Harbor-Works: "Serious Meetings" Coming Up

The Harbor-Works Board had a 2-hour executive session yesterday. Executive Director Jeff Lincoln said he plans to have "serious meetings" over the next few weeks:

"I'll be spending a lot of time with the Department of Ecology to try and determine what we can do. I'll make sure to keep the board and public apprised as we move forward."

Port Angeles attorney Shirley Nixon told the Board: "If the public knew what you knew, you might have a lot of help trying to convince Rayonier that they would be fortunate to palm off the property into public hands. Public knowledge of the deliberations would only help the price."

Harbor-Works Cleared Again by State Auditor's Office

The city and port did not break any laws when the Port Angeles Harbor-Works Development Authority was created two years ago. The Auditor's Office made this determination last May, and they confirmed their findings again yesterday.

The audit was a result of concerns raised by Port Angeles residents Norma Turner and Shirley Nixon over the legality of Harbor-Works' formation.

Harbor-Works Being Reviewed By State Again

The State Auditor’s Office is again planning to review whether Harbor-Works was created illegally.

According to spokeswoman Mindy Chambers, the Auditor’s Office has received new information which might change their previous conclusion that had cleared the City and Port of Port Angeles of any wrongdoing.

Port Angeles residents Shirley Nixon and Norma Turner, who filed the earlier complaint about Harbor-Works, have provided the new information which has caused the State Auditor’s Office to re-examine the issue.

They’re alleging that the city and port both violated the state Open Public Meetings Act when Harbor-Works was created in May of 2008.

Harbor-Works Audit: A “Witch Hunt???”

According to a state audit, the formation of the Port Angeles Harbor-Works Public Development Authority did not go against the Washington State Open Public Meetings Act and did not violate any Port Angeles laws.

Regardless of their findings, I think it was important for this audit to be conducted. There’s been a lot of suspicion and resentment (to put it mildly) regarding the creation of Harbor-Works.

Port Angeles residents Norma Turner and Shirley Nixon filed the request for the investigation. Norma Turner said: “Even though the state office thinks it was done right, we continue to respectfully disagree. When local elected officials meet with no public input . . . and in doing so have to amend their own rules, again with no public notice and no public comment, I think normal citizens know that violates reasonable expectation of public input.”

Harbor-Works board member Howie Ruddell accused certain un-named citizens (three guesses) of trying to “hijack this community project.” He also said: “Unfortunately these witch hunts are being paid for with tax payer dollars and they need to stop.”

So, when the state Auditor’s Office investigates a citizens’ complaint against a city government — a government which has a long history of steamrolling over the citizens it’s supposedly “serving” — it isn’t actually an audit. It’s a “hijacking.” A “witch hunt.”

OK, duly noted. Thank you Howie Ruddell for clarifying this.