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00eaders 00o.r.az: Fmdmgs harmful
Keep CHOICE separate
Editor, The Journal:
I would like to comment on the
effect on CHOICE High School of
the proposal to move CHOICE
High School to Shelton High
School.
We all agree that the main
duty of the school board is to
serve the students. In the pro-
Posed reconfiguration, distinct
ubgroups of the student popula-
Ion are outlined. It is vitally im-
portant that each of these sub-
groups must be served adequately
in the final plan.
I am especially concerned with
i!ng the specific population
mcn is now being served by the
alternative high school. This pop-
ulation is made up of various
YrPeS of students. They have
opped out, been kicked out or
nave Opted out of Shelton High
School. The curriculum, or the
culture there, has not served
their needs and has caused them
make other choices. Many have
Chosen not to continue their edu-
ation, and some have chosen
rer schools including CHOICE
gh School.
I ant a tutor with Mason Coun-
ty Literacy and have volunteered
tutor "llead Right1" since short-
Y alter we sold our real-estate of-
nce at Lake Cushman. Both of
un children graduated from Shel-
High School and have gone on
v graduate from college. I tu-
tored two summers with the Job
Trainin -
g l'artnership Act pro-
ra at Shelton High School, and
ave tutored for eight years at
CHOICE Hi-h School in Level I,
start' °
. mg at the old Collier Build-
g and later moving with them
_ the Angle Building. The stu-
dents I have tutored may need
rgeanding help, but they are intelli-
u. and they are concerned with
elr education. But, for acade-
_ Ic, SOcial or cultural reasons the
Z egUlar high school program has
ot been successful for them. It
" not worked!
-UOnsider the placement of
Cli01CE High School students
Withi v
. n Shelton High School as if
i!;iii Ifla d
:et? If yOU are a teen andne
• g inadequate or unwa ed
in some way, wouldn't your first
reaction be to stay away? Since
many of these students have had
trouble staying in school, but ob-
viously need to be in school, it is
in their and our best interest to
do everything to keep them there.
It would be impossible to keep the
many students who would see
this reconfiguration as too much
to deal with.
The words "school within a
school" make it sound as if the
two can co-exist and keep the dis-
tinct advantages of each system.
What works at Shelton High
won't work at CHOICE High
School. And has not worked for
these students. What works at
CHOICE High School won't work
for the students at Shelton High
School. The two high schools
must remain separate!
And the concept that Shelton
High School can change (in order
to co-exist) and become more like
CHOICE, as expressed by Dr.
Hundley in an informational
meeting, just won't happen.
When, in history, has the domi-
nant society changed in favor of
the other? The two schools must
remain separate!
Here are some of the issues
that would result in the failure of
the "school within a school" plan.
1. CHOICE would lose its sepa-
rate identity. This identity is very
important to students who don't
feel like they fit in.
2. Bad self-comparisons to the
dominant SHS population.
3. Bullying, baiting and put-
ting down of CHOICE students
by many of the SHS population. I
have heard the ugly words. So
have some of you. Mixing these
two populations would cause ex-
cessive and unacceptable friction.
4. There would be a huge prob-
lem with the co-use of the facili-
ties, such as the Student Union
Building, gym, shop, science labs,
auditorium, etc.
5. CHOICE High School has
philosophies, policies and rules
very different from the high
school that would cause confusion
and trouble. There is an emphasis
on self-direction and learning re-
sponsibility for choices, rather
than a rigid schedule of classes to
be attended or not. Even the
small matter of addressing the
teachers by their first name
would be a problem. It is consid-
ered accepted within CHOICE be-
cause of the emphasis on respect
and equality of all; therefore it is
not disrespectful to use first
names.
6. Some of the students at
CHOICE High School have very
difficult living situations, experi-
ence poverty, are parents, are
pregnant, lack parental support
or have court referrals. Some live
on couches somewhere. While
they are dealing with their
sometimes tense situations, they
don't need to be dealing with the
social factors at the high school
which would weigh heavily on the
mind of a young person trying to
find their place in the world. They
need a place where these factors
are less important. They don't
need to see cheerleaders, popular
football players, student cars, fan-
cy sneakers or smart fashions.
