THE SOUND OF FIREWORKS BLASTING IN THE NEW YEAR!
Yes, readers do you recall the following Ordinance which the City of Port Angeles approved of way back in March of last year? Yes, this ordinance doesn't start until a few months hence, but you have to wonder how many citizens are going to obey it? From what I heard outside of my apartment window on Dec. 31st was more that of defiance than celebrating the new year. When this becomes official in April, will the cops be flooded with 911 calls come July 4th because of fireworks? They have yet to make a plan on how they are going to handle the possible onslaught of phone calls probably going to call in the dispatch on July 4th or Dec 31 next year, let alone other criminal related calls. More on this story come July readers, but I just wanted to remind everyone come April the firework ban will be official and its either going to be chaos in July, and next New Years eve throughout the town, or silent nights!
SUBJECT: PROPOSED FIREWORKS ORDINANCE
Summary: A group of concerned citizens has come forward with a request that the City of Port
Angeles take action to address the use of fireworks. This group has requested that the City
Council enact a ban on the sale and discharge of fireworks within the Port Angeles City limits.
Per Council direction, staff drafted an ordinance banning the sale and discharge of fireworks
within the City, and a first reading of this proposed ordinance was conducted at the February 17,
2015, City Council meeting. A public hearing was then conducted and a number of members of
the community spoke both in favor of, and opposed to, the ordinance.
Recommendation: Conduct a second reading of the proposed ordinance, then conduct a public
hearing. It is the staff opinion that this ordinance will eventually result in a reduction of the
incidence of fireworks-related fires, injuries and complaints within the City, and for those
reasons staff recommends approval of the ordinance.
A citizen's group has come forward and presented materials indicating that fireworks cause a
significant impact upon the health, safety and welfare of a large segment of the community.
Numerous citizens state that their neighborhoods have, for days surrounding the 4th of July,
become "war zones." Many residents have come forward reporting that they are afraid to leave
their homes for fear that they will catch fire, while others report that they feel compelled to leave their homes because the noise is so disturbing. Residents who are unable to leave report that they endure days of hardship and discomfort.
The discharge of fireworks on the 4th of July is a deep-rooted American tradition. There is no
question that many citizens celebrate the 4 th of July by safely discharging legal fireworks within
the parameters as set forth by current ordinance. Unfortunately, it is evident that in growing
numbers, both legal and illegal fireworks are being discharged within the City of Port Angeles
for days prior to and after the 4th of July. This illegal discharge within the tight confines of City
3/03/2015 G - 1 From the city's March 3rd meeting which they approved the Ordinance.
related news story:
On 4-3 vote, Port Angeles City Council approves ban on personal fireworks
The new ordinance takes effect beginning in April 2016.
Illegal use of fireworks — either those too dangerous to be legal or those set off before 9 a.m. or after 11 p.m. on the Fourth of July — will continue to be a misdemeanor punishable by a $500 fine until the new law takes effect.---Peninsula Daily News dated 3/ 4/15
CITY OF PORT ANGELES GETS $44,000 GRANT ON HARBOR CLEAN UP.
One of the highlight items of the City Council starting out for 2016, is the acceptance of a $44,000 grant the Department of Ecology. The new mayor whoever that will be, will be the one accepting the grant along with other members of the Council Tuesday night.
According to staff memo provided:
The City has received a $399,999.60 Remedial Action Grant for the
Port Angeles Harbor Clean Up from the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology).
Ecology has allowed for the City to recoup costs associated with the Remedial Investigation and
Feasibility study that have been occurring since March of 2012. Traditionally remedial action
grants are awarded with a 50% match requirement. In recognition of Port Angeles’s status as an
economically disadvantaged community, the Director of Ecology has authorized a 10% match
requirement for the City.
Based on agreement requirements the grant will primarily be used to cover (non-legal) staff time and expenses for the project as well as invoices for Ecology staff time and stakeholder meetings. Due to limitations of the grant agreement, consulting services will not be covered by the grant.
Staff recommends that Council accept the grant and authorize the City Manager to sign the Toxics Cleanup Remedial Action Grant Program Agreement and make minor modifications as necessary.
Editor's Note: How big of Ecology to give us this grant! After all it was them who put us in this bind with their endless studies and unfunded mandates in the first place! Note readers it says nothing about covering the cost of actual clean up which will cost millions! Plus we must not forget those over priced consultants, they will come knocking at the door with their hands out, if they just happened to miscalculate a price of a bid! It would be nice for a change that a council member would call them on these types of mistakes during the bidding process, and reject anymore taxpayer expense over math mistakes! These contracts should be all correct in their figuring before they come to the council for consideration, not after, and find an error after money has already been spent.
In other local news...
