But while that story continues to develop, the business of the County moves forward. Our County Council is quietly proceeding to revise the latest update to the CAOs, in order to comply with the Growth Management Hearings Board (GMHB) ruling -- despite the fact that there is a court hearing about the GMHB ruling occurring in late February. Got that? It's so simple to follow the CAOs, isn't it? ... just like so many things about government.
When I was a kid, government was (or at least seemed) so simple. Cop, school, mayor ... that was about it. Now it is an incomprehensible mess. I'd be interested to know how many of the following acronyms you can identify, or if you have the vaguest idea how any of them influence your life.
- GMHB
- SMHB
- PSP
- AAOG
- LIO
- SMP
- CAO
- MRC
- ARC
- TAG
Lastly, I want to reiterate a point I made in the comments. We are working on a new site that will allow readers to have greater control over the comments they see. We will always allow people to make comments of any kind, but it's clear (to me anyway) there are some commenters who are deliberately trying (and failing) to drive readers away by being troublesome. The antidote to that, in my humble opinion, isn't to restrict what people say, but to give readers the ability to filter comments so that you have a better chance of reading the good ones. The new site will allow you to make whatever comment you want, but also you will be able to filter comments to exclude ones with certain words or groups of words (e.g., profanity) as well as view comments according to a rating system that is also in the works.
Until then, enjoy the posts and the many good comments that are being made ... regardless of the ones that try to be destructive.
As mentioned by a commenter in a previous post, there is a Customs and Border Patrol meeting at the Mullis Center at 1pm, if you are in Friday Harbor and can make the meeting. Also, there will be press coverage, so if you cannot make it, at least you'll be able to follow what occurred.
ReplyDeleteWhy have one draconian unintelligible CAO draft when you can have several floating around at the same time? One on the books, one about to be on the books, one in court, and another in the Planning Department being revised.
ReplyDeleteThanks for simplifying everything Council.
I think there is a deliberate strategy by some people to make awful comments here, and then complain on FB or elsewhere about awful anonymous comments on the TH. Not everyone, of course, but some are.
ReplyDeleteHe who thought it, wrought it.
TAG? Stumped on that one.
ReplyDeleteTAG you're it.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was along the lines of "Targeting Awareness Grant".
Something the FOSJ routinely get $ from.
I think there was even an older TH post titled "Are you aware your awareness is being targeted"
Trick question. There is more than one right answer, although "Targeted Awareness Grants" is one of them. We have so many parts to government, there aren't even enough acronyms to go around and we have to reuse them, like hot-racking in submarines.
ReplyDeleteWhat is the AAOG?
ReplyDeleteStumped on AAOG?
ReplyDeleteExcellent post at 10:56 AM on previous general post.
ReplyDeleteIF any of this; "go get em" stuff is going on at the sheriffs dept. we need a complete house cleaning.
I was a journalist working late covering council meetings in Sausalito Ca. I never parked in the city municipal lot but you can bet I had the resident sticker on my vent pane showing that I could.
I was pulled over many, many times, and let go with my sticker in view, and then later another reporter discovered there was a quota system in place for busts.
If this shit is going on or anything close to it, we are in need of a total and complete power washing of the Sheriff's Office.
This is the post from the previous post that @7:23 was referring to --
ReplyDeleteCan't make it to Mullis Street today, but have been mulling this street thing over now for a couple of weeks. I have a theory based on what I have read, from all sources.
For some reason yet to be revealed, the Sheriff Department had decided, internally, perhaps informally to have a little fun on Christmas. A little contest among deputies to how many pull overs and citations could be done on Christmas Day. Target: Local Yokels.
They were doing real good. Witnesses such as tellers in local banks with view windows to the streets have begun to speak out on what they saw during the day, police lights everywhere, pull overs everywhere, throughout the day.
So the Hayride to Hell was not a random incident but rather just one more local yokel pull-over in that same Christmas Day contest of the San Juan County Sheriff Department.
Why did that second deputy scream through the streets in followup? To pull his buddy back before things "escalated" too far? To get in on the action so his buddy couldn't take all the credit?
I would not be surprised if we learn that Sheriff Nou was on the radio all day, keeping score, cheering them on.
Who was profiled? Working families on Christmas Day.
What hypothesis can be put forward to prove or disprove this theory? Because we do seem to have some empirical evidence.
no idea who eck is but he's just about the only poster I see here who doesn't need a nice rhinestone-decked tinfoil hat.
