Monday, April 8, 2013

The Functions And Values Of The Environmental Learning Center

In an earlier post, we covered the County's plans to cut down old growth trees at Odlin Park. Now, observe (click video below) what the State is doing around the Environmental Learning Center in Moran State Park. What do you think would happen if you tried to do something similar on your property under the new CAOs?

The website for the park says it is a forest health project. I see ... it's okay for humans to intervene for forest health in Moran State Park, but individual property owners might get into trouble for doing far, far less under the CAOs? What about functions and values and no net loss? What about marbled murrelets, peregrine falcons, global warming, sea level rise, and salmon ... omg, the salmon! Why isn't Barbara Rosenkotter (of the County and Lisa Byers campaign) at the Learning Center speaking for the salmon, or does she only do that in front of the Council during CAO/SMP hearings? Where is Judge Darrah? David Dehlendorf? Alderton? Steinhardt? Azous? Where is everyone else of similar ilk, or have they been too busy posturing and churning out letters of support for Pratt, Byers, and Stephens to notice?

In particular, we wonder where the Friends have been while this Moran forest health project has been going on? At least we know they haven't been spending any time at Odlin Park either. We reckon the Friends' selective perception stems from no big donors having complained about either project. Probably not a grant opportunity either.

You can be pretty sure, though, that when you want to trim a few limbs (especially along the shoreline), the Friends and their friends will probably know all about it ... and the CAOs have given them all the tools they need to mess with you.
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74 comments:

  1. What a healthy looking forest. The context of this clear cutting nightmare is the Moran Environmental Learning Center is so hypocritical. Gag me with a spoon.

    Poke in the eye. Sucker punch. Clip your neck-tie. Rubber chickens. Send in the eco-clowns.

    I guess the County under its public health and safety goon squad laws and enhanced aerial photography could show up with bulldozers and turn your property into a moonscape over night to protect the greater good from the Bolivian Bark Beetle or whatever created probable cause for this monstrosity. Your forest may be next.

    If you are wondering what on earth does this have to do with an election for our local government, please reflect on the connection between plants and food ...

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  2. Holy mother of God, for a public park that's some serious stumpage.

    Of course I'm sure the DOE carefully studied and then issued their forest conversion permit. And, of course a herpetologist, a geologist, a archaeologist, a forester, a ornithologist, four tribal members, and other "consultants" too numerous to list, and yes, all these said go ahead, BUT, GEE WHIZ, no one said: "I don't think you should do this work in the wet season, because there could be considerable RUNOFF!"

    Goodness, that little piece of advice might involve a modicum of COMMON SENSE.

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  3. Today Shirene Hale said the new CAO was as complicated as the federal tax code...well done Shirene, you've accomplished in two years what took idiots in congress over two hundred years to do, create a completely incoherent nonsensical code based on utter falacy...we are all counting the days until you and your over-paid husband are fired and we can all be left alone.

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  4. Quoted from Island Guardian (today)

    "In a candid exchange between senior planner Hale and Councilmember Patty Miller, Hale said there were parts of the CAO regulations that even she did not fully understand"

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  5. I am growing extremely tired of hearing the CAO's referred to as complicated. The term complicated inferred some level of intelligence.
    The CAO's are embarrassingly idiotic, they impose arbitrary rules and goofball puzzle’s and try to sell it as appropriate and scientifically just less than the Best Available, "as chosen" to make them easier, they decided to tell us what we could do without permission, and everything else requires Authorization. I am freaking living in a ZOO!, You TOO?

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  6. you are so mentally ill, off base on so many issues and need serious help to be part of human beings again if in fact you ever were, you attack, you criticize, misrepresents fact to support your own agenda, have no idea or basis or knowledge for what you are talking about, you need a whole team of shrinks to help you, I'm sure you have the money to pay for it or maybe you think the government should in this case, so it's time to face up to your issues and problems and spend your time and money repairing your problems instead of one you make up.....GOOD LUCK

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  7. I thought we already we getting government help to understand this stuff?

    Didn't the county approve $60,000 for CAO agenda counseling for the lame, halt and afflicted?

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  8. 8:58 Sorry, but here we have a person, Mrs. Hale, saying she can't understand the stuff SHE wrote. No one made this up. No one is being unfair. No one is confused or even uncivil.

    Please, and I want to understand you, tell us why you feel the way you do. Give us a little help here, because there ain't nothing bad here, only thinking people.

