Thursday, January 14, 2010

Three Candidates for Harbor-Works Vacancy

The Port of Port Angeles has selected three finalists for the position vacated by Bart Irwin when he resigned from Harbor-Works in December.

Grant Munro, Harry Bell, and Kaj Ahlburg have been invited to give a short presentation at the next Port of Port Angeles meeting on January 25th.

Port Commissioner John Calhoun said: β€œIt isn't an interview per se. We just want to hear why they want to be on the board.”

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39 Comments:

Anonymous The Watcher said...

Port Commissioner John Calhoun said: "It isn't an interview per se. We just want to start figuring out which far-right kook we're going to try and pawn off on the board of this important organization."

Calhoun went on to say: "We sure don't want the future of this valuable site to be influenced by anyone not connected with our local real estate and/or logging induustries. Imagine if some sort of hippies got involved!"

Commissioner Calhoun then excused himself, explaining that he was late for a meeting of something he called "The Cabal" and exited the room in a puff of smoke, lightly scented with sulphur.

3:56 PM, January 14, 2010  
Blogger BBC said...

Tomorrow I'm heading into the woods for four or five days. The rest of you monkeys are in charge while I'm gone.

*shudders*

As for what Sally said. A family living wage job these days is considered to be at about thirty bucks an hour.

But if only maybe ten percent of the monkeys here are making those kind of wages it's not helping the rest of them much.

Even the folks that make the pecker extension boats here and claimed that they was going to pay great wages when they sold us on them coming here have been chipping away at wages.

6:04 PM, January 14, 2010  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Great selection, there.

Back in 2004, the city council was doing a Comprehensive Plan revision, and one area under discussion was the zoning for the former Rayonier mill site. Hours of meeting time, with the public offering all kinds of views and opinions. The zoning dictates to what extent the site would be cleaned up to.

Once the public coment period was closed, then city councilmember and former Rayonier employee Grant Munro made a motion to zone the property "Industrial", which meant Rayonier would have to do the least amount of cleanup of the toxics it contaminated the lands with. That zoning was approved, and stands to this day.

Here we saw how Grant Munro really looks out for the good of the community.

Now, the taxpayers will be paying to clean up their messes, if any other uses but "Restricted" are pursued.

Thanks for looking out for us, Grant.

7:01 PM, January 14, 2010  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

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10:50 PM, January 14, 2010  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Anon 10:50

I agree. Completely.

11:45 PM, January 14, 2010  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Anon 10:50 ... wurd!

5:10 AM, January 15, 2010  
Anonymous Bewildered PA Friend said...

After some thought, I am not entirely sure any of the people seeking any public positions are capable of rational decision making much less a "cabal".

After reading the AIA article today in PDN it heartens me to know PA does not have the corner on the idiot market. Nearly speechless? Still laughing.

And then there is the missing $500K and the dopes who never noticed it missing and thought it was OK to have one person to be in total control of the money.

If I could sell my house for a reasonable amount and get the hail out of here I would be gone.

6:37 PM, January 15, 2010  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I hear that at the "Open House" put on by Harbor-Works last Monday, there were NO supportive comments made by the approx. 75public present. In fact, the tone was so negative that even Lincoln was worn out by the end of the session. He stated there was no real estate market for the site.

I can understand something like Harbor-Works existing to help with properties that HAVE economic viability, and to co-ordinate the clean up of the *harbor*. But it is, and has obviously been a complete waste of time to spend money on the Rayonier site. Everyone KNEW before they even formed Harbor-Works that the site had very extensive and virtually impossible (in development viability terms) issues.

Why START an "economic development" project on the most difficult property in the area?

Without definitive economic viability, the city cannot possibly justify the purchase of that property solely for their CSO control project. Now they have current studies showing that property has little economically viable value. To proceed will betray the public trust.

So. Now we know why those that have applied, have. They must be smokin' the REALLY good stuff.