CHOICE is dedicated to pro-
viding a safe, caring, rigorous and
demanding community for all.
Students are expected to prog-
ress, be responsible, do communi-
ty service and respect the teach-
ers, volunteers and each other.
The philosophy is working! I have
personally received thanks, re-
spect and cooperation in my deal-
ing with the all students as well
as my "Read Right!" students.
And the staff is wonderful. I have
spent many hours tutoring with
one ear "listening" in to the teach-
ers advise, teach and express re-
spect for the efforts of their stu-
dents. They are an amazing
bunch!
To sum up: we must first re-
solve the issue of the best educa-
tional opportunities for this popu-
lation of students before deciding
to move them and eliminate
everything that has been working
and place them in the 300 build-
ing at Shelton High School just
because it is available.
If this new configuration is
adopted, many, many students
will "opt out, hang out and be
out." Join with me and do what
we can to help this population,
which needs a little extra help.
Let's not push them out. We need
two separate schools!
Rae Whitten
Shelton
Editor, The Journal:
After reading your January 21
article titled, "Hearings board
flags county EIS and urban
growth plans," here is the per-
spective of a Mason County resi-
dent who is concerned about prop-
erty rights and good jobs locally.
Both subjects are adversely im-
pacted by the peculiar way in
which the Growth Management
Act is being applied in Mason
County.
Your article implies that John
Diehl and Warren Dawes are
both pleased with Western Wash-
ington Growth Management
Hearings Board findings that ef-
fectively place "a moratorium on
small-lot sub divisions and new
commercial development." The
small-lot subdivision restriction is
not new. Mason County property
owners have been severely re-
stricted in their ability to divide
and sell land parcels for years,
even though that restriction
works against the Growth Man-
agement Act objective of encour-
aging affordable housing.
What is new, however, is what
may turn out to be a crippling
blow to business activity outside
the Urban Growth Areas. If
Diehl, Dawes and the hearings
board have succeeded in restrict-
ing commercial development to
only resource-based businesses,
then we can expect to have ex-
pansion in farming, logging and
fishing, but little else.
And how is it that the privi-
leged triangle of Diehl, Dawes
and the hearings board get to dic-
tate land-use policies in Mason
County anyway? I thought GMA
called for comprehensive plans
and regulations to be enacted by
the board of county commission-
ers after community consensus
was achieved through committee
work. It looks to me like the thou-
sands of man-hours spent in com-
mittee work during the past eight
years are simply being trashed at
the whim of Diehl, Dawes and the
hearings board.
For example: Let's look at two
of the major points presented by
Diehl and Dawes which were con-
curred in by the hearings board in
its latest findings. First, in deter-
mining what the largest size of a
small business should be, Diehl
and Dawes argued that it should
be defined as something far less
than 50 employees; five would
have been more to their liking.
The county commissioners used
on legalities and fact, not opin-
ions.
The second example in ques-
tion from the most recent findings
concerns the size of the Belfair
Urban Growth Area. Diehl and
Dawes argued that the Belfair
UGA is too large for the popula-
tion size intended there. They
contend that 3.7 persons per acre
was not a dense enough popula-
tion concentration for a properly
planned UGA. The hearings
board agreed by declaring the
Belfair UGA still out of com-
pliance with GMA in several re-
spects, including "projected popu-
lation characterized by urban
density." In wondering what the
population density in a typical ru-
ral community might be, since
population densities are not de-
fined in the Growth Management
Act, I worked out the ratio for
Shelton. Guess what folks? The
population density of Shelton is
only 2.6 persons per acre. That's
30 percent less than the density
deemed not dense enough for
planned Belfair growth. That
hearings board finding looks to
me like another opinion based on
a very mushy thought process.
So what's my point? My point
is that the findings being issued
by the hearings board, motivated
by inputs from Diehl and Dawes,
are creating an atmosphere in
Mason County that is very un-
friendly to both private property
owners and businesses. That un-
friendly business environment
will hinder attempts from the
Governor's Office to reverse the
trend of economic distress in ru-
ral counties throughout the state,
and particularly in Mason Coun-
ty. No matter how predictable
regulations are made through
good planning, business activity
will vacate an unfriendly commu-
nity. With increasing difficulty in
business development comes a re-
duced availability of jobs and the
social ills associated with inade-
quate income levels.