McEntire leaves Clallam County office; no promises that he will stay ‘retired’
PORT ANGELES — Jim McEntire will be the first to tell you: He’s no good at staying retired.The Clallam County commissioner from Sequim is stepping down after four years representing the eastern third of the county and 46 years of service to his country.---Peninsula Daily News dated 12/19/15
Railroad Bridge trestle blessed with cedar, speeches as 150 gather for dedication ceremony near Sequim
SEQUIM — The new west trestle of the Railroad Bridge, which repairs a temporary gap in the Olympic Discovery Trail, was dedicated Wednesday with cedar boughs, blessings and speeches praising the improvements made at the Dungeness River crossing.---Peninsula Daily News
Port of Port Angeles chief makes exit: mill site best chance for development, he says
PORT ANGELES — Nineteen acres of cold, wet, windblown ground could become the hottest piece of industrial real estate in Western Washington.---Peninsula Daily News
Ozias sworn in to serve as Clallam commissioner; Sequim resident to take McEntire's seat
PORT ANGELES — Mark Ozias has been sworn in as the newest Clallam County commissioner. Ozias, 45, replaces Jim McEntire, whom he defeated in the November election 53.2 percent to 46.8 percent.---Peninsula Daily News
Tiny houses for homeless good idea but park wrong place, commissioner says
PORT TOWNSEND — An advocacy group seeking to create a development of tiny houses — each less than 250 square feet — to provide shelter for the homeless has a good idea but needs to find a different location, according to a Jefferson County commissioner---Peninsula Daily News
Judge Rick Porter: Cry Baby or Corrupt?---PORT O CALL
Fluoride Fighters Finding Form & Functions---PORT O CALL
EDC Year End Report presented by Bill Greenwood---PORT O CALL
2015: A look back in Sequim news--SEQUIM GAZETTE
Earthquake near Victoria, BC rattles north Peninsula--KONP RADIO
Port Townsend's Mountain View Pool to reopen Jan. 2--PT LEADER
The Prince Arthur--FORKS FORUM
NEWS FROM ACROSS THE STRAIT
City was offered free removal of old boats on the Gorge--TIMES COLONIST/VICTORIA BC
Plan for temporary homeless shelter on Yates St. worries neighbours ---TIMES COLONIST
Rankin describes 2015 as “tumultuous” year in politics--VICTORIA NEWS/ VICTORIA BC
WHAT'S ON TAP FOR NEXT WEEK
CLALLAM COUNTY COMMISSION MEETING HIGHLIGHT: Approval of workers’ compensation expenditures for the month of November
See full agenda: http://websrv7.clallam.net/forms/uploads/bocc_meeting_agenda.pdf
PORT ANGELES CITY COUNCIL MEETING HIGHLIGHTS: Waterfront Development Phase 2B (ODT Trail West), Project TR02-2003 / Final Acceptance.
Election of Mayor and Deputy Mayor
Related news article: Fluoride may play a role in Port Angeles mayor selection
" Councilwoman Sissi Bruch, a fluoridation opponent who won a second term in November, said this week she will nominate herself to be the city’s top elected official as an alternative to fluoridation proponents Brad Collins and Deputy Mayor Patrick Downie, who told the Peninsula Daily News that they, too, want to be mayor." --Peninsula Daily News
See full agenda: http://wa-portangeles.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/2689
Editor's Note: I'm surprise my pal Lee Whetham wasn't considering the posting! After all wasn't he who was most voicing his dismay over the fluoride issue during that meeting a couple of week's ago? That plan didn't go over to well in annoncing his intention to make a motion to end the practice of adding the toxic substance, someone beat him to the punch and motion the exact opposite Kidd made the motion to continue adding fluroide to our water supply, apparently snubbing the will of the people. Whetham could really make some political hey about this if he plays his cards right as mayor if he got in.
Once it he who successfully assured in that apprentice program for construction workers, working on captial projects? Hows that going?
Was it he, who lead the charge on those pesky fire works sounding off during the Forth of July and imposed a ban. Well even though the ban isn't official until April of this new year, one must wonder if it will be ignored come the 4th of July. But all night on Dec 31 you could hear fire works in parts of town despite an impending ban in April.
Of course you would have to ignore the fact he tried to bail out of this job as council member to seek greener pastures on the Port Commission, after only 15 months on the job as council member. The voters weren't to keen on that move.
Now if he started talking about putting a leash on these over paid consultants and unfunded mandates he'd have something, and if he spoke about repealing the decision of the fluoride issue he be making a pathway toward making a come back on some stumbling moves.
SEQUIM CITY COUNCIL MEETING HIGHLIGHT: Potential selection of new Council member
See full agenda: http://www.sequimwa.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/1303
PORT TOWNSEND CITY COUNCIL MEETING HIGHLIGHT:
Ordinance 3144 Establishing a Line of Credit and Providing for the Issuance and Sale of a Water and Sewer Revenue Bond Anticipation Note in the Aggregate Principal Amount of Not to Exceed $3,000,000 to Evidence the Line of Credit to be Used to Provide Interim Financing for the City’s Water and Sewer Capital Improvements; Fixing or Setting Parameters with Respect to Certain Terms and Covenants of the Note; Appointing the City’s Designated Representative to Approve the Final Terms of the Sale of the Note; and Providing for Other Related Matters
see full agenda: http://cityofpt.granicus.com/GeneratedAgendaViewer.php?view_id=4&event_id=301
DAILY DEVOTIONAL
So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom.
Psalm 90:12 NKJV
