Sequim Gazette Editorial and Letters to the Editor

More offenses from DOT

Opening my annual motor vehicle tabs bill, (remember those $30 tabs, mine has now nearly doubled) I am once again reminded how offended I am by the reckless unthought-out spending habits of the Washington Department of Transportation.

Recent examples that I am most familiar with are the Sequim (Highway) 101 bypass, in which the Department of Transportation in its wisdom decided to build, not to the standard of the barely adequate four-lane road on its west end but, to the 30 years behind the times two-lane road to the east. Now I could be convinced of the merits of saving some dollars by paving only two lanes to begin with, but the absurd decision to build overpasses that will only accommodate a two-lane road, rather than the four lanes we needed is irresponsible to the point of criminal waste of public funds.

Even more recently, we've witnessed two years and millions of dollars spent to replace a perfectly functional highway interchange at SR 3 and 303 with the worst example of a highway exchange I've ever seen. This is a head-on collision waiting to happen and many, many people should lose their jobs over this fiasco. There are three or four examples of good interchanges currently in use all over the country. They've been tried tested for the past 70 years and yet somehow our DOT found the need to create something complexly new in which, I believe, any fifth-grader in the Sequim School District could have seen the flaws.

Now these same folks seem intent on building us a rest area, whether we want it or need it or not. I've driven almost every one of the 1,600 miles of Highway 101 from Mexico to Shelton. There is exactly one rest area on that route. It is out in the middle of the country between Paso Robles and Salinas, Calif., a fairly reasonable place to put a rest area. Rest areas are not needed in an urban area like Sequim or Port Angeles. Why not spend just some of that money to complete the interchange at the east end of our bypass, as it should have been in the first place. If that is not possible, then send the money back to Washington, D.C., to pay down some debt.

Come on folks, this isn't rocket science. We've been building good highways in this country for 75 years. All you have to do is look around and copy what works.

Tom Williamson

Sequim



We can have the best

Bravo and thank you to the Sequim Gazette for being a leader in supporting our hospital and our health care, for the upcoming OMC levy vote in August.

We have one public hospital, OMC, supporting the Sequim and Port Angeles communities, surrounded by our other sister towns and cities that also use OMC and its multiple facilities for health care. Can you even imagine what our communities would be like without OMC ?

We have suffered as other private providers have left our community and OMC took care of us when no else would. From all the primary care doctors at the former Sequim Virginia Mason clinic and the former Port Angeles VM clinics, to OB, cardiology, cancer care, urology, pulmonology, radiology, general and orthopedic surgery doctors - they are here for you and me due to help from OMC.

When I'm sick or my family and friends are sick, I want all of us to have quality health care options. I want the best facilities, I want the best medical equipment, I want the best doctors and nurses and I want the best treatment centers here at home. We can have it all, Vote YES, Aug. 19 for the OMC levy.

Thank you Sequim Gazette, our hometown community newspaper that truly cares about our community.

Karen Rogers

Private business owner and

Port Angeles City Council member

Port Angeles



Find another site

We would like to voice our complete opposition to this proposed refrigeration/crematorium facility in Carlsborg.

We truly believe that such a facility in this residential and light industry neighborhood would have very adverse effects on the community. Such a facility should not be planned in a residential area, but in a remote area where the smell, fumes, and rising heat from the crematorium would not interfere with people's daily lives nor affect any of our natural resources or wildlife. We are also concerned with the toxic release of pollutants, such as mercury or other toxic substances being released, without proper fume filtration, within the area of our clean air community. With all the open remote areas available in Washington, there must be an alternative solution to this need.

Jeff Viets and Kathleen Hennen

Sequim



Too many barriers

With all the news of crime, drug abuse, drunk driving and other offenses, maybe we should take a good look at our criminal justice system. Perhaps we are failing to reform in our reformatories, create penitence in our penitentiaries or rehabilitate in any of our expensive facilities.

We are using punishment as a form of modifying behavior and paying victims for the wrongs done to them. Those incarcerated are set up to fail and when finally released, they have difficulty finding housing, employment and positive associations. The likelihood of additional crime is certainly ensured.

Politically, this philosophy may be popular since legislators want to be considered "tough on crime." Realistically, we are expecting these people to overcome barriers that would be unreasonable for even the ordinary law-abiding citizen.

Lowana Krewson

Stanwood



Just wondering

Having lived in the Sequim area for over 40 years, I am beginning to wonder.

I wonder why, out of the blue, the new members of the city council decided to fire the city manager and burden the citizens of Sequim to what will probably amount to $300,000 or more by the time the whole situation shakes out. I wonder how they plan to come up with the significant, additional, unbudgeted expense without burdening Sequim taxpayers. I wonder if they had already discussed this action among themselves before that eventful meeting day when the damage was done. I wonder if they would be willing to reveal, if that was the case, where, when and how the plan evolved. I wonder how they expect the police chief to effectively carry out his duties, the duties of the city manager and the managing of the utilities department in the interim. I wonder if the new council members would be willing to commit their own personal funds and full-time efforts to the city until the whole situation is finally concluded.

Finally, I wonder where and how the editorial staff of the Sequim Gazette obtained the information to state in their editorial that the firing of city managers is "common" when a change in elected officeholders takes place.

I don't think I'm the only one waiting for answers, and I'm not willing to accept the Gazette's seeming assertion that that's just the way it goes.

Larry McHugh

Sequim



A little kindness, please

The letter in last week's Gazette from Mr. Toth about his experience at John Wayne marina is, sadly, right on the mark.

I had the displeasure of being confronted by the John Wayne harbormaster a couple years ago when I filled two 5-gallon containers from a water fountain at the marina.

He accused me of "stealing" the water, saying it was for the use of slip renters only. His demeanor was obnoxious, rude and arrogant. When I asked why there were no postings about the restrictions on water use, he said that he made these rules, and it was not necessary for him to post them.

His heavy-handed manner is no way for a public servant to treat members of the community.

D.A. Butler

Sequim



Imagine a fair marketplace

Imagine a place where farmers, growers, gardeners and processors can list their locally grown or processed products. They can set their own prices and show photos and provide descriptions of their products. They receive the online order and deliver these orders weekly or monthly to centrally located distribution points. They receive 95 percent of their asking price with 5 percent going to support the online system._

Next, imagine you are a customer going online and reviewing what is available locally from farmers, growers, gardeners and processors in your area. You can place your order online during a specific time period each week or month. You can then pick up and pay for your order at a specific location in your neighborhood at a specific time each week or month. The product costs you its listed price plus 5 percent to support the online system and 3 percent to support the hosting of the system on the Internet.

This system exists right now through two networks: locallygrown.net and www.oklahomafood.coop/local-food-system.php.__I think this system holds much promise for our local food system and we will_discuss it at the Local Action for a Sustainable Tomorrow meeting Wednesday night, May 28, at 7 p.m., at the_Sequim Library. Everyone is invited.

Sid Maroney

Local Action for a Sustainable Tomorrow