By Peter Ripley, Publisher
Readers, last week I mentioned that the election between Bateham and Kidd could be a defining factor on the attitude of local voters feelings over the fluoridation issue. Now, keep in mind this was a county wide election, not just for the City Council elections. Secondly, keep in mind out of the 47,509 ballots mailed out, only 22,696 were cast, and out of that roughly if my calculations are correct little over 10,000 were cast for the city of Port Angeles races. Take note of the numbers voted in the race between Bateham verses Kidd: results from PA City Council Race:
CITY OF PORT ANGELES Council Position No. 7
Candidate Vote Vote %
Dan Bateham
1,867 44.69%
Cherie Kidd
2,311 55.31%
Total Votes (not including write-ins) 4,178
Now note the votes cast on the other city council positions:
CITY OF PORT ANGELES Council Position No. 5
Candidate Vote Vote %
Michael Merideth
2,253 57.46%
Marolee Smith
1,668 42.54%
Total Votes (not including write-ins) 3,921
Precinct Results »
CITY OF PORT ANGELES Council Position No. 6
Candidate Vote Vote %
Sissi Bruch
2,813
Total Votes (not including write-ins) 2,813
See full election results: http://results.vote.wa.gov/results/current/clallam/
From the votes cast one might assume a connection that the fluoride issue was a contributing factor here right?
The outcome of the race between Bateham and Kidd might have a different result, if Bateham hadn't withdrawn of the election in September, just two months away from the general election. As I stated before that normally when one withdraws from a race they usually say: “ If elected I will not serve” , but in this case Bateham kept his foot in the door by saying the exact opposite saying, “If elected he would serve” leaving open the assumption that either he was taking on the role as a phantom candidate, who is just avoiding the public, and media attention. His reason he gave and still gives that it was a family emergency and medical crisis. If he would have just given a little more detail than just what he shared, I think the voting public would have been more understanding, than they were during election night.
Which by the way was more than yours truly got during the election I was involved with two years ago. Bateham out did me by roughly 200 votes, totaling 1800 he managed to get for his first time out. That was pretty good considering the mood of the voters. That's 1800 votes who were probably voting for the sake of the fluoride issue more than anything else, and perhaps the 1800 that did vote for Bateham voted despite that he walked away from the campaign, decided to show charity. Which now will be up to the survey opinion poll which was mailed out to Port Angeles utility payers. Now that the election is over, the true measure of the fluoride issue will have to stand on it's own merits via the survey questions being mailed out. Perhaps the survey poll will give a clearer picture now that the races for city council have been all but settled. The question now is, will the council abide by the will of the people? Or will it be business as usual and play Big Brother? And finally, Bateham earned himself political capital with his 1800 votes in his pocket, what he chooses to do with it, will be up to him.
Related stories...
CLALLAM COUNTY ELECTION: Incumbent Cherie Kidd leads in Port Angeles City Council race
PORT ANGELES — Incumbent City Council member and former Mayor Cherie Kidd led in the voting against veterans advocate and fluoridation opponent Dan Bateham for Position 7, according to Election Night totals.---Peninsula Daily News
Open letter to Port Angeles City Council by Dr. Eloise Kailin
" This community, and most notably its medical professionals have been seriously misled by deliberate withholding of critical information." ---PORT O CALL dated 11/3/15
Fluoridation survey to be mailed out today to water users in Port Angeles area
PORT ANGELES — It's show time for fluoridation, with 9,669 municipal water users in the spotlight. After more than a year of intense public debate, advisory surveys will be mailed out today asking if the city should continue fluoridating the water system past May 18 as a means of fighting tooth decay.---Peninsula Daily News
CLALLAM COUNTY ELECTION 2nd UPDATE: Second count sees no changes in outcomes from Tuesday's results; Sequim school bond 0.45 percentage points from passage
PORT ANGELES — Outcomes of races in Tuesday's general election held firm today (Friday), with a Sequim school bond measure just barely missing passage, after the Clallam County Auditor's Office tallied 8,935 late-arriving ballots.
In other local news...
Election update: Sequim school bond count now 0.5 percent short of passing
A $49.3 million Sequim school construction bond saw ballot totals rise to 59.55 percent, just short of the 60 percent "super majority" it needs to be approved.---SEQUIM GAZETTE
Logging and Mill photos to go on display
On Friday, Nov. 13, the ONRC, 1455 S. Forks Ave., will host the work of John Tylczak. Tylczak came to the West End in the 1980s and photographed area logging and mill activities and the people that worked the jobs. The photos are black and white.---FORKS FORUM
Keeping up on the media
The media is in the spotlight these days, and not just because the Republican candidates for president have decided that the real problem with America is the media.---PT LEADER
* Apparently the author is not aware of any other media outlet here on the Peninsula other than the radio stations mention, and the Peninsula Daily News! Boy, do I feel like been given the cold shoulder! I imagine out local outlets are feeling the same thing!
NEWS FROM ACROSS THE STRAIT:
Victoria ponders later wakeup call for park campers
Homeless people might be allowed to sleep later in Victoria parks after the city reviews its parks bylaw. Councillors Ben Isitt and Jeremy Loveday won backing from their colleagues when they called for a legal review in the wake of a B.C. Supreme Court ruling dealing with homeless people sleeping in parks in Abbotsford.----TIMES COLONIST/ VICTORIA BC
Derelict house troublesome for Fernwood residents
A roofless house in Fernwood that is fenced off and littered with construction equipment is quickly becoming an eyesore and generating concern from neighbours that it’s attracting the wrong type of attention.---VICTORIA NEWS/ VICTORIA BC
The evolution of Fisherman’s Wharf
When David Leff opens the patio door of his 1,300 square-foot home, a small boat is floating at his feet, ready for action---VICTORIA NEWS/ VICTORIA BC
WHAT'S ON TAP FOR NEXT WEEK:
CLALLAM COUNTY COMMISSION MEETING AGENDA ITEM HIGHLIGHT:
Tentative settlement agreement with Teamsters Local 589 regarding wage reduction grievance
See full agenda: http://websrv7.clallam.net/forms/uploads/bocc_meeting_agenda.pdf
Agenda details: http://websrv7.clallam.net/forms/uploads/bocc_meeting_packet.pdf
PORT COMMISSION AGENDA ITEM HIGHLIGHT:
Introduce 2016 Property Tax Resolution No. 15-1109
See details: http://wa-portofportangeles.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/855?fileID=467
Full Port Commission agenda: http://www.portofpa.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/11102015-121?html=true
City of Sequim Agenda: http://www.sequimwa.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/1273
2016 Budget Full Time Equivalents (FTEs) – Clarifications.
See details: http://wa-sequim.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/7157
PORT TOWNSEND AGENDA: http://cityofpt.granicus.com/GeneratedAgendaViewer.php?view_id=4&event_id=292
Agenda Highlight: Ordinance 3139 Adopting the Budget for the City of Port Townsend, Washington, for the Fiscal Year Ending December 31, 2016
CITY OF FORKS: http://www.forkswashington.org/pdf/agenda11915.pdf
DAILY DEVOTIONAL:
The Second Coming of Christ - Part 2
What does the Bible teach about the second coming of Christ? Is He coming again? When is He coming? What will He do when He returns? These are all questions which will be answered from the Scriptures in our study today.---TRUTH FOR THE WORLD
