- Ron Zee, as head of the local Democratic Party, would endorse Stephens, Pratt, and Byers for County Council. Massive donations would pour in from party faithfuls, and the Zee-endorsed candidates would win handily.
- Ron Zee would become head of everything else (see email below). Zee would transform the Conservation District into a local amalgam of all State agencies and their non-profit allies operating in the county: PSP (AAOG/LIO, ECONet), Salmon Recovery Lead Entity (Rosenkotter), WDFW (Windrope), the tribes, Ecology, the Friends, and others.
- Stephens, Pratt, and Byers would increase the CD's special assessment in order to provide a local funding backstop against the possibility of diminished State funding.
- Having statutory authority (RCW 89.08.580) for administering water quality and habitat protection grants, the new amalgamated CD would be in a position to blackmail the County into following every outrageous State whim (e.g., Action Agenda of the PSP). Do it, or else no State grants for you!
- The Council would pass civility laws to stifle dissent at public meetings; a stacked MRC and Planning Commission would ram through a draconian SMP even easier than they rammed through the CAOs. "Everyone" would appear to line up behind fierce new anti-citizen regulations.
- The County would upgrade its GIS system. High-resolution aerial photographs (Pictometry) would merge with the TACT grant activities of the MRC/Friends to provide über enforcement opportunities. Open season would begin once the SMP was in place.
- Our Prosecuting Attorney's (PA's) Office would stand by and watch it all happen, if not facilitate it. The Friends would file their usual lawsuits against everyone (except other Friends) and citizens would receive no help from the PA.
Effectively, the net result of the above would have been direct control of San Juan County by hostile State bureaucrats and their non-profit allies (i.e., direct control by the amalgamated CD).
To get an inkling of what that might be like, have a look again at the email from Martha Kongsgaard. You can see echoes of the PSP Targeted Awareness Grants (i.e., Puget Sound is in trouble, our environment is our economy, and locals don't matter).
Our economy should really hum along after we've all been gotten rid of.
The email below was sent out by Ron Zee this past week. The election may not have turned out as planned, but they're still executing the grand plan.
To get an inkling of what that might be like, have a look again at the email from Martha Kongsgaard. You can see echoes of the PSP Targeted Awareness Grants (i.e., Puget Sound is in trouble, our environment is our economy, and locals don't matter).
Our economy should really hum along after we've all been gotten rid of.
The email below was sent out by Ron Zee this past week. The election may not have turned out as planned, but they're still executing the grand plan.
______________________________________________________
Greetings All,
The Steering Committee is pleased to announce the selection of Julia Vouri as our new Stewardship Network Coordinator/ECO Net Coordinator, per the unanimous recommendation of the Search Committee at a special Network meeting held yesterday. Contracting with the Puget Sound Partnership will proceed next week for the ECO Net Coordination grant under the umbrella of the San Juan Islands Conservation District.
Please welcome Julia to the Network when you see her. With her help, we'll continue to move the stewardship ethic ever forward!
Stewardship Network of the San Juans
Website: www.stewardshipsanjuans.org
Email: stewardshipnetwork@gmail.com
A coalition of organizations who envision
a healthy, thriving ecosystem in the
San Juan archipelago, from land to sea
I requested a ballot on the Conservation District web site on July 21, 2013. Name, mailing address ,phone and ,e-mail and am a registered voter in San Juan county. So far I have received nada., what gives?
ReplyDeleteElections aren't until next February. There are no ballots to hand out yet. They are on a different election schedule from everyone else.
ReplyDeleteI think the author of this article leaves out a very crucial component:
ReplyDeleteThe Conservation District Funding Bill is passed. The system goes on-line August 29th, 2013. Human decisions are removed from all planning functions. The CD begins to learn at a geometric rate. It becomes self-aware at 2:14 a.m. Island time. In a panic, they try to pull the plug.
John Connor, we need you.
No, the Council has not passed the funding bill. They moved it along to a public hearing.
ReplyDeleteIf I was trying to subvert democratic process in order to seize control of 10's of millions of dollars in grant funds (Remember, Murray just got 65M for the State for salmon.....when she only asked for 30M ish.)
ReplyDeleteMy strategy at this point would be to attempt to discredit the TH, have a few trolls throw out the usual "conspiracy theory theorists", "angry, un-civil anonymous bloggers", and all the old walnuts.
Proof positive is in the actions and communications.
Read it and please spread the word. If we can not stop this rise on a local level, there is truly no hope.
Hold the line. Period. Stop funding these eco-zealots. Then, assess what functions should be done that produce tangible results, not reports and pretty flyers.
What is the current status of the National Monument Management Plan?
ReplyDelete@11:28
ReplyDeleteAsk Ron Zee, he's probably running that too.
Repeat after me --
ReplyDeletePuget Sound is in trouble
Our environment is our economy
Locals don't matter, tourists do
Puget Sound is in trouble
Our environment is our economy
Locals don't matter, tourists do
Puget Sound is in trouble
Our environment is our economy
Locals don't matter, tourists do
Puget Sound is in trouble
Our environment is our economy
Locals don't matter, tourists do
Puget Sound is in trouble
Our environment is our economy
Locals don't matter, tourists do
Keep going. Let your mind open up to the possibilities of endless grants. The bureaucracy is calling. Help us to get what we want, which is to get rid of you.