6:44 PM, January 15, 2010  
Anonymous Gitanjali Attawalahai said...

Dear Anonymous 10:50, Sir or Madam as the case may be. I am of full comprehension of these words of which you have caused to be inscribed herein, this blog. Thanking you, therefore, I remain.

Wishing you many good lucks,

Gintanjali Attawalahai

7:08 PM, January 15, 2010  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"If I could sell my house for a reasonable amount and get the hail out of here I would be gone."

A LOT of people just left, within the last year or so. The stock of vacant residences in the area is huge.

I so agree with your comments. Had the same reaction to that AIA article, realizing they couldn't say much else having been given $5,000 from the city. Still, it was SO lame.

"After some thought, I am not entirely sure any of the people seeking any public positions are capable of rational decision making much less a "cabal"." Again, I totally agree. Each of them are too committed to making sure they personally benefit from any decision to be able to unify for the good of a "cabal", a cause.. or, heaven forbid, the good of the community!

I'll be out of here as soon as things permit.

11:28 PM, January 15, 2010  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Well, the AIA focused mainly on the downtown, from the looks of things. Of course that looks "better". Nevermind how you personally feel about the colors, downtown did get a sparkling fresh coat of paint. Yeah, there are some vacancies, but given the economy the downtown isn't doing too bad.

Problem is, downtown is a very small part of Port Angeles. I think people here tend to focus too much on downtown. I mean, what is that? Six square blocks of little shops? Something like that. Yeah, you need a vibrant downtown, but you also need an economy outside downtown (which I'm guessing is all low wage jobs, even the business owners ha ha), a few less vacant lots, less houses for sale. Who's focusing on that? All I hear is downtown.

9:25 AM, January 16, 2010  
Anonymous The Watcher said...

The AIA team came back to Port Angeles because, whether you want to acknowledge it or not, we have made progress on their suggestions. To suggest that they came back merely because "the city" had given them $5000 is ridiculous. These are people who make BIG money. They came back because they're pleased with our progress, not to collect some pocket change.

Yes, this town was WAY behind in almost every way. And yes, we still have a long way to go. BUT - we are moving forward. We are cleaning out the members and the influence of The Cabal that has held Port Angeles back for so long.

If you want to see the town prosper, and see (for instance) your property or business increase in value, then GET INVOLVED. Don't let backwards bozos like these three get appointed to Harbor-Works. Don't let the City COuncil appoint a backwards bozo to the vacant Council seat.

Write letters to the editor. Talk to people. Come make comments at meetings. DO SOMETHING. This is a window of opportunity. TAKE IT.

9:32 AM, January 16, 2010  
Anonymous PA Friend said...

One of the problems with the Rayonier site (as I see it) is the fact that we showed our hand with Rayonier. We need their tank to store our sewage or we face some huge fines. We have told them that and have begged them to sell us the tank. Now they have told us that more concessions on cleanup will have to be made and a deal must be in hand before we can have the tank.

How do we recover from that bit of idiocy?

I wonder how we will ever be able to do anything new with our port. I tell you what - whoever buys land around there had better not do a shovel's worth of digging unless they want to dump their investment into the abyss never to be recovered. And then we have the turd who does not want competition from a good hotel so he buys up the land to prevent it. And then we have a handful of folks who own the downtown who's rents are so unreasonable for what they offer that NO smart business person would consider opening shop.

Then we have our own town that dumps money into pet projects like the incubator but ignore the giant malignant cancer of a downtown, crumbling historic buildings that they refuse to assist willing folks to restore and make useful, a residential area where the town refuses to enforce even the most basic laws to keep residential areas safe, clean looking and welcoming (abandoned cars, 18 wheelers lining the street, trash and tagging everywhere).

I try to wear blinders when i walk my own neighborhood. I try to ignore the freaking crackhouses, squaters in vacant houses and the strange gang members renting near me. I only hope that when and if the market turns the buyers will also ignore it.

As you can see I am to the end in frustration.

