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Newspaper Archive of
Shelton Mason County Journal
Shelton, Washington
July 19, 2012     Shelton Mason County Journal
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July 19, 2012
 
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Letters Continued from page A-4 for Mason County and its people are all important at- tributes. For the position of county commissioner district 3. we have that candidate -- Dar- rell Andrews. We live in a widespread and diverse county. Andrews is a candi- date for all of Mason County, not a specific part of it. An- drews was born and raised right here in Mason County, did business in Shelton for many years, has served on an abundance of community Improvement projects and believes in an agenda accord- mg to the people who elect him. not one of his own. A vote for Andrews is a step in the right direction for Shelton and the rest of Mason County. Please join us in voting for the people's candidate -- Andrews, Ma- son County Commissioner District 3. NOTICE CORRECTION Dick and Mary Reller Shelton Same sex? Editor, the Journal Tacoma is celebrating nine days of gay frivolity with parades, speeches, mu- sic and fun. under the aegis of same sex marriage. But it's hardly the same sex. is it? Robert Hoit Union Andrews is capable and cares Editor, the Journal Darrel Andrews told me he was going to run for county commissioner and asked if I would support him. I asked "why do you want to do that?" He said, "Joe, I care about this area. I've lived here all my life and run my business here when I could have left and gone somewhere else." I've known Andrews for 30-plus years and worked with him for almost five years. He has the business and economic practical background to effectively understand and manage county finances. And he has the passion to do the job and understands the history and culture of Mason County. Electing a non-career politician who has energy, integrity and the ability to comprehend a Board of Com- missioners level of civics management seems to me like a wise choice. Please join me in supporting Andrews for county commissioner. Joe Robertson Shelton (Lake Limerick) Neatherlin the best hope Editor, the Journal Randy Neatherlin is our best hope for the kind of change we need on the Ma- son County Board of Corn- missioners. Neatherlin has been serving on the Port of Allyn Commission where he has acquired significant and rel- evant experience in prepar- ing for service on the Mason County Board of Commis- sioners. Neatherlin has been a successful entrepreneur who has founded several small businesses, and he is now showing that he is one of the best real estate sales- men in Mason County. This makes him well-prepared to put his management acu- men to work in resolving the problems stemming from the current board's approval of a Belfair sewer project cost- ing upwards of $48 million, with only about 200 users in sight. I think Neatherlin can effectively deal with the bureaucrats who pushed the project unto a board that flunked their responsibility for supervisory oversight. Maybe the board didn't un- derstand the concept of cost effectiveness. It's probably no coincidence that none of the commissioners involved is seeking election in a district where Belfair area voters are a controlling presence. Neatherlin is a highly in- telligent guy with significant political experience and ex- cellent communication skills qualities that any com- petent county commissioner needs to possess. Arnold Rolfsrud alyn Let's keep NJROTC going Editor, the Journal We have been very for- tunate this year to have received an outstanding show of support from our community for our Shelton NJROTC especially from the members of our three veter- • ans' groups. However, our fight to save this program continues and our message now needs to go to our elect- ed representatives. Closing Navy JROTC units in Washington is wrong. Chapter 102, Section 2031 of Title X states there should be "fair and equitable distribution of units through- out the Nation." This docu- ment indicates that efforts were to be made to improve the increased distribution of units geographically across the United States and increase distribution of units in educationally and economically deprived areas. Instead there is a plan to eliminate 111 Navy units by 2016. The Shelton NJROTC is at risk of being closed due to low enrollment. This will be the third such closing in Washington this year. Stop allowing federal funds to leave the state of Washing- ton. These federal funds sup- port this valuable education program here in Shelton. We believe that enroll- ment numbers are the only thing that is being taken into consideration in determining closures. Success of a unit cannot be determined by a head count, but by the citi- zens the unit turns out. Congress created the NJROTC program and Con- gress can stop the closings. The determination of which units to close must be an evaluation process, not based on a head count or a line item on a spreadsheet. .We need your help to put a stop to the Navy JROTC closings in Washington and change the way the closings are determined. Please help us save the Shelton JROTC by contacting Congressman Norm Dicks at www.house. gov/dicks or 1-800-947-6676. Thank you for your support. Helen Thomson NJROTC Booster Club Public Affairs Officer Shelton Hamilton the guy Editor, the Journal Denny Hamilton is, by i~ar, the most qualified candidate for the position of Mason County Commissioner for District 1. He spent his en- tire professional career help- ing people solve problems and develop policies that would change and save lives. He has worked with inter- national organizations such as the Peace Corps, United Nations, CARE, USAID, and World Bank. Denny has actually made a difference in eighty countries and he can make a difference right here in Mason County. Per- haps his greatest asset is his ability to bring people with different agendas together to accomplish goals that benefit everyone. We need