PORT ANGELES DIGEST: 15 MONTH LEE SHOWS UP AT A PORT MEETING!

Yes, readers that's Lee Whetham's new nick name I gave him, 15 month Lee! Why you may ask? Well he served only 15 months on the city council which he wanted to serve on so he said at that time, now after 15 months he decided to move on up the political ladder, and these positions here locally are just "stepping stones" to higher office using his words. But, this week he made an appearance at a Port Commission meeting I attended this week, the first time I saw him attend any Port meeting which I attended since May. He came to speak about his continued support of chopping down the trees at Lincoln Park that are blocking the air space for landing, and taking off airplanes at the near by airport Fairchild International. He asked about the status of the environmental impact of cutting down those trees. You know what readers, maybe it's just me I think he was sending a message to his pal John Calhoun...."I supported you in wanting to cut down the trees, now you owe me buddy!" That's what I think the real message he was conveying, but that's just me. The other two Port Candidates were present too,  Rick (Doc) Robinson, and Connie Beauvais. Both Robinson, and Whetham started a little debate between them during the closing public comment session of the Port meeting, Beauvais staid out of the little debate that transpired which was about Whetham's pet project the apprentice utilization program. I think yours truly only met  Michael Breidenbach, once at one Port meeting, but nevertheless with the lack of coverage given about the primary election from the local media, is it any wonder candidates are now taking matters in their own hands to get their message out to other venues that will make mention of the primary election, ballots were mailed out this week for the primary election so this will be the time when voters will have to separate the shaft from the wheat so to speak. Weed out the pretenders, and opportunist, from those who truly want to serve this community, not seek their own advancement, or "name" in bold print!

With that, here is the latest local happenings;


 Clallam County commissioner candidates discuss county grants, water issues 
Three candidates for the Clallam County District 1 commissioner seat debated water and the distribution of county funds at a League of Women Voters of Clallam County forum Incumbent Commissioner Jim McEntire and challengers Mark Ozias and Bryan D. Frazier were questioned by audience members during the Sunday afternoon forum on the controversy surrounding County Treasurer Selinda Barkhuis refusal to honor funds transfers to other agencies, as well as about water rights and building permits in water-critical areas.---read more
(Well, now looks like PDN finally said something about the primary, along with Port O Call's article I shared earlier this week.)

Clallam asks state auditor for review of grant allocation process in wake of treasurer's rejection
 Clallam County commissioners have asked the state auditor if they botched the process of awarding a pair of infrastructure grants to city and port governments in May


Port of Port Angeles gets $596,913 federal grant to study Lincoln Park trees, airport flightpath
The Port of Port Angeles has started the process of finding a solution to the ever-growing, obstructive Lincoln Park trees in the path of William R. Fairchild International Airport.But dont expect a decision on cutting down trees to increase visibility of the airports flight path until the beginning of 2018, port Airport and Marina Manager Jerry Ludke said.

( No mention of the Port candidates attending the meeting in the article, guess that was up to me to do huh!? Readers! My job, readers is to comment on news stories posted, hence news commentator, but I guess if the local media isn't doing the job of covering primary elections, just the general ones well that falls to guys like me to do, which I am glad to do readers!)

Don’t follow leaders–don’t re-elect anybody---PORT O CALL
As we get ready to mark our ballots and select the next leadership class let us keep one thing in mind–the incumbents are the ones who got us into the situation we are in now.

(PORT O CALL's second article about the primary election I found on their site, believe me readers I have been looking at both of these publications, maybe I missed some articles about the primary election, I am just noting the lack of coverage on both sides of the ledger)

Bloom time: The Gazette’s guide to Sequim Lavender Weekend---SEQUIM GAZETTE


Spruce Railroad Trail Improvements to Begin July 27---FORKS FORUM


FROM ACROSS THE STRAIT
Advocate for homeless backs moves to affordable housing ---TIMES COLONIST


Victoria, Esquimalt mayors take initial steps toward Victoria-area amalgamation---VICTORIA NEWS


Victoria's fossil fuel divestment movement heats up---VICTORIA NEWS

WHAT'S ON TAP FOR NEXT WEEK...

COUNTY COMMISSION AGENDA HIGHLIGHT ITEM: Resolution adopting a Budget Emergency in the following fund: Health and Human Services, Homelessness Task Force – Transfer from ending fund balance to professional services for contracted services to the homeless in response to a request for proposals/$300,000
Full agenda: http://websrv7.clallam.net/forms/uploads/bocc_meeting_agenda.pdf
Agenda item details: http://websrv7.clallam.net/forms/uploads/bocc_meeting_packet.pdf

