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00lournal of Opinion:
Borderline deal
Let's hope the Mason County Hospital District boundary
issue can be settled to the satisfaction of the South Mason offi-
cials trying to run the hospital in an efficient manner and the
North Mason residents affected by a fracturing of the district.
So far the hospital commission's proposal to break off a portion
of the district up north is off to a rocky start.
Last month, the morning after holding a hearing on
the issue, the hospital commission passed a resolution to
remove the Belfair area and Tahuya Peninsula from the
all-county district and sent it to the county commission
the same day for consideration. The county commission
didn't act on the request but planned to take it up at a
public meeting. However, the public's reaction to what
the hospital commissioners had done was troublesome
enough that they later asked the county to hold off for a
while until they could complete an information cam-
paign for a proposal they feel is misunderstood. Clearly
they have a massive public-relations problem in North
Mason when leaders Randy Neatherlin, Brian Petersen,
Mike Greene and Harry Martin, all with followings,
publicly doubt the hospital commissioners' motives.
The hospital commissioners, in an open letter to residents
after the negative reaction, said they wanted to explain their
plans for the hospital and access to medical care in North
Mason and encouraged organizations to call the hospital to
arrange speakers. Some people had the impression that their
action was a rush job, they said, but it was actually the product
of a year-long strategic planning process.
They want to improve medical services for the people
who use Mason General Hospital, they explained, and
most people in North Mason go to Kitsap County for
their medical services. Those North Mason people might
be better served by forming their own hospital district,
the hospital commissioners said. Many in North Mason
have been dissatisfied with the hospital district's com-
mitment to its North Mason Medical Center in Belfair.
The commissioners went on to say their, quick action was
taken so that property owners in the affec.ted area would not
have to pay hospital district property taxes past 2007.
The sequence of events made many north-enders sus-
picious. Some felt the commissioners' action was taken
not to improve medical services but to improve the
chances of passing a hospital bond. The last bond, which
failed, was a tough sell in North Mason, where many
didn't want to pay to improve a South Mason hospital
they never used and felt South Mason commissioners"
were throwing crumbs to North Mason voters with plans
to spend only $5 million on a new medical clinic.
That bond, which received 57 percent approval in the spring
of 2003, garnered only 47 percent in a resubmission that fall
after the "no" campaign got nastier, including an argument
over the location of the proposed new Belfair clinic, and the
bond took a direct-mail hit from a large landowner.
But the logic that the hospital commissioners just
want precincts that will vote "yes" doesn't follow when
they haven't proposed lopping off the Dayton Precinct,
where voters gave the last bond 40 percent approval, or
Matlock (41) or Satsop (43).
Another contention of the suspicious is that hospital officials
want to keep the assessment-rich South Shore as well as Allyn
for those areas' property taxes and that they won't leave
enough property in the amputated area to support a viable
medical facility. The property taxes raised by the hospital dis-
trict are so piddling compared to its overall budget, and pas-
sage of bond issues for facilities is so difficult, that we're not
convinced North Mason could support a medical facility with
South Shore and Allyn. It would be a tragedy if the current sit-
uation is the north end's best bet and it's about to lose the deal.
We hate to keep trotting out the North-Sound divide,
but it's a reality that colors so many county discussions.
Until the rift is healed, political actions will be viewed
through that lens, fairly or unfairly. That rift can be
made worse over time by actions or attitudes on either
side of the Mason-Dissin' Line that one side perceives as
insulting or self.serving. Even if it's only the north's per-
ception that the south is being heavy-handed or the
south's perception that the north is being unreasonable,
the political outcome is the same as if it were real.
Many in North Mason have expressed cautious support for
i leaving the hospital district, but they want more information
and want to go slow. If North Mason can be satisfied with its
own district, we're all for it. We're just not sure something not
subsidized and administrated tom a mother ship is feasible.
An intriguing part of the divorce process is that the
hospital commission, by legal necessity, tosses a politi-
cal hot potato to the county commissioners for the final
decision. No matter what they do with the issue,
someone won't like the vote, which will be just another
one of 43 reasons to skewer them at election time.