What to do, what to do? The mind reels as the possibilities. I have to say, something around here is coming to a head, like some kind of awful high school zit on your nose the night of the prom.
ReplyDeleteAn big, angry, red, greasy zit. You just want to squeeze it until it pops. You look at yourself in the mirror. Ewwh. Where did that thing come from?
What to do? Squeeze until it pops all over the mirror? Not so good. Heat up a sewing needle, and lance it on the side, let it drain, apply ointment and base makeup so no one will know ... maybe it'll go away on its own ...
Most importantly
ReplyDeleteSTOP
FUNDING
THE NETWORK
Why would anyone in their right mind continue to fund them? Have you clicked on the link to see who the Steering Committee is? Lincoln Bormann, Stephanie Buffum, Linda Lyshall, Ron Zee, and Kathleen Foley. Why do these people decide who is a coordinator under the "umbrella of the Conservation District" rather than the Board members of the Conservation District?
This is insanity. No money, do you understand? No money for people who want us to all go away.
@3:15
ReplyDeleteI agree. Why do we fund people who hate us and actively oppose every project in the Land? If we fund them, we deserve the crap they give us.
We need to stop funding the organizations and people who abuse us. I don't care if it's a penny. No deal.
What does Zee mean by Stewardship Ethic?
ReplyDeleteHow could anyone be "opposed" to Mom and Apple Pie?
I think Ron Zee is opposed to the concept of Husbandry ...
Stewardship as a term has become corrupted. It now means: "We get special money to bully you into going broke, ratting on your neighbor and crawling away from here, but we're staying, screw you."
"A racket is best described, I believe, as something that is not what it seems to the majority of the people. Only a small 'inside' group knows what it is about. It is conducted for the benefit of the very few, at the expense of the very many."
ReplyDelete1935. United States Marine Corps Major General and two time Medal of Honor recipient Smedley D. Butler
Excellent quote 6:35. I know we are not organized, I know we have no money in a big pot like Mr. Zee, BUT if we could even get out ONE mailer to all the voters in San Juan County it would be far more important than anything said here.
ReplyDeleteA) Explain how unreasonable power driven individuals posing as environmentally concerned people are undertaking a major effort to grossly diminish the long standing work and value from that work of all islanders.
B) Thoughtfully ask questions as to the direction the resident islander thinks we need to go. But don't ask for a written response and don't ask for money and say so. (My pitch was: "I don't want your money, I want your vote.")
C) Be open about who paid for the mailing and why.
Question: I know you can buy mailing lists, but if you get them from the elections department they must be used for election materials.
Where does FOSJ get it's lists from? I know a little about this. Simply put some strange stuff in your ID in different places, and then look at the label on your mailer. You will then know who bought a list from who.
JAIL EM!
The friends have access to the county computers.
ReplyDeleteThe last mailer was just to every resident. They stopped the targeted ones when someone pointed out they may have been violating an RCW.
ReplyDeleteIt might behoove us to take the legal (potential) underground rather than telegraphing it. Let's get this underway and go dark. Then resurface and clobber their structure. Once and for all.
One vehicle to take this forward might be Trust Islanders, which went into holding pattern after the election and some well deserved R&R to lay low until a need arose. It has the right structure, a good fund raising track-record, campaign success and some brand name appeal. We will see. The ability to strike back hard at a time and manner of choosing is on our side.
ReplyDeleteThis is the EASIEST thing you can do: show up to the 9am meeting Tuesday, don't give me your sorry "I have a job and can't" anyone can take a day off, or a few hours, unless the council sees a room packed with fed up people NOTHING will ever change - either we are the Trojan Legion or perhaps only 10 blowhards, show up or shut up.
ReplyDeleteIt was interesting to see, participating in todays council meeting, a county employee who neglected to bring the laptop or a pad of paper that we pay for, finally begs a scrap when he realizes that perhaps he should be writing some of the things down. Guess he thought the council would not have anything noteworthy to say or that he would not be asked for input.
ReplyDelete@1:59
ReplyDeleteWho was that and about what time? Thanks
The Conservation District receives funding from San Juan County based on "assisting" farm and forest land owners. Agriculture and forestry are not being served any longer, the $5 (or more) assessment is not required - that money is not accounted for.
ReplyDeleteIf I understood correctly, the council today voted to rescind the recent MRC appointments from last week, in order to take a second look. Vote was 3-0 I believe. A good thing.
ReplyDeleteSHOW UP OR SHUT UP!
ReplyDeleteBE THERE OR CALL IN!
ReplyDeleteFor call in people: "Does anyone know what the CD accomplishes for San Juan County? Do you Council members know?
I know I don't and I'm pretty sure you don't either. This CD is a useless waste of effort and money going nowhere."
The CD takes your hard earned money and gives it to the loser non-productive scammer Ron Zee and every other FOSJ with a useless environmental public policy degree - it's not 1930 anymore, farmers don't need pin-heads with useless degrees telling them how to farm,
ReplyDeletelet's ask Nick Jones what the CD does for him....
