Permanent 4-Way Stop at 8th and C Streets

There's been a "temporary" four-way stop at 8th and C Streets (Uptown Port Angeles) ever since construction began on the two Eighth Street bridges. The stop signs on Eighth Street generated lots of complaints from motorists who use Eighth Street as a thoroughfare.

But the additional stop signs have made the crosswalks at that intersection safer for pedestrians, and C Street is now more convenient for motorists. In any case the four-way stop is now permanent.

Harbor-Works Audit: A “Witch Hunt???”

According to a state audit, the formation of the Port Angeles Harbor-Works Public Development Authority did not go against the Washington State Open Public Meetings Act and did not violate any Port Angeles laws.

Regardless of their findings, I think it was important for this audit to be conducted. There’s been a lot of suspicion and resentment (to put it mildly) regarding the creation of Harbor-Works.

Port Angeles residents Norma Turner and Shirley Nixon filed the request for the investigation. Norma Turner said: “Even though the state office thinks it was done right, we continue to respectfully disagree. When local elected officials meet with no public input . . . and in doing so have to amend their own rules, again with no public notice and no public comment, I think normal citizens know that violates reasonable expectation of public input.”

Harbor-Works board member Howie Ruddell accused certain un-named citizens (three guesses) of trying to “hijack this community project.” He also said: “Unfortunately these witch hunts are being paid for with tax payer dollars and they need to stop.”

So, when the state Auditor’s Office investigates a citizens’ complaint against a city government — a government which has a long history of steamrolling over the citizens it’s supposedly “serving” — it isn’t actually an audit. It’s a “hijacking.” A “witch hunt.”

OK, duly noted. Thank you Howie Ruddell for clarifying this.

You’ve Come a Long Way Baby

Today’s chalkboard message at Port Book and News provided the following information:

On May 28th, 1923, the U.S. Attorney General ruled that it’s now legal for women to wear pants in public.

The Times They Are A-Changin’…

(The same information is provided at this site.)

Liability Agreement between Nippon and Port Angeles

The City of Port Angeles and Nippon Paper Industries USA formed a “common interest agreement” last year. In case either party is found liable for contamination of Port Angeles Harbor, both parties will share information to conduct a "joint defense against any and all claims that may be asserted against them.”

According to City Attorney Bill Bloor, the agreement was made as a precaution against possible findings by the State Department of Ecology. The Department took samplings of harbor sentiment last summer, and their report is expected to be released to the public this coming July or August.

Juan de Fuca Festival 2009

From tomorrow, May 22nd through Monday May 25th will be Port Angeles' sixteenth annual Juan de Fuca Festival of the Arts.

There will be over 125 music, theater and dance performances.

Check here for details.

Pool Measure Passes 2 to 1

The results are in. As of this writing, the vote was 6,484 for, and 3,125 votes against the creation of a park district which will fund the William Shore Memorial Pool.

The park district will levy 15 cents per $1,000 valuation; i.e. the owner of a $200,000 home will pay an extra $30 per year. This will start in 2010.

Here's the link.

Forks and Twilight

I was in Forks about two weeks ago, for the first time in over a year. It seemed like the Twilight phenomenon has really boosted their economy. And now this article confirms it. The same article is also linked here.

The previous time I had been in Forks — early 2008 — it looked really depressed. It seemed like half of the businesses downtown were either closed or for sale. Two weeks ago, I didn’t see a single empty storefront. Maybe there are some, but driving up and down the main street I didn’t see any.

And the whole town had a liveliness, an “up” feel to it, that I’ve never seen there before (in my 4-½ years of living in this area).

You Go Forks.

“On The Boardwalk” Building Might Become Artists’ Studio

As you may remember, about a year ago local artists Bob Stokes and Paul Labrie wanted to rent the On The Boardwalk site for a studio. The city turned them down, but now they’re reconsidering.

The former On The Boardwalk Restaurant (across the street from the ferry terminal) has been empty for several years.