-CG
ournal
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Shelton-Mason
County Journal, P.O. Box 430, Shelton, WA 98584.
Published weekly by Shelton Publishing Inc. at 227 West Cota Street, Shelton, Washington
Mailing address: P.O. Box 430, Shelton, WA 98584
Telephone (360) 426-4412 • www.masoncounty.com
Periodicals postage paid at Shelton, Washington
Member of Washington Newspaper Publishers' Association
SUBSCRIPTION RATES: $31.00 per year in-county address,
$45.00 per year in state of Washington $55.00 per year out of state
Charles Gay, editor and publisher. Newsroom: Sean Hanlon, managing editor, Port of Shelton;
Steve Patch, sports editor; Jeff Green, general assignment, city government, schools; Rebecca
Wells, society editor, county government; Mary Duncan, police, courts. Advertising: Stephen
Gay, advertising manager; Dave Pierik and Harvey Morris, ad sales. Front office: Julie Orme,
business manager; Kathy Lester, circulation; Donna Kinnaird, bookkeeper; Cricket Carter, mailroom
supervisor. Composing room: Diane Riordan, supervisor; Margot Brand, Jan Kallinen, pagination;
Monica CarvajaI-Beben, pagination, darkroom; Koleen Wood, typesetter, computer system manager;
Colleen Scott, ad builder, computer system manager; William Adams, ad builder; Clinton Kendall,
proofreader. Pressroom: Kelly Riordan, pressman; Nick Carr, pressman's assistant.
JWuuuuM
Page 4 - Shelton-Mason County Journal - Thursday, February 15, 2007
I00eader$" <'Journal:
Insulting, bigoted editorial
Editor, The Journal:
A disabled combat vet wrote in
to denounce your "ridiculous
rant" against the Marine Corps.
God bless him; he prompted me to
hunt up the editorial and read it
too. Consequently, I'll take time
to send a note of support to the
Shelton School Board and Shelton
High School's athletic director.
(The board approved his accept-
ance of a Marine Corps invitation
to travel to San Diego to learn
more about the Corps.)
Such common-sense decisions
seem especially brave, as they
surely must have anticipated
they'd be attacked for it in The
Journal. Ironically, your insult-
ing, misleading and obviously big-
oted editorial is the perfect exam-
ple of why students at SHS need
someone who'll provide respectful
and accurate inibrmation about
our military's many options.
For instance, your editorial de-
clared that our military "is run-
ning out of volunteer bodies."
While your contempt for patriots
is quite clear, your basic claim is
false.
Likewise, it was grossly manip-
ulative and misleading fbr you to
say (over and over and over) that
military recruiters telephone our
"children." Once again, your in-
tent to smear is clear, while your
basic claim is outrageously false.
(Not only are recruiters not inter-
ested in "children," they aren't in-
terested in over half our young
adults, because they simply could
not pass today's requirements to
be accepted for service. Of those
who could be accepted, you can
bet each branch of the military is
going to work to get "the best of
the best" tbr their own members.)
There isn't time to respond to
all the malice in your editorial, so
I'll close by focusing on your odd
opinion that SHS is out of line,
because providing accurate i
mation about our military
part of its education missioO:
what, in your toty opinioJ
be allowed? Cranking
journalists like yourself?.
Every year polls are
rate how much trust and
people have fbr various
sions. Military officers are
near the top of that list,
gle year. Journalists,
hand, are at or near the
May God bless students
want to try tbr a career
our most trusted and
professionals.
May God bless schools
school board members) who
help them do that.
And may God have
you for the mud you
keep slinging at them all.
Mrs. Ernest
Wrong Taylor Towne option
Editor, The Journal:
I was shocked by the article in
the February 8 Journal that
stated the county's preferred
route for the Lynch Road bypass
connection to the Old Olympic
Highway (Kamilche Road) would
run between the Taylor Shellfish
office and the Taylor Towne gas
station as opposed to the other
option of leaving the Lynch Road
near Norquist Road.
From a traffic planning and
public safety standpoint, the
Taylor Towne route is the worst
possible route. If there were not
currently a restaurant and gas
station at Taylor Towne, this
route would not even be up for
consideration. I don't think that
business interests should take
precedence over the safety of Ma-
son County citizens and common
sense.