And Watcher, paint is nice. I love the new paint, but like someone said in PDN it is like lipstick on a pig and the tipping point will never come because this town is not moving forward. Where is the evidence that would suggest that?

OK thank you for letting me vent.

1:49 PM, January 16, 2010  
Anonymous PA.nerd said...

"I'll be out of here as soon as things permit."

Hate to say it, but yeah... me too.

Then again, even during the best of times this town is no place for a nerd. Leave it to Sally/Rex.

7:06 PM, January 16, 2010  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"We need their tank to store our sewage or we face some huge fines. We have told them that and have begged them to sell us the tank."

Well. That is not exactly true. There are plenty of other used tanks available. Remember, the one on the Rayonier property is not new! Do we even know how old it is?

Industrial scale tanks like that are a commodity like anything else. There are brokers and dealers in that business. They are bought and sold daily. And in the current economic situations, I'll bet they are cheaper now, than ever! A LOT cheaper than the costs of the Rayonier property!

You can't tell me that another tank could not have been purchased and installed years ago, if the city really wanted to get that issue resolved.

Once again, the citizens of Port Angeles are getting screwed so the real estate folks can make a buck on the development of the Rayonier site (they hope). The property is clearly a problem site, but they don't care if taxpayer funds are used to buy it!

7:18 PM, January 16, 2010  
Anonymous PA Friend said...

Anon 7:18 you cannot just go BUY a tank that size. It is as big as a condo building! Those things have specially built pads and a constructed for the site. So - reconsider that position in light of those facts. Not nearly as easy as getting the one THERE and right at the sewer facility.

I can tell you thins - the city for sure knows how much the tank is worth - and now so does Rayonier.

OK now for the real estate conspiracy. It could be that our city may just want to have that property, have it usable and have this ugly piece of our history over. I saw a glimmer of hope in an article this past week when someone was quoted as saying something to the effect of we need to reorient our thinking about the artifacts there, make it a positive thing and incorporate that into our plan instead of creating a fight between the city and the indians. What a wonder! It would be nice not to have a boondoggle. Realtors would not own that property. Their profitting should be a tertiary (and that is being generous) concern and doing something lovely and profitable at that pit we call Rayonier would benefit us all

7:46 PM, January 16, 2010  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"Once again, the citizens of Port Angeles are getting screwed so the real estate folks can make a buck on the development of the Rayonier site (they hope). The property is clearly a problem site, but they don't care if taxpayer funds are used to buy it!"

Who did you think was going to be listing those condos, retail spaces and commercial buildings HarborWorks is trying to build there? Not the city. Not the taxpayers.

Who did you think was going to pay the legal bills after they start digging up native bodies? The real estate guys? No. This is set up so the taxpayers foot the bills, so the real estate folks will make the profits.

Get smart.

10:33 PM, January 16, 2010  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

PA.nerd said...
"I'll be out of here as soon as things permit."

Hate to say it, but yeah... me too."

Yeah, I've reached my limit, too. I've been here for years, and put a lot of time in volunteering, being involved, etc. After seeing what Betsy Wharten turned out to do, after all HER promises, I saw this community is just flat out hopeless.

She promised to be an alternative to "the old council", but ended up voting with them. Even supports this stupid Harberworks.

Enough. My life and peace of mind are worth more than investing my time and energy into Port Angeles. I'm moving to a community that cares. They do exist.

10:51 PM, January 16, 2010  
Anonymous The Watcher said...

People, please get your facts straight: Harbor-Works is NOT "trying to build" condos on the Rayonier site. Jeff Lincoln is gung-ho for the plan that would focus on developing a Native American cultural/educational center there. THAT'S THE IDEA HE SUPPORTS. And it's a good idea. (And I say this being no great fan of Jeff Lincoln, by the way.)

If this plan comes through, then the rest of the site is much, much more likely to consist of lots of open space/parkland, with some small-scale commercial development. All the other options would be nightmares, ecologically and otherwise.