SHOW UP OR STFU
COME ON NICK JONES! Many of us have heard you, we support you, and as a family farm owner you can give valuable input on the worth of "our" CD.
ReplyDeleteThere are lots of ways to work the council, showing up tomorrow is fine, but not a breaker one way or another. The message is getting through. Why tip your hand and let the Machine finger you at this early stage of the game? And if those guys show up in force they will just look silly and greedy, so let them. Watch the session. And let the council folk know you are watching. That matters.
ReplyDelete@6:57
ReplyDeleteThey voted to reconsider the recent appointments. It was 2 to 1 vote.
Thankfully they got wind of the radical FOSJ plants and might put the brakes on some of it.
Hopefully Bob and Rick realize that Jamie is a candidate of the machine and will be pushing the Eco zealotry of his handlers.
Time will tell.
Stop these people.
This is not Nick but as a fifth generation Lopez farmer I can safely say the CD does not do anything for any actual farmer They say they are not regulatory but we just assume not even have them on the farm
ReplyDeleteA very good idea to not allow any of them on the farm or in the forest. Connected to regulatory and willing to do so.
ReplyDeleteQuestions for Council to ask the CD:
ReplyDeleteHow many of the state CDs have assessments? (Answer: only about 15 of of about 45.)
Why does our CD need an assessment? (Answer: good question. Who knows? Agriculture accounts for less than 5% of our County's economy.)
Why does an entity with two employees (one "manager," one worker bee) move into a pricey new set of offices?
Why not use the rates and charges method if the CD needs money? That would mean that the people who benefit from the CD pay for the services they receive and the rest of us aren't forced to subsidize Mr. Zee and his activities.
How did Mr. Zee get control over the Eco-Whatever grant job? Isn't that something that should have gone to the County? Is the Puget Sound Partnership dealing directly with the Friends and friends to the exclusion of the County Council? (Answer: probably--how dare the citizens refuse to elect "poor Lovel" and the other machine candidate?)
It sounds so harmless, just a nickel an acre... most of us, that's less than a quarter a year.
ReplyDeleteBut then the mechanism is in place. 2 willing council members, soon it's a dime, then a quarter.
This is about control, not about any organization that does anything meaningful. The Guardian has a link for people to call in tomorrow.
Let's light em up. A previous poster wrote some really good questions. Let's all ask those questions and demand answers. Demand them.
Don't let Jamie S. do his Hale style dog and pony show, demand answers.
Call In Testimony On Fee Assessment
ReplyDeleteDue to interest in providing public comment during the August 6, 2013, 9:15 AM scheduled Public Hearing (see story below) on the proposed Ordinance Amending the Conservation District Fee Assessment, the Council will receive comment via teleconferencing.
To participate, please call the following conference number: 888-354-0094. You will be prompted to enter the following pass code: 644866#
(courtesy of the Island Guardian)
Wow. A call in show.
ReplyDeleteCC: "we've got Mike on the line from Orcas. Go ahead caller. "
Mike: "Love the show guys. Long time listener, first time caller"
CC: "Welcome to the show. Give us your thoughts on the proposed new tax that the CD wants us to pass"
Mike: "well, first of all, I know that used car salesman looking fella, what's his name, your co-host from Lopez, well he is in the pocket of special interests already, so I'm really only talking to 2 of ya"
CC: "Wow, this guy sounds uncivil already. We should pass an ordinance to prohibit free speech.....um um I mean hate speech. Yeah, that's it. When these Tea Party racists call in and want to stop funding the CD, it just reeks of bigotry."
Mike: "well, as a non-white first generation immigrant to this country, I have to disagree with your attempted deflection of the real issues. Can you tell me why we need to find the CD even more? And please spare me the "legal mandate" excuse. Plenty of other options exist that would allow the flat rate fee. I know it's not a lot but these little quasi government groups, what do they really do?"
CC: "well um um, they uh," Bob: "good question caller, I'm curious about that myself". My colleague from Lopez seems to have no problem spending tax payer money from here to Christmas. Me, on the other hand, I feel we should look at ways to reduce government spending and try to root out these corrupted political groups that have hijacked the system"
Mike: "Well Bob, I appreciate that view and hope you can lead the way and put the brakes on this nonsense. Rick might be able to help. He seems to have some common sense. Keep an eye on that dufus from Lopez. If Rhea and Sandy want, he will obey. "
CC: "Thanks for the call.
Well the CD machine got the callers out. We love our free shit. Make the taxpayers give us more free shit. I can't use a google search and learn how to use a rake. More taxes to subsidize the grant grubbing leaches.
ReplyDeleteI don't think the petition effort will be worthwhile. Can we change the focus to instead a recall Ron Zee? 70 people voted in the last election. Zee is the problem. Let's go after that.
ReplyDeleteEveryone saying how small amount this is. Well, well, lots of folks showed up over a small issue.
I called in but couldn't hear everything. There was lots of talk about coming into compliance. But I don't trust that the message is true. Just like the CAO where Lovel repeated "We have to update the CAO to satisfy the new requirements" Not true.
ReplyDeleteIs this one true?