ReplyDeletegreat cheap entertainment peeps.
ya need more butter on this popcorn though. carry on. :O)
Sorry that was not a testable hypothesis although your comment could qualify as empirical evidence.
ReplyDeleteFor whoever asked, AAOG stands for Action Agenda Oversight Group. The AAOG is another tentacle of the Puget Sound Partnership (PSP) kraken.
ReplyDelete-Conner
Sometimes AAOG is even paired with LIO (Local Integrating Organization) to become the truly god awful AAOG LIO.
ReplyDeleteIf the TH means we will be picking the best posts of the month, may I submit 7:21 on 1/14.
ReplyDeleteMaybe there should also be a category for those most in need of intensive psychiatric help. (I really mean this to be helpful to those so obviously in need.)
And, (does this guy ever shut up) I feel strongly that all posts get full review. The power of the TH is in it's open and unrestricted blast at utopia. (You know, SJC)
If the TH proposes levels of (Oh God help me, "civility") I gotta stand and say NO, NO, NO.
OK, a little tweek here and there, but leave this MF alone.
Casual observations...
ReplyDeleteAnother CBP meeting today? Why? It's a done deal. We need to move on.
Time to clean house on local elected officials. We have a lot of dead wood. Please someone step up to the plate.
Why is Rick Larsen coming here for the Dums this week? Does he not have enough work to do back in DC? What prompted this visit?
The little Heron got some pub this week on FB from the Felix & Gordy haters. But golly, some of them dissed the Heron as a vile, hate-filled blog? Pot calling the kettle black, eh? You can dish it out, but you can't take it. You are entertaining...I will give you that.
7:21 on 1/14 was a good one --
ReplyDeleteOf course we are afraid of fire extinguishers. We're afraid of roof runoff too. We think brush cutting will kill all salmon. We're terrified of lawn mowers. We get the shivers at the thought of nitrogen. The prospect of a displaced amphibian gives us trauma. Tail lights and Christmas rides require police backup.
We are run by the castrati. We are afraid of everything. It all has to be illegal. Everything requires a 1000% response. OMG, I am so scared, someone call the authorities.
Felix and Gordy haters? Let's make a list. I want names.
ReplyDeleteverrrrryyy interreesstinkk ....
I may be vile and pernicious in the things that I say
You may think I'm malicious but you can't look away
I'm the best you can get
Have you guessed me yet?
I'm that big fat troll that's got ya'll upset ...
Yes, there was another meeting to tell them not to wear guns, not to have cameras, not to have signs, not to put things in the window, not to pee pee outside, and not to bring detainees through places where the public might see them.
ReplyDeleteIt was a rag tag bunch, we really need a dress code at these public meetings, I can see the highly paid officers from Washington looking at Rich Hughes, who did a great job of narration and control, saying "We came all the way here for these rag tags?" What great questions like putting solar panels and wearing tin foil on our heads to save energy" "Who the Fu#k called this meeting? We spent $50,000 dollars coming here for this? Actually though maybe we don't need to protect these crazies because the asylum has been taken over by the inmates."
ReplyDeleteThe Pictometry contract is coming up for its renewal.
Is the County going to say "No thanks" or has Stan already cut the check?
ReplyDeleteMaybe I am becoming overly cynical.Why would that be?
But the only reason that I can think of for the Feds to have a last minute Friday afternoon meeting here is to have a three to four day working weekend and
get paid extra because its a holiday.
If they truly wanted to engage the citizens they would have given more notice, scheduled it at a time when more people could attend, if they choose to.
But then our county does the same thing, it must be in the government play book at all levels. How did all those "County Conversations" help anyone except for all the county employees doing busy work. Apparently not one of them know how to do anything but schedule meeting.
The county says they have no money and yet every department head says they need more money and keep hiring more employees.
Stop focusing on scanning sites and applying for grants whether we need them or not, grants are not free money, we have to kick in also.
We are always told its a fed, state law-_mandate, hands are tied, have no choice. What if they said we cant afford it, what's the penalty? Well to the department heads the penalty is quite severe to their bureaucracy building and job security. No more grants!
This county is operating like a nonprofit. Pay us first and then if there is any money left apply it to the perceived problem. Its only a problem if there is grant available.
