Petition for Shorter Terms for Port of Port Angeles Commissioners
Local Activist Norma Turner and four dozen volunteers are circulating a petition to shorten the Port of Port Angeles commissioners' terms from six years to four. If they get enough signatures, the question will be on the ballot this November. If the ballot measure is passed by voters, it won't affect the terms of the current commissioners, John Calhoun and Jim Hallet. But it will affect Colleen McAleer or Del DelaBarre, whichever one of them wins the seat that was lost by Paul McHugh.
posted by Tom Harper at 2:17 AM
22 Comments:
Max X. Mania AKA Max Y. Mania AKA Max X. Smith.
I'm sure he's got a new name by now.
Six year terms are too long for Port Commissioners. They should face the voters more often, to be more accountable for what they've done while in office. I can't see any good reason to keep the six-year terms.
Thanks to Norma Turner for finding the state law that allows voters to decide whether the terms of office should be four or six years.
If you haven't already done so, find one of those petitions and sign it!
All it means to me is that there will be elections more often. It doesn't mean it will be an improvement.
It is a HUGE improvement, BBC.
Until this morning, I was unsure who to support for Port Commissioner of the two candidates. Mr. DeBarre supports a reduction in monopoly of elected positions; makes support of his election a no-brainer for reasoning voters.
Of course if the local Republican party were real conservatives they would be using this as an opportunity to drum up a few questions of their own. Like...
1. Why is the Port, a government organization, competing with the private sector in land development and rentals?
2. Is the Port being accountable to the public which they are supposed to serve?
3. Were all laws adhered to during the Robb situation? Was there enough transparency to let the public act as watchdog?
4. For that matter, is the Port necessary or is it another instance of government waste?
You won't hear our local Republicans voice these questions however. They're too busy whining about how much Obama is spending to worry about what's happening right under their noise. Given what's happened in the past, they're 100% supportive of local government waste as long as there isn't a Democrat in the White House or in Olympia and as long as those uppity gays are shown their place.
No wonder so many people are leaving the "Republican" party.
I'll sign this petition but I still say we need a recall petition for each of the current commissioners.
Well, the local Republicans are well entrenched in the very problems they complain about!
You monkeys have the government you deserve and I'm not going to waste my time explaining why because you wouldn't understand anyway.
Carry on.....
I miss the old days when the only difference in the Port Commissioners candidates was if the guy had a parrot on his left shoulder, or right.
I find all the hubbub and paranoid ravings over Max Mania and Dale holiday leaving to be fascinating. Say what you will about them, they apparently have a great appeal to conspiracy theory idiots from both sides of the political aisle.
Conspiracy #1: "They've done THIS before!" Of course, the "this" in this theory is never really fleshed out. It's just left as a nebulous, scandalous sounding accusation. Never mind that it's a no detail, nonsense accusation. Never mind the fact that the PDN would be ALL OVER any actual suits or complaints in their respective histories. (The PDN clearly loves dragging these two through as much mud as they can generate.) Never mind the fact that the county probably wouldn't have been so eager to settle with someone who had a history of making frivolous claims against employers. No, no - "They've done THIS before!" Whatever THIS is, and wherever THIS was...Which would be Fantasyland. Paranoid ravings spewed out without a single shred of evidence don't make it so, folks.
Conspiracy #2: "Those aren't their REAL names!" See the beginning of this very thread. Yeah, Max Mania hoped to "change" his identity by changing the middle initial of his incredibly memorable name from an "X" to a "Y"? Sounds more like a typo to me. Gimme a break. It's amazing how many people have thrown out this idiotic theory. You know, it's illegal to run for public office under a false or assumed name. ILLEGAL. So, uh, if all you supposedly informed and concerned citizens have some sort of proof that Max Mania was using a fake name, why wait to raise the alarm until AFTER he's moved away? And again, why didn't the PDN, no friend of Mania, raise the alarm on this? Could it be because - GASP! - it's his actual, legal name? And could it be that the idiots who are raising such a hue and cry now know there's nothing to it? Could that be why no one is actually "investigating" this - because there's nothing to investigate? Hmmm...