Finally, I am sincerely disap-
pointed over the hundreds of
thousands of dollars that have
been wasted during the past eight
years on consultants, studies,
maps, publishing and legal fees
while attempting to bring the
county into GMA compliance.
Since GMA was enacted, I have
watched 10 different county Com-
missioners labor seriously, hon-
estly and diligently, under gruel-
ing conditions, in an attempt to
Different view about bond the S0-employeefigurebecauseit bring satisfactory solutions to the
Q was reasonable and the definition hearings board while still main-
was already established in Wash- taining an element of property
ington State code. Yet after con- rights protection for the citizens
The Journal:
and taxpayers in
School District, we
need to rebut R.G.
and John Diehrs criti-
of the upcoming bond issue
construction of a new
High School and upgrade
facilities. Both Parrett
agree with us in the
conclusion that there will
to be significant growth
Pioneer School District.
instead of facing the re-
dynamics of that growth
on the education-
s of Pioneer kids, as this
bond does, they propose
entire county and all the
districts in it somehow
change their direction, legal orga-
nization and methods of financing
in order to accommodate the
needs of Pioneer students. This is
not practical, realistic or respon-
sible.
Mr. Diehl's confusing analysis
of property assessments and tax
rates clouds the issue. These are
scare tactics. Projecting long-term
growth and changes in property
values can only be based on best
guesses. His guesses are clearly
motivated by his desire to dis-
courage voters from supporting
their school district's plans. Even
Mr. Diehl must agree that long-
term growth must inevitably lead
to long-term increases in assessed
values, as it always has.
Grave vandalized
4itor, The Journal: his grave.
letter is to the sick things
call them people) who
steal decorations right off a
at our local cemetery.
= years now I have placed a
headstone decoration
silk flowers and such
grave. This is the
m a row that shortly
s, it has been sto-
8Ome perverted animal.
my father died was
He was murdered
Stealing dirt bikes. We
buried in Shelton for
(1) to be near his
grandsons that are in
d," (2) his surviving
are here, and (3)
anted somewhere peaceful,
where he was killed.
past Saturday, I went to
only to find his flowers
stolen again. It almost
sick. I had to send out of
this type of decoration,
Something that would
away or be in the way of
I take comfort
these arrangements,
Dad would be proud of
We take pride in keep-
and remembrances on
It's just very sad that even a
graveyard is not safe from the
evils of the world today. This
should be a sacred place, like
churches. I can only hope that the
animals doing this will someday
realize that it will be them in the
ground one day. Whether you're
doing it for fun or because you
want the flowers, it's still the
same - stealing from dead people.
We moved here to get away
from such a place that placed no
value on human life, where you
can be murdered on a street corn-
er. Well, let me tell you that it's
nearly as bad to be vandalizing
cemeteries. It's a real shame that
the gates must be locked and
there is no longer an after-hours
entrance.
I would like to go back out
there next weekend and find the
saddle returned, but I know that
won't happen, unless whoever, I
mean "whatever is doing this
gets a conscience. In the mean-
time, remember, "do unto others
as you would have done to thine
own self.
Donna Sherman
Shelton
We would remind Pioneer vot-
ers that, for the last many years,
our district, under Dick Sirok-
man's and our school board's ste-
wardship, has operated in the
black, accomplishing significant
upgrades in facilities and educa-
tional programs, while keeping
costs well below those of most
school districts. (Mr. Diehl had
stated last week that the bond
supporters were practicing decep-
tion.)
Mr. Diehrs comments about
preserving the "rural character"
of our area and the need to
"channel growth to areas adjacent
to existing urban areas" begs a
question. Are we being unreason-
able to expect that we can live in
a rural area and also have chil-
dren, or does preserving rural
character require a community of
seniors only?
Rather than contributing to
suburban sprawl, a new Pioneer
High School will provide a much
needed community focus for all
Pioneer residents. Our older son,
like hundreds of other Pioneer
area kids, struggled with the
challenge of staying involved in
extracurricular activities at Shel-
ton High School. We were willing
to make those long commutes and
to put up with the stress of wait-
ing up late on winter nights for
him to get home safely, because
we understood the importance of
these involvements in making
him the successful and confident'
adult he is now. Mr. Diehl and
Mr. Parrett seem to be saying to
families like us that there is only
one answer to this problem: move
to Shelton or Belfalr.