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  9. Now be nice.
    Notice how this interesting post is just packed with, and comments supported by, specific facts. I personally enjoy reading posts as this one with thoughtful dialog directly and concisely worded.
    Although I am interested in how he/she knew I was "mentally ill."
    That having been said I was also impressed with the literary and grammatical styling he/she employed here.

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  10. 8:58, I am familiar with such responses, I wont ask your level of skill, your experience in the fields the critical areas ordinances prepose to regulate or the principal rights that are therein flagrantly trespassed upon. I can only assume you are simply passionately concerned about the ecology of these islands and the whole planet for that matter.
    So am I, I worship the grounds I am fortunate enough to walk on. I really do.
    The thing is, it is from that love for this place I fight to protect her from the likes of the zookeepers that do not understand, it is We that will and must do whatever we can to care for this wonderful place and all of them for our children and grandchildren and the other plants trees and creatures that we are blessed to share it with. You my friend have been sold a bill of goods. There is still time to discover the truth. The answer is in us, not them

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  11. Shirene Hale is the quintessential technocrat; she spews forth incoherent legislation she insists is "Best Available Science" - which for any of us actually trained in science understand to be the observation and verification of phenomenon that is able to be reproduced in a predictable manner...but what do I know, I'm just "mentally ill' and obviously have "issues" - so @8:58 please reveal to us all the ecological degradation observed and confirmed through direct study of recorded and analyzed phenomenon that is being remedied by the proposed CAO...oh wait you can't, because it doesn't exist, your rant is based on emotion and conjecture, much like Shirene Hale's ridiculous CAO regulations that are in large part based in storm water run-off...whose husband just happens to be the storm water utility manager for the county...WHAT A COINCIDENCE!

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  12. Dear god in heaven, we have a planner who authored the most ridiculous incomprehensible set of regulations ever seen and who admits that she doesn't even understand them...Winter Council, it is time to do this community true service and justice, it is PAST time to fire Shirene Hale, and her unqualified and non-talented hack husband.

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  13. I forgot to mention, in conclusion, we do have serious ecologic problems in this county that should be monitored and corrected. Those problems, were held to be exempt by our keepers, because for the county cleaning up the runoff from our roads would just be too much for such a small county with limited means.

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  14. On the trees, sadly I have seen these diseased trees all over, they are dangerous they will drop 100's at a time in one windstorm we lost many, when they drop their huge trunks stand full of black mold no penetrating root structure remains they simply stand on the ground till they fall.
    Unfortunately there are probably many many acres of infested forests here on orcas just my guess

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  15. @ 10:03

    I agree w/you! If you listen to Shireen Hale in the videos of council meetings you will hear her supporting her suggestions w/comments like..."We know stuff gets there..." (meaning I presume, pollutants) and giving demonstrations w/things like cookie sheets for all the observers unable to recall the law of gravity.

    She is unqualified for the job she was given and has cost our county endless dollars.

    PLEASE Winter Council!!! Do something about her! She is padding her retirement w/inanity!

    I read documents where Shireene, (due to her precise science (HAH!)) was able to determine whether different buffers should be increased or decreased by increments as small as 10 feet! Ludicrous! She is a joke! Just a joke. And not a haha one. She has attached herself to the island. I'm assuming she will leave when the money is gone. A leech on our community.

    Go away Shireene

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  16. Run off from road, dangerous tree's. Maybe county and local business should warn visitor's that they are coming here at their own risk and will be liable for toxic cleanup at some unknown time in the future.

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  17. It is actually true that windstorms will blow down trees. In the natural world this will happen, much in the manner of tornadoes or volcanoes altering landscape and abruptly adjusting local ecologies which, being remarkably resilient, recover.

    The Coast Salish and most native cultures across north America practiced forms of fire management dating back thousands of years. But using our advanced knowledge of ecolological systems and confusion with Gaia as Big Brother we have created conditions for conflagrations and disaster.

    We tend to get powerful artic winds funneled down the Fraser River valley ever ten years or so. One event back in the early '90s if I recall flattened thousands of trees in the islands and the mainland across the region. Took the power out for nearly a week, leading to the burying of electric lines thereafter. This happens in a cycle so the next time it happens we will all howl this is more proof of climate change, global warming, and the Friends were right all along, give them more money and restrict more freedoms.

    No the hypocrisy and roadside blight of the Environmental Learning Center is nothing more than exactly what it looks like. A demonstration of naked power. We can do what ever we want. You can do nothing at all. That is the object lesson that will be taught to young impressionable minds during their summer workshops.