talent like that right here at home. Denny Hamilton has been a Mason County Fire District 2 commissioner for five years. He was a member of the board of directors of Sound Institute, is an active mem- ber of Mason County. Re-en- try Coalition, an Emergency Management Team planner and a strategy planner for several community organiza- tion. Denny understands how to not only plan. but to carry out policy. He has a world of experience doing just that. Mason County has a bud- get of about $30,000,000. Our county commissioners are the ones that set the budget and parcel out the revenues. What kind of ex- perience is required to meet the demands of this job? It's the kind of experience that Denny has shown in his professional life. He is ours now. Let's make use of his skill set. Guyla Vann Belfair Vote for Hadian Editor, the Journal I cannot say the facts any better than the key endorse- ments of state Reps. Matt Shea (Spokane Valley), Ja- son Overstreet (Blaine), Da- vid Taylor (Moxee City) and Brad Klippert (Kennewick). They released the following statement. %Ve are honored to give our support and endorse- ment to Shahram Hadian as he runs for Governor of Washington State. Without question, he is a man of in- tegrity and character willing to take tough stands based on Republican principles. "Shahram is steadfastly pro-life, pro-marriage and will fight to stop the imple- mentation of Obamacare in Washington State. Specifi- cally, he has committed to sign the Healthcare Freedom Act (HB 1946), opting Wash- ington out of Obamacare. '"The constitution is not ah instrument of the govern- ment to restrain the people, it is an instrt]ment for the people to restrain the gov- ernment.' When Patrick Henry made that statement he understood that an all- powerful central government was the enemy of freedom. Mr. Hadian is a staunch defender of property rights and someone who has the titanium backbone to push back against the onslaught of state and federal regula- tions that are strangling our economy. 'Tge need people now, more than ever, who will take government out of the way so small businesses can get Washington working again. This is how we will restore our Constitutional republic at the state level. We firmly believe Shahram Hadian is the right person to help lead that fight." This says it all about this man of integrity. Make your vote count. Got four more like minded people to vote for Hadian for Governor. Nancy Williams Belfair landa an ideal candidate Editor, the Journal Jack Janda is running for re-election as a Mason County PUD 1 commission- er. I have attended several PUD 1 Board of Commis- sioners meetings and have observed Janda as he took part as issues were discussed and reviewed. I found him to be knowledgeable, in- sightful and concerned for the citizens living within the boundaries of PUD 1. These attributes were also recognized by the state orga- nization of PUDs as he was elected to leadership posi- tions and eventually served a term as president of that organization. He continued t0 serve on their board after his presidency. Not only has Janda done a terrific job as PUD 1 commis- sioner, but he has also been an active participant in our community. He served more than 30 years in our local volunteer fire department, 10 of which were as their chief. In the past, he has volunteered at the Hood Ca- nal School and served with the Mason County Tourism Council. He is currently a member of the Hood Canal Kiwanis Club, a volunteer organization committed to our youth. I have known Janda for more than 30 years and view him as a person of high morals and character, and a proven leader committed to fulfill the duties of com- missioner for the benefit of citizens of PUD 1. He has certainly earned our respect and warrants a successful reelection. Bob Sund Hoodsport Let's give Core a shot Editor, the Journal As we move through the summer. Aug. 7 is a very important date to remember. This is the day of the pri- mary election and your vote for county commissioner is an extremely important vote that will shape the future of Mason County for years to come. I want to strongly encourage those of you that live in District 2 to vote for Mark Core. I have had the pleasure to know Mark for more than 36 years both on a personal level and through our professional careers com- peting against each other in private business. I have known Core to al/ ways be caring, honest and have the highest of integrity. He has a work ethic second to none. I believe if Core is elected that he will always put the best interest of Ma- son County and its citizens first when making critical decisions that affect us all. The decisions that will have to be made over the next few years will be critical to the viability of Mason County and I can rest assured that he will think of each of these decisions as a monetary busi- ness decision based on what is best for the county. I encourage you to check out Core and his work re- cord and you will see that he is truly the best qualified candidate for Mason County Commissioner District 2. Don Welander Shelten Davis the candidate Editor, the Journal In view of the up and com- ing primary, I would like to remind everyone to open their ballot, cast their votes and mail it back or drop it in the nearest drop box. Now then, concerning those votes; I would like to encourage you to consider carefully who our next rep- resentative will be for 35th Legislative District position 2. Jeff Davis is a man who can be trusted. He has been from one end of the 35th to the other, listening to the concerns and opinions of the constituents of this dis- trict. He isn't one to practice double-speak -- He will look you in the eye and give you a straight answer. He will back up his comments with verifiable facts. Jeff is not only trustwor- thy, he is knowledgeable. He is a working man, and understands the challenges of working families in this economy. He is concerned about creating jobs, about education, environmental stewardship and transporta- tion among others. Jeff is