Torn and Elli Harron
Harstine Island
426-4412 ,,
sidering the Diehl and Dawes ar-
gnment, the hearings board said
this, "We have a firm and definite
conviction that the county has
erred when it defines businesses
with as many as 50 employees as
'small scale.' The act calls for
adoption of measures to minimize
and contain more intrusive rural
development." I contend that
whether or not a 50-employee
business qualifies as "intrusive
rural development" is a matter of
local opinion. The hearings
boards are supposed to be ruling
those commissioners were elected
to represent. Yet, time and time
again, the game being played by
the privileged triangle results in
another round of frustration with
no end in sight.
I wonder when the average cit-
izen is going to get involved
enough to show some support to
our elected board of county com-
missioners and help put a stop to
this bastardization of our repre-
sentative form of government?
Jay Hupp
Shelton
Helpful servants
Editor, The Journal: because of the need to send for a
It's easy to criticize our govern-
ment when it isn't working well.
I'd like to take this opportunity to
publicly compliment a small local
branch of our government that
worked for me like good govern-
ment should, and maybe even a
little more.
Early in January I applied for
a passport at the Mason County
Clerk's Office. I was given the ap-
plication and clear, courteous ad-
vice about photos and the rest of
the process, including the infor-
mation it would take 25 working
days. By the time I returned the
next day I had learned I had to
have the passport within a week
visa two months before depar-
ture.
The staff referred me to Doro-
thy the Passport Person who
treated my problem (self-imposed
though it was) with the attention,
thoughtfulness, kindness, intel-
ligence and efficiency that would
have made a Nordstrom manager
proud. With her help and clear
written instructions for me, an
extra fee and use of Overnight
Express mail the process was ex-
pedited and I got my passport in
time.
Betty Ross Graves
Union
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Thursday, January 28, 1999 - Shelton-Maaon County Joumal - Page 5
00eaders 00o.r.az: Fmdmgs harmful
Keep CHOICE separate
Editor, The Journal:
I would like to comment on the
effect on CHOICE High School of
the proposal to move CHOICE
High School to Shelton High
School.
We all agree that the main
duty of the school board is to
serve the students. In the pro-
Posed reconfiguration, distinct
ubgroups of the student popula-
Ion are outlined. It is vitally im-
portant that each of these sub-
groups must be served adequately
in the final plan.
I am especially concerned with
i!ng the specific population
mcn is now being served by the
alternative high school. This pop-
ulation is made up of various
YrPeS of students. They have
opped out, been kicked out or
nave Opted out of Shelton High
School. The curriculum, or the
culture there, has not served
their needs and has caused them
make other choices. Many have
Chosen not to continue their edu-
ation, and some have chosen
rer schools including CHOICE
gh School.
I ant a tutor with Mason Coun-
ty Literacy and have volunteered
tutor "llead Right1" since short-
Y alter we sold our real-estate of-
nce at Lake Cushman. Both of
un children graduated from Shel-
High School and have gone on
v graduate from college. I tu-
tored two summers with the Job
Trainin -
g l'artnership Act pro-
ra at Shelton High School, and
ave tutored for eight years at
CHOICE Hi-h School in Level I,
start' °
. mg at the old Collier Build-
g and later moving with them
_ the Angle Building. The stu-
dents I have tutored may need
rgeanding help, but they are intelli-
u. and they are concerned with
elr education. But, for acade-
_ Ic, SOcial or cultural reasons the
Z egUlar high school program has
ot been successful for them. It
" not worked!
-UOnsider the placement of
Cli01CE High School students
Withi v
. n Shelton High School as if
i!;iii Ifla d
:et? If yOU are a teen andne
• g inadequate or unwa ed
in some way, wouldn't your first
reaction be to stay away? Since
many of these students have had
trouble staying in school, but ob-
viously need to be in school, it is
in their and our best interest to
do everything to keep them there.
It would be impossible to keep the
many students who would see
this reconfiguration as too much
to deal with.