Bob Stokes and Paul Labrie want to create a metal-sculpture and glass-blowing studio in the building. It seems like a much better use for the building. And tourists getting off the ferry presumably would rather see an art studio than a boarded-up restaurant.

Murray Motors Closing?

This is a list of fifteen Chrysler dealers in Washington that are on the chopping block. Murray Motors is on the list.

The article includes: “The dealers likely will have a right to appeal to get off the list.”

Let’s hope Murray Motors can stay open. They’ve been here since 1934. Everyone there is very friendly and they provide excellent service at low prices.

And just out of pure selfishness: if you own a Chrysler/Plymouth/Dodge, where will you go for repairs?

Here is their website.

Port Angeles Vote (Just Maybe) on Fluoridation

The Washington State Supreme Court might make it possible for Port Angeles residents to have a vote on water fluoridation.

Two local groups — Our Choice! and Protect Our Waters — submitted petitions to the Port Angeles City Council in 2006 to bring the issue to a public vote. Kitsap County Superior Court and the State Court of Appeals both ruled that the initiatives were not eligible to be placed on the ballot because they dealt with “administrative” rather than “legislative” issues.

On April 30th the State Supreme Court agreed to review those two court decisions. And now a third group, Protect The Peninsula’s Future, is involved. All three groups are being represented by Attorney Gerald Steel of Olympia.

I have nothing personal against fluoride in the water, but there’s no reason this issue shouldn’t be voted on by the public. Squelching these initiatives is the exact kind of high-handed autocratic attitude that causes so much hostility and resentment against local governments.

Port Angeles City Council: Fewer Meetings, More Public Participation

Last Tuesday the City Council discussed — but hasn’t yet acted on — eliminating all except one of their committees. They also discussed having more informal discussions with the public before their meetings.

Both of these ideas were first brought up during the April 18th retreat with City Manager Kent Myers and City Council members. (This article was in Thursday’s PDN but isn’t available online.)

The Real Estate Committee is the only committee that hasn’t been proposed for elimination. Committees that might be eliminated include finance, parks, human services, economic development and solid waste.

Council member Dan Di Guilio said that with fewer committees and more issues discussed by the entire council, “the public would understand what issues we are dealing with. I think it’s important that they at least know what the council is discussing.”

He noted one example, that the City Council’s Finance Committee discussed stopping the funding for William Shore Memorial Pool a month before the idea was brought to the full City Council.

Cruise Ship Coming to Port Angeles

The Holland America Line cruise ship Statendam will be in Port Angeles tomorrow. The 1,266 passengers will have nine hours — 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. — to check everything out.

Three years ago — May 2006 — was the last time a cruise ship pulled into Port Angeles (not two years ago as the PDN stated). I was out of town during that period, but I heard that most of the passengers who left the ship got as far as Gottschalks and just hung out there for their whole visit.

This time there seems to be a lot more planning and preparation. The Port Angeles Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Olympic Visitor Bureau are setting up a welcome tent to greet passengers as they disembark. They’ll be giving away maps, brochures, sightseeing information and coupons for downtown shopping.

Before leaving the ship, passengers will have the chance to sign up in advance for tours of Hurricane Ridge, Crescent Lake, the Hoh Rain Forest and local wineries. There will be shuttle buses to take passengers to several downtown locations, and the Landing Mall will have about twelve arts and crafts vendors.

Welcome, passengers! And as televangelists are always saying: “Dig deep into your wallet.”

Identity of Candidate A: The Countdown…

The envelope please…

Sometime later today, all of you taxpaying Port Angeles residents might actually find out the name of the new VIP ($144,000 a year) whom your tax dollars will be financing.

“Candidate A” of course is the code name for the mystery person who will become the Executive Director of the Port Angeles Harbor-Works Public Development Authority.

Board Chairman Orville Campbell said: “We just don't want to reveal his identity until we have a signed contract.”

Ah, transparency.

UPDATE: The unanimous choice is Jeff Lincoln, currently the Engineering Director of the Port of Olympia. He will finish out this month at his current job before taking over as Executive Director of the Port Angeles Harbor-Works Public Development Authority.