Yes, the CSO/tank issue is (quite literally) a crock of shit, so again - SPEAK UP. There are people on the Council strongly opposing the current CSO plans. But they need to have people from the community speaking out against it as well. So get involved - send e-mails to Council members, write letters to the editor, speak at public comment periods, etc.

This town is on the cusp of transformation, but only if you help.

9:16 AM, January 17, 2010  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"Anon 7:18 you cannot just go BUY a tank that size. It is as big as a condo building! Those things have specially built pads and a constructed for the site. So - reconsider that position in light of those facts. Not nearly as easy as getting the one THERE and right at the sewer facility."

I googled this tank thing. As Anon7:18 says, these tanks ARE available. They come apart, are moved, and reassembled.

And "easy"? Who in their right mind would describe the years spent fiddling around with this Rayonier stuff as "easy"??

9:54 AM, January 17, 2010  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

PA Friend, yes, you CAN just go out and buy tanks like that. I saw an email about this a few months ago. The writer had examples of other cities that bought tanks that size, and they were not that expensive, completely set up!

Be careful about accepting anything this city says. They have a terrible history of getting creative with the facts to suit their pre-determined goals. Always look into independant sources of related info to fact-check.

11:09 AM, January 17, 2010  
Anonymous PA Friend said...

11:09 Anon: I did not come up with the tank info on my own and did not get it from the city.

I happened to have that info tucked into my own memory banks after having to do several deals for storage tanks of that size.

I have to look up lots of stuff, but that is not one of them. But just to ease your mind - when I do not know something, I actually do my own research and do not rely on or have a direct line to anyone in the city... thankfully.

1:54 PM, January 17, 2010  
Anonymous PA Friend said...

Anon:"I googled this tank thing. As Anon7:18 says, these tanks ARE available. They come apart, are moved, and reassembled. "

As long as you were there googling, did you get the price for the inspections, paperwork, deconstruction, moving, permitting, land, reconstruction and reinspection... oh and the cost of the tank? I am sure I am leaving out some other costly bits - but off the top of my head...

Because that is part and parcel of what I meant my you have to get it constructed. It is just not as easy as you think or as cheap as you think or we would have done it long ago. Think about it. Let logic seep in. Every thing is not a conspiracy by the man to build a condo and a ferris wheel at the the expense of the little guy... who would what... hate anything decent coming to this town if it meant a blasted realtor made a buck? LOL

I hate realtors with probably more passion than most here, but some here need a freaking reality check.

2:37 PM, January 17, 2010  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"As long as you were there googling, did you get the price for the inspections, paperwork, deconstruction, moving, permitting, land, reconstruction and reinspection... oh and the cost of the tank? I am sure I am leaving out some other costly bits - but off the top of my head..."

Actually, the one I saw was for a potable water system, tank, pumps, building, piping for a town done two years ago. It was under $5million, done. It was a municipal contract.

Now, by comparison, we have the city looking to BUY 75 acres, just to get started. Then there is the clean up. Then the native village/burials. And more.

The original plan was to buy the property, develop most of it, and end up with the tank for little cost. But as the studies have shown, there is little interest by developers to get involved in such a problem plagued property.

So, you are really trying to tell me that buying 75 acres, and all the known problems that come with it, is going to be cheaper than buying a tank, and putting it on land at the city's wastewater plant, that it already owns?

(this was the suggestion in that email I saw.)

5:00 PM, January 17, 2010  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"Think about it. Let logic seep in. Every thing is not a conspiracy by the man to build a condo and a ferris wheel at the the expense of the little guy... who would what... hate anything decent coming to this town if it meant a blasted realtor made a buck? LOL "

I think you need to read the reports done for this site, which are available at the city's website. You will see the site plan, which includes condos, retail, commercial, industrial and more. Even in Lincoln's most current desperate attempts to salvage this idiotic project with his 3 options, all include retail, commercial, residential, etc.

