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Newspaper Archive of
Shelton Mason County Journal
Shelton, Washington
August 9, 2012     Shelton Mason County Journal
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August 9, 2012
 
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JOURNALEDITORIAL KOMENCOMMENT Men from Wash. were once top choices for VP Two men from Washington state once were within reach of being only a '11 heartbeat from the presidency of the United States. Each was figured to be a top choice for vice president, but in each case crucial decisions set them aside. We were reminded of this part of Wash- ington history by Robert A. Caro's master- ful work "The Passage of Power," his fourth volume of"The Years of Lyndon Johnson." Henry M. Jackson and William O. Douglas were the Washingtonians whose close personal and political proximity to presidents John F. Kennedy and Frank- lin D. Roosevelt nearly had them in the White House. Both men were no stranger LETTERSTOTHEEDITOR By JOHN KOMEN to the Olympic Pen- insula, Jackson as senator and Douglas a fervent hiker. Both Sen. Scoop Jackson and Justice Douglas were on the "short lists" when JFK and FDR were selecting vice presidents, Ken- nedy in 1960 and Roos- evelt in 1944. Instead of Jackson, Kennedy selected Texas Sen. Lyndon B. Johnson as his vice presidential running mate, and President Roosevelt chose Missouri Sen. Harry S. Truman. We all know what happened. Both vice presidents assumed the presidency, Tru- man when FDR died at Warm Springs, Georgia, in 1945 and Johnson when JFK was killed in Dallas in 1963. The "heartbeat" is a chillingly tragic factor to be considered in the American presidency, but it has happened eight times. John Tyler, Andrew Johnson, Ches- ter Arthur, Millard Fillmore, Theodore Roosevelt, Calvin Coolidge, Harry Truman and Lyndon Johnson all succeeded to the presidency by the in-office deaths of the presidents they served as vice president. And had Justice Douglas and Scoop Jackson been chosen as vice presidents, each of them would have been president upon the deaths of FDR and JFK. Regarding Scoop Jackson, author Caro says "the candidates most often mentioned for the (Kennedy) ticket's vice presidential slot were Stuart Symington, Governor Orville L. Freeman of Minneso- ta and Senator Henry M (Scoop) Jackson of Washington." Caro doesn't mention that Jackson and • Kennedy were close friends when they served together in the U.S. Congress. There's a fa- mous photograph of Jackson and Kennedy playing softball on a Washington, D.C. field, a photo often used when their friendship is talked about. Also not mentioned by Caro is that Kennedy, as president-elect, asked Jackson to become chairman of the National Democratic Party. It was said to be a consola- lion prize for not being tabbed by Kennedy to be his vice presidential running mate. Like the good soldier he was, Jackson assumed the party chairmanship and never, so far as we know, ever uttered a word of disappointment about his friend's choice of a running mate. Kennedy's choice, of course, was Lyn- don B. Johnson. And Caro relates in fas- cinating almost minute-by-minute detail how John Kennedy made his decision. It is well accepted that Johnson was chosen because Kennedy needed Texas' electoral votes to delbat Richard M. Nixon and win the White House. Presumably, Kennedy made the explanation to his friend Scoop. As for William O. Douglas, the man from Goose Prairie, Washington, who grew up in Yakima, he was among the top three discussed by FDR to join him on the ticket in 1944. A self-made man whose left-liberal credentials were impeccable, Douglas became a FDR New Deal confi- dant almost from the start in 1932. Even though FDR had named Douglas to the Supreme Court in 1939, his name was prominently mentioned to rid the • 1944 ticket of controversial Vice President Henry Wallace. In a surprise move, FDR quietly gave the nod to the man from Missouri. The Roos- evelt-Truman ticket won, and months later, FDR was dead and Truman was president. GUESTCOLUMN • John Komen, who lives on Mason Lake, was for 40 years a reporter and edi- tor, TV anchorman, national TV network correspondent, producer, columnist, edito- rial writer and commentator. His column, Komen Comment, appears each week in the Shelton-Mason County Journal. hospital wing great start We also want the lowest pos- New a sible cost. The new renovations cost $33 million, but funding comes entirely by hospital oper- Mason County Hospital & board members and local third was added in 1992. ating revenues. It didn't require Family of Clinics' new surgery residents were all on hand last When it comes to our health, a taxpayer bond -- a rarity in wing is a place most residents Wednesday for an open house we want the best available construction projects of this hope they'll never have to see. and ribbon cutting for the new care. Technology and surgical magnitude. But now that officials have addition. The new wing officially techniques have changed dras- With Phase I in the books, cut the ribbon for Phase I of opens to the public on Aug. 15. tically'since the 1960s, as has we're looking forward to Phase the hospital's Campus Renewal The construction project the demand for such services. II. The second part of the renova- and Construction Project, marks the first remodel the Now, Mason County residents lion project will included a re- which includes three new state hospital building has had in 25 can come to Mason General for model of the hospital's emergen- of the art surgery suites and years. The current facility was services that may not have been cy department and an addition of 20,000 square feet of additional built in 1968, which was when available in the past, saving the dining and meeting rooms. space, we're glad it's here. two of the three original sur- them a trip to Olympia or even It could be completed by next Elected officials, hospital gery rooms were constructed. A Seattle. summer. 