    You would think they would at least wait until the rainy season had passed. You would think that selective cutting would at least be attempted. Take a look at the trunks. Do they look rotten to the core?

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  18. The trees that have been taken down are healthy and strong, no rot. That's why they are being loaded onto log trucks and sent to the mill, and there's nothing wrong with that at all IMO. The most important aspect of the logging is that under the new CAOs it probably wouldn't be possible, or at least it would take potentially years longer and be cost prohibitive because of the studies and "buffers" required. I think we'll see a lot more of this: property owners hurrying to do something to their private property before it's impossible due to the incomprehensible CAOs take effect.

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  19. First off ,let's admit that the CAOs are not about the environment . It's just the latest way to close the door behind you. Years ago it was septic systems, then water, now this. If you don't want someone to build on the lot next to you ....... Buy it.
    It seems like an inside joke to the Friends supporters I know. Wink wink nod nod. But you are playing with fire by giving all these new ways to stop others and it will come back to bite you. You will find that you will get caught in this web too.

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  20. I wonder if the county CAO has any jurisdiction over a state park? I tend to doubt.

    Similarly, I am not sure that any little pipsqueak law our local government may enact will have any impact whatsover on the Federal goverment's anxiously awaited Management Plan for our newly minted National Monument.

    Be careful what you wish for.

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  21. We'll be learning that CAO and SMP in the long view don't matter any longer. All eyes are now on the next shiny object: The Management Plan.

    What matters is the Green Line. The new National Monument boundary drawn around these islands. Necklace or noose? Choose your poison.

    The Federal hammer will pretty much allow our local ordinances to naturally disintegrate in the years to come.

    Who's got a seat at the table for that tasty feast?

    At the end of the day this is just about re-arranging the pigs at the trough.

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  22. The acknowledgement that Shireene Hale is the only human who understands the CAO is not exactly a credit to Council. How about asking why that is, how it got passed that way and whether a planner who takes an "update" assignment and turns it into a four year rewrite that no one can understand is doing the job she is paid so well to do.

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  23. I don't live on Orcas, but the next time I'm over there I intend to take a closer look. Checking the video again it appears several HUNDRED trees were cut and it also appears the stumps and log ends look healthy.

    I really do hope they don't pull all the stumps in this wet weather, if they do there will be a huge amount of mud headed somewhere. (Ain't no hay chop gonna stop it.)

    Logging has a very long history and it is well known what is good practice and what isn't.

    Who's in charge?

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  24. Can I totally go off topic? I was told yesterday that the Orcas School District has hires a project manager from the Seattle area to oversee the school renovation, which is designed by an architect from Seattle. I'm sure the contract will go to an off island company, just as the siding project did (and we all know how well that turned out), and no subcontractors from the county will be hired. Glad my tax dollars are being spent off island.

    Way to keep it local, school board. Good job.

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  25. It is amazing! The port of Friday Harbor, a well managed entity, there actually are some, has gone off island sometimes when a little more effort would have kept those dollars at home.

    The new "hospital" on SJI in the planning stages repeatedly claimed huge employment benefits for island folk. In reality few benefited (Egg lake Mill did do a great job on the siding and floors, but aside from some trucking in many other areas Island workers were just not expedient enough. It must be said that building a hospital takes a lot of know how and special talent that does not exist here, BUT still many had the feeling no real effort was made.

    Frequently there will be offered a nice completely plausible excuse. "This is a grant funded contract, we have to do what they say; This is a Fed funded project; This is something we can't wait to get done; ETC, ETC.

    It's all our money, we need to have officials who go all out to keep it here. Sadly, seems we must spend time checking up on them CONSTANTLY!

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  26. My, my has the robot been tamed? No real challenge lately.

    Bring back the fierce, insufferable Robot.

    (Maybe, it's my new glasses)

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  27. Look at Randy ,Island Guardian. Pristine white shirt, tie snugged up and sleeves rolled. His hands are working like he is creating something, a mud pie? We all know he is a hard working man, but for who is the question. I mean besides #1.

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  28. The logged areas have all been replanted, stumps remain, in 100 years you won't be able to tell it was logged.

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  29. WINTER COUNCIL - SAVE OUR ISLAND WAY OF LIFE - FIRE SHIRENE HALE

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  30. Nightmare is coming - Lovel, Lisa, What's his face...and an empowered new director of CD&P Shirene Hale...omg we are in trouble...