And, who do you think funded the $1.3 million which Harbor-Works is spending on the Rayonier site, which I will remind you is private property, owned by the 5th largest landowner in the US, and who has their own in-house real estate development division? It is being funded by " ...the little guy..", taxpayers.

Funny, even Rayonier, with their in-house development company, does't want to get involved with developing the property THEY ALREADY OWN! (They have stated this recently, if you remember.)

5:31 PM, January 17, 2010  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"I saw a glimmer of hope in an article this past week when someone was quoted as saying something to the effect of we need to reorient our thinking about the artifacts there, make it a positive thing and incorporate that into our plan instead of creating a fight between the city and the indians."

Wow! You must be new to the area.

5:37 PM, January 17, 2010  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"People, please get your facts straight: Harbor-Works is NOT "trying to build" condos on the Rayonier site."

That was part of the original site plan (available at the city website), and, as you know, everything and anything remotely feasible is still under discussion.

Nothing is going to happen on that property unless it is economically viable. As Lincoln himself is now saying, there is no interest in the site by real estate developers. No interest in the site by industrial facilitities developers. No interest in the site by commercial build developers.

Why would you take on all the problems in a piece of land no drive-by consumers can see? Remember, it is down that long driveway, in a valley remote from any other part of the city. Why not locate right on the highway, where EVERY person entering and leaving Port Angeles must pass: the soon to be former Walmart site?

Even more available, vacant retail/commercial space, and you think more at the Rayonier site is remotely viable?

The professionals in the development industry don't think so!

6:59 PM, January 17, 2010  
Anonymous Bewildered PA Friend to the SANE! said...

Anon 5:31 - I did read the report. Start to finish. What is your point? That there is a conspiracy of the evil realtors to bring tourists and new residents (and the taxes they pay) to PA? Developers - also bad? Wasn't there a plan a while back to make it a sea park with a water park? Also evil? Er... a cabal? LOL There have to be plans. They can be accepted, shot down or altered. That is how it works here on earth.

Rayonier does not want to develop it because A) doing a paper mill there is a no go now. B)They are not in the business of building condos, making parks, museums or creating a port for a cruise ship.

Honestly folks! I wonder about some of you.

And yes, Anon 5:37, I have not lived here forever. Can't you tell? I am not a damn kook!

What I have learned since I have been here is that a disproportionate amount of people walk around with a drool cup strapped to their chin and proclaim anyone with a sentient thought to be part of a conspiracy.

7:26 PM, January 17, 2010  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

From Jan 7th 2010 Time.com

"A record 3 million homes received foreclosure notices in 2009, according to Lawrence Yun, chief economist with the National Association of Realtors (NAR). He expects a similar number this year.

John Burns, president of John Burns Real Estate Consulting, is a bit more bearish, predicting foreclosure notices will rise to 3.1 million this year. Foreclosure notices include default notices, auction-sale letters and bank-repossession notices. But those notices may produce a far more damaging result than last year's. "I think 50% more people will lose their homes to a bank this year than they did last year," predicts Burns.

One reason for the expected jump, he says, is that in 2009 many lenders were under pressure from the Obama Administration to postpone repossessions until loan modifications could be made. However, many banks didn't have the staff to assess all their defaulted loans at the time, and he believes many of those will ultimately go into foreclosure in 2010.

Adding to the sector's woes β€” the Federal Reserve has indicated it plans to end a program that's helped keep mortgage rates at attractive levels for home buyers. The Fed program, which involved purchasing up to $1.25 trillion in mortgage-backed securities backed by Fannie and Freddie, will expire on March 31. "


Read more: http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1952132,00.html#ixzz0cwZLNGEq


Yep! This IS the right time to propose a speculative development scheme at taxpayers' expense! Port Angeles leadership sure has its' finger on the pulse of current affairs!

All good, and getting better.

