Posted on 10/ 12/ 17
Just as folks started to assess the damage to their homes in Texas and Florida after hurricanes, natural disasters hit other American communities. Hurricane Maria decimated the entire island of Puerto Rico. Ninety percent of folks there still don’t have power. The worst wildfire in California history continues to burn through Northern California with hundreds still missing. The government of the United States should stand behind those who lost everything.
It’s why I voted with a majority of my colleagues this week to provide additional disaster assistance to those in need. It will provide direct investments to firefighters still responding to the blazes in California. Plus, it will ensure the FEMA Disaster Relief Fund (which helps provide things like shelter, food, and clothing) doesn’t run out of money. It also shores up the national flood insurance program, which badly needed investments. Without it, homeowners and businesses in places like Hoquiam could see the insurance rates they pay on their properties skyrocket.
I’m glad we are continuing to help those who lost everything and provide relief to other areas. The bill now has to be passed by the Senate before going to the President.
http://kilmer.house.gov/news/blog
WEEKLY AGRICULTURAL REPORT
NEWS FROM THE USDA:Perdue Statement on President Trump’s Tax Reform Agenda
PRESS RELEASE ISSUED 10/ 11/ 17
Washington, D.C., October 11, 2017) - U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today expressed strong support for the tax reform agenda championed by President Donald J. Trump, hailing it as a great benefit to American agricultural producers. President Trump highlighted the tax reform proposals in an event in Pennsylvania featuring truckers and representatives of the trucking industry.
Perdue issued the following statement:
“The President’s proposed tax cuts and reforms will boost job creation and growth across all American economic sectors, and agriculture is no different. Some of the benefits are self-evident, such as eliminating the ‘Death Tax’ on family farms or reducing the time and expense involved in merely complying with the onerous tax code. But others help agriculture in less obvious ways, as in easing the burden on truckers. Without the trucking industry, many products of American agriculture would have a much more difficult time getting to market. Anything that helps keep trucks on the road and facilitates commerce is good for the farmers, ranchers, foresters, and producers of American agriculture.”
https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2017/10/11/perdue-statement-president-trumps-tax-reform-agenda
Kentucky’s Jr. Chef Competition Going Viral in the Southeast!
Child Nutrition Directors are generating buzz by incorporating winning dishes from high school junior chef competitions (JCC) into school menus. And the idea of providing students an opportunity to impact school meals is spreading!
From the east to west coast, students of all ages are learning vital culinary skills in state competitions that last a lifetime. These competitions capture student interests in local agriculture and create an alternative market for producers via the USDA’s Farm to School Program, which helps child nutrition operators incorporate local foods into their school lunch programs.
One state competition has gone viral in the Southeast. Robin Bailey Jr., Southeast Regional Administrator for the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), recently announced at Kentucky’s Farm to School Jr. Chef Competition , that the Kentucky state competition helped prompt Southeast Child Nutrition state agencies to work with FNS’ Southeast Regional Office to develop a regional JCC where winners of Southeast State JCCs will come to compete. As a result, Kentucky will host the winners of eight Southeastern State JCCs on May 9, 2018 for the first annual Southeastern Regional Level Jr. Chef Competition.
https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2017/10/12/kentuckys-jr-chef-competition-going-viral-southeast
Five Reasons Why You Should Celebrate Farm to School Month
October is a busy month for both our nation’s farms and our nation’s schools. Farmers are harvesting everything from apples to pumpkins, while schools are celebrating Farm to School Month by raising awareness of the connection with fresh, healthy food and local food producers.
Farm to School connects communities to our nation’s farmers, ranchers and fishers through field trips to farms, taste tests of local and seasonal crops, local food purchasing and hands-on agricultural education. Farm to School also boosts rural economies and improves children’s health. In fact, more than 42,000 schools nationwide reported hosting farm to school programs in the 2015 Farm to School Census.
https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2017/10/11/five-reasons-why-you-should-celebrate-farm-school-month
FROM THE UN: The invaluable contribution of rural women to development
The crucial role that women and girls play in ensuring the sustainability of rural households and communities, improving rural livelihoods and overall wellbeing, has been increasingly recognized. Women account for a substantial proportion of the agricultural labour force, including informal work, and perform the bulk of unpaid care and domestic work within families and households in rural areas. They make significant contributions to agricultural production, food security and nutrition, land and natural resource management, and building climate resilience.