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  31. Good point, let's log the islands again and create some real jobs and local revenues, eh?

    In fact these entire islands have regrown since the lime kiln days haven't they? Old aerial photos are pretty conclusive.

    Further, there's a reputable source on Shaw that recalls a meeting of the Friends glitterati and one of Aldo Leopold's daughters some years back, who basically scolded the Friends for preventing forest thinning in the islands and creating extremely dangerous fire conditions as a result. Feathers were ruffled.

    But I think that the point made in @7:21 AM is a distraction from the larger issue of blatant hypocrisy, the surface evidence that the cut trees were healthy and no information yet to the contrary, that the state can do this with no regard for local ordinances that would make such activity impossible for local businesses or land owners. And other such consideration.

    What's the deal?

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  32. These guys are not going to win, even if they win the election. They are slowly sinking in their own quicksand.

    But, it will be a hell of a lot less messier if voters simply vote for change.

    A Lovel, Lisa and the Other Guy is just too controversial. Way too risky. Scary talk.

    The nonpartisan candidates are just normal, down to earth, intelligent, no scary talk. No controversy.

    Vote for Change and let's move beyond controversy and let the healing begin.

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  33. Agreed 9:31, why not just win this election, if we can?

    7:21 that was a really good one. One of the reasons I think people love the TH is there is a level of intelligence and common sense that exists only here.

    Of course, with all the new drugs, the grand children will get to see those "new" 100 year old trees.

    I'm looking for dry windshields, what about YOU?

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  34. We can be buying rounds in celebration or in depressed grief. Your choice.

    Make the extra effort and feel you did something. ANYTHING is good. Don't wait, do it now.

    Love that open window sign for McClerren corner of Egg Lake and Roche Harbor Road.

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  35. Speaking of road signs, the one I particularly enjoy is actually a series of signs that read "Drop your pick.....Drop your shovel.......Vote for Lovel". Says just about all one needs to know about Lovel's comittment to the preservation of jobs in our local economy. Your jobs are not important, but be sure to vote for me, me,me. What could be more clear?

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  36. I noticed a very angry childish tantrum type rant in the printed papers by some fella named David Dehelndorf. Does anyone know why this individual is such and angry soul?? I can almost feel the mouth foaming in his words.

    It seems rather than presenting any rational arguments to supporting any position, he resorts to name calling and broad generalizations.

    Just reading the anger filled tantrum he posted makes me think professional psychological help is needed for this poor child.

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  37. That poor tantrum throwing child has a mental midget wife on the PC that thinks "critters" in a wetland are members of the community too...his diatribe is laughable, in his world the only people allowed to express their political opinions are libtards whose minds are so open their brains have fallen out.

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  38. Dehlendorf would have you believe that three east-coast silverspoon trust funders who have never worked a real job in their life are a better choice to represent NW Islanders than three hard working businessmen who've actually attempted to create wealth rather than take it from others...sadly many wannabe life coaches, yoga instructor, poetry writers think it's a good plan.

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    1. What do you expect from a Deerfield Academy grad who went to Stanford and then banking? These silver spooners LOVE to give OPM away.

      Delete
  39. Love the open-window sign for McLerren on Roche!
    Lovel wants us to drop our shovels - so she can bury us in her bullshit, McLerren wants openess and transparency, Lovel wants secret illegal meetings so she can coordinate how to shut down kayaking businesses with Shirene Hale.

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  40. Boy Oh Boy, we can't have those kayak businesses, those people offer a real life experience teaching people (tourists ARE people) about how humans here live in harmony with their land and sea.

    Yeah, right here in River City. (We do live in a river, in case you missed the Hyde study.)

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  41. Where is Dr. Adamus when we need him to clarify the situation? Guess Shireene gave him the money, put the onus on him and he ran. Money well spent. The Cao is much clearer now. Job security for the Hales, all that is needed now is more staff, delays and money. They still won't be able to figure it out even if they have meetings till they can retire with a county pension and health benifits. Perhaps that is the plan of the planning department.

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  42. For those still furrowing their brows over their ballots this weekend, remember the famous words of Lovel Pratt as exumed from her own notes of the secret meetings she cannot recall:

    "No more science will be allowed."

    It never was about Best Available Science, now was it?

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  43. I am amazed no one has commented on the recent endorsements by the SJ Journal and in particular the SJ Islander. Interested that the Islander was unwilling to endorse any SJ candidate. Also slightly shocked by the Hughes endorsement.

