Huge Price Increase for P.A. Waterfront Improvement Plan
The cost just went way up for the Waterfront and Transportation Improvement Plan. It will cost an additional $700,000, bringing the total to $ 1.7 million.
The City Council voted unanimously to approve the additional funding.
The City Council voted unanimously to approve the additional funding.
posted by Tom Harper at 1:09 PM
23 Comments:
Max - how could you waste the people's money like this?!
What the PDN did a poor job of explaining was that this money will likely come from the economic development fund (AKA the graving yard settlement) which is somewhere in the neighborhood of five million dollars. So there is funding available for it, and it won't cost the residents of PA anything in terms of higher taxes, bonds, etc. Of course, some people will say the city shouldn't spend the money on this, or anything, but...How do you satisfy professional nay-sayers?
Of course, some people will say the city shouldn't spend the money on this,
...........
I know. Why should we think TWICE about investing millions in the waterfront, after what we've seen happen in Japan recently. Port Angeles is rich, and can afford to build in known vulnerable areas.
Yes, lets spend millions building visitor serving facilities directly adjacent to, and downwind from a functioning mill. After all, there are no better places, no more deserving areas in Port Angeles where such money might otherwise be spent.
Max - how could you waste the people's money like this?!
.........
Glad to see Don Perry and Brooke Nelson didn't vote to waste people's money!
Not much point in turning the low lying waterfront areas into a nice park for nature to use and put development money into development in higher elevations.
Hell, that makes too much sense and only wise people would think of that.
Education and 'intelligence' does not equal wisdom.
The city has no focus. This is just lipstick on the pig. It's not going to economically develop anything, it's a boondoggle. We should keep the money until we have some idea where we are going....and until we KNOW the Coho is going to stay,without any doubts.
I think the signs are just blush on the pig, and perhaps a little mascara....as a town we're hoping to fussy up a pig, and whore it out...only no one is taking a real assessment of where we want to be in 5-10 years.
I wonder what plan the Coho has in place for an earthquake event. If I was the pilot I would promptly head for the middle of the sound.
It's just me but I would do that even if I was in my sixteen footer.
I wonder what plan the Coho has in place for an earthquake event.
...
I was down on the docks at 7 am that morning, waiting to go to Victoria. The capitan of the Coho ordered everyone on the ship, saying people were safer on the boat, than sitting on the docks.
But, we did not part from the dock until the proper time.
For what it is worth.
"The city has no focus. This is just lipstick on the pig. It's not going to economically develop anything, it's a boondoggle."
Absolutely correct. The consultants will walk away with lots of cash, but they will be the only real benificiaries.
LOOK how the "Gateway" provided "economic development"?! The "farmers mareket" is the primary user of the place, and they were already here. $16 million, for what? How many millions of that did Excelteck get for "project management"?
Yeah, tell me about it.
I can see holding off until there's a more unified vision, but stopping all work because there might possibly be a tsunami someday (maybe)? That's silly. You might get hit by a car if you go driving, are you going to stay indoors all your life?
"The "farmers mareket" is the primary user of the place, and they were already here."
I live in Gaitwae sometimez so I am secondary user of it!
'... but stopping all work because there might possibly be a tsunami someday (maybe)? That's silly.'
There is another silly thing you might have heard of. It is called "planning".
In some places, people look at known hazards, and plan projects accordingly. In community planning, for example, strip clubs and adult book stores are not permitted to be placed next to kids schools.
Now, just because there are perverts out there doesn't mean every person who enjoys sex is going to molest children. That's silly.
But, none the less, communities plan accordingly.
Unlike the example used above, there already has been tsunami in the area. It just was not built up like it is right now, back then. It is not "if", only "when".
News Flash!
Port Angeles retailers report a sudden spike in sales of tin foil. "Not sure just what's going on," said local retailer Jethro P. Calhoun of Calhoun's Beer, Smokes 'n Stuff mini mart. "Dang, since this Saturday people comin' in like crazy for tin foil. Plum cleaned me out by Sunday afternoon. I ordered more and that was gone by Wednesday. Guess folks are baking taters or something."
"We only sell recycled foil products re-sourced by artisan craftsmen and womyn in Guatemala who have taken a vow of silence in honor of the rain forest," said Calendula J. Hibiscus-Smith, manager of the natural food store Tofu, Sprouts and Patchouli. "Our limited supply was gone immediately. My spirit guide has predicted dire consequences for our town unless we divest ourselves of our worldly possessions and return to a Gaia-friendly lifestyle. Have a nice day!"
Police chief Bubba Cantrell said "Well, we're ready for anything. If rioters or looters think they start something with this tin foil shortage we're experiencing - they just better think again. Law and order will prevail!"
City councilman Max Mania said "I've long been an advocate of wearing tin foil at all times. In fact, my basement is lined with tin foil and I always keep extra cases of tin foil on hand at home and a spare piece in my pocket. I urge all citizens to remain calm during this time of global and local crisis. Now get outta my way - I'm locking myself in my tin foil-lined basement until this is all over!"
Well, at least the money isn't being pilfered away by HarborWorks.
The people who voted to spend the money on this "improvement plan" are more directly accountable to the voters.
"Well, at least the money isn't being pilfered away by HarborWorks."
I'd be interested to see how this project is so much different.