The words "school within a
school" make it sound as if the
two can co-exist and keep the dis-
tinct advantages of each system.
What works at Shelton High
won't work at CHOICE High
School. And has not worked for
these students. What works at
CHOICE High School won't work
for the students at Shelton High
School. The two high schools
must remain separate!
And the concept that Shelton
High School can change (in order
to co-exist) and become more like
CHOICE, as expressed by Dr.
Hundley in an informational
meeting, just won't happen.
When, in history, has the domi-
nant society changed in favor of
the other? The two schools must
remain separate!
Here are some of the issues
that would result in the failure of
the "school within a school" plan.
1. CHOICE would lose its sepa-
rate identity. This identity is very
important to students who don't
feel like they fit in.
2. Bad self-comparisons to the
dominant SHS population.
3. Bullying, baiting and put-
ting down of CHOICE students
by many of the SHS population. I
have heard the ugly words. So
have some of you. Mixing these
two populations would cause ex-
cessive and unacceptable friction.
4. There would be a huge prob-
lem with the co-use of the facili-
ties, such as the Student Union
Building, gym, shop, science labs,
auditorium, etc.
5. CHOICE High School has
philosophies, policies and rules
very different from the high
school that would cause confusion
and trouble. There is an emphasis
on self-direction and learning re-
sponsibility for choices, rather
than a rigid schedule of classes to
be attended or not. Even the
small matter of addressing the
teachers by their first name
would be a problem. It is consid-
ered accepted within CHOICE be-
cause of the emphasis on respect
and equality of all; therefore it is
not disrespectful to use first
names.
6. Some of the students at
CHOICE High School have very
difficult living situations, experi-
ence poverty, are parents, are
pregnant, lack parental support
or have court referrals. Some live
on couches somewhere. While
they are dealing with their
sometimes tense situations, they
don't need to be dealing with the
social factors at the high school
which would weigh heavily on the
mind of a young person trying to
find their place in the world. They
need a place where these factors
are less important. They don't
need to see cheerleaders, popular
football players, student cars, fan-
cy sneakers or smart fashions.
CHOICE is dedicated to pro-
viding a safe, caring, rigorous and
demanding community for all.
Students are expected to prog-
ress, be responsible, do communi-
ty service and respect the teach-
ers, volunteers and each other.
The philosophy is working! I have
personally received thanks, re-
spect and cooperation in my deal-
ing with the all students as well
as my "Read Right!" students.
And the staff is wonderful. I have
spent many hours tutoring with
one ear "listening" in to the teach-
ers advise, teach and express re-
spect for the efforts of their stu-
dents. They are an amazing
bunch!
To sum up: we must first re-
solve the issue of the best educa-
tional opportunities for this popu-
lation of students before deciding
to move them and eliminate
everything that has been working
and place them in the 300 build-
ing at Shelton High School just
because it is available.
If this new configuration is
adopted, many, many students
will "opt out, hang out and be
out." Join with me and do what
we can to help this population,
which needs a little extra help.
Let's not push them out. We need
two separate schools!
Rae Whitten
Shelton
Editor, The Journal:
After reading your January 21
article titled, "Hearings board
flags county EIS and urban
growth plans," here is the per-
spective of a Mason County resi-
dent who is concerned about prop-
erty rights and good jobs locally.
Both subjects are adversely im-
pacted by the peculiar way in
which the Growth Management
Act is being applied in Mason
County.
Your article implies that John
Diehl and Warren Dawes are
both pleased with Western Wash-
ington Growth Management
Hearings Board findings that ef-
fectively place "a moratorium on
small-lot sub divisions and new
commercial development." The
small-lot subdivision restriction is
not new. Mason County property
owners have been severely re-
stricted in their ability to divide
and sell land parcels for years,
even though that restriction
works against the Growth Man-
agement Act objective of encour-
aging affordable housing.
What is new, however, is what
may turn out to be a crippling
blow to business activity outside
the Urban Growth Areas. If
Diehl, Dawes and the hearings
board have succeeded in restrict-
ing commercial development to
only resource-based businesses,
then we can expect to have ex-
pansion in farming, logging and
fishing, but little else.