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  44. The endorsed Hughes to appear un-biased...come on, you endorse a barely literate know nothing done nothing "Self Directed" hack in Lovel, but don't endorse Byers...what a joke.

    Hughes, Jarman, McClerren vote early, vote often.

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  45. I was driving in SJ today. Nice signs on RH road. One is made of a large closed door that says "Pratt? Again? No thanks!!". I will buy those folks a beer. Bravo.

    If we were to judge the election outcome based solely on signage, I would say its a close race between Jarmin and "for sale".

    Did anyone see the "future guardrails coming soon" handmade signs from public works?? Any way to stop this nonsense?? One rail is right by a pond near the road. I'm sure that driving creosote laden or pressure treated posts in the ground 3 feet from the water will have no affect on the functions and values of the pond.
    Stop this madness. The ass clowns at public works need a serious staff roster haircut.
    Hopefully the new elects will take a look at that department. As some tough questions like "what in the hell does Ed Hale do other than feebly attempt to dazzle people with bullshit??". Or "why in the hell does a county of our size have 5 or 6 registered engineers on staff??". Seriously. Is it all the new roads and bridges going in?? Traffic light maintenance??

    I am praying to our Lord for help in this election. Please Lord let people with common sense and ethics have a hand in governing our islands.

    Thanks to all those out there supporting candidates. Let's not get weary with 2 weeks left.
    TALK TO EVERYONE. we need to hustle up all the votes we can!!

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    Replies
    1. Great point about the engineers. Most counties decide what is needed and hire firms to do the work. We keep a huge staff (like we keep a bunch of expensive equipment). Then the engineers think up new projects to protect their jobs. Thus has it ever been. And planners--geez, there are like 10 people in there and Only ONE enforcement officer. The planners create projects for themselves to protect their jobs. Who is in charge?

      If it were Council, then heads should roll. Anyone ever do an efficiency study on these departments ?

      Delete
  46. 4:58 Thanks for the hit on the guardrails deal. I mentioned this about a week back and no one blinked.

    I looked up the project on the public works site and it talks as if this is a done deal. My guess is it is another GRANT funded project where for nanny state SAFETY we snatch the money without thinking.

    I believe we all know the truth; this project would likely rank dead last in a County Capital Improvements budget. But since it is money from on high we do stupid stuff we normally wouldn't.

    For those skeptics, God Love Ya, this ain't no little thing. We're talking a whole BUNCH of guardrails and since County workers will be forced to use weed eaters around those new hundreds of posts for fire protection, our yearly maintenance cost FOREVER will jump up and stay up FOREVER. We're gonna lose big time on this deal.

    PS: THESE GUARDRAILS ARE UGLY AS SIN. The "pastoral" San Juan County will soon be gone.

    The Winter Council should not let this one slip by them.

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  47. The guardrails on Orcas don't look bad- and have been placed where lives have been lost. On this issue the county is valuing human life above the environment. I would think TH readers would appreciate this. The "perpetual outrage" by this commentariat is tiresome...like listening to the Occupy crowd.

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  48. The truth is so true. That closed door on Roche Harbor Road with Pratt's name on it has a chain on it. The door is chained CLOSED.

    Just like her mind.

    Full marks, people.

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  49. 7:44 Sorry, but I don't see anything "environmental" about the guardrails. This is cost basis analysis, nothing more.

    "Where lives were lost," sounds like an assumption on your part.

    Most people here drive off the road trying to miss a deer, and I cannot agree there are lives lost because of a lack of guardrails.

    It is simply another urban transfer of urban mentality, not outrage.

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  50. "lives have been lost"

    Those are potential consequences whent you drink and drive.

    Should we ban cars in general because people do in car wrecks??

    The point of this issue is that public works got a federal safety grant and is going to put these things up all over, regardless of demonstrable need.

    If there was a problematic stretch of road and it has been shown that there will be lives saved, then great, let's put one there. This, however, is PW being givens bags of money for guardrails and they will go put them everywhere until they have used up the grant money.

    This is unnecessary bullshit that we don't need. Taking money from an entity that is just printing it and 17 trillion in debt. Wow. This is stupid on the level of CAO stupid.