This road is being paid for by
Washington taxpayers, not Taylor
Towne business interests, and we
deserve a safe, common-sense
route to and from the Old Olym-
pic Highway. The sight distance
around the Taylor Shellfish office
is extremely poor, and the close
proximity to Highway 101 leaves
little room for autos coming off
the freeway.
At the intersection of the new
road and Old Olympic Highway,
the county states, using Simmons
Road "continues the traffic con-
gestion in areas too close to the
on- and off-ramps of 101." Sim-
mons Road is approximately the
same distance from 101 as the
proposed route through Taylor
Towne right next to 101. It is con-
tradictory for the county to say
Simmons Road is too close to 101
but the Taylor Towne route is not.
I agree that Simmons Road is
too close to 101; so is the Taylor
Towne route. At the high
building roads and
families, we need a road
Olympic Highway that v¢1
safe and practical for the
to 40 years. The Cole, Lynt
Arcadia Road areas are
ular because of their easy
to Olympia. The areas
ue to grow and add an
number of commuters
Lynch Road to commute to
pia. The Taylor Towne
become more congested ove
and will become a poorer
poorer decision over time.
I urge residents of the
end of Mason County
the county's otions ibr
Road bypass and urge yo
ty commissioner not to
bypass connection to be
through Taylor Towne. t
_ Brand v,,
Little SkookttO WJ
Divinely inspired message
also contains histories of
genealogies, wars, laws
ties of counsel. There are
of miracles, love, hate, lust
and murder, both true
trative. The writings
analogy, simile, meta
perbole, not every word
be taken literally.
Inside this rich tape:
every human condition
man, however, is an
woven thread of divinely
message from God to
Only through seeking
of God through prayer
will you find this
If you search the Bible
tent to find evil,
sion and contradiction,
find it, but you will miss
sage.
Scripture wasn't
easily understood. Chri-'
in parables, as he told
ers, so that only those
with the Spirit of God
derstand what he said.
If anyone wonders
so many interpretations
same book, read 2 Peter
Katr
Editor, The Journal:
We can anti-Christian/pro-
Christian scripture-quote till the
cows come home, and for every
scripture point made, someone
else could find a scripture coun-
terpoint.
The sad thing is, sometimes
they aren't even quoted correctly,
i.e., when Bruce Robinson
(February 8 letter, "Laws don't
apply") asked Diane Eaton
whether she offered her firstborn
son as a burnt offering to the Lord
as the Bible demands in Exodus
22:29-30. Nothing in this scrip-
ture speaks of offering a son as a
burnt offering. Exodus 13:2 clari-
fies it as to sanctify the firstborn
of man and beast - consecrate to
God, to make holy.
Bruce also says the scriptures
warn against prophets - "writers
of the Bible"- but he neglects to
mention that the scriptures he
quoted referred to men who spoke
in the name of the Lord without
having received authority to do
so; the Lord never spoke to them.
I can likewise quote Amos 3:7:
"Surely the Lord God will do
nothing, but he revealeth his se-
cret unto his servants the proph-
ets" and Ephesians 2:20: Christ's
church "built upon foundation of
apostles and prophets." And many
more that indicate prophets are
an integral part of God's work.
I am mostly frustrated, how-
ever, by spiritually disgruntled
people wanting to throw the baby
out with the bathwater by linking
Christianity with all the atroci-
ties, bigotry, hypocrisy and
hatred in the world.
It was not Christianity that
brought the Crusade mayhem, In-
quisitional torture, New England
witch burnings, Hitler's atroci-
ties, Ku Klux Klan cross burnings
or the nasty neighbor who at-
tends the corner church. Christ
taught none of this behavior; it is
not his doctrine. A so-called
"Christian" who becomes a law
unto himself, devoid of the spirit
of Christ or his doctrine, is not a
Christian.
