Page A-4 - Mason County Journal - Thursday, July 10, 2014
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
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Editor, the Journal
If you are going to pass an
ordinance that will be opposed
by a large part of the popula-
tion, and thought silly by most
of the rest, you need to plan for
an intensive and extensive en-
forcement effort.
The city of Shelton's or-
dinance banning fireworks
within the city limits had but
one effect: to turn a very large
percentage of the city of Shel-
ton residents into lawbreakers.
As near as I could tell, there
was no effective enforcement
of the ban on the evening of
July 4. The sounds of explosive
celebrations and the amount of
debris in my yard and on my
vehicles was pretty much as
extensive as in previous years.
I don't mind the fireworks.
But I sure object to stupid ordi-
nances. New Year's Day is com-
ing. It is not too early for our
city commissioners to either
plan the necessary enforcement
effort, or, better yet, repeal the
ordinance.
money discharging fireworks,
donate that money to a worthy
veterans organization, since
they are the I percent of the
citizens who are truly patriotic
and fought and sacrificed for
your freedoms. Breaking the
laws of our fair city is so unpa-
triotic. The Shelton police have
more important emergencies
than to deal with the juvenile
behavior of blowing things up.
For you readers who be-
lieve in facts, in 2013 there
were 11,400 injuries and eight
deaths from fireworks. In 2011
there were 17,800 fires causing
$32 million in damages, accord-
ing to nfpa.org.
Amon4 the chemicals in
fireworks are aluminum,
arsenic, copper, lead, mercury
and nitrogen dioxide. Eight
infant deaths have been
caused by breathing the fumes
from fireworks, according to
backcountyattitude.com.
Or just read the Mason
County Journal editorial for
July 3.
Mindy Allen
Shelton
license address is not Mason missioners, if you do not know • Develop a policy for trans-
County. They are leasing, not how to do the job or if you do parent decision making. This
paying property taxes in Mason not want to do the job, do not includes the development and
County, they are not voting run for office. Reading andexpenditure of every facet of
members of Mason County, and understanding a governmental the county's budget. As county
they will not employ enough budget, managing high levelcommissioners, it is your job to
people to make any kind of a staff and adopting policies and set an example for every other
difference for Mason County. procedures are very basic skills department within the county.
Neatherlin says the county for someone who claims to have As importantly, as commission-
is equally responsible for pro- the experience that you have ers, it is your responsibility to
puts outside tecting the rights of residents outlined in your campaign fli- develop a pattern of working
of Sells Drive. If so, then why ers. If you now realize that you together for the benefit of our
Reg Hearn is Neatherlin so interested in do not know what you thought community. That said, once
Shelton business first the welfare of someone from you did, take a class. Just do a decision is made, it is indi-
somewhere else who really has not hire someone else to do the vidually and collectively your
Fireworks Editor, the Journal no vested interest in Mason job we are paying you to do. responsibility to support that
Regarding Randy Neather- County, rather than the people • Redirect the sales tax dol- decision. Attempting to skirt re-
don't make lin's comments as reported in paying taxes in Mason County? lars that our voters approved to sponsibility by claiming to have
the July 3 issue of the Mason Are their rights so much more services for the mentally ill and voted for/against something is
County Journal: important than the rights of away from administrative sala- never acceptable. You asked for
m uch sen s e I was one of many Sells the people who elected him? ries as our voters intended, our trust and support when you
Drive neighbors who attended I hope everyone following this • If you do not know -- askran for office --now earn it.
Editor, the Journal the commissioners' recent story will remember this next someone who does. Take the • At all times, maintain as
Shame on you, citizens of meeting and heard for myself election. I know I certainly will. time needed to make the best your focus -- service to the pub-
Shelton. You know who you how concerned Neatherlin possible decision, lic. Remember, it is our money
are, the ones who disregard the appeared to be regarding his Patricia Hawley • Develop a culture of trust that you are spending. It is also
new ordinance of no fireworks, feelings that he did not want Shelton -- an environment where no one our community that has to live
You choose to break the law. anyone risking their life say- is more important than someone with your "oops we made a mis-
What other ordinances do you ings buying property to start a tip else and where no one's contri- take" mentality.
think you do not need to obey? pot farm, and they had a right A few s for
butions are more valuable. Re- • Work with instead of
Make your own list. to recoup their investment.
What example are you set- His comments did not fall OU r corn mission fuse to accept bullying, against the community, your
• Remember, nothing goodfellow elected officials and the
ting for the young impression- on deaf ears as many of us is accomplished alone. Refrain county's staff as a whole to
able minds? Are you picking up discussed the meeting on the Editor, the Journal from distributing campaign fli- discover what is best for our
all that litter from the spent ar- front steps afterwards. We felt A few suggestions for our ers that list everything you did community. Recognize and im-
senal? How can you disregard betrayed. Mason County commissioners:while in office, as chances are mediately develop a system for
fires that damage property? Any new business is a risk • Close the newly formed that there was someone elsegathering input prior to any
Have you considered how much and many fail. rm guessing a Central Operations Depart- involved, further decisions being made, as
poison you just released into pot farm is really risky, and it ment. This department is de- • Focus on the future. We it is clearly due to your current
the air and that wig go into .--is their fight to gamble on it. signed to oversee departments live in a changing world and "short sighted" and =heavy hand-
storm drains and the open wa- What about our fights? that we currently compensate while our county's history is ed" approach that we now have
ter? Have you no consideration Interesting that Neatherlinour county commissioners toimportant we expect you to re- a dysfunctional as well as adver-
for your neighbors and their is so concerned for the welfare oversee. Additionally, these main current in your thinking, sarial agency that we proudly (?)
pets? What about the members of people who are not even departments have highly paid Your job is to represent all of call Mason County government.
of your families who cowered residents of Mason County. The directors and budget manag-us. This includes newcomers as
or were fully panicked? We call owners of Forbidden Farms ers. If these individuals are well as individuals with a his- Bonnie Miller
them man's best friend, are here to make a buck andnot doing the job that they are tory in our commtmity. It also Hoodsport
Next time you think you nothing else. They do not live in being paid to do, find someone includes individuals in spite of
are being patriotic by wasting Mason County, their business who will. As far as our com- their economic status, see LETTERS, page A-5
Mason County
USPS 492-800
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Mason
County Journal, P.O. Box 430, Shelton, WA 98584.
Published weekly by the Mason County Journal
at 227 West Cota Street, Shelton, Washington
Mailing address: p.o. Box 430, Shelton, WA 98584
Telephone (360) 426-4412.www.masoncounty.com
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Mason County Journal is a Owned and published by Advertising: Composing room:
member of Washington Newspaper Shelton-Mason County Journal, Inc. Dave Pierik, Sr. Acct. Executive William Adams, graphics
Publishers' Association. Tom Hyde, publisher Kathy Brooks, ad representative Linda Frizzell, graphics
Lloyd Mullen, ad representative
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but outside Mason County, $61 per
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Newsroom:
Adam Rudnick, editor
Natalie Johnson, reporter
Gordon Weeks, reporter
Emily Hanson, sports reporter
Kirk Ericson, proofreader
Front office:
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Amanda Elson, circulation
All editorial, advertising and legal
deadlines are 5 p.m. Monday prior
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To submit a letter to the editor,
email adam@masoncounty.com.
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