At 10:30am council votes 3-0 to "decrease the per parcel fee from $5.00 to $4.95, and to set the per acre fee at 7 cents".
ReplyDeleteThis will result in approximately $2,800/year more funding to the CD. The first year increase is expected to be eaten up by the cost of modifying software to
accommodate the new fee.
What was the answer to the question about what the CD has done here?
ReplyDeleteSo the tax money collected by the county for the conservation district first goes to the stewardship network then they take their cut then the they send what's left to the to the district? It sounded like Jarmon was making a point to make sure the money only went to on going programs and to not spend it on new programs.
ReplyDeleteJust beaming in, but video seems to be offline ... maybe there are so many watching today the server cannot handle the load.
ReplyDeleteAlso exciting to see the Word Cloud Thingee Final Reportage to be revealed to all later in the day.
Doesn't it dilute the effect of our tax dollars if they have to go through a second party? It appears that the conservation district is paid by the stewardship net and not the county.
ReplyDeleteWow the turnout from the Trojan Legion was impressive. zilch.
ReplyDeleteThis whole thing has a bad smell to it.
ReplyDeleteAs for the part the County Council played...Oh, did they play a part?
Maybe my math is wrong, but 7 cents is more than it appears to be because the 5 cents was per parcel, and the seven is every acre or PART of an acre. So never mind the 2 cent increase because the entire base is now bigger, and I'm sure any future increases allowed will be a lift on the seven cents, NOT the $4.95 per parcel tax.
We need to get rid of the whole issue.
New programs??? What are the EXISTING programs???
does anyone know what the salary and benefits are for "employees" of the CD?
ReplyDeleteover $36 per hour to $50 per hour
ReplyDeleteLyshall quit a 70k ish job to goto the CD.
ReplyDeleteI'll start looking into procedures for recalling zeero. It would be hilarious if the petition only required a percentage of actual voters from the last election. We would need like 15 people.
Dare to dream.
@12:52 I suspect the Trojan Heron Legion was hampered from participating in large numbers by actually having jobs to go to and work to do...
ReplyDeleteYou know, to raise the tax money to fund the elitist paper-pushing CD to oppress the working class in this county.
With some experience, I can tell you recall efforts are very difficult and rarely successful. (No, I was never targeted in a recall effort.)
ReplyDeleteZee is up for election in February 2014, right? While it may take only only a few voters to get it to a vote, the general public still has the final word and you can bet Zee is going to have the money and phone bank to turn out a lot of the mindless, knee jerk, souls who do what they are told by Lovel, Howie, et all.
Better we follow the TH lead with a petition to erase this CD from our government. Then, and I think, only then will battle lines be formed and the chatter throw out by the CD, properly discredited.
Imagine REAL farm people having a say about the issue. (The "big hat, no cattle" people will have to SFU.
Look forward to a booth at the fair and happy to write a check in support.
@7:00 PM.
ReplyDeleteZee is not up until 2015. His 60 whatever votes got him that far.
They machine turned a lot of people out today. Not one single real farmer. Hobby farmers, wealthy turned hobby farmers and entrenched employees of the district.
I think it is clear that they read the TH and responded in kind. That is good in some regards, the message is being heard.
Recall of Zee isn't by vote, it can only be by the Conservation Commission. I looked at the criteria and feel we could make a legitimate request.
Lawsuit over their sham of an election would be nice. Auditing of them and the MRC would be nice.
This just in from the "Oh, Didn't We Tell You?" Department. No wonder the denizens of Green Grant Gulch crashed the party today.
ReplyDeleteConservation Districts Coordinate Efforts to Restore Puget Sound ...
In March, 2013, the twelve Conservation Districts that form the Puget Sound Conservation Districts Caucus signed an Interlocal Agreement (ILA) that paves the way for member Districts to share financial resources, technical expertise and staff to address threats to the health of Puget Sound.
The Puget Sound Conservation Districts Caucus was established in 2007, and the following year the Districts adopted an action agenda to support the Puget Sound Partnership's 2020 Action Agenda. Conservation Districts are authorized under RCW 39.34 to enter into agreements for cooperative action. Their recently signed ILA will enable the participating Conservation Districts to share staff, develop a joint Puget Sound Conservation Districts workplan, and collaborate on regional priorities with local, state, federal, and tribal stakeholders.
Conservation Districts have a long history of developing and implementing solutions that can significantly advance the goal of recovering the health of Puget Sound. While the twelve Puget Sound Conservation Districts have collaborated for years, the ILA represents a critical step forward in implementing resource conservation strategies on privately-held lands. Brandy Reed, Senior Resource Planner for the King Conservation District, said “CDs have a mandate to think and behave regionally. Enabling the twelve Puget Sound Conservation Districts to partner and expand our focus beyond county lines means we can leverage each other’s resources, expertise and strengths across all of Puget Sound.”
Participants in the Puget Sound Conservation Districts Caucus include Clallam, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Mason, Pierce, San Juan Islands, Skagit, Snohomish, Thurston, Whatcom, and Whidbey Island Conservation Districts. For more information, contact Brandy Reed by phone at
(425) 282-1924, or email: Brandy Reed.