10:46 PM, January 17, 2010  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

From Reuters Nov. 5 2009 (two months ago)

"..according to the 2010 edition of Emerging Trends in Real Estate, released on Thursday by the Urban Land Institute and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.

It will be the worst commercial real estate decline since the Great Depression, eclipsing the 1990s savings-and-loan crisis, according to the report.

"Not surprisingly, the overwhelming sentiment (of) interviewees remains decidedly negative, colored by impending doom and distress over prospects for an extended period of anemic demand and costly deleveraging," the report said.

Hardest-hit will be retail and office properties, reflecting a weak job market and cautious consumers. A growing population of men and women in their 20s will help the apartment sector recover earlier than other commercial real estate sectors, the report said.

"It's going to be a year that's going to provide investors with tremendous opportunities at generational, cyclical lows," said Susan Smith, a director in the real estate advisory practice at PricewaterhouseCoopers in New York. "There's a tremendous amount of money waiting on the sidelines."

Property owners who borrowed too much, or made unrealistic assumptions about returns, will be forced to sell, and the winners will be those with cash, she said.

For developers of new projects, the advice is blunt: Write off 2010, as well as 2011 and probably 2012.

"You can close up shop, hit the links," the report said. "Forget about construction financing -- that's a pipe dream."


Are you listening, Jeff Lincoln?

11:02 PM, January 17, 2010  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"Rayonier does not want to develop it because A) doing a paper mill there is a no go now. B)They are not in the business of building condos, making parks, museums or creating a port for a cruise ship. "

Rayonier Inc has a real estate development division (called Terra Point) as part of it's corporate structure. This division takes lands Rayonier owns, and develops them into to marketable uses. That is the whole point of a real estate development company.

Actually, they ARE in the business of building condos, retail shopping malls and more.

9:48 AM, January 18, 2010  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"What is your point? That there is a conspiracy of the evil realtors to bring tourists and new residents (and the taxes they pay) to PA? Developers - also bad?"

It is not about certain professions being "evil", or certain people trying to control the outcomes ("conspiracies", as you would say), although the article today about the 3 primary managers involved in HarborWorks trying to silence opposing views sure dosen't help.

As you will see, the common thread in the conversations is that the decisions being made are STUPID! Poorly thought out, ill-timed. A waste of public funds.

Millions are being wasted to develop a proposal for a private piece of property that has more significant problems than I can count!

If you really want jobs, tourism., tax money generation, etc. have the city spend those moneys on the Old Chinook Motel site, that has good visibilty, is more of a public eyesore, and virtually no problems. Or, clean up waterfront properties the Port of Port already owns!

I know, all kooky thoughts.

10:00 AM, January 18, 2010  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Rayonier (NYSE:RYN) and Cousins Properties (NYSE:CUZ) have announced a strategic alliance to master plan and entitle approximately 6,300 acres in Flagler County, Florida, adjacent to Palm Coast.

"Flagler County is one of the fastest growing counties in the U.S. We've chosen this site to apply our strategy to work with premier developers, like Cousins, to create quality communities that are assets to area residents," said Lee M. Thomas, Rayonier Chairman, President and CEO. "Cousins has a proven track record of successfully planning and developing outstanding communities and commercial real estate throughout the Southeast."

Hmmm. The same Lee Thomas that was here in Port Angeles last year?

Obviously, they have FAR more resources to develop property, IF they think it will be profitable.

12:27 PM, January 18, 2010  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

From Rayonier's own website:

" 2007
TerraPointe LLC was granted entitlement rights to help establish new living, shopping and employment opportunities on 3,339 acres in south coastal Georgia.

2006
Rayonier purchases 228,000 acres of timberland in six states and becomes the fifth largest private timberland owner in the U.S., with 2.2 million acres in nine states. Overall we own, lease, or manage 2.6 million acres in the U.S. and New Zealand.