City Council Agenda Items highlights:
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PORT ANGELES, WASHINGTON, DECLARING THE ADVANCED METERING INFRASTRUCUTRE (AMI) PROJECT NO LONGER VIABLE, TERMINATING THE ADVANCED METERING INFRATRUCTURE PROJECT, AND DESIGNATING ELIGIBLE ELECTRIC, WATER, AND WASTEWATER CAPITAL PROJECTS FOR RECEIPT OF BOND PROCEEDS AS A RESULT OF THE TERMINATION OF THE AMI PROJECT----page h1
The City Council in August 2010 authorized the issuance of an Electric Revenue Bond and
a Water and Wastewater Revenue Bond to provide funding for the Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) project. In 2014, the City Council approved the acceptance of a settlement agreement with Mueller Systems, LLC to terminate the contract with Mueller for the implementation of the AMI project. Once the Settlement Agreement had been approved, staff began work on assessing the highest and best use of the bond proceeds previously designated for the AMI project together with refunds and repayments from Mueller associated with the termination of the contract to implement the AMI project. Included as part of the Capital Facilities Plan (CFP) process brought before Council for briefings, public hearings and adoption were a series of Electric, Water and Wastewater projects that were proposed to be considered as eligible projects for the former AMI funding. With the adoption of the resolution, Council will formally terminate the Advanced Metering Infrastructure project as an authorized capital project of the City and designate the projects listed in the resolution as eligible projects to potentially receive funding from the former AMI-designated funds. 

Editorial Comment: I imagine this will be welcome news for the anti-smart meter crowd. These so called smart meters I ran against during the 2013 campaign for City Council.


Along with the next topic: FLUORIDE – BACKGROUND INFORMATION
FLUORIDE OPERATIONS OVERVIEW:
The fluoride system was put into operation on May 18, 2006. Washington State
Department of Health (Division of Environmental Public Health, Office of Drinking Water)
requires fluoride levels be maintained between 0.8 and 1.3 mg/L. The average City fluoride
levels are between 0.8 and 0.95 mg/l. Fluoride treatment testing results are provided to the
Department of Health on a monthly basis, and are reported to consumers in the annual
Consumer Confidence Report as required by Federal law.
The fluoride used by the City is Fluorosilicic Acid (FSA) which is delivered approximately
every 6 months. The Fluorosilicic Acid is added to the water supply as a pretreatment prior
to entering the water treatment plant. The Fluorosilicic Acid is added to the water as a
liquid from a day tank through an LMI fluoride diaphragm injection metering pump.
The annual costs to provide fluoride treatment are as follows:
 1. Fluorosilicic Acid (FSA): $16,500/year
 2. Labor cost for Fluoride operation: $ 1,700/yr (approximate)
 3. Maintenance & repair costs: $1,700/yr (approximate)
Due to the age of the fluoridation system installed 10 years ago, there will likely need to be
an equipment upgrade in the future. In addition, it would be recommended to relocate the
fluoride injection system from the water intake of the plant, to the end of the treatment
process, for improved control
CITY’S OBLIGATION OVERVIEW:
In the 2005 agreement between the City and the Dental Foundation, the City assumed
several obligations, many of which have already been fulfilled. Of the remaining
obligations, probably the one of most current interest is the obligation to fluoridate for a
minimum of ten years.
Under the agreement, if the City stops fluoridation before 10 years of operation, the City is
obligated to repay to the Dental Foundation the costs it paid to design, construct, and install
the system. At the time the agreement was made, the system had not been designed or
constructed. Therefore, those costs were unknown. Recognizing that, a cap of $433,000
was placed on this repayment amount. The City could be liable for additional damages if it
were to deliberately breach the agreement.
In summary, the City is obligated to continue fluoridation until May 18, 2016. At that date
the contractual obligation ends, but fluoridation does not automatically cease. The actions 
of the prior City Councils in 2003 through 2005 set in motion the water fluoridation
program, and now that program will continue until and unless the City Council takes some
formal action to halt it.
COUNCIL OPTIONS:
1. Status Quo: After May 18, 2016, the City Council may do nothing, in which case
fluoridation will continue as it is currently proceeding.
2. Termination: City Council may take action, by majority vote, to cease the fluoridation
program. This choice is entirely within the discretion of the City Council.
3. Advisory Options: Before making any decision on this issue, the City Council may
want to, but is not required to, conduct some public process. If so, the City Council
may decide what that process is. There is no particular requirement. Options include:
a. Public Comment – It could be an informal public comment period, with
opportunities for both oral and written comments.
b. Public Hearing – It could be a more formal public hearing with equal
opportunity for both pro and con presentations.
c. Advisory Ballot – It could be an advisory ballot in the upcoming general
election or a subsequent special election. (Note that for an advisory ballot
to be included in the November general election, the wording of the ballot
must be submitted to the County no later than August 4, 2015.) If the City
seeks an advisory vote, consideration should be given to including those PUD
customers that also receive fluoridated drinking water from the City.
d. Combination – It could be some combination of these or something else. In
any event, the final decision still must be made by the City Council.  pages I1-I3
See full agenda for details

Editor's footnote: This is also something a ran against in previous campaigns for city council, told you this topic was once again going to be a hot topic for the current and new council to consider.

Other regional meetings:
PORT TOWNSEND CITY COUNCIL BUSINESS MEETING AGENDA
Agenda highlight: Waste Water Treatment Facility and Biosolids Awards Presentation with the Department of Ecology


FROM ACROSS THE STRAIT
AGENDA - VICTORIA CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA HIGHLIGHT: Council is considering an application to permit the construction of a garden suite.

DAILY DEVOTIONAL

I will praise You with uprightness of heart, When I learn Your righteous judgments.

Psalm 119:7 NKJV