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  51. I think road safety is one of the few legitimate roles for county government. They used to be called "road commissioners" before the role of SJC mushroomed.
    I'm not advocating road widening and guard rails everywhere, but there are some potentially deadly spots here on Orcas. The TH posters seem to wail about any new PW project or second growth Doug fir that gets cut. Save your outrage for the CAO part 2 under Byers and Pratt.

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    Replies
    1. Potentially deadly? Show me a pattern of cars going off the road, not one. Drunk speeders don't count. How do we think that thousands of islanders make it past these danger spots every week and have for a hundred years??

      They're putting a guardrail where a young woman was killed by her drunk/speeding driver. Sorry. Not needed. Same for the young woman who went off the road recently on Crow Valley--she died from shock and exposure not the crash itself.


      Next they'll be taking the trees down to protect us.

      Delete
  52. If Pratt and Byers prevail the County is gonna needs lots and lots and lots of guard rails

    I have seen some of the little signs on the side of the road about placing guard rail there. I am not seeing much evidence of clear and present danger in some of these places. Yes you could be an eco-tourist in a Prius when it decides to spontaneously accelerate into some bog or fen on the side of the road. And then decide to sue the county for negligence if PW turned the money away because we could have put them in and prevented the accident.

    These are rural roads people. Stuff happens. It can get icy. I'm sure there are some areas where guard rails would make sense. It would help crush those little eco-buggies that putz along the sides of the roads in the summer time. Now that would be dangerous. They couldn't escape off the road when they get pushed aside by a bicyclist.

    Overly overcautious measures produce unintended consequences.

    Is there a map that shows where th

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  53. This is a symptom of a larger problem.
    GRANTS.

    The winter council got bamboozled by Patti and Bob Jean to look at all the committees, which does need to be done, but lacks the seriousness and potential consequence of all these groups obtaining grants that then encumber the county with future expenses.

    Maybe some spots on orcas coul use a guard rail. Great. Why haven't the 5 engineers in staff already identified this need and had a proposal in for when funds came available??

    We need to have the discussion about requiring council approval prior to ALL GRANT APPLICATIONS.
    Put the brakes on some of this nonsense.

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  54. **off topic**

    The other election.

    I just got my OPALCO ballot and am not familiar with any of these people.
    Anyone have any advice??
    Better yet, who is Little Davie Delehornduff suporting sink can vote for someone else.

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  55. @9:47 AM not off topic at all really. The Machine is pretty big. OPALCO is just another juicy plum

    Little Davie Dehelendork would love you to vote for Uncle Bobbie Myer that's for sure.

    Little Davie might become quite cross I'm afraid were you to vote for Jerry Gonce.

    Hope that helps.

    I am looking forward to someone compiling "The Collected Works of David Dehlendorf" and sell them in community bookstores that carry vanity press publications of local eccentrics.

    "What would David say" will probably become part of the local lexicon in time. The answer typically followed by gales of laughter and someone buys the next round.

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  56. There are many good reasons to support the Bob Jarman campaign but certainly one reason is the wonderful thank you card you get. Beautiful!

    This one I got was art by local Orcas Islander, Marshall Johnson.

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  57. Perhaps the whole point of the guardrail deal is; here we are about to do something that may be completely unnecessary. Granted there may be an incidence occur in many years where a errant car is kept on the roadway, but this looks to be a bit over the top. Are we again trying to solve a problem that dose not exist.

    We must spend this money? Why?

    All know at this point that such money did not come from Bill and Melinda Gates. It may be from the deep dark tomb of the Fed, but who's that? That's you.

    I'm not so sure these guardrails are even a good idea. I'd rather take a soft dirt landing, but in the art of compromise surely all could agree to a guardrail on a cliff side, if any of these are those.

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  58. @7:50
    Thanks, good to know. Usually all you get when you contribute is a whole slew of paper mail asking for more. Nice to know your contribution to Jarman is noticed and appreciated.

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  59. Thank you @8:17

    When is it ok to accept grant money for something unnecessary?

    Never. It goes on a credit card with our children paying the bill down the road. They have not asked for this.

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  60. Public Works, the ass clowns that botched solid waste for the better part of a decade with the enabling of past councils, are now about to get grant money for stuff we don't need.
    This is being done as busy work. The new PW manager is a former navy guy. He understands spending money and bureaucracy all to well.
    I am sure there are spots that need some guard rails. The side of roche harbor road is not one of them.
    If we can not pay for guard rails with he money we already have, then perhaps we shoul do without.