The Old and New Testament is
a marvelous compilation of many
books written by men inspired by
God, some prophets, some apos-
tles, translated from Hebrew to
Greek to Old English to modern
English and multiple languages,
vulnerable to mistranslation. It
00lournal of Opinion:
Borderline deal
Let's hope the Mason County Hospital District boundary
issue can be settled to the satisfaction of the South Mason offi-
cials trying to run the hospital in an efficient manner and the
North Mason residents affected by a fracturing of the district.
So far the hospital commission's proposal to break off a portion
of the district up north is off to a rocky start.
Last month, the morning after holding a hearing on
the issue, the hospital commission passed a resolution to
remove the Belfair area and Tahuya Peninsula from the
all-county district and sent it to the county commission
the same day for consideration. The county commission
didn't act on the request but planned to take it up at a
public meeting. However, the public's reaction to what
the hospital commissioners had done was troublesome
enough that they later asked the county to hold off for a
while until they could complete an information cam-
paign for a proposal they feel is misunderstood. Clearly
they have a massive public-relations problem in North
Mason when leaders Randy Neatherlin, Brian Petersen,
Mike Greene and Harry Martin, all with followings,
publicly doubt the hospital commissioners' motives.
The hospital commissioners, in an open letter to residents
after the negative reaction, said they wanted to explain their
plans for the hospital and access to medical care in North
Mason and encouraged organizations to call the hospital to
arrange speakers. Some people had the impression that their
action was a rush job, they said, but it was actually the product
of a year-long strategic planning process.
They want to improve medical services for the people
who use Mason General Hospital, they explained, and
most people in North Mason go to Kitsap County for
their medical services. Those North Mason people might
be better served by forming their own hospital district,
the hospital commissioners said. Many in North Mason
have been dissatisfied with the hospital district's com-
mitment to its North Mason Medical Center in Belfair.
The commissioners went on to say their, quick action was
taken so that property owners in the affec.ted area would not
have to pay hospital district property taxes past 2007.
The sequence of events made many north-enders sus-
picious. Some felt the commissioners' action was taken
not to improve medical services but to improve the
chances of passing a hospital bond. The last bond, which
failed, was a tough sell in North Mason, where many
didn't want to pay to improve a South Mason hospital
they never used and felt South Mason commissioners"
were throwing crumbs to North Mason voters with plans
to spend only $5 million on a new medical clinic.
That bond, which received 57 percent approval in the spring
of 2003, garnered only 47 percent in a resubmission that fall
after the "no" campaign got nastier, including an argument
over the location of the proposed new Belfair clinic, and the
bond took a direct-mail hit from a large landowner.
But the logic that the hospital commissioners just
want precincts that will vote "yes" doesn't follow when
they haven't proposed lopping off the Dayton Precinct,
where voters gave the last bond 40 percent approval, or
Matlock (41) or Satsop (43).
Another contention of the suspicious is that hospital officials
want to keep the assessment-rich South Shore as well as Allyn
for those areas' property taxes and that they won't leave
enough property in the amputated area to support a viable
medical facility. The property taxes raised by the hospital dis-
trict are so piddling compared to its overall budget, and pas-
sage of bond issues for facilities is so difficult, that we're not
convinced North Mason could support a medical facility with
South Shore and Allyn. It would be a tragedy if the current sit-
uation is the north end's best bet and it's about to lose the deal.
We hate to keep trotting out the North-Sound divide,
but it's a reality that colors so many county discussions.
Until the rift is healed, political actions will be viewed
through that lens, fairly or unfairly. That rift can be
made worse over time by actions or attitudes on either
side of the Mason-Dissin' Line that one side perceives as
insulting or self.serving. Even if it's only the north's per-
ception that the south is being heavy-handed or the
south's perception that the north is being unreasonable,
the political outcome is the same as if it were real.
Many in North Mason have expressed cautious support for
i leaving the hospital district, but they want more information
and want to go slow. If North Mason can be satisfied with its
own district, we're all for it. We're just not sure something not
subsidized and administrated tom a mother ship is feasible.
An intriguing part of the divorce process is that the
hospital commission, by legal necessity, tosses a politi-
cal hot potato to the county commissioners for the final
decision. No matter what they do with the issue,
someone won't like the vote, which will be just another
one of 43 reasons to skewer them at election time.