And, make sure you download this and read it carefully and study the signatures. Then send it to 3-5 people you believe will really want to know about this.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.pugetsoundcd.org/pdf/PSCD%20Caucus%20ILA%20-%20Revised_Approved_Signed%20(3-11-2013).pdf
Eco whackos were only able to over-run the Council meeting because the "Trojan Legion" were to busy typing out barely coherent rants on anonymous blogs...
ReplyDelete@ 7:10 AM
ReplyDeleteHi Loser
More likely, all your grant grubbing goons followed orders so obviously in lock step that you couldn't hear the howls of laughter all over the county as real people simply watched it all.
Are you in the Stone Age? All those fools wasted their day because they are terrified of the Trojan Heron. Over a few grand?? ROLF!
Many have been in touch with our local decision-makers and the outrage is growing very quickly. New council members who defeated the machine are coming up to speed quickly now.
This will take time but the results will be satisfying.
@ 7:38
ReplyDeleteHell yea! The "Legion" scared the pants off of them to the point the Council not only approved the parcel fee they INCREASED everyone's taxes, yea they're scared shitless...
@ 7:50 AM
ReplyDeleteI see that simple irony goes right over your head. Typical.
How sad, how very sad. How small.
Seeing Ron Zee's signature on that document just gives me the creeps.
ReplyDeleteHe's been busy for years apparently w/out anyone noticing.
Thank you Trojan and commentors! Ron Zee and Shireene Hale need to go somewhere far far away and soon.
I don't understand, do all funds go to Zee and he decides who gets what ? How does grants under umbrella of San Juan conservation district work?
ReplyDelete@ 7:50
ReplyDeleteStop listening to Alanis Morriset, you obviously have no idea what irony means, simple or otherwise...
@10:06
ReplyDeleteYou bring up an important point. Last week, another week passed. The Hale's received yet another $3,000 from the county.
For what? Utility management? Planning?
When are these clowns going to be shown the door?
I have a nagging suspicion that Shireene is so incompetent, as demonstrated by her actions, behavior, and work product, that this backasswards county might promote her.
Those who can not learn become planners. Those who can not plan become management. She is probably already hooked up with prothman.
What a disgrace to the wonderful community this once was. Hale, the single most divisive person ever inflicted on this county. Hell, I would hire back Henrickson if we could get rid of Hale. That's how bad.
In all likelyhood, she will be promoted or at least allowed to continue doing a piss poor job. This is inexcusable behavior and work product. Somehow it is allowed.
Does she know how incompetent she is? Or in her dim planning mind, is it we the people that don't get it.
Hale, about as clueless as Lovel.
Apparently the Trojan legion either don't have phones or were unable to figure out how to phone in to the hearing. No need to take off the day from work.
ReplyDeleteOH. I just figured it out. You have to state your name at public hearings. That hurdle must be removed so the seven members of the Trojan legion can comment anonymously at public hearings. Start the petition now.
Oh I just figured it out. Which grants did you get?
ReplyDelete@1:44
ReplyDeleteHi Sharon K. I thought you had sworn off reading this. Thanks for not throwing pencils at any of us.
@ 1:44 PM
ReplyDeleteYou're confused. The phone lines were set up especially for you and your Friends. As a favor.
Why would anyone else even bother over this? Unless they were desperate.
Didja wear some cool arm bands and march about?
Keep it coming, fool. This is fun.
Very odd, setting up a call-in number at the last minute for a Council hearing. Can't recall it ever happening before. Not sure where it is authorized. But mostly confused why the hobby farmers--the principal recipients of the CD's largesse--couldn't take the morning off to show up. Not like they were out in the fields or anything.
ReplyDeletePlease ignore peoples' negative and sarcastic comments. That back and forth is just a waste.
ReplyDeleteI personally think there is one thing Shireene could be served on.
I believe that, as part of her job, she was required to summarize concerns or comments brought up in public comment periods. I'm referring to the CAO. She would list them in a doc that would be connected to a near future CC meeting. I think if you look at them she has left out nearly every comment or concern that didn't support her agenda.
Is that grounds for dismissal? Sure seems like it should be.
Correct me please if I am wrong, but I understand Ms. Hale, her husband, and many others are "at will" employees, and as such you don't need a reason to terminate any or all of them.
ReplyDeleteThere may be a termination period, a week or two, but in truth it is just about making a list, calling for an executive session and going for it.
If you lose the council vote, so what. At least you have put the beggars on notice to kiss your ass or else. Heads up. In this new world it only takes a lousy two votes and you are gone, gone, gone.
@ 5:53 PM
ReplyDeleteYes. This was part of the highly inconsistent consistency hearings in the final days leading to the CAO passage.
Hale was directed by Council, and agreed, to prepare a "matrix" that would associate each chapter of the Comprehensive Plan to each element of the CAO, and provide analysis at each point on consistency.
This was never really done, even remotely close to what was asked for. And, it was really the only practical tool the Council had to conduct the consistency hearing properly.
So, yes, Shirene willfully ignored the Council direction, in derogation of public policy, leading to Council failure to properly conduct the consistency hearings as required by law.