Even so, women and girls in rural areas suffer disproportionately from multi-dimensional poverty. While extreme poverty has declined globally, the world’s 1 billion people who continue to live in unacceptable conditions of poverty are heavily concentrated in rural areas. Poverty rates in rural areas across most regions are higher than those in urban areas. Yet smallholder agriculture produces nearly 80 per cent of food in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa and supports the livelihoods of some 2.5 billion people. Women farmers may be as productive and enterprising as their male counterparts, but are less able to access land, credit, agricultural inputs, markets and high-value agrifood chains and obtain lower prices for their crops.
Structural barriers and discriminatory social norms continue to constrain women’s decision-making power and political participation in rural households and communities. Women and girls in rural areas lack equal access to productive resources and assets, public services, such as education and health care, and infrastructure, including water and sanitation, while much of their labour remains invisible and unpaid, even as their workloads become increasingly heavy due to the out-migration of men. Globally, with few exceptions, every gender and development indicator for which data are available reveals that rural women fare worse than rural men and urban women, and that they disproportionately experience poverty, exclusion and the effects of climate change.
The impacts of climate change, including on access to productive and natural resources, amplify existing gender inequalities in rural areas. Climate change affects women’s and men’s assets and well-being differently in terms of agricultural production, food security, health, water and energy resources, climate-induced migration and conflict, and climate-related natural disasters
http://www.un.org/en/events/ruralwomenday/
On the state level...
Washington receives $4.1 million in federal specialty crop grant funds
Press release issued 10/ 11/ 17
OLYMPIA — The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) and U.S. Department of Agriculture have announced this year’s recipients of Specialty Crop Block Grant Program funds, including $4.1 million for Washington state.
The 2017 USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant will fund 20 projects managed by WSDA in partnership with other organizations. Washington ranks second in the nation behind California in production of specialty crops, including fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops and floriculture.
Awards for individual projects range from $75,000 to $250,000 and will go to agricultural commodity commissions, agricultural associations, non-profit organizations, Washington State University (WSU) and WSDA. WSU is the grant recipient for seven of the projects, while six grants went to the state’s commodity commissions.
This year, the block grant is funding an array of projects, from marketing to food safety to research. Benefitting from these projects are berries, potatoes, apples, wine, broccoli, hops, pome fruit, cider, and asparagus, not to mention the variety of specialty crops that will be broadcast on the Washington Grown TV show. A few of the projects include those that will develop training and education resources for Spanish speakers, improve incubator models for beginning specialty crop producers and research cost-effective technologies for cider apple mechanization.
The USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program was created to support the competitiveness of the specialty crop industry through the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service. In awarding these funds, WSDA selected projects that will directly benefit specialty crop producers, address critical issues to the industry and contain strong performance measures.
WSDA has received more than $31 million over the past 10 years for projects supported by the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.
https://agr.wa.gov/news/2017/NR2017-10-11SpecialtyCropGrants.aspx
LOCAL MEETINGS AGENDA HIGHLIGHTS
Clallam County Commission meetings:
Clallam County Work Session also includes a joint meeting with the Port.
Here is the highlights of their work session agenda:
1) 5 Agreement and Resolution with McKinley Paper Company regarding utility franchise payments
2) Review the “How Did We Do” reports comparing each month’s actual performance against the 2017 Annual Budget
3) Discussion of proposed budget reduction to be considered on October 31
(see full agenda)
COUNTY'S REGULAR SESSION ON TUESDAY AGENDA HIGHLIGHT ITEMS:
1) EXECUTIVE SESSION - 11:30 a.m.
The Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has requested an Executive Session with the Board of County Commissioners, the County Administrator, the Director Department of Community Development, the Planning Manager, the Code Enforcement Officer and the Director of Human Resources/Risk Department.
On September 18, 2017 a Land Use Petition Act ("LUPA") Petition (lawsuit) was filed on behalf of the Haymakers, owners of "Midway Metals." It is Clallam County Superior Court Cause #17-2-773-3. The lawsuit alleges the Hearing Examiner erred when he decided on August 24, 2017 that the Haymakers had abandoned for at least 18 months their legal, non-conforming use, specifically operation of a scrap yard and recycling business, meaning the scrap yard is now an illegal use at that location. In summary, the LUPA Petition alleges the Hearing Examiner did not base his decision on substantial evidence and did not apply the proper rule of law. Depending on when the Haymakers are deemed to have received notice of the Hearing Examiner’s decision the Petition may have been filed too late. Pleadings arguing the Petition is time-barred would have to be filed in Court this week.