2005
Rayonier forms a real estate development company, TerraPointe LLC, to maximize the value of our extensive higher- and better-use properties. "


PA Friend, don't get all huffy on us, now. You just need to understand these issues a bit better. No problem. This town needs all the help it can get, so don't be discouraged.

But, becareful what you throw your support in for. This town has an aweful history of manipulating information, and opvertly intimidating people. Think of the 2004 " We'll shut off your water unless you sign a no-contest annexation agreement" position espoused by the then mayor, and supported by the council.

12:35 PM, January 18, 2010  
Anonymous Bewildered PA Friend said...

Anon 10am - those things are not mutually exclusive. We have to attract business here to do those things. We have to be willing to incentivize that and show that we are willing partners in innovation, etc. If you will look back at my posts (and you can because I post with the same name or variations on it), you will see that I am not a fan of Harbor Works, that I think it is a money pit and corrupt, but I think this nonsense of couching us all as victims and anyone for Rayonier development being somehow below board does not convince.

So please. Separate the two arguments. Merit of building thoughtfully and logically (or not based on your view) and the general feeling of misspent funds. Sometimes they go hand in hand, but in this case they are being conflated to create a false premise.

And pick a name for crying out loud.

1:31 PM, January 18, 2010  
Anonymous PA Friend said...

"Rayonier Inc has a real estate development division (called Terra Point) as part of it's corporate structure. This division takes lands Rayonier owns, and develops them into to marketable uses. That is the whole point of a real estate development company."

Well hooray! If this is true why aren't they trying to develop it? Problem solved, no? LOL Or is there a conspiracy there too?

1:43 PM, January 18, 2010  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Grant Munro is a retired Rayonier manager. When he sat on the Pt Angeles City Council, he was instrumental in keeping the Rayonier property out of zoning that would see the property was cleaned up to residential standard (meaning high quality standards); i.e., he kept it zoned heavy industry, so it sits that way today. He never recused himself when it came to voting on issues related to Rayonier.

4:57 PM, January 18, 2010  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"Well hooray! If this is true why aren't they trying to develop it? Problem solved, no? LOL Or is there a conspiracy there too?"

YES! This is the whole point! IF Rayonier Inc, who has all the resources to develop the site, AND has a division specifically dedicated to developoing their own lands, AND they already own it, AND they are spending money to clean up the toxics to some degree, WHY don't THEY develop the site? What made THEM decide not to get involved with developing their land??

WHY form the PDA? WHY does the city "leadership" think they are in a better position to turn a profit on that site than the professionals at Rayonier??

Because it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that site has too many significant problems to be viable/profitable.

THAT is why the local "leadership" is demonstrating how STUPID they are, by focussing their attention and resources on the most problem plagued piece of property in the region! And, the current studies are verifying that.

Too many folks in Port Angeles are blinded by what they would *like* to see with that site, instead of seeing the reality of what it is.

Conspiracy? Well, there is a small group of folks in this community who have put a lot of effort over the recent years to make sure they are the primary beneficioary of any projects undertaken in this area. Don't believe it? Look into it.

5:37 PM, January 18, 2010  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"We have to attract business here to do those things. We have to be willing to incentivize that and show that we are willing partners in innovation, etc"

Again, you need to take into consideration the reality of the site you are talking about. Waterfront lands near Seattle or Olympia will have many more options, possibilities, and interested developers that similar lands in Port Angeles. Why? As the real estate maxim states: Location, location, location.

Port Angeles is a 100 miles away from any major transportation corridors, any significant populations of employees and/or consumers/patrons. Businesses thinking of locating here will have to factor in higher costs for doing pretty much anything, and more delays and difficulties than if they locate near the I-5 corridor.

And, in this day and age, you must take into consideration EVERY community is trying to lure business/jobs to their towns. Be smart, and look at these issues logically. With all the factors, why WOULD a business take the risks to move to Port Angeles?

What does it have to offer, besides lots of vacant spaces from businesses that tried to make a go of it, and have left.

5:53 PM, January 18, 2010  

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