-CG
ournal
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Shelton-Mason
County Journal, P.O. Box 430, Shelton, WA 98584.
Published weekly by Shelton Publishing Inc. at 227 West Cota Street, Shelton, Washington
Mailing address: P.O. Box 430, Shelton, WA 98584
Telephone (360) 426-4412 • www.masoncounty.com
Periodicals postage paid at Shelton, Washington
Member of Washington Newspaper Publishers' Association
SUBSCRIPTION RATES: $31.00 per year in-county address,
$45.00 per year in state of Washington $55.00 per year out of state
Charles Gay, editor and publisher. Newsroom: Sean Hanlon, managing editor, Port of Shelton;
Steve Patch, sports editor; Jeff Green, general assignment, city government, schools; Rebecca
Wells, society editor, county government; Mary Duncan, police, courts. Advertising: Stephen
Gay, advertising manager; Dave Pierik and Harvey Morris, ad sales. Front office: Julie Orme,
business manager; Kathy Lester, circulation; Donna Kinnaird, bookkeeper; Cricket Carter, mailroom
supervisor. Composing room: Diane Riordan, supervisor; Margot Brand, Jan Kallinen, pagination;
Monica CarvajaI-Beben, pagination, darkroom; Koleen Wood, typesetter, computer system manager;
Colleen Scott, ad builder, computer system manager; William Adams, ad builder; Clinton Kendall,
proofreader. Pressroom: Kelly Riordan, pressman; Nick Carr, pressman's assistant.
JWuuuuM
Page 4 - Shelton-Mason County Journal - Thursday, February 15, 2007
I00eader$" <'Journal:
Insulting, bigoted editorial
Editor, The Journal:
A disabled combat vet wrote in
to denounce your "ridiculous
rant" against the Marine Corps.
God bless him; he prompted me to
hunt up the editorial and read it
too. Consequently, I'll take time
to send a note of support to the
Shelton School Board and Shelton
High School's athletic director.
(The board approved his accept-
ance of a Marine Corps invitation
to travel to San Diego to learn
more about the Corps.)
Such common-sense decisions
seem especially brave, as they
surely must have anticipated
they'd be attacked for it in The
Journal. Ironically, your insult-
ing, misleading and obviously big-
oted editorial is the perfect exam-
ple of why students at SHS need
someone who'll provide respectful
and accurate inibrmation about
our military's many options.
For instance, your editorial de-
clared that our military "is run-
ning out of volunteer bodies."
While your contempt for patriots
is quite clear, your basic claim is
false.
Likewise, it was grossly manip-
ulative and misleading fbr you to
say (over and over and over) that
military recruiters telephone our
"children." Once again, your in-
tent to smear is clear, while your
basic claim is outrageously false.
(Not only are recruiters not inter-
ested in "children," they aren't in-
terested in over half our young
adults, because they simply could
not pass today's requirements to
be accepted for service. Of those
who could be accepted, you can
bet each branch of the military is
going to work to get "the best of
the best" tbr their own members.)
There isn't time to respond to
all the malice in your editorial, so
I'll close by focusing on your odd
opinion that SHS is out of line,
because providing accurate i
mation about our military
part of its education missioO:
what, in your toty opinioJ
be allowed? Cranking
journalists like yourself?.
Every year polls are
rate how much trust and
people have fbr various
sions. Military officers are
near the top of that list,
gle year. Journalists,
hand, are at or near the
May God bless students
want to try tbr a career
our most trusted and
professionals.
May God bless schools
school board members) who
help them do that.
And may God have
you for the mud you
keep slinging at them all.
Mrs. Ernest
Wrong Taylor Towne option
Editor, The Journal:
I was shocked by the article in
the February 8 Journal that
stated the county's preferred
route for the Lynch Road bypass
connection to the Old Olympic
Highway (Kamilche Road) would
run between the Taylor Shellfish
office and the Taylor Towne gas
station as opposed to the other
option of leaving the Lynch Road
near Norquist Road.
From a traffic planning and
public safety standpoint, the
Taylor Towne route is the worst
possible route. If there were not
currently a restaurant and gas
station at Taylor Towne, this
route would not even be up for
consideration. I don't think that
business interests should take
precedence over the safety of Ma-
son County citizens and common
sense.
