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Shelton Mason County Journal
Shelton, Washington
February 15, 2007     Shelton Mason County Journal
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February 15, 2007
 
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00lournal of Opinion: Borderline deal Let&apos;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