I would say public works is way ahead in the county sector Mt. Baker road, the new super reflective signs, all touted as safety issues they were forced to do, luckily there just so happened to be grants available. They are so busy moving on to the next grant project that they don't have time or care to clean out the storm drains. Now they claim they want their own vacuum truck, maybe there is a grant for that, like they have a crew that deals with that everyday? And will only do it if they have the time or remember to do it.
Get a company that has crews and foremen who fire up , maintain the truck, know what they are doing and how to deal with problems that come up. Put them on a yearly schedule, the first couple times should cost more because they haven't been checked or maintained since who knows when. Of course we will still have to pay a couple county guys to sit on their ass and observe and complain, but still will cost less and get done right.
The county is still doing a terrible job of keeping us informed. I hope they are at least running things by the counsel before signing us up or applying for grants.
@10:32 PM
ReplyDeleteAwww, now there ya go again.
Which automated idiot (AI) are you little fella?
Are you the gordobot or the lovelton?
Kinda hard to tell the difference. Say, its 2014 now. Aren't you last year's road kill?
Did you all get wound up at the meeting yesterday?
"The deal's done!!"
"No it's not!"
"Yes it is! You all hate me!"
"No we don't, we love you! We're trying to help you!"
Some of this bleeds in over here, its so noisy.
Remember the old days of Bozo Filters?
You guys are just turning into spam. Is that really what you want? What a pathetic silly spectacle you have become.
Maybe we should all call you automated idiots the BozoBots. You need a name.
@ 9:06 PM
ReplyDeleteHey boyo, the best thing you can do is put your singular name and well earned reputation behind a strong personal endorsement of Jamie Stephens. There is no better way to get rid of that clown. An endorsement from you will send voters screaming to anyone else who is running.
Won't you please climb out of that mud fort you've built around yourself and do something useful and strop hurling dirt bombs like an angry child?
Regarding the "County Conversations"--they were far more than busy work. They were the buildup to a levy lift. The report that was filed (and is so prominently displayed on the County website) was made up of whole cloth. It actually concludes that citizens want more money spent on everything but especially by CDPD. At the final round of meeting people were asked incredibly ambiguous questions and "voted" on them with little buttons. Most people had stopped going, writing the process off as a highly scripted performance with a pre-ordained outcome. But the "answers" to those dumb questions will be dragged out to support demands for more money still. Wait and watch.
ReplyDelete6:08--ROFLMAO about the County crews. I have yet to see one that doesn't have the real workers plus three levels of bureaucrats supervising. They were putting up those good-awful ugly new road signs (DANGER!!!!) and had one person operating a digging machine, four County vehicles, three other people and two flaggers on site. For one road sign.
ReplyDeleteNo way a private contractor could do that good a job, right? With a fixed contract amount and no multiple do-overs for mistakes.
Ever since the "yokel" guy showed up, I began to wonder whether we don't have some of the professional astroturfers posting up in here. Like the ones hired by SEIU to run around claiming to be striking fast food workers. But they sit in an office and post inflammatory stuff on sites deemed to be problematic by the wealthy Democratic overlords. Like the California guy who spent a gazillion dollars on our last election? We know that the Ruckleshauses and the Koningards are miffed at the resistance they find up here to their dictates.
ReplyDeleteWhy else would the posts sound so disconnected from reality? Unless, of course, it's a high-paid County manager annoyed about resistance to his or her dictates.
Anybody ever get the web use records from the County?
Plausible. Watch for divide and conqueror messaging. Keeps the yokels fighting among themselves. That's classic.
ReplyDeleteIt is plausible also because many of these distracting attack comments tend to trivialize TH as any kind of threat. That's because TH is a threat, of course.
Maybe along with the coffee mugs and T-Shirts the Trojan Heron can produce a book of categorized slime-bot spam, sorted by issue, and attack style.
Some open source data mining software running sentiment analysis on this drek can probably identify several actors or personas at play who also show up on Seattle newspaper websites and so forth.
The big PR firms working for the political parties hire out to third world countries where underpaid workers slave at keyboards shoveling this stuff in, because humans have to type the Captcha codes in order to:
"Prove you're not a robot."
Really its not much different than a pitch from a Nigerian prince to drop bags of money in your checking account. It's just spam.
Certainly it is easy to see the 10:23pm post is the same person as the 9:54am.
ReplyDeleteClearly, the cops are right. (Everybody wants to talk about themselves given a chance.) At 10:23pm this person is dying to tell who he is. And, almost does.