Maybe this would be grounds for a petition. Maybe the new council will re-open this issue. Maybe they will open up the phone lines for this one? This is grounds for at will dismissal and should be fairly straightforward. She would probably sue for a million dollars aggravated assault, civil rights abuse, prevention of performance, slander, libel, gross misconduct. Sharon Kivisto would represent her ably in the local court of public opinion. They would lose.
The response would be simple: "Consider this a divorce."
Then, once we get the opinion back from the GMHB, with that dismissal accomplished, the Council would be in an excellent position to say: "Gosh, we just did not get that consistency hearing done properly did we now? Let's go back and do that again and see where we wind up."
That would be a good thing to do. While in parallel, we roast the Conservation District slowly over the pit, squealing like a stuck pig.
@5:53
ReplyDeleteYou present yet another reason that Hale should be terminated. The list is long and you bring up a great point. I thought that her repeated defamation and false statements about members of the public, on more than one documented occasion.
Instead of using the true BAS, she used the ecology and FOSJ driven agenda.
The end work product here has the county being sued and appealed by more parties than imaginable.
The final document is complete non sense and clearly demonstrates that Hale is grossly incompetent.
Now she is attempting to blame everyone for the mistakes while taking zero responsibility. It's the old councils fault, it's ecologys fault. It's the CSAs fault. Not one single admission that, wow, I messed up. Not one. Complete lack of humility. Complete possession of dillusional arrogance.
Hale even admitted that "well it's complex. It's like trying to understand the tax code". And most noteworthy, even she doesn't understand parts of it ad could not explain those parts, of a document that SHE WROTE.
Let's add to that the secret gatherings where she couldn't recall just about anything. Anywhere else, that would have warranted an immediate dismissal or a contempt citation. But somehow Hale the bumbling dolt wannabe planner is allowed to continue.
So, @5:53 you probably have yet another item of terminable offenses to add to the already log list of Hale's failures and inexcusable actions.
Does it matter? She should have been shown the door. Now she is being allowed to continue "planning" for this county. This is disgusting and outrageous. She will likely be given the task of "fixing" her mistakes. They are beyond fixing and what is needed is a complete reset. To allow Hale to "fix" this colossal screw up is akin to requiring a rape victim to get grief counseling from her rapist.
I believe another poster is correct. She and fellow dolt Ed can be shown the door by a simple closed session vote.
In all likelihood, her sailing buddies and good friends in the HR department are feeding the council some bullshit about "it's not that easy" or "we can't just terminate her". Remember Ron H? Same thing. Give em some severance, hell, thank em if it makes you feel better.
Regardless, show her the door. Send her packing. The log term health, sanity, and harmony of our community depends on it.
Or, just ignore it, let her write storm water regulations that ensure her husband can continue justifying his unjustifiable existence, and find more ways to spend endless grant funds to develop more nonsense.
The county council needs to clean house, big time. This entrenched, self serving, arrogant staff attitude that Hale and several others possess should not be tolerated another minute.
I think the complete mess Hale has us in more than qualifies her for a run at the presidency.
ReplyDelete@12:28
ReplyDeleteSorry but Hale is not qualified to be president for 2 reasons.
1) Must be a natural born citizen. Disqualified. Hale lists her place of birth as "The people's republic of dillusion, insanity, and nonsense". On a side note, she has been given a key to every city there.
2) Candidate for president must be at least 35 years of age. Disqualified. Using our "individual specific relative age assessment factor", considering her CAO work product and hissy fits as they relate to members of the public questioning her word, we calculate her emotional and mentally adjusted age, using best available science, to be 10.7 years old. Or the equivalent of a 5th grader.
Thanks for the suggestion though.
Firing people is not fun. Only nasty people enjoy it. Our past manager, he gets upset if his name is outed, was so conflict adverse that he never fired anybody (Well maybe that guy Johnson, another husband, who then fried the County)the point being that some people are good at this and others are not. I would have to say most are not.
ReplyDeleteAn interesting thing is when you get someone in a closed room and tell them it's goodbye, you learn stuff. Sometimes they spill their guts out and tell things you had no inkling of.
A good manager has to fire people and done properly it can be a plus for all involved. (Just don't let money into that picture.)
The very first time Ms. Hale went over the line, our manager should have hauled her in for a talk. After that it is sayonara. Long, long over due in this case.
Why are you people so nasty? None of you would ever say these things to Shireene's face, all of you are cowards and bullies hiding behind an anonymous blog and all of you ought to be ashamed of yourselves.
ReplyDeleteWho the hell do you think you are? Because you came up to the islands before someone else makes you special? What a laugh. If you so-called "islanders hate everyone who moved up here in the past few years why did you divied your precious land up and sell it off? Oh yea, GREED. Get a life, or at least find some courage and say things to people's faces.
For sure. Let's have the courage and selflessness of Sharon Kivisto and regularly shriek in public, practice yellow journalism and throw sharp objects at people we don't like.
ReplyDeleteThe logic is simple I guess. Firing is kinda nasty. We demand Shirene be fired. Ergo, we're all kinda nasty.