RCW 42.30.110(1)(i) expressly authorizes a governing body to convene an executive session because actual litigation against Clallam County has been filed and is pending. Discussing such matters in executive session is appropriate because public knowledge of the discussion would reveal the County’s legal strategies and likely result in an adverse legal or financial consequence to agency.
The Board may recess into Executive Session to consider employment or dismissal of personnel, to review the performance of a public employee, to consult with legal counsel, to consider the position to be taken in collective bargaining, to consider acquisition or sale of real estate, or other matters per RCW 42.30.110
The Board may recess into Executive Session to consider employment or dismissal of personnel, to review the performance of a public employee, to consult with legal counsel, to consider the position to be taken in collective bargaining, to consider acquisition or sale of real estate, or other matters per RCW 42.30.110
2) Resolution calling for a hearing to be held at 10:00 a.m., October 31, for consideration of the following Debatable Emergencies:
Superior Court – Indigent Defense – Requesting additional funds to support Adult Felony indigent Defense and Expert Services/$200,000
Human Resources – Transition of training from retired Payroll Administrator to new Payroll Administrator/$30,000
Human Resources – Risk Management – Mandated BOCC approved transfer and assignment of Public Records functions to the HR-Risk Management/$95,000
Parks and Facilities
* Unforeseen expenditures required to eliminate health and safety hazards at County Facilities and parks/$18,600
* Additional costs – Janitorial Service required for HHS upper floor of Third Street Building, Courthouse utilities for cooling requirements, and landscape service required to maintain grounds/$63,250
BOCC – Operations – Funds needed to set up a new work space – computer, file cabinet, phone, desk, chair, etc./$2,624
NonDepartmental
* Washington State Association of Counties 4th Quarter 2016 assessment was billed in January 2017 which was not included in the 2017 budget/$2,675
* Funding needed to cover additional BOCC projects not included in the 2017 Budget – Spirit Vision Films and WSAC Coastal Caucus Assessment/$5,500
Indigent Defense – Additional funds to meet our contractual agreement with the Clallam Public Defender and translator/interpreter services/$25,968
3) Notice that the following Supplemental Appropriations will be adopted by Resolution on
October 31:
Parks & Facilities
* 2017 has brought near-record numbers of campers to Salt Creek and Dungeness Recreation Areas. This increases park related revenues, but also increases the costs of related supplies and services/$46,000
* Payments received to cover repairs needed after three separate incidents of damage in County parks/$6,211
Sheriff – Operations
* Reimbursement from the Washington Counties Risk Pool for the annual Lexipol Policy Manual Update subscription fee paid in November 2016 and to be paid November 2017/$11,040
* Reimbursement from FY15 and FY16 Operation Stonegarden Grants for patrol overtime and benefits/$23,549
Sheriff – Jail
* Reimbursement from the Washington Risk Pool for the annual Lexipol Custody Policy Manual Update subscription fee paid in July 2017/$2,280
* Budget change to receipt reimbursement funding from the Washington State Department of Ecology for Chain Gang work to clean up roadway litter and illegal dump sites/$22,090
Sheriff – Sobriety Fund – Change to receipt funding from the Washington Traffic Safety Commission to enhance the Washington State 24/7 Sobriety Program currently deployed in the jail/$11,150
(See full agenda)
CITY OF PORT ANGELES AGENDA HIGHLIGHT ITEMS:
1) PUBLIC HEARING ON 2018 REVENUE SOURCES
Summary: State law (RCW 84.55.120) requires that the City hold a public hearing to gain public input on revenue sources for the next fiscal year (2018) budget. The presentation to Council
include all revenue sources, including property tax, for the City’s General Fund, as well as providing information regarding revenue sources for all other funds within the 2018 City Manager
Recommended Budget. The 2018 City Manager Recommended Budget will be presented to Council at a Workshop on October 24th. Copies of the budget are available for examination at the Library, the City Clerk’s office, and on the City’s website.