Are these people, there is more than one, but less than five, County employees? Maybe one is, but I would not label County employees with any ill will simply because, by in large their jobs are secure and they can't be bothered with such nonsense.
There are those, however, who feel threatened and rightly so. These folks are the ones who think denigrating the TH is a way to save themselves from their justly deserts. TERMINATION!
Give it up. Polish your highly shined resume and bolt.
There is and never will be a reigning in of government, “WE” have created a mob.
ReplyDeleteWe gave up our Constitution
We continue to give way our civil rights
We don’t support each other as we once “a short while ago” did
We allow bullies to condemn our neighbors, friends and our enemies
Who are we and what is to become
We allow and even defend improperly scrutinized condemnations of our properties
We have segregated the populace into “those good enough or acceptable to us” and
those we don’t care about primarily because they have another less easily understood
“to us” opinion.
We have not even sat down to try. Has anyone ever heard of a holistic approach?
A perfect example occurred repeatedly during the CAO planning commission hearings,
the people cannot begin to move the policy and expectation of the prosecuting attorney’s office who
In the end Will dictate the policy’s that govern.
The prosecuting attorney has proven to be ruthless on people, privacy and private property.
Apparently, councilors upon entering the realm of governance immediately fall susceptible and
Spellbound by that directing council of the prosecutor.
In recent years, Never, has the current office of prosecutor, or recent councils considered ‘Strict Scrutiny’
In Placement over actions taken against the will of citizens, in our county.
Explain it for me please, or is this the shape of more to come?
Or, has the reverse of civil liberty set us into a time warp that demonizes the old majority and signals
The end of America, not to the feet of a King but the prosecutors.
video of the meeting
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94Ti0ncoym8
per the video of the DHS meeting.
ReplyDeleteCurious about how they have lived w/out bulletproof glass in their old location. And...how much does the new National Monument status have to do w/(my) perception of the increased importance of our port of entry. This seems like more than..."our lease ended". Anyone agree?
@11:43
ReplyDeleteOh I definitely agree with that. The two are certainly linked. One justifies the other. The DHS upgrade started with the NM games, and many in these islands, including most current detractors of the DHS move, stepped right in it on the NM. They wouldn't listen to anyone, just themselves. Take out that old list of all those proud NM supporters if you want to see where this issue began. We are constantly being sold out by people in our own community who fall for anything with a "protection" label on it, especially if it's related to the environment.
More protection is what the NM people advocated. That's what we are getting. More protection.
If the DHS move had not happened, would anyone have noticed the upgrade? Does a couple of blocks make a difference? I don't think so. For me it's the upgrade, not the location. In a way, I am glad the DHS decided to move to downtown because if they were in their old spot in an upgraded facility, no one would care. I'm glad that people care, but they care for the wrong reason. It's a shame that this issue had to land right in our laps before anyone woke up.
@11:41
ReplyDeleteThank you for posting the link to the video!
ReplyDeleteThe bulletproof glass is for protecting "them" from "us".
The critical area ordinance merely needed to be reviewed, not rewrote.
Guest houses have become ADU's, accessory dwelling units.
How much equipment and money does our sheriff department get from home land security? Its not for a local terrorist attack. Unless they see "us" as a threat to "them".
It is clear Randy see himself as a "them". It cant be much fun working in his office. My way or the highway. What a control freak. But you know, so far no one has defied him, fear is a great motivator.
Additional existence proof that one of the most dangerous places in the county is between Lovell and any means of self promotion. Lovell is angling for another run at public office - count on it.
ReplyDeleteMr Red & Gray sweater @ 1:16 in the video should probably be Institutionalized. He's on the verge of a breakdown because no one from GSA came to this meeting to hug him. And he's hurting! Just ask him.
One of the tiresome points that keeps coming up from the Port is that GSA hasn't told them why they lost. GSA is not going to offer that information, but they are obligated to provide a debrief to the party that requests it. If the Port hasn't requested a debrief in writing from GSA, they need to stop whining about not getting any information back. The Port is not special. They have to follow the rules like every other bidder. They put in a crappy bid. If their statements are to be believed, they offered a capital lease which the GSA could not accept.
ReplyDeleteBut to put that issue to bed, they need to request a debrief in writing instead of just expecting special treatment and special consideration.
1:25. You are on the mark. The Port blew this whole thing and everybody knows it.
