Harbor-Works Will Either Acquire Rayonier Site or Dissolve
That was the message to the Chamber of Commerce from Harbor-Works board member Kaj Ahlburg.
Harbor-Works hopes to acquire the Rayonier property and speed up the cleanup and redevelopment of the site. But if Harbor-Works is unable to work out an agreement for acquiring the property, it will dissolve by the end of the summer.
Ahlburg said: "Which path we end up taking may well be one the most important decisions affecting the city's economic future within a generation."
Harbor-Works hopes to acquire the Rayonier property and speed up the cleanup and redevelopment of the site. But if Harbor-Works is unable to work out an agreement for acquiring the property, it will dissolve by the end of the summer.
Ahlburg said: "Which path we end up taking may well be one the most important decisions affecting the city's economic future within a generation."
Labels: Harbor-Works, Kaj Ahlburg
posted by Tom Harper at 12:49 AM
60 Comments:
don't let the door hit you bastards on the way out.
good riddance.
One thing Kaj also said (that was not picked up by the paper) was that the Lower Elwha Tribe gets $250,000 per year from Rayonier, for as long as the clean up is not finished. Is this the reason the tribe agreed to delay & study for 5 more years??
Bye,bye.
Ahlburg said: "Which path we end up taking may well be one the most important decisions affecting the city's economic future within a generation."
What a crock of shite
Appears to be nothing more(or less) than simple extortion.
The Fed/state/city(whoever) need to condemn the site as a public nuisance/hazard.
Create a park with amphitheater,bandshell,accomodation for farmers markets,"art"fairs et c.
Kaj Ahlburg??? When, exactly did he become Haborwoks' spokesman? I suspect Mr. Ahlburg is going to be running for something in the fall.
No words of wisdom from Max/Watcher?
My, my, my! Will wonders never cease?
Kaj Ahlburg is one of the smartest people in Clallam County. If and when he runs for office, he will stand head and shoulders above all others. We'd be lucky to have such a choice.
The reasons petty lurkers spread snark about Kaj here is the same reason they hate Harbor-Works: Anyone with skills and/or money in this town is suspect.
What are you all going to say when Harbor-Works is successful and Kaj is mayor?
Ethical Challenger- you have no credibility here … your sad attempts to smear the watcher, combined with your own brain dead commentary , makes your endorsement of Ahlburg more of a liability than an asset. I suspect when and if you go public with an endorsement , it will have the same effect. In my opinion, an endorsement from Dick, Karen, Larry or Edna might bring out the crazy hillbilly vote, but can only serve to hurt him politically.
Go Harbor Works, get ur done
Buy the land, clean up the land, use taxpayers money. The Democratic way.
What are you all going to say when Harbor-Works is successful and Kaj is mayor?
I'll say "Look at that flying pig!"
I smell a RAT.
Go ahead 'Ethical Challenger",piss on my shoes then tell me it's raining!
Anonymous 7:51 - The money the tribe gets is for stream biological work and restoration. What they do not use is returned.
Harbor-Works has repeated that cannard often to try to blame the tribe for the cleanup going so slowly.
First of all - though the site was deemed a Superfund site, the city did not want the stigma so they requested the state be in charge.
It was placed in the wrong office for many years - do you think it is possible that Rayonier wanted that so they could drag out the cleanup?
(Timber and pulp & paper is very powerful in this state - they often get what they want)
Rayonier has been contentious with the state from what I see. They disagree with the state over the area to be cleaned up and the testing required. They have not paid for alot of the testing that was done by the state and I bet they will try to get out of reimbusement.
Rayonier got to dump their hazardous waste in the city dump which is not sanctioned for hazardous waste - thanks to the city. Now we get to clean up that mess.
They have also left hazardous waste at the Mt Pleasant Landfill and at 13th & Monroe for us to figure out how to clean up.
Don't point fingers at the tribe.
Rayonier does not want to pay for a cleanup and they will use every opportunity to stall.
Harbor-Works should stand united to get Rayonier to cleanup and use their money for court costs it may take to make them do it.
Rayonier does not want to pay for a cleanup and they will use every opportunity to stall.
I agree. But even if it sits there for another 30 years as is it isn't going to make any difference to the economy here.
This place will not become a hot tourist destination. And I don't want them here anyway.
Capitalist said...
Buy the land, clean up the land, use taxpayers money. The Democratic way.
So how do you explain the fact that the Harborworks boondoggle is staffed and run by republinazis like Kaj Ahlburg?