Right up front, we have a classic "Bait and Switch". Entice decision makers with pretty pictures of what they are going to get. But. Surprise, surprise. When the decision makers commit to the project, they face "Huge Price Increase..."
And nobody complains.
Typical Port Angeles.
We need to fix our infrastructure before we focus on cosmetics.
This is stupid, AND, the fact the city council voted for it -- just tells me we need to vote out more incumbents, and start harassing the ones we already put in office. This idea is DUMB.
The waterfront doesn't draw tourists. I doubt we will see any one write home to Mom "oh the sidewalks were so pretty in Port Angeles". We need to get some draw, and with the revenues from said draws, start making improvements.
Not, make a pretty walkway, and say "here we are...." this isn't field of dreams, folks. If you build a sidewalk, they won't come. Sorry.
The question is HOW do we become a destination town? How do we become a draw for people to move TO (instead of flee)? Now how to we make what we have look like something else.
"If you build a sidewalk, they won't come. Sorry.
The question is HOW do we become a destination town?"
I think we need to figure out how to be a functional community. As I write, our latest city manager is happily interviewing for a new job, elsewhere. (We've had how many city managers, in how short a period of time?)
You might have noticed that the area billboard ads promoting Victoria have disappeared. Did their market analysis reveal they were a waste of money? Local tourism is not what it used to be, and is declining. Even tourism to Victoria is declining, and they have much more to offer the casual tourist than Port Angeles.
So, spending limited money on tourist oriented stuff is not such a great idea, for Port Angeles. The folks that come out here for the ONP will do so, anyways. But, Port Angeles itself has nothing to offer people, to lure them long distances, with expensive fuel costs.
Cities like Tacoma can develop their waterfronts with nice sidewalks, because they have literally millions of people who need only travel short distances to enjoy the new facilities. But, Port Angeles does not have that population base.
And, IS that what we should be doing, anyways? Communities around the world are changing their ways in response to expensive fuel, and climate change concerns. They are finding ways to keep jobs local, and to become more reliant on locally available goods and services.
This isn't the 50s anymore, when fuel was cheap, cars huge, and we were building freeways and drive-throughs. Can we change?
We NEED to decide if we are a low-rent loser town, or if we are going to go towards attracting new industry. The problem is, our schools are stupid when it comes to the wide world out there. Our college has computer classes that were cutting edge a DECADE AGO (and have no, or less than NO, clue what is coming -- which is what we should be teaching for.) The whole thing about only having PhD's in charge, is that they've never been IN TOUCH with corporate America, period.
Meanwhile, we are churning out class after class of pregnant girls, with no skills, and boys who have no future except minimum wage menial jobs. (The brightest move away as soon as they can, and/or never return from college.) Unless we can make this an attractive area for self-employed and for small start-ups, we have little ability to do more than become an aged, empty community.
WE have no plan and those who say they do -- mostly steal the money and run (Incubator, HarborWorks, Economic Development Council....blah blah blah).
The college could be a real asset, but it's not. Why not? The fiber optic that runs around here could be a great draw...but, the city has (un)wisely chosen to give the sole contract to a local -- a local who has limited "real world" experience, and is certainly not "cutting edge" or even cool. No clue.
The things which could draw people here are many....but, since we are so remote, and it's so incestuous, new ideas are met with suspicion and with apathy.
I don't see much hope, personally.
Industry is evil! It is resource-extraction-based and caters to Republican plutocrats and their mind-numbed proletariat workers who want things like sprint boat races and pork rind festivals.
Please, no industry in Port Angeles!
"Industry is evil! It is resource-extraction-based and caters to Republican plutocrats and their mind-numbed proletariat workers who want things like sprint boat races and pork rind festivals."
Again, your sarcasm is duly noted. And you offer, exactly, what?
It appears you are so locked up in the "old ways", that all you can do is feebly mock those that question the obvious problems. Bravo. You think you are clever, but really, you are just showing how lame you really are.
In fact, it is only the "industry" of local people, benefiting local people, that will help Port Angeles continue to be a viable community. You can deride any such suggestions as you hold onto the hope that Boeing, or Ford, or Microsoft will move out here, if only we give them enough tax breaks, but that is not going to happen.
You can't seem to see that anybody with the ability, is leaving Port Angeles. Even new comers, like the City Manager, are leaving. You say, if only we paid them a living wage, they would stay? $157,000 PLUS benifits is not a living wage? Yet, the City Manager is falling all over himself to get out of this town.
Do yourself a favor, and stop the booze and drugs. If you really do care about Port Angeles, make an effort.
The "waterfront improvement plan" is another name for find something for Primo Construction to do...they do concrete, hey! Surprise, there is concrete in this project.
This should be shelved until the economy picks up...like in five or ten years.
It's a waste of money, otherwise.
If we want to have a viable community we need to START with our local community college. Right now it's just ass raping our students (taking money and giving nothing in return). Most of the credits they give can't be used towards a 4 year degree, and most of their classes are useless unless you want to be a highway flagger, or lam-O thing.
Why do they lack any accreditation other than a wimpy one, and why is it their classes are not EVEN useful for a transfer to UW? We could keep people here, and get people to move here if the college was more with it and less focus on la-de-dah "global" issues, that are all malarkey.
We should start with why they are losers, and why they cost more than any other junior college in the state, AND lack proper accreditation, and why they do not offer any useful classes.
The college could be an asset, but it's just another disappointment.
Improve the waterfront and clean up around Pen Ply!
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