ReplyDeleteWith any smarts they would want to find out just how inept they were and are.
Do not let this "Hayride" end.
ReplyDeleteRogue Cop
Staulking of Citizens
Illegal Cameras that can overturn the DuI's
Falsification of Police Reports
Defemation of Character of a local Contracter.
We need a site where people can poste their "San Juan Island Police Pull overs".
You will see a pattern that will make you sick.
7:26 PM
ReplyDeleteWhat lifestyle allows or lends itself to these kind of stupid theories? (I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt that you are sincere.) You need mental health assistance. The County passed a tax for it, specially. I can see why. Go get it.
Thank you for highlighting the AAOG stands for Action Agenda Oversight Group and that the AAOG is another tentacle of the Puget Sound Partnership (PSP) kraken. These few folks dare also to use LIO or the "Local" Integrating Organization- if you call the south sound local.
ReplyDeleteAnd don't forget to add the incestuous and insipid CD and WSU and LSJI to the mix, they be laughing all the way to the bank with the taxpayer money, clever shell game to line the ol' nest. Can't complain if you don't know they exist on public funds.
ReplyDeleteAnother county council meeting about the CAO 2-4-14.
Are the friends trying to break the record they set on the other nonissue, the guest house thing? The county had an official vote, the majority wanted to be able to have guest houses, the friends wanted zero guest houses. After the vote it still dragged on for years. Same game plan different subject.
ReplyDeleteWhoops! Guest houses are now ADU's.
Looks like a Bozobot burp @2:01 PM
ReplyDeleteLately, food for thought, seems needed here. Someone can, and please will you, give up the inside poop on if the mighty deputies went on a tear, or given your inside information tell us such speculation is exactly that. Was overtime the issue?
ReplyDeleteYou could ID that your stuff is straight by telling something only known to department insiders. Something simple like shift assignments or eating habits.
The TH is, I think, safe haven for bell ringers, whistle tooters, and all other folk.
Do it.
Statistically speaking, what took place on Christmas? Get the activity logs from the department, for that day, compare average the activities and types of infractions cited of that day to other time frames, previous Xmas days for example.
ReplyDeleteEventually depositions will come in if a civil suit ensues, as it likely will.
The evidence that has already surfaced puts the department in a somewhat less than respectable position.
And the Andy of Mayberry cell phone jingle at the outset of the Federali Fun Fest the other day to gales of laughter did not help.
The court of public opinion is deliberating here and things don't look so good for the Sheriff in an election year. This thing has legs now.
ReplyDeleteStone wall, meetings and repeat.
The county actually wants new diversions to come up, then the old ones get buried, just sit tight and drag it out as long as possible.
The county still has the same department heads and keep hiring employees. And still nothing gets done.
The only things that move quickly are fines and fees against us.
.
Question: What lifestyle allows or lends itself to these kind of stupid theories? (I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt that you are sincere.) You need mental health assistance. The County passed a tax for it, specially. I can see why. Go get it.
ReplyDeleteAnswer: Felix, please sign in as rogue cop please.
Statement: Lately, food for thought, seems needed here. Someone can, and please will you, give up the inside poop on if the mighty deputies went on a tear, or given your inside information tell us such speculation is exactly that. Was overtime the issue?
ReplyDeleteYou could ID that your stuff is straight by telling something only known to department insiders. Something simple like shift assignments or eating habits.
The TH is, I think, safe haven for bell ringers, whistle tooters, and all other folk.
Do it.
Answer: Today the bell is being rung. Check your local listings for the truth.
There is also a video being held that may have been tagged to an officers personnel file during investigation by the county. Go get it.
One thing I notice about the Bozobots is that they generally ignore any previous discussion and just repeat themselves over and over again, like automated idiots with OCD. Its just spam. No sense trying to teach a pig to sing. You'll waste your time and annoy the pig.
ReplyDeleteFollow the money and you see the control of the community...
ReplyDeleteexample
MADRONA INSTITUTE
EIN: 20-3363030
Category: Youth Development
Youth Development Programs
Environmental Quality Protection, Beautification
Land Resources Conservation
Environmental Quality Protection, Beautification
Environmental Education and Outdoor Survival Programs
How This Organization Is Funded:
National Park Service - $12,944
Puget Sound Partnership - $7,683
Stewardship Network of the San Juans - $2,040
I wonder what 2013 will bring?