HarborWorks' purchase of the Rayonier property will not speed up the cleanup. It will do the opposite, because instead of concentrating on enforcing the existing Agreed Order with Rayonier, Ecology will need to turn attention to negotiating the terms of a Prospective Purchaser Agreement or Agreed Order with HarborWorks. Rayonier must be laughing up its sleeve at the gullability of this community.
Eliminate this money-wasting impediment to progress, and DISSOLVE HARBORWORKS NOW!
Assuming Kaj Ahlburg can wait that long, I suspect he's planning to run against a certain member of the current City Council in 2013.
Assuming, that is, that he can wait that long!
Just who the hell IS "Kaj Ahlburg" and what is his motivation here?
He's supposed to be a retired Wall St. sharpy?
He's just doing well by doing good?
This entire entire "enterprise" stinks to high heaven.
Let that property sit there 'til hell freezes over.
THIS is key;do NOT be bamboozeled into using taxpayers hard earned dollars to bankroll this nonsense.
Holy shit, Sequim's chief of police makes $7,192 per month, plus paid vacation and sick leave and yadda, yadda,yadda.
Sequim isn't that big of a town, the tax payers there are really getting ripped off. Now I'm wondering what the Port Angeles chief of police makes. Public servants sure think they are worth a hell of a lot.
"Which path we end up taking may well be one the most important decisions affecting the city's economic future within a generation."
True that , Kaj. The path that PA seems to be taking is Away from allowing decisions to be made behind closed doors, based solely on whether or not there’s a buck to made by a handful of corrupt politicians and appointed bureaucrats. The sleazy Real Estate faction is no longer preeminent in local affairs. Gee, if you’d only been here 10 years ago when the Rogers/Headricks /Williams Cabal was calling the shots… However , we now find ourselves after years of malfeasance with these individuals on the outside, looking in , disgraced and unelectable. Empty threats and fake promises of “economic development” notwithstanding, your position is untenable. Continuing to beat the drum for Harborworks can only result in the loss of what little credibility you actually have in local politics.
"Which path we end up taking may well be one the most important decisions affecting the city's economic future within a generation."
We have nowhere to go other than to buckle down and hang on. In case you haven't noticed the rest of the world has much the same problem.
You think they give a shit about us?
My guess is that Mr. Ahlburg is not interested in running for public office, because, if elected, Public Disclosure Commission laws would require him to reveal his sources of income and more about his personal financial dealings than he would care for us to know.
"You think they give a shit about us?"
No, but that doesn't stop P.A. from constantly badgering the state and feds for grants.
"My guess is that Mr. Ahlburg is not interested in running for public office, because, if elected, Public Disclosure Commission laws would require him to reveal his sources of income and more about his personal financial dealings than he would care for us to know."
Annie: My primary source of income is doing good deeds. I, and my family, subsist almost entirely on good karma. That is why I had to leave the financial services sector. Why, those people are nothing but a bunch of greedy, greedy bastards!
I do think it is valuable to have a forum where a serious contributor can remain anonymous, but it is going way over the line to pretend to be someone else.
"Kaj Ahlburg is one of the smartest people in Clallam County."
OH MY GOD, we are all doomed. Run! Run!
Once Burned: I agree with you. But, as the recent attempt at "outing" someone here has shown, not everyone has the same level of respect for anonymity. If Tom is going to allow the "outings" it seems to me he has to allow the fake-people-pretending-to-be-real-people thing.
"... it is going way over the line to pretend to be someone else."
Just ask Max "The Watcher" Mania!
Speaking of outings, happy Pride weekend Port Angeles!
Heh heh. Thinking of the look on the locals faces if a Pride parade were to cut through Port Angeles makes me laugh.
Somedays I have a cruel streak.
I applaud the Port and City for having the courage to stand up and at least try to do something - while knowing that it wouldn't be popular and would be controversial. Just imagine if Harbor Works is successful and the property becomes "something"....I guess the alternative is for the land to just stay the way it is for another decade or two or more. C'mon PA - let's use all this energy in a positive way.
This fraudulent use of anothers name is not acceptable.
Tom, this is on you and there is no excuse for it.
don't any of you people do anything online?
This forum is certainly tamer than many. The "outing" is bull. First, we had a series of posts from 'team max' back when he was running. The guy is not a writer. His style was stilted and awkward.
Watcher has a flow and is rather elegant in his sentence structure. So, you're wrong. Flat out wrong. I'm sure s/he is someone you'd never suspect and haven't considered.
It's not important who s/he is.
Meanwhile, pretending to be someone is fair game in an open forum.
Come on, people, get into the 21st century.
Anonymous @ 7:34 a.m.: I wasn't sure whether to publish the "Kaj Ahlburg" comment or not. I finally decided to publish it because the commenter wasn't saying anything derogatory about Kaj Ahlburg, and because it was crystal clear that the commenter wasn't actually Kaj Ahlburg.