1o kly $26,300. As the property own- gation. Elections are coming up Act uic ers we felt this offer was low and so please keep in mind that 'deal- hired an appraiser to review their sion' and %uck' stops at the top. for San Juans offer and countered at $38,640. In Mason County it is the County Mason County refused to negoti- Commissioners. Editor, the Journal ate with us. At the Mason County We urge our senators, repre- Board of Commissioners meet- Steve and Lenny Johnson sentatives and President Barack ing on Jan. 5, 2010, the Board of Jack and Kathy Johnson Obama to act quickly to protect Commissioners signed the orderLes and Betty Krueger federal lands on the San Juan of condemnation beginning a Clifton Heights LLC Islands and create the San lawsuit against its own citizens Belfair Juans National Monument.and taxpayers. At that com- The small islands and reefs missioners meeting we pleaded that will be included in this with the commissioners for a monument are home to birds, settlement to try to avoid litiga- seals and many other species lion. The order was signed and of wildlife and plants as well as on Jan. 13, 2010, a lawsuit was Editor, the Journal providing fishing sites, recre, filed in Mason County Superior Previously Pam Ward raised ational opportunities and sup- Court, Mason County vs. Clifton questions about the sheriffs porting the economies of local Heights, LLC & et. all. On March budget. This letter is in response communities. 10, 2010, we requested a meeting to her comments. Any question Local communities have been with Mason County in an attempt about the sheriffs budget is al- working for years to increase pro- to work out the issues and avoid ways related to questions about tection for these lands. We share litigation. Mason County refused the entire county's budget and the desire to preserve these lands to meet with us and sent a letter who sets the county budget. The so families now and in the future from their attorney Dan Lossing Board of County Commissioners can enjoy hiking, camping, boat- saying '"four email also conveyed is ultimately responsible for ap- ing and the experience of nature your clients' request for a meet- proving the county budget. It is so necessary to peace of mind in ing with the County to review the their responsibility to levy taxes, this busy world, items in the report. Because we appropriate revenues and adopt do not see the need or benefit for the final budget for the orderly L.F. and Carole Warneke such a meeting, we respectfully operation of county government. Allyndecline the invitation." Direct It is also the responsibility of the Quote. In February 2012 the case Board of County Commioners to went thlvugh a five-day jury trial establish priorities of the comity Pnn rtv in Mason County Superior Court. government based on avail- -rv r.- ~j In that trial Mason County's ap- ability funding and adopt their praisal exceeded our original of- budget accordingly. benefits fer of $38,640. The jury awarded Ms. Ward's statement regard, Clifton Heights LLC roughly ing the sheriffs budget increas- public $145,000 plus interest of around ing between 2010 and 2012 is $25,000. Last week Masoncorrect, however she fails to County Superior Court aw~ded state why it increased. A closer Editor, the Journal Clifton Heights LLC roughly review shows the increase is Belfair is a small community $210,000 in attorney fees. It is due to long overdue salary and so when we were approached by understood that Mason County benefit increases to the deputies, Mason County in 2008 to provide paid their attorneys, Insley Best corrections officers and sup- property for the Belfair Sewer from Bellevue, around $200,000 port staff. Two union contracts, pump station No: 3 including the for their involvement in this case. negotiated by the county corn- conveyance system we cooper- Rough totals of this lawsuit cost missioners, were settled during ated. It was explained that Mason Mason County around $575,000 this time. Furthermore, the County needed to add a pumpnot to mention all the time and county commissioners added station at mid-elevation to con- expenses in a lawsuit that does courthouse weapons screening vey all Phase 1 sewer to the new not get comi~ensated for. All for to the sheriffs already numer- ' plant. During this process Mason only a $12,340 difference in Janu- ous responsibilities. These two County appraised our property ary 2010, that Mason County items accounted for $159,000 and on Oct. 5, 2009, offered us could have settled but forced liti- more than the budgeted increas- Claims untrueTheir l°ss was a part °f a c°unty- wide staffing reduction to balance es. Simple math tells me the sheriffhad to cut his operations somewhere else to cover this shortfall. I have always supported public safety in Mason County and have closely followed the economic ira- pacts to it. In 2008-2009, the sher- iffs office lost three deputies, three jail corrections officers, an animal control officer and an evidence officer due to layoffs, and one ad- ditional deputy due to attrition. the 2009 budget. The details are in the county commissioners briefing and meeting minutes from De- cember 2008 and the first quarter of 2009, as well as on the sheriffs website in the Dec. 7, 