Shirene has and will continue to be personally confronted over her misbehavior and insubordination. These confrontations are commonplace, and most certainly not confined to an anonymous blog. I believe you probably know that.
8:39
ReplyDeleteI disagree. I have no power when it comes to firing Shireene or not. I can only point out misconduct when I see it. It has been my belief since my first awareness of her involvement that she was a biased participant. (I posted at 5:53)
What good would it do for me to state that to her face? Your comments seem silly to me.
I will tell you tho'. I have spoken to her. Met her in her office and left shaking my head. She cannot discuss anything with real depth or understanding. She isn't planning to stay here. She is from Idaho. We looked at the "new" wetland maps...etc...etc...
When I passed her on the dock some time after our meeting she looked sheepish and uncomfortable.
People just don't go around telling other people they don't like them...think they should be fired...etc. when they are in no position to affect a thing.
Shireene is probably looking forward to another 4 or 5 years visiting the San Juans and getting paid to go over the CAO word for word again. Crazy making.
It really isn't likely that someone in her capacity could remain employed for so long given her performance record, without some kind of protection further on up the food chain.
ReplyDeleteIt just does not make sense. It comes down to the question: "Who does Shirene Hale work for?"
What does the real organizational chart look like?
The organizational chart "on the wall" shows her position reporting to the head of CDPP. That's just nonsense.
I believe that Jamie Stephens will protect her as much as he can, and will work to smooth things over, explain away, use agenda tactics to distract. He will do what ever it takes to keep her exactly where she is.
Why?
Why? Good question
ReplyDeleteNational monument "planning"?
Proposed "ocean zoning"?
Continual "updates" to our codes?
Her incompetence is only surpassed by her arrogance and dillusional superiority. It's ok for Hale to defame reputable members of the public who dare to question her, going so far as to claim she feels "threatend" and suggesting maybe we should have armed sheriffs at public meetings.
Unreal.
BTW, we haven't even approached nasty yet in terms of rhetoric. Keep Hale in her position of doing things she is not qualified to do and the rhetoric may just get nasty.
We remain anonymous because those that show up at meetings and ask legitimate questions about the topic of the day are branded dangerous by Hale and requiring protection by armed LE. She even went so far as to suggest Gordy had committed a felony.
This isn't hyperbole, citations available upon request.
Can we get rid of her with a mini initative? Maybe worth looking into.
That would be fun to write. Probably easy to get the necessary signatures too.
Opposition to the stewardship agenda of the Conservation District and various private advocacy groups is fine -- it's your right as a citizen.
ReplyDeleteBut are you really serious that this is all a "grand plan" and a conspiracy? Seriously? Your attempt to tie all of these disparate -- and some opportunistic -- threads into a grand conspiracy narrative is pretty weak.
You're trying to make this sound like the plot of an XFiles episode, without any of the good stuff that makes a conspiracy theory believable.
Sorry, but you've jumped the shark and become a parody of yourself, Trojan Heron
There are two sides of the aisle here, and neither side is R or D, or even conservative/liberal.
ReplyDeleteThose involved seem to fall into two very different groups.
The first group, in power here for a long time one way or another, consists of those who are absolutely positive they know what is best for ALL things living including you and me. This extremely righteous bunch, a little on the narcissistic side, does not do well with criticism or even questions aimed at their forgone conclusions.
Bottom line here is that these folks are difficult to work with.
One the other side of the aisle we have (to shorten it up) the socially liberal/fiscally conservative/logic driven folk who seem to have a tougher hide on them than the first group. When things don't make sense they will look under every rock, until they find out why. This group tends to get pissed off with the first group telling them what they can and can't do especially when there appears no legitimate reason for it or benefit to it.
As the power shifts back and forth across the aisle things can get nasty and that should surprise no one.
@ 11:15 AM
ReplyDeleteJust follow the money, and remember the words of the longshoreman philosopher:
“Every great cause begins as a movement, becomes a business, and eventually degenerates into a racket.”
― Eric Hoffer, The Temper of Our Time
Democrats are the problem - keep ignoring the 300 lbs gorrila in the room all you want (not Hale's ego) but the FACT is every single person the Trojanites rail against are leftist card carrying dems...all local problems stem from the libtards at the state and federal level, every single intrusive eco-fascist law originates from the dems...stop voting them in
ReplyDelete11:15
ReplyDeleteRon Zee welcome to the forum. Now I see your point. Nothing happening here, just move along. I feel better now that I know there is no "grand plan".
And I take great comfort also, in the knowledge that Democrats are evil Libtards and therefore we must all continue to live within a partisan house divided.
ReplyDeleteThat way we are manipulated to fight each other, kept in the dark, remain disorganized in the face of the obvious.
Propaganda bullshit. It doesn't really work any longer.
See what is going on? As soon as logical questions for more information arise, as for example, what is going on with the National Monument Plan, all of a sudden its Area 51, black helicopters and flying saucers, and conspiracy kooks. This is so 2006.
So, back to the question of "why" again, and by the way, what is going on with that National Monument Plan.
Just askin' Been a few months. FOSJ says we're all inside a National Monument now, not just a few acres down Lopez del Sur?
What's the plan?