For that matter, it's also obvious that several recent commenters calling themselves "The Watcher" are not the same person (whoever that is) that's been posting as The Watcher since last Fall.
I try to keep censorship down to a minimum, without crossing "the line."
We should stay aware that HarborWorks and Rayonier both have hired public relations firms to try to gin-up "grass roots support" for their plans to siphon public money into private hands. It's probable that some of the PR shills are posting to this blog anonymously or under fake names, as they attempt to manipulate "public opinion". Beware of the propaganda. And - regular folks who post to this site - don't hesitate to speak your own minds here and in public. Our elected officials need to learn what real constituents think about HarborWorks.
Tracker, you're completely wrong. Max "The Watcher" Mania was properly outed for posting his trash talk and inside gossip.
It's obvious that you're a shill for the Mania Goon Squad who are desperate to cover up the blot on the reputation of their "Dear Leader".
Many of us had our suspicions and now the proof has been revealed. So where's "The Watcher" lately? Cat got his nasty tongue? Max now has one of the Goon Squad posting these pale postings in order to keep the flame alight.
Give it up, Tracker, we know better. And Tom, we suspect you know a little more about this than you're letting on.
Nope, I have no idea who any of the commenters are and I don't want to know.
"Tracker, you're completely wrong. Max "The Watcher" Mania was properly outed for posting his trash talk and inside gossip."
If this is your standard, then EVERYONE posting here needs to be outed. And probably everyone at every blog.
"It's obvious that you're a shill for the Mania Goon Squad who are desperate to cover up the blot on the reputation of their "Dear Leader"."
Wow - our City Council members not only get nametags, but also their own Goon Squads? Who knew? I certainly didn't. And all this "Dear Leader" talk. Is Max Mania a Communist?
"Give it up, Tracker, we know better. And Tom, we suspect you know a little more about this than you're letting on."
Ah, the use of the word "we." As in, a group of ousted Council insiders, eager to smear those who ousted them? A group so consumed by greed and bitterness as to lose all perspective? Hmmm...Who COULD that "we" be?
Jealousy is SUCH a bitch...
One of the biggest problems with the comments in this blog is that anyone can hijack anyone else's name and write whatever rubbish pops into their minds - unless you want to create a Blogspot account.
I can understand the wish to remain anonymous, especially given some of the bitter minds out there, but hijacking someone else's handle in order to discredit them is going very, very far off into some unpleasant territory.
Tom, you might consider looking at Word Press and importing the content of this blog onto that site. The comments section allows for anonymity but does require a verifiable email address. This would cut down on much of the spurious posts, comic relief and hijacking of other peoples' noms des blog.
Otherwise it's simply a free-for-all in a playground populated by bullies, crazies and pranksters.
@7:34 said:
"Tracker" said:
.....Meanwhile, pretending to be someone is fair game in an open forum.
Come on, people, get into the 21st century.
Bullshite.
Annie: My primary source of income is doing good deeds. I, and my family, subsist almost entirely on good karma.
I believe in good karma, I've passed it around for years and some good things have come back to me. But I don't depend on karma for an income, I depend on my skills for that. Until I retired anyway.
Nope, I have no idea who any of the commenters are and I don't want to know.
Oh get out of here, Jackson Smart told me that he met you one day and he comments here at times.
If you go into the Cornerhouse for coffee or meals it's likely that we have been in there at the same time even though we haven't talked to each other yet.
It's not hard to spot me though, I'm pushing around a little old lady around in a wheelchair.
No we don’t need some sort of ID security system here. We do need to accept the fact that certain people are better communicators than others. The Watcher/Mania nonsense , the tag swiping, or the “impersonators” notwithstanding, this is still a better source of local information than the PDN. If we were having this conversation in a bar or coffee shop, we would have to deal with the fact we’re still in Port Angeles, and that a stupid conservative is only a booth away. These people are , by definition, dishonest, self-righteous, and cowardly. Goes with the territory. The best tactic is not to respond. Simply cruise on past the stupid shit and stay on target. These morons aren’t here to make a point, they’re here to disrupt, and sidetrack. We can feed into their bullshit, or simply continue without them. It’s a choice WE make, not them.
One thing Kaj also said (that was not picked up by the paper) was that the Lower Elwha Tribe gets $250,000 per year from Rayonier, for as long as the clean up is not finished.
I assume that the paper didn't pick this up was because like most of the crap coming out of Kaj and the Harborworks board, IT's A LIE. (see ANON. 7:03 PM, June 22, 2010)
Tom Harper said... ..............