a likeable person who works well with others. He understands teamwork and will be an asset in the Legislature. Jeff Davis is trustworthy, knowledgeable, personable, educated and experienced. In recent weeks, I have heard Jeff's words and phrases repeated by another candidate. Since imitation is the highest form of flat- tery, I can only assume this particular copycat has great admiration for Jeff and his campaign issues and posi- tions. Andrea Abruzzo Belfair Shaking down the The Shelton- accept candidate support letters after the July 26 issue. Editor, the Journal Last week county com- missioners approved a two year contract between the Sheriffs Office and the com- munity of Timberlakes for up to $80,000 in fees for what is being called "enhanced" po- licing services. Why must some commu- nities pay twice for policing services; once with their property tax dollars and again through private con- tracts? The agreement states these services are meant to "supplement, not substitue for current manning levels," but there is reason to believe that is not entirely true, as each private contract is an admission that current levels of enforcement are inad- equate. It is no secret that the sheriff and the county do not see eye-to-eye over ftmding issues. And when political opinions collide, it is often the taxpayer who loses. So, what started in Lake Cush- man is now in Timberlakes and it is unlikely to end there. But before any more com- munities enter into one of these private contracts, there needs to be a top down ef- ficiency audit performed on the sheriffs operation. Cur- rently, the county is hold- ing $7.2 million in surplus funds; it only makes sense to spend a few of those tax- payer dollars to assure that $10 million budgeted for law enforcement is being used as effectively and efficiently as possible Commissioner Sheldon defends the practice of pri- vate contracts, saying: "it works." But for whom does it really work? For the com- munity who pays twice for budgeted services? For a public that pays benefits and overtime of officers engaged in private contracts? It is the county that benefits most from such arrangements, by allowing what is effectively a supplemental appropriation to be funded directly by some citizens and indirectly by the rest of us. Call it what you like, an agreement, a contri- bution, even a voluntary tax; it's still an out-of-pocket ex- pense for a budgeted service. Among citizens, public safety is the No. 1 concern, even above jobs. And for good reason; there is too much crime and too many com- plaints about law enforce- ment not responding to calls for assistance in a timely manner. Crime rates affect our economy, our sense of se- curity and our personal lives. Nothing is more important. The sheriff and commis- sioners need to pull in their horns and get to work on a better mousetrap: com- missioners need to adopt a budget that meets the needs of law enforcement and law enforcement needs to be audited to work within that budget. If our elected officials can't find a solution to this, the most important of all issues, without charging citizens twice for the same services, then the citizens need to re- place them with people who can. Tom Davis Shelton Educate yourself on Editor, the Journal To the letter writer whose reading list promotes the Shelton-Mason County Journal In last week's article "Elma car show sched- uled" the date was state incorrectly. The "Heat on the Street" car show is scheduled to run from 9 ram. to 3 p.m. on Aug. 4 with a cruise-in on Aug. 3. elimination of all public ser- vices and agencies and yes. taxation. A new Congressional Budget Office report said that in 2009. taxes were at their lowest rate in 30 years and that does not include the other tax cuts this presi- dent enacted since 2009. In fact. President Obama's his- torically low taxes were less than Bush I, Clinton. Bush II and Reagan administra- tions, but people who only listen to talking points and never do any fact-checking will never admit that incon- venient truth. The letter writer wants us to believe that the right wing will lower our taxes. Partly true. If you are one of the wealthiest 2 percent you will get windthll tax breaks. Here are their plans. The Paul Ryan Path to Prosperity budget and Wil- lard Romney's tax plan give the wealthy tax cuts of 10-20 percent on top of their Bush- era cuts that will increase the deficit by $4-6 trillion at the same time they increase taxes on the middle class and, unbelievably, the work- ing poor who are struggling to feed their families. If you believe that Presi- dent Obama has raised your taxes you should turn off your TV and get out your current and past tax tables and compare them. If you haven't kept your records, no problem. You can do the research when you are at the library returning the books you checked out. The Affordable Care Act we are the only developed country that subjects its citi- zens to healthcare for profit. Healthcare costs are the cause of most bankruptcies and have destroyed families all over America. The right wing congress has spent $50 million 33 times trying to repeal affordable healthcare for us. Clinton Ferrara Shelton Stop the insanity Editor, the Journal Can we please stop this in- sanity? With so much of the West currently burning why do we allow fireworks in our county? We live in the valley north of Lost Lake and every year we are terrorized by many setting off illegal fire- works in these timberlands. Calls to the sheriff only bring a lecture on lack of enough staff to do anything. This county is full of trees with timber playing a large economic role. This resource deserves protection rather than regular threats of fire. As an ex-nurse who once worked at Harborview's Burn Unit, I know better than most the personal threat posed by such ex- plosives and fires. Can we please stop the 'fun' of a few from threatening the peace, prosperity and lives of the many? Can we please ban fireworks in Mason County? -Thursda~ Kim Rothrock-Mack Shelton July 19, 2012 - Page A-5