    Wonder if king ass clown Ed Hale will have to weigh in on the guardrail-utility synergistic implementation scientific design study plan program design

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  61. Every grant the county seeks should be brought before the county council before agencies accept them. Many grants fly under the radar. We don't find out about them til we got em.

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  62. This all falls under the Lovel Pratt School of Economics constantly in seek of "new revenue" - you get mailed a new credit card you didn't ask for - "new revenue."

    What we have here is almost the flip side of asking the County "where is the problem" they can't answer about the CAO.

    If new revenue shows up in the form of grant money, the County suddenly yells "We have a problem this grant money will solve!"

    It should be the other way around. Suppose a few parents lean on a council critter, we have an unsafe road condition please consider a guard rail. That expands to a general question the council asks, do we need a few guard rails around some of the more nasty road turns? THEN, the administrator scopes a task and sets PW on its way to investigate and come back with a recommended set of project scopes and cost ranges. Only at that point do you then ask "Well hey, do the Feds have any money for this sort of thing?"

    Does the County ever follow this kind of process? No. They are chasing new revenues only. They are addicted to the hope of being mailed new credit cards they can run up.

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  63. IT'S TIME THE COUNTY CLEANED HOUSE - TIME FOR THE SHIREENE AND ED HALE NIGHTMARE REIGN OF INCOMPETENCY TO END - TIME FOR THEM TO BE FIRED AND ASKED TO LEAVE.

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  64. You have 2 cows......
    They are named Ed and Shireene. They have been eating from the county trough for years and years now. All there is to show for their efforts are those steaming piles in the field.
    You wish you didn't have these two cows.

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  65. @1:02 AM
    I slightly disagree with your assertion that all grants should be reviewed prior to acceptance.
    I feel they should be approved or rejected prior to application. Nip some of this stuff before any staff time is wasted on the application process.

    This issue, the grant obtaining process is a good one to bring to the winter council in a hurry. Let's make some calls and ask them to take action to stop this madness.

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  66. Well back in olden days, before they changed the water and the climate, the County Commission would normally be REQUIRED to pass a resolution in order for any grant involving public funds and the County moved forward.

    Generally, the funders demanded it. Why should some state or federal agency tasked with wisely investing precious public dollars toss them at a local government that didn't want, didn't need couldn't manage the money?

    Ah, but those were to good old days. About ten years ago or so.

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  67. The first lesson of the environmental learning center: you don't have to follow the CAO when cutting down trees for an environmental cause. -- Hypocrites!

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  68. San Juan Island Gettysburg
    (with the utmost respect to Mr. Lincoln and all those who have died defending our freedom, may God Bless you)

    Zero score and 16 weeks ago, our council brought forth on these islands a new law, ill-conceived without science and dedicated to the proposition that they know best.

    Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether these islands, or any islands, so duped, so defrauded, can long endure. We are met at the ballot box of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of this election as a final resting place for those old laws that previously sufficed. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
    But, in a larger sense, we can no longer debate, we can no longer express discontent, we cannot hallow our own land. The brave islanders, far and wide, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The islands will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but they can never forget what the CAO did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather, for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us, that from these misguided regulations, we take increased devotion to the cause which we islanders pursue with such emotion – that we here highly resolve that these regulations shall not rule our land, that these islands, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that our government, of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not be hijacked by the machine.

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  69. In all likelihood, most voters have made up their minds by now....

    Anticipation.....

    Who will prevail????

    Again, I offer sincere prayers that we may elect local leaders whom we can trust to do the right thing.

    We do not want or need community organizers and career politicians. We need hard working individuals who know what it takes to succeed in business.

    Good luck to the TH readers. Keep up the vigilant efforts to get everyone to vote.

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  70. Sorry, but my last words on the damn guardrails.

    Perhaps it is mental, it certainly is something, because guardrails make the road feel smaller.

    We all are good people. The on coming traffic moves to the right when they see a bicycle needs space on the opposite side.

    Now we have these double car "Mopeds" so we need even more space.

    I'm sure any cyclist will tell you that catching a pedal on a guard rail ruins the whole day as you catapult forward into those posts.

    Guardrails; love em or leave em.

    Totally agree with the statement that grants should not be sought and waste staff time without council approval.

    VOTE, VOTE, VOTE.

    Weather is a bit better this week. Good time for flyers.


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  71. @10:17

    Don't be sorry and don't make it the last words on the guardrail issue.

    I am calling my council rep this week to discuss this as well as the larger grant issue.

    There is a lot at stake in this election.

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