Conspiracy #3: "Racism? Here? What racism is that, nigger?" This is closely related to Conspiracy #1 above, in that, since there just CAN'T be any racism in Clallam County, it must be a false claim, and, hey - "They've done THIS before!" Of course, all the racist comments on stories about this on the PDN's website would tend to validate the claim that there's a LOT of racism left in good ol' Clallam County. 'Nuff said.
But, then again, anyone stupid enough to believe half-assed conspiracy theories isn't really interested in facts, are they? They're just looking to have their pre-existing biases confirmed, so they can feel good about hating.
FIRST I'VE HEARD OF THESE. What will they think of next?
Sigh.
I had hoped that the stupid rantings about Max would stop, now that they have left the State.
I guess the jerks think ranting on about somebody that isn't even here, is more important than the really serious REAL problems Port Angeles has.
4 years? 6 years?
Does it really matter?
I think Norma Turner should start a petition to increase the amount of commissioners from 3 to 5.
That would negate a lot of the executive directors power and bullshit.
I was reminded of PA listening to Ted Cruz's father speak at the ultra scary republican "Family" gathering in Iowa. Typical PA dude, even the Canadian influence. What's scary, is what if PA becomes attractive enough economically, so that a few more of our local Ted Cruz types' kids move here? In other words, the haters have much more to be passionate about here, and a higher level of vested interest in that passion - in the park, the border, transportation, energy, immigrants, bla bla bla, than the "lovers". They will arrive eventually - these devil spawn children. They may spend the next fifty years trying to dismantle the park system, but climate change will take care of that...it's all going bye bye, no matter what we do. Gone, for sure, will be the unique ecosystem we have in the park. So, who the fuck cares? The park rangers making 80K a year, that's who! Ok, I'll stop. BBC's right and for many reasons.
Still living at home with your Mommy, Paul? No "mystery" there, Mommy's Boy. Still, you talk pretty big for someone who doesn't know what he's talking about, and wouldn't have the balls to say anything to my face. And who's in his 50s and living with his Mommy. Typical Clallam County closet case. Blah, blah, blog no balls.
Interesting choice the republicans in Oregon have made for their new chairman!!!! Oh, no, our republicans in this little rural town aren't like that, CRAP!!!
Seriously, this is scary shit - the tea party fascists coming to power in rural/western blue states. Coming soon to Washington! No more of that guy who ran for gov. and lost. No more that guy who ran for the seat that guy got when Dicks quit. No more of that! Nada!
Scary article in the new local paper. Hasn't hit the PDN yet:
http://tinyurl.com/jwhay5k
Re: increasing the number of port commissioners from 3 to 5:
Why would anybody think that having more elected officials equates to better government? Look no further than the seven member Port Angeles City Council for a good example of mass dysfunction and hoodwinking by clever and conniving staff members.
Re: increasing the number of port commissioners from 3 to 5:
When you put ten smart people in a committee the result is an idiot. One of the best men I ever worked for had something on his office wall.
WHEN YOU WANT SOMETHING DONE MAKE YOURSELF A COMMITTEE OF ONE
So - Jimmy Hallett is quoted in the PDN as saying that he thinks that it would be a mistake to have two of the three Port Commissioner seats up for re-election in the same year. Therefore he opposes shortening commissioner terms from six years to four. Awwww --- how phony and self serving.
It would be a very good thing if voters could have the chance to vote the majority of the bums out at once, and effect some real change down there at the port. Maybe they might think a little harder about accountability when they pull their backroom deals to benefit the chosen insiders.
Watch for Calhoun and Hallett and the lame duck McHugh to throw as much mud as they can at the basis for the petition drive to shorten terms. They are doing nothing more than trying to protect their exclusive grips on power and the people's money.
Go find one of those petitions and sign it!
Yeah, well I think Norma Turner should start a petition to change the amount of commissioners from 3 to 0.
Our local government is hopeless. The less we have the better.
Too bad the local "Republicans" don't agree. But like BBC I don't see much difference in the parties. Oh, they talk different, but they all do pretty much the same thing. And a lot of that has to do with how much of our money they can shove in their pockets before moving on somewhere else. For the "public good" of course.
Oh, we do need local government. Government isn't the problem, it is the voters that have become so lazy.
Few put any real effort into their local government. Just sit back and complain. Like complaining about a kid that runs wild because you were too lazy to be a good parent, and give them discipline and guidance.
We get the government we allow, or vote for.
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