X way early. Can you imagine listening to this crap day in and day out?

    As a salon owner I must say the "DO" is also definitely UGH!

    Thank God there are some other candidates running from Orcas.

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  17. The post: Island Grown, you're totally blown was great. Well done. The guy down the road from me that has been selling to private school kids on SJI for years needs no help.

    Yeah, until I get this turd on film I don't try to turn em in, cause I'm not signed up with the friends.

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  18. From what I've heard, the Community Conversation was originally Pete Rose's plan to start auctioning off County services. Then our M-School $200,000 temp. administrator picked it up and started running with it. The New Council was presented with it as a fait accompli. Jean started with the classic Delphi consulting package, but P. Miller saw where that would lead based on the SMP debacle and put the brakes on. Now I guess the Council themselves will be leading the discussion, though there will still be groups of people at tables coming up with their ideas.

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  19. From what I've heard, the Community Conversation was originally Pete Rose's plan to start auctioning off County services. Then our M-School $200,000 temp. administrator picked it up and started running with it. The New Council was presented with it as a fait accompli. Jean started with the classic Delphi consulting package, but P. Miller saw where that would lead based on the SMP debacle and put the brakes on. Now I guess the Council themselves will be leading the discussion, though there will still be groups of people at tables coming up with their ideas. Want to keep 4-H? Then we need a levy lift. Want to keep Senior Services? Then we need a levy lift. Want to keep flu shots? Then we need a levy lift.

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