"For that matter, it's also obvious that several recent commenters calling themselves "The Watcher" are not the same person (whoever that is) that's been posting as The Watcher since last Fall."
11:27 AM, June 26, 2010
This has absolutely nothing to do with someone fraudulently using another persons REAL name.
Now does it?
If you have any doubts about publishing a comment then don't publish it.
You seem to reject other LEGITIMATE comments for no reason other than your own sense of propriety. That is your perogitive obviously;it's your blog.
Just be careful you don't get a reputation as a fussy old biddy.
Thanks.
Dude, I'm the skinny punk with the sk8board!
Ha! Like there aren't tons like me out there!
GDB
Anonymous
11:32 AM, June 28, 2010
“This has absolutely nothing to do with someone fraudulently using another persons REAL name.
Now does it?”
Ok so look up SATIRE in your Funk and Wagnalls, pinhead. That post was sooo obviously NOT from Kaj, that your characterization of it as fraudulent marks you as a bitch.
“You seem to reject other LEGITIMATE comments for no reason other than your own sense of propriety. That is your perogitive obviously; it's your blog.
Just be careful you don't get a reputation as a fussy old biddy.”
So, you fussy old biddy, ( who can’t spell prerogative ) which of your stupid comments were rejected?
Take a chill pill, WTF. Seriously, get over yourself.
Anonymous 12:19 PM, June 29, 2010
Take a chill pill, WTF. Seriously, get over yourself.
So, now, are you the same anonymous whiner whose post I was responding to, or are you another anonymous whiner?
WTF, lay off the crack pipe before using the internet, 'k?
Sounds like "WTF?" has a problem.
Are you the "Kaj Ahlburg" impersonator or just another simpleminded spelling nazi?
Get a life,eh?
WTF ? @ 10:22 AM, June 28, 2010 said...
........................................
We do need to accept the fact that certain people are better communicators than others.(snip)
Simply cruise on past the stupid shit and stay on target. These morons aren’t here to make a point, they’re here to disrupt,and sidetrack............
10:22 AM, June 28, 2010
----------------------------------------
Nothing like heeding your own advice.
Or was that yet another "WTF?"
So it would appear that "WTF?" is a more credible "identity" than "Anonymous".
Who knew?
So it would appear that "WTF?" is a more credible "identity" than "Anonymous".
Of course it is, sad sack. You can track back (and quote) my comments here because I’m using a nom des blog. The anonymous tag allows you to post up whatever lame crap you want to and then simply dissolve into thin air with the rest of the losers. I’ll use WTF until some idiot steals it (like Crab Killer)
As for smoking crack, I’ll promise to stop doing that as soon as you promise not to start typing until you have something intelligent (or even mildly interesting ) to say.
WTG WTF?,you're showing a lot of class!
Hey WTF?,I think you're getting your anonymouses mixed up you knucklehead.
Tom, the blog is sinking to new depths.
Harborwoks, the Business Incubator, various marketing issues and groups, the Chamber of Commerce, PABA ,PADA, etc. etc. can anyone cite, for the millions spent so far, ANY Economic Development? For the millions wasted on the Port Commission, how many JOBS produced? In fact, can anybody name a time when ANY Govt. has actually produced any lasting, non military employment or economic benefit? Why do we keep looking to them for answers?
You bunch of pansy losers hiding behind your Anonymouses! Meet me in the alley, any alley. You best bring Chuck Norris cos you gonna get tore up from the floor up!
Okay. So, after the real smart folks here spend their time bantering insults, what do we know?
Both the City of Port Angeles AND the Port of Port Angeles gave over $1.2 MILLION to HarborWorks with the stated assumptions it would get paid back. Our HarborWorks Boardmember and financial Wall-Street-whiz-kid-turned-paranoid-Olympic-Peninsula-recluse dodged that question. Hey! It is only taxpayer's money!
I see Dan Gase, the Clallam contingent of the Tea Baggers (isn't that a term for scrotum suckers??), and the Clallam Republicans are REALLY making noise about THIS. NOT!
Amoungst the biggest waste of taxpayers' monies, HarborWorks bumbles along pursuing the commercial development of a property even THEY know (as their own studies have told them) has little chance of being successful. Any nobody can look at all the long vacant, highly visible commercial properties surrounding the former Rayonier site to know aquiring that property is NOT in the public's best intersts. They have wasted time and money so far, and, are poised to commit the local taxpayers to even more waste.
Truth be damned. They did the required " Due Diligence" studies that told them the property was a bad deal. But, will they go ahead and purchase that "bad deal" as representatives of us all?
Are you holding your breath??
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