JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT THE COUNTY MELODRAMA WAS OVER!

Readers,

It was just two months we thought the continuing soap opera which dominated the local news media's headlines for months, has once again grabbed headlines recently. Now instead of withholding grant monies from the opportunity fund to both the city and port, from the county commission. Our gal! County Treasurer Selinda Barkhuis, has now added a little gas to the fire which everyone was hoping was put out. Now a new twist, she is demanding that the County Administrator Jim Jones be fired. She mailed the local news media a email and the county commission with her reasons. Which by the way I didn't get such a email! I'm shocked! (smiling and winking eye) Guess I don't count since I'm just blogger who didn't get a degree in journalism. But no matter the “big boys” posted the letter so either way I got the information I needed. Anyways here are the two stories which was posted this week in the local main stream media this week:

• Clallam treasurer calls for county administrator to be fired, rejects budgetary figures

ClallamCounty Treasurer Selinda Barkhuis is asking commissioners to fireCounty Administrator Jim Jones. She also wants them to deny anincrease in next year's revenue projections and to nix a last minuteexpenditure for new staff in the prosecuting attorney'soffice.---Peninsula Daily News

Quoting from the article posted: " In a Monday email to commissioners and other elected officials, Barkhuis referred to Jones' & ridiculous revenue projections for her department, especially a $200,000 spike in investment interest."

• Related Stories: Powerful email arrived today---Port O Call

Quotingfrom the email posted: " As such, I hereby also request thateach of you, as County Commissioners, immediately act to terminatethe County Administrator’s employment contract, and I hereby putyou on notice that I intend to hold “the County,” as well as eachof you County Commissioners personally, accountable for theconsequences of your failing to do so. "

* What did she mean by holding them accountable if they don't comply with her demands? What does she have in store if they don't?

Now if you can recall back during the grant funding fiasco the treasurer suddendly back out from the argument

According to a September article from the Peninsula Daily News, with the headline:

Clallam treasurer to release disputed grant warrants; fight wraps up due to undisclosed medical issue

Quoting from a September 10th Article from the Peninsula Daily News:

PORTANGELES — A lingering dispute between Clallam County commissionersand Treasurer Selinda Barkhuis is over. Citing an undisclosed medicalissue, Barkhuis on Thursday said in an email that she wouldn't rejecta pair of warrants for $1.3 million in Opportunity Fund grants to theport and city of Port Angeles. “I don't want to die over this,”Barkhuis said in a brief interview while leaving the courthouseThursday. “They win, OK? They win. “I'm physically unable to dealwith this.”--County Treasurer Selinda Barkhuis

* What happened? Apparently she has found new strength to toss gas on to a fire everyone thought was burned out. I realize this doesn't have anything to do what happen with the grant funding, but then again makes me wonder there might be some kind of residual effect stemming from it some how.  So what I am guessing here is this whole melodrama isn't quite over is it?

In other local and regional news stories...

Elected Port Angeles School Board member quits before taking oath

The winner of a Port Angeles School Board seat has resigned from the position, and the defeated incumbent said he might apply to be appointed to the post.---Peninsula Daily News

Port of Port Angeles to start search for new executive director amid debate on position role

Port of Port Angeles commissioners will start seeking a new executive director next year provided they can devise a description for the job. Dec. 31 will mark the end of Ken Hollarens 29 months in the position.At least one port commissioner hopes it also marks the end of much of the post administrative authority.---Peninsula Daily News

County Commissioner Mike Chapman; Democrat

Commissioner Mike Chapman no longer “Independent” joins Democratic Party

In a move that delighted many and surprised no one Clallam County Commissioner, Mike Chapman recently registered with the Clallam County Democratic Party.  This could be a seismic shift in the makeup of the county’s legislative body.---PORT O CALL

A future for Sequim’s farmland

Since 1950 the amount of farmland in Clallam County has declined by 70 percent, leaving about 20,000 acres accessible.---SEQUIM GAZETTE

Merrill Whittier: West End Pioneer

In 1900, according to the census, 139 people lived on the Forks Prairie. One of those families was the Whittiers. Merrill, Martha and their eight children called this place home.----FORK FORUM

County aims to streamline food safety program, recover costs

Health officials pitch fee hike for food permits, discuss risk-based fee structure---PT LEADER

NEWS FROM ACROSS THE STRAIT

Three years after vanishing, where is Emma Fillipoff?  

Today marks the third anniversary of the disappearance of Emma Fillipoff.

On the day she disappeared in 2012, her worried mother, Shelley, was flying to Victoria to see her.---TIMES COLONIST/ VICTORIA BC

Local groups brace for Syrian refugees

Local immigrant and refugee centres are bracing for refugees who could potentially resettle on the Island by the end of the year.----VICTORIA NEWS/ VICTORIA BC

Raise carbon tax, B.C. advisors recommend

The B.C. government's climate advisory panel wants to start increasing the province's carbon tax with a 33 per cent jump in 2018, and says even with higher fuel tax the province won't meet its current target to reduce greenhouse gases one third by 2020.---VICTORIA NEWS/ VICTORIA BC

WHAT'S ON TAP FOR NEXT WEEK

CLALLAM COUNTY COMMISSION  MEETING AGENDA HIGHLIGHT: Letter to Nordian Administrative Services agreeing to be legally and financially responsible for Medicare payments received by the Health and Human Services Department as part of the application process to be a Medicare provider

see 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 SET TO ACCEPT 2016 BUDGET:

Quoting from their staff report page f-2 from the council packet: The City Council had only one request for consideration at tonight’s meeting as follows:

However, Council also discussed the possibility of increasing the budget to fully fund the Humane Society contracted amount of $65,000 in 2016. In order for the General Fund budget to remain balanced, the increase to the Humane Society has not been included in the budget ordinance. If a majority of Council wishes to increase the contribution to the Humane Society from the current budgeted amount of $48,800, then a decrease of $16,200 must be identified in the General Fund. 

 Olympic Peninsula Humane Society (OPHS)

During City Council debate as part of the first reading of the 2016 Budget, Council

consensus was that staff bring back to the City Council options for restoring full

funding to OPHS for 2016 based on the original amount noted in the 2015-2017

agreement between the City and OPHS. 

*  Readers, I saw no mention of budget revisions regarding the United Way. And I was told by Councilman Whetham in a recent email letter that United Way will not be left out in the cold. 

Read full agenda: http://wa-portangeles.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/2668

DAILY DEVOTIONAL

Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done.

1 Chronicles 16:8 NIV

* I hope you all had a good Thanksgiving holiday. Let us always remember those who usually spend the holidays alone, or don't have any homes let alone a feast.