Port Angeles City Council Wants to “Move Forward”

Politicians everywhere seem to recite the same slogans whenever they're trying to squirm their way out of the spotlight.

“Let’s Move Forward” was everybody’s rallying cry at last night’s “forum” regarding City Manager Mark Madsen’s resignation and his allegations against the city council.

At last night’s choreographed event, er, “forum,” audience questions were written down and presented to Penny Van Vleet, president of the Clallam County League of Women Voters, who then read the questions to the city council members.

A lot of the questions pertained to Madsen’s allegations of an “untenable, hostile work environment” created by several unnamed city council members. And there were questions about Madsen’s $37,000 severance package that he automatically receives for resigning (must be nice).

Think anything will change?

Rift In Port Angeles City Council

Apparently things aren’t going too smoothly at the Port Angeles City Council. City Manager Mark Madsen has described an “increasingly open and destructive display of disrespect for fellow council members…Certain council members are using their council voice to undermine the legitimate issues and programs supported by other council members, whom they don't like.”

Madsen is considering resigning his position as City Manager if these feuds aren’t resolved. My brief impressions of Mark Madsen — based only on a few PADA Morning Mingles — was that he’s a straightforward what-you-see-is-what-you-get kind of guy. Unlike so many Port Angeles “players,” he doesn’t seem to have ulterior motives or an agenda.

Without knowing any details of these rifts — who’s doing what to whom — it might be a sign that the local Good Old Boy network is losing its grip. If that’s the case, it’s probably a good thing for Port Angeles in the long run, even if it means a lot of strife and anxiety in the short term.

KPly Mill Closing

KPly Inc. in Port Angeles will be closing permanently in sixty days. The mill has been idle since last November, but now the closure will be permanent.

This really sucks, not just for the 132 workers themselves but also for the overall impact on the local economy. City Manager Mark Madsen said: “It's not just these jobs that are impacted, but other jobs in the community tied to it. Each job they lose impacts at least one other job.”

KPly’s contact person, Jan Kirschner, said the only person authorized to talk about this was General Manager Tom Crandall. So far Crandall hasn’t returned phone calls from his home in Haines, Alaska.

KPly workers will be eligible for job training and other benefits under the Trade Act of 1974.