And how is it that the privi-
leged triangle of Diehl, Dawes
and the hearings board get to dic-
tate land-use policies in Mason
County anyway? I thought GMA
called for comprehensive plans
and regulations to be enacted by
the board of county commission-
ers after community consensus
was achieved through committee
work. It looks to me like the thou-
sands of man-hours spent in com-
mittee work during the past eight
years are simply being trashed at
the whim of Diehl, Dawes and the
hearings board.
For example: Let's look at two
of the major points presented by
Diehl and Dawes which were con-
curred in by the hearings board in
its latest findings. First, in deter-
mining what the largest size of a
small business should be, Diehl
and Dawes argued that it should
be defined as something far less
than 50 employees; five would
have been more to their liking.
The county commissioners used
on legalities and fact, not opin-
ions.
The second example in ques-
tion from the most recent findings
concerns the size of the Belfair
Urban Growth Area. Diehl and
Dawes argued that the Belfair
UGA is too large for the popula-
tion size intended there. They
contend that 3.7 persons per acre
was not a dense enough popula-
tion concentration for a properly
planned UGA. The hearings
board agreed by declaring the
Belfair UGA still out of com-
pliance with GMA in several re-
spects, including "projected popu-
lation characterized by urban
density." In wondering what the
population density in a typical ru-
ral community might be, since
population densities are not de-
fined in the Growth Management
Act, I worked out the ratio for
Shelton. Guess what folks? The
population density of Shelton is
only 2.6 persons per acre. That's
30 percent less than the density
deemed not dense enough for
planned Belfair growth. That
hearings board finding looks to
me like another opinion based on
a very mushy thought process.
So what's my point? My point
is that the findings being issued
by the hearings board, motivated
by inputs from Diehl and Dawes,
are creating an atmosphere in
Mason County that is very un-
friendly to both private property
owners and businesses. That un-
friendly business environment
will hinder attempts from the
Governor's Office to reverse the
trend of economic distress in ru-
ral counties throughout the state,
and particularly in Mason Coun-
ty. No matter how predictable
regulations are made through
good planning, business activity
will vacate an unfriendly commu-
nity. With increasing difficulty in
business development comes a re-
duced availability of jobs and the
social ills associated with inade-
quate income levels.
Finally, I am sincerely disap-
pointed over the hundreds of
thousands of dollars that have
been wasted during the past eight
years on consultants, studies,
maps, publishing and legal fees
while attempting to bring the
county into GMA compliance.
Since GMA was enacted, I have
watched 10 different county Com-
missioners labor seriously, hon-
estly and diligently, under gruel-
ing conditions, in an attempt to
Different view about bond the S0-employeefigurebecauseit bring satisfactory solutions to the
Q was reasonable and the definition hearings board while still main-
was already established in Wash- taining an element of property
ington State code. Yet after con- rights protection for the citizens
The Journal:
and taxpayers in
School District, we
need to rebut R.G.
and John Diehrs criti-
of the upcoming bond issue
construction of a new
High School and upgrade
facilities. Both Parrett
agree with us in the
conclusion that there will
to be significant growth
Pioneer School District.
instead of facing the re-
dynamics of that growth
on the education-
s of Pioneer kids, as this
bond does, they propose
entire county and all the
districts in it somehow
change their direction, legal orga-
nization and methods of financing
in order to accommodate the
needs of Pioneer students. This is
not practical, realistic or respon-
sible.
Mr. Diehl's confusing analysis
of property assessments and tax
rates clouds the issue. These are
scare tactics. Projecting long-term
growth and changes in property
values can only be based on best
guesses. His guesses are clearly
motivated by his desire to dis-
courage voters from supporting
their school district's plans. Even
Mr. Diehl must agree that long-
term growth must inevitably lead
to long-term increases in assessed
values, as it always has.
Grave vandalized
4itor, The Journal: his grave.
letter is to the sick things
call them people) who
steal decorations right off a
at our local cemetery.