This road is being paid for by
Washington taxpayers, not Taylor
Towne business interests, and we
deserve a safe, common-sense
route to and from the Old Olym-
pic Highway. The sight distance
around the Taylor Shellfish office
is extremely poor, and the close
proximity to Highway 101 leaves
little room for autos coming off
the freeway.
At the intersection of the new
road and Old Olympic Highway,
the county states, using Simmons
Road "continues the traffic con-
gestion in areas too close to the
on- and off-ramps of 101." Sim-
mons Road is approximately the
same distance from 101 as the
proposed route through Taylor
Towne right next to 101. It is con-
tradictory for the county to say
Simmons Road is too close to 101
but the Taylor Towne route is not.
I agree that Simmons Road is
too close to 101; so is the Taylor
Towne route. At the high
building roads and
families, we need a road
Olympic Highway that v¢1
safe and practical for the
to 40 years. The Cole, Lynt
Arcadia Road areas are
ular because of their easy
to Olympia. The areas
ue to grow and add an
number of commuters
Lynch Road to commute to
pia. The Taylor Towne
become more congested ove
and will become a poorer
poorer decision over time.
I urge residents of the
end of Mason County
the county's otions ibr
Road bypass and urge yo
ty commissioner not to
bypass connection to be
through Taylor Towne. t
_ Brand v,,
Little SkookttO WJ
Divinely inspired message
also contains histories of
genealogies, wars, laws
ties of counsel. There are
of miracles, love, hate, lust
and murder, both true
trative. The writings
analogy, simile, meta
perbole, not every word
be taken literally.
Inside this rich tape:
every human condition
man, however, is an
woven thread of divinely
message from God to
Only through seeking
of God through prayer
will you find this
If you search the Bible
tent to find evil,
sion and contradiction,
find it, but you will miss
sage.
Scripture wasn't
easily understood. Chri-'
in parables, as he told
ers, so that only those
with the Spirit of God
derstand what he said.
If anyone wonders
so many interpretations
same book, read 2 Peter
Katr
Editor, The Journal:
We can anti-Christian/pro-
Christian scripture-quote till the
cows come home, and for every
scripture point made, someone
else could find a scripture coun-
terpoint.
The sad thing is, sometimes
they aren't even quoted correctly,
i.e., when Bruce Robinson
(February 8 letter, "Laws don't
apply") asked Diane Eaton
whether she offered her firstborn
son as a burnt offering to the Lord
as the Bible demands in Exodus
22:29-30. Nothing in this scrip-
ture speaks of offering a son as a
burnt offering. Exodus 13:2 clari-
fies it as to sanctify the firstborn
of man and beast - consecrate to
God, to make holy.
Bruce also says the scriptures
warn against prophets - "writers
of the Bible"- but he neglects to
mention that the scriptures he
quoted referred to men who spoke
in the name of the Lord without
having received authority to do
so; the Lord never spoke to them.
I can likewise quote Amos 3:7:
"Surely the Lord God will do
nothing, but he revealeth his se-
cret unto his servants the proph-
ets" and Ephesians 2:20: Christ's
church "built upon foundation of
apostles and prophets." And many
more that indicate prophets are
an integral part of God's work.
I am mostly frustrated, how-
ever, by spiritually disgruntled
people wanting to throw the baby
out with the bathwater by linking
Christianity with all the atroci-
ties, bigotry, hypocrisy and
hatred in the world.
It was not Christianity that
brought the Crusade mayhem, In-
quisitional torture, New England
witch burnings, Hitler's atroci-
ties, Ku Klux Klan cross burnings
or the nasty neighbor who at-
tends the corner church. Christ
taught none of this behavior; it is
not his doctrine. A so-called
"Christian" who becomes a law
unto himself, devoid of the spirit
of Christ or his doctrine, is not a
Christian.
The Old and New Testament is
a marvelous compilation of many
books written by men inspired by
God, some prophets, some apos-
tles, translated from Hebrew to
Greek to Old English to modern
English and multiple languages,
vulnerable to mistranslation. It