2) Proposed Adjustments to Transfer Station 2018 Rates
Summary: A COSA (Cost of Service Analysis) was recently completed for the Solid Waste
Utility. Over the past few years, the overall waste volumes at the regional Transfer Station have increased above expectations of the prior COSA. Higher waste volumes present the
opportunity of spreading operating costs over a larger number of units, while still maintaining the necessary reserves for capital and debt service requirements. As a result,
City staff recommends reducing the Transfer Station rates in 2018 to reflect this lower cost per unit. The rate reduction option chosen by the City Council on October 3rd was the 5% increase in biosolids rates with the remainder reflected in a reduction to the remaining rates.
3) Resolution Declaring City’s Intent to Hold Public Hearing on the Proposed Assumption of the Port Angeles Transportation Benefit District
Summary: In April 2017, the City established the Port Angeles Transportation Benefit District
(PATBD), a separate entity. After a TBD is formed, state law authorizes the City to assume it, which eliminates the separate entity. Cities assume TBDs because doing so creates a more efficient administration procedure, eliminates duplicative administrative costs and efforts, and provides more open reporting and accountability for all taxes collected and spent. To begin this process, the City Council must adopt an ordinance or resolution stating its intention to conduct a public hearing concerning the assumption of such rights.
(see full agenda for details)
PORT COMMISSION MEETING AGENDA HIGHLIGHT:
Lease Policies
The Port Commission last adopted an updated lease policy on 9/9/14. Over the past several months Port staff has worked with legal counsel to update and broaden the policy. The new proposed policy adds additional guidance such as:
• Leases shall be written, at fair market value, with the intended use clearly stated,
and executed leases shall generally be consistent with similar leases while
following the Port’s policies, practices, and guidelines.
• Short holdovers are acceptable during negotiations of a renewing lease.
• One month rent should be collected in advance as a security deposit.
• Proof of insurance shall accompany all leases.
• Any use of Port property shall require evidence of appropriate insurance.
(See full agenda)
OTHER LOCAL AND REGIONAL MEETING AGENDA HIGHLIGHTS
JEFFERSON COUNTY COMMISSION MEETING AGENDA HIGHLIGHT:
AGREEMENT NO. 08-1214C, Amendment No. 2 re: Request to Change the Project Sponsor from Jefferson County to Jefferson Land Trust for Brown Dairy Agricultural Conservation Easement, RCO #08-1214; No Dollar Amount; Jefferson County Public Health; Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office
(see full agenda)
PORT TOWNSEND CITY COUNCIL BUSINESS MEETING AGENDA HIGHLIGHTS
Ordinance 3184 Related to Business Licensing and Taxation; Amending Business Licensing and Regulations, Adding Exemptions to Filing and Paying Business and Occupation Taxes, and Amending Chapters 5.04A, 5.04B, and 5.08 of the Port Townsend Municipal Code
Action: Move to approve first reading of Ordinance 3184 Related to Business Licensing and Taxation; Amending Business Licensing and Regulations, Adding Exemptions to Filing and Paying Business and Occupation Taxes, and Amending Chapters 5.04A, 5.04B, and 5.08 of the Port Townsend Municipal Code.
(see full agenda)
WORLD AND NATIONAL HEADLINES FROM REUTERS
Islamic State faces imminent Raqqa defeat, Syrian YPG says
AIN ISSA, Syria/BEIRUT (Reuters) - Islamic State is on the verge of defeat in Raqqa, once its de facto Syrian capital, and the city may finally be cleared of the jihadists on Saturday or Sunday, the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia told Reuters.
Gunmen attack Kenyan school, killing six children: officials
NAIROBI (Reuters) - Seven people, six of them children, were killed in northern Kenya on Saturday when unknown assailants attacked a school, officials said.
Trump strikes blow at Iran nuclear deal in major U.S. policy shift
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump struck a blow against the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement on Friday in defiance of other world powers, choosing not to certify that Tehran is complying with the deal and warning he might ultimately terminate it.
Russia probe special counsel interviews ex-Trump chief of staff Priebus
(Reuters) - President Donald Trump’s former White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus was interviewed on Friday by the special counsel investigating whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russia during the 2016 U.S. election.
Daily Bible Verse: And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Romans 12:2 NKJV
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