= years now I have placed a
headstone decoration
silk flowers and such
grave. This is the
m a row that shortly
s, it has been sto-
8Ome perverted animal.
my father died was
He was murdered
Stealing dirt bikes. We
buried in Shelton for
(1) to be near his
grandsons that are in
d," (2) his surviving
are here, and (3)
anted somewhere peaceful,
where he was killed.
past Saturday, I went to
only to find his flowers
stolen again. It almost
sick. I had to send out of
this type of decoration,
Something that would
away or be in the way of
I take comfort
these arrangements,
Dad would be proud of
We take pride in keep-
and remembrances on
It's just very sad that even a
graveyard is not safe from the
evils of the world today. This
should be a sacred place, like
churches. I can only hope that the
animals doing this will someday
realize that it will be them in the
ground one day. Whether you're
doing it for fun or because you
want the flowers, it's still the
same - stealing from dead people.
We moved here to get away
from such a place that placed no
value on human life, where you
can be murdered on a street corn-
er. Well, let me tell you that it's
nearly as bad to be vandalizing
cemeteries. It's a real shame that
the gates must be locked and
there is no longer an after-hours
entrance.
I would like to go back out
there next weekend and find the
saddle returned, but I know that
won't happen, unless whoever, I
mean "whatever is doing this
gets a conscience. In the mean-
time, remember, "do unto others
as you would have done to thine
own self.
Donna Sherman
Shelton
We would remind Pioneer vot-
ers that, for the last many years,
our district, under Dick Sirok-
man's and our school board's ste-
wardship, has operated in the
black, accomplishing significant
upgrades in facilities and educa-
tional programs, while keeping
costs well below those of most
school districts. (Mr. Diehl had
stated last week that the bond
supporters were practicing decep-
tion.)
Mr. Diehrs comments about
preserving the "rural character"
of our area and the need to
"channel growth to areas adjacent
to existing urban areas" begs a
question. Are we being unreason-
able to expect that we can live in
a rural area and also have chil-
dren, or does preserving rural
character require a community of
seniors only?
Rather than contributing to
suburban sprawl, a new Pioneer
High School will provide a much
needed community focus for all
Pioneer residents. Our older son,
like hundreds of other Pioneer
area kids, struggled with the
challenge of staying involved in
extracurricular activities at Shel-
ton High School. We were willing
to make those long commutes and
to put up with the stress of wait-
ing up late on winter nights for
him to get home safely, because
we understood the importance of
these involvements in making
him the successful and confident'
adult he is now. Mr. Diehl and
Mr. Parrett seem to be saying to
families like us that there is only
one answer to this problem: move
to Shelton or Belfalr.
Torn and Elli Harron
Harstine Island
426-4412 ,,
sidering the Diehl and Dawes ar-
gnment, the hearings board said
this, "We have a firm and definite
conviction that the county has
erred when it defines businesses
with as many as 50 employees as
'small scale.' The act calls for
adoption of measures to minimize
and contain more intrusive rural
development." I contend that
whether or not a 50-employee
business qualifies as "intrusive
rural development" is a matter of
local opinion. The hearings
boards are supposed to be ruling
those commissioners were elected
to represent. Yet, time and time
again, the game being played by
the privileged triangle results in
another round of frustration with
no end in sight.
I wonder when the average cit-
izen is going to get involved
enough to show some support to
our elected board of county com-
missioners and help put a stop to
this bastardization of our repre-
sentative form of government?
Jay Hupp
Shelton
Helpful servants
Editor, The Journal: because of the need to send for a
It's easy to criticize our govern-
ment when it isn't working well.
I'd like to take this opportunity to
publicly compliment a small local
branch of our government that
worked for me like good govern-
ment should, and maybe even a
little more.
Early in January I applied for
a passport at the Mason County
Clerk's Office. I was given the ap-
plication and clear, courteous ad-
vice about photos and the rest of
the process, including the infor-
mation it would take 25 working
days. By the time I returned the
next day I had learned I had to
have the passport within a week
visa two months before depar-
ture.
The staff referred me to Doro-
thy the Passport Person who
treated my problem (self-imposed
though it was) with the attention,
thoughtfulness, kindness, intel-
ligence and efficiency that would
have made a Nordstrom manager
proud. With her help and clear
written instructions for me, an
extra fee and use of Overnight
Express mail the process was ex-
pedited and I got my passport in
time.
Betty Ross Graves
Union
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Thursday, January 28, 1999 - Shelton-Maaon County Joumal - Page 5