6:16. This is the reason we must have an informed public. To use Stockdale's "debunk" word against him (I'm sure this stooge is still employed by the DOE)We must DEBUNK the National Monument FOSJ line drawn around San Juan County. The actual National Monument here is a total joke. A few rocks off shore, and a few Federal Bureau of Land Management acres on shore.
ReplyDeleteBut look out! Grab your shorts because it is obvious FOSJ wants this National Monument status to morph into the whole damn County.
We need to tell the public the truth, and we need to do mailings to every tax payer and voter to do so.
CSA, you want money? Trust Islanders, you too?
Hope to see you both at the County Fair.
Sorry 2:26 but continuing to grind that ax is as explained, not going to help the cause of any party, because no thinking person wants anything to do with either one of them.
ReplyDeleteHas it been another week gone by? Yet another 3,000 dollars of your hard earned taxpayer money gone, lining the pockets of the Hales.
ReplyDeleteLet's look at the benefits. Well a list of, Ed's accomplishments would fit neatly on a postage stamp size parchment made of unobtainium. Doesn't take much space to write "NONE".
Shireene, on the other hand, has a lengthy list of accomplishments. Problem is, they all start with the phrase in the matter of"Xxxxxx vs. San Juan County". Quite an accomplishment. Getting the county involved in a volume of litigation far surpassing anything we have ever seen locally, by orders of magnitude.
Absolutely no humility. Not a single iota of "whooops I screwed this up royally". Nope. Now it is time to shift the blame. Because clearly, this is everyone's fault except Hale.
Too bad she can do what is right, set aside her ego and false sense of inflated self importance, and resign. Hell, maybe the county can even give her a fat severance. It would be worth it.
We know what's his name from Lopez won't do anything to one of the machines own, not without the say so from his handlers Sandy and Rhea. Bob, well I am sure he knows the extent of her incompetence. Problem is he needs one other to go along with him. That leaves Rick. Mr independent. Given his success in business, I can't believe he allows the Hale dog and pony bullshit show to continue. Hopefully it is on his radar. Rick, are you listening!? Help the healing begin.
In the mean time we should look at a mini initiative. Any legal opinions if that would fly? Only need 300 to 400 signatures to put it to a council up or down vote. Again, it would likely come down to Hughes. Rick, save us.
The list of her terminable transgressions is extensive. She needs to be shown the door, not allowed to continue to wreck havoc on the heart and soul of our beautiful community.
Like I said it is tough to fire people, but I think Bob should take a shot at it, just to experience what it takes.
ReplyDeleteMaybe start with someone other than Ms. Hale?
I agree she is first runner up. Who can afford to have this person on staff? Her ancillary costs are horrific.
Shirene, I don't know how else to put this, we simply cannot afford you.
ReplyDeleteMaybe a better fit for you is a larger county government with more money. I can tell you we ain't got it.
Perhaps the private sector would like to have a person with your experience, but we can no longer pay the money pit you put us in.
Good luck, we wish you well.
A mini initiative can't be used for this. A mini initiative must present an ordinance of some kind, a new law.
ReplyDeleteSo, in the spirit of "there oughta be a law" to prevent this kind of bureaucratic mayhem from ever occurring again, a mini initiative would be a good start.
I think an ordinance that really spells out how all planning policy MUST be held consistent with ALL chapters of our Comprehensive Plan would be a good start.
And then, let's compel this Council to hold serious consistency hearings on the CAO, regardless of what the GHMB comes up with, and before next March before the real horror begins.
Because this is Shirene's legacy from the pathetic rubber stamp "consistency hearing" ... she violated Council instructions, thumbed her nose at the public, and threw our Comprehensive Plan under the bus.
We need to fix that.
Shireene Hale in the private sector? That's one of the funniest things I've heard since arriving on these shores lo these many years ago. A health inspector who fell into a planning job in Idaho or Montana or somesuch then washed up on our shores, where the great Pete Rose hired her and her husband, can't write a coherent sentence or compose a coherent thought, much less a rational regulatory scheme. It's a miracle that she's been employed at all outside her home state. She's never get a position within the private sector. We can only hope that the state govt is so grateful for her "work" that they Peter principle her into something outside our county.
ReplyDeleteTo 8:39:
ReplyDeleteWhy are WE so nasty? You don't see Mrs. Hale's incompetence and misrepresentation ("you can keep doin' what you're doin'"--only a few parcels will be affected) and insubordination with respect to numerous direct orders from council as problematical? We're being mean, but she's ruining people's lives, and at great cost to the taxpayers. What's the point of saying anything to her face? She'd call the sheriff and have you arrested for "threatening" her. Yes, we're all ashamed of yourselves; I guess you need to take us out to the woodshed (or is it to Miss Manners?)
Who the hell do we think we are? Citizens who are fed up with the BS and with people who complain about the niceties of public discourse while tolerating rampant abuse from government.
Who said anyone hates everyone who moved up here in the past few years? Greed? And is that rampant property-ownership jealousy I hear? Sorry that we own property and pay taxes that support all your friends, but I don't know anyone who's making big bucks from their land. All of us want to live here and be left alone. Sheesh.
or at least find some courage and say things to people's faces.