2008, and April 4, 2009, press releases. Finally, there are no facts to support Ms. Ward's claim the sheriff "chose not to fill three vacant positions so that he could provide his senior staffwith in- creases in pay." This assertion is blatantly false as demonstrated by the fact that no non-union employee in the sheriffs of- fice has received any salary increases for at least six years. Many commissioner briefings and meeting minutes, over many years, show numerous discus- sions with the county human resource director, other elected officials, non-union employees and the sheriff addressing the need to properly align salaries for all non-mlion employees as a group rather than the current practice of reviewing them on a case-by-case basis. The county needs commis- sioners that can establish the priorities of government, strat- egize, plan and collaborate with the public and all the elected officials to develop a working model of county government that~benefits all. This is the time to make that happen Denny Temple Shelton Mason County PUD 1, PUD 3 oppose tinkering to determine the best way to manage the electricity that powers the region. Direc- Mason County's two sibilities ordered by the fed- homes and businesses. Nearly tives from nearly 3,000 miles public utility districts, oral government would most 4,500 megawatts of wind away cannot, and should not, PUD 1 and PUD 3 certainly be felt locally in the energy flows into the BPAreplace this collaborative, re- proudly serve their customers form of higher rates, system. So much wind energy gionally based process. with safe, reliable electrical In the PacifiC Northwest has been brought online and The energy secretary service at the lowest reason- nearly all the goals of the melded into the system that should reconsider his propos- able cost. Both districts are memo are al-there is more than our region als and listen to the voices of concerned about a recent By JACK ready being needs, public power customers, the policy statement from the US JANDA and addressed. In All this begs the question: local PUDs that serve them, Department of Energy that, if LINDA GOTT fact, many of If the Pacific Northwest is al- and the 166 members of Con- allowed to proceed, could have the region'sready doing what the energy gress, including members of drastic impacts on wholesale programs are nationally rec- secretary says he wants all Washington's delegation, who electricity rates. Further, it ognized for their inn~)vation regions of the country to pur- sent a letter to the secretary could erode the very basis of and effectiveness. Both Mason sue, what is his underlying expressing their discontent public power in the Pacific County PUDs and other utili- purpose? with his plans. Northwest: local control, ties across the region have In addition to cost, we are Together, we ask customers U.S. Energy Secretary promoted and successfully concerned that the secretary's in both Mason County pub- Steven Chu recently issued achieved energy efficiency for proposal would shift energy lic utility districts to contact a memo to the Bonneville years. PUD 1 customers saved decisions from local control to their members of Congress Power Administration (BPA) 200,529 kilowatt-hours of elec- a federal agency in the other and U.S. Senate to thank and other similar power agen- tricity in the 2010-2011 bien- Washington. Public utilitythem for supporting us and cies across the country that nium. PUD 3 customers cut districts were founded on the to encourage them to stay appears to foreshadow a big their consumption by 13,701 principle that local communi- vigilant in the fight to head off government takeover of many megawatt-hours of electric- ties are the most appropriate this latest effort to wrest local regional programs relating to ity per year during that same managers of critical resources, control from the region. renewable energy, energy ef- period, such as energy. Utilities ficiency, and new technologies. The region has made great throughout the Pacific North- • Jack Janda is the chair of the Since nearly all the electric- strides in developing and west work closely with BPAMason CounO' PUD / Board of Commissioners. Linda Gott is the chair of the Mason County PUD 3 Board of Comnfissioners, Washington Newspaper Publishers' Association. Shelton-Mason County 1~ ity used by Mason County cus- melding new renewable en- ................ ~-- .--_ I1[ tomers is marketed through ergy resources into the mix of ::: i BPA any additional respon- energy that powers customers' ,' Shelton-Mason County Journal is a member of Karl Sleight, publisher USPS 492-8OO Advertising: Dave Pierik, Sr. Acct. Executive Sharee Miller, ad representative Maggie Burdick, ad representative Pressroom: Kell~ Alexander, ad representative Kelly Riordan, production manager Composing room: William Adams, graphics Newsroom: SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Adam Rudnick, editor $37 per year for Mason County addresses, Natalie Johnson, reporter $51 per year in state of Washington but outside Emily Hanson, sports reporter Mason County, $61 per year out of state. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Shelton-Mason County Journal, P.O. Box 430, Shelton, WA 98584. Published weekly by Shelton-Mason County Journal, 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 Owned and published by She~ton-Mason County Journal, Inc Travis Miller, press operator Front office: Mary Northover, press operator Donna Kinnaird, bookkeeper Margot Brand, circulation Cricket Carter, mailroom supervisor Page A-4 - Shelton-Mason County Journal - Thursday, Aug. 9, 2012