June 9, 2011 Shelton Mason County Journal | ![]() |
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Continued from page A-1
"I don't believe the Bel-
fair Water District has par-
ticularly asked us for an
annexation," said County
Commissioner Tim Sheldop.
"We have to have a complete
sentence that we could act
upon."
The water district's
Resolution 11-05, adopted
on May 10, states that "It
is hereby resolved by the
Board of Commissioners of
the Belfair Water District
#1 that the annexation of
Blue Star Properties LLC
and Riverhill Properties
LLC as proposed."
The county commission-
ers voted unanimously to
table a decision until the
water district re-submitted
its proposal.
If developed, Riverhill
could bring up to 129 cus-
temers to the water district
at no cost to ratepayers, said
RiverhiU developer Jack
Johnson, who would pay for
the design, easements and
construction of all off-site
development needed to con-
nect his parcels to the dis-
trict.
"This is a tremendous
benefit to all our customers
at no expense," said District
Manager Dave Tipton dur-
ing the hearing.
Water district customer
Greg Waggett, whose par-
cel of property at Romance
Hill has been the subject of
a separate annexation con-
troversy for more than a
yeal', said that he was tired
of customers paying for de-
velopment.
The parcels are within
the Belfair Urban Growth
Area and per the coun-
ty's obligations under the
Growth Management Act,
they should receive urban
services like utilities, Ad-
kins said.
"The staff report makes
it clear," Sheldon said. "The
Romance Hill discussion [is]
not part of our decision to:
day."
Port
Continued from page A-1
The dispute among the three commissioners,
Executive Director John Dobson, and various
other port staff members began with a question
from Commissioner Jack Miles about public re-
cords requests.
After making several records requests, Miles
asked if he could pick up the documents at the
port office, rather than having them mailed to
him, at the expense of the port.
"I want them to be available right in my (port)
mailbox," Miles said.
Dobson responded that because Miles has not
paid the standard fee for such requests in the
past, the port would rather mail the documents
in order to have an official receipt for their re-
cords. Also, Dobson said that the port has to fol-
low policy to ensure proper documentation and
adherence to public disclosure laws.
"It's a chain of custody issue," Dobson said.
"The question that we have is documentation,
when you're looking for a hard copy."
Miles then asked why private citizens could
pick up documents from records requests at the
port. Dobson said that the receipts from the docu-
ment fees act as proof the document was in fact
delivered.
Commissioner Wallitner asked Miles why, as a
commissioner, he needed to make public requests
at all, when documents are already widely avail-
able to him.
"Do you have access that I don't have?" Miles
asked in return.
Miles argued that he has no legitimate way to
gain access to material necessary to make deci-
sions as a commissioner without resorting to pub-
lic records requests.
"I'm making these requests because certain
things have happened in the past and they're
making me go through the request process," he
said. "It's diminishing my ability to a llrate
information in a timely manner."
Miles recently submitted 36 separate records
requests in two days, Dobson said.
Hupp said that there was never any restriction
imposed on Miles by the commission on what he
had access to. He explained that he and Wallitner
get all of the information they need from confer-
ences with port staff.
"You've placed a couple of restrictions on your-
self," Hupp said. "One of which is the inability to
talk to the executive director without a witness."
Hupp referred to a legal agreement between
Dobson and Miles stemming from a harassment
complaint Miles filed against Dobson in January.
"You have circumvented me," Miles said.
The entire discussion fell under the commis-
sion's action/discussion item "A" or Resolution
10-02, approved by commissioners Jay Hupp and
Tom Wallitner last June, which clarifies interac-
Port Executive Director John Dobson, left, and executive
Smith attended Tuesday's Port Commission meeting.
Journal photo by Natalie Johnson
assistant Wendy
tions between the commission and port staff, dating.
Specifically, the resolution states that no Dobson read one excerpt aloud to the com-
port staff member works for any one commis- mission:
sioner and all directives, orders and repri- "You need to watch how you talk to com-
mands must be made by the commission as missioners. I want you to review the Organi-
a body. zational Chart for the Port of Shelton, print
"You are the ones who put this together it out and keep it posted on your wall at your
to circumvent me doing my job," Miles said desk. If you ever have any question regard-
about the resolution. "I'm not recognizing this ing this Organizational Chart and how it
aa a document because it 0nly appliag to worl e, I w6uld be happy to show and explain
After several more minutes of arguing over it to you," Miles wrote in a May 26 email to
whether commissioner Miles should have to Smith.
pay for his 36 requests, Dobson read several Miles sent another email, dated May 29,
emails between himself, Miles, and port Ex- to Dobson also threatening reprimands,
ecutive Assistant Wendy Smith, stemming which ended with, "Your dirty dealings are
from an incident when Smith asked Miles coming to an end, it's just a matter of time."
not to date-stamp his requests in advance. The discussion ended with a promise from
Excerpts from the emails include threats port attorney Charles "Skip" Houser to re-
of reprimands from Miles to both Smith and view and update the port's public records re-
Dobson. Hupp described the emails as intimi- quest policy.
[ 180 Hulbert Rd., Shelton, * :
/ (36o) 426-5585 • www.gillisautocen~%:.: . '~"
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Shelton-Mason County Journal -Thursday, June. 9, 2011 - Page A-7