August 2009 Archives

1. WASL: Nearly all local school districts on federal watch list
"Nearly 1,100 schools across Washington are failing to meet federal achievement goals, casting them into the category of needing improvement, preliminary figures released Friday show [ Aug. 14].

Results from the Washington Assessment of Student Learning released Friday show 1,073 of the state’s 2,121 schools didn’t meet federal standards for at least the second consecutive year," quoting the Tacoma News Tribune printed in sister newspaper The Olympian:
This includes Yelm.

2. Amtrak train to B.C. to start
"The first Amtrak train to offer daily roundtrip service between Portland, Ore., and Vancouver, B.C., including stops in Lacey and Tacoma, will begin service Wednesday [Aug. 19] , the state Department of Transportation announced.
The Amtrak Cascades train will arrive in Lacey at 4:38 p.m. daily and arrive in Vancouver at 10:45 p.m., officials with DOT said. The returning southbound train will depart Vancouver at 6:40 a.m. and arrive in Lacey at 12:44 p.m, quoting The Olympian.

3. Trader Joe's grand opening in Olympia was Friday, August 21st
"The new store has generated a buzz among fans of Trader Joe’s, as well as among those seeking work in the slower economy. More than 2,000 people applied for jobs at the store and 68 were hired, the majority of them from the area, Holmes said. The store continues to accept applications, he said...
About 80 percent of its products are sold under a Trader Joe’s brand, products that are free from artificial colors, flavors and preservatives, company spokeswoman Alison Mochizuki said. The stores also are known for ready-to-eat meals, a dried-fruit-and-nuts section, specialty cheeses and a California wine sold under the Charles Shaw brand that sells for $2.99, informally known as “three-buck chuck,”from The Olympian.

4. "Washington’s exports plunge"
"Washington's exports plunged 33.9 percent in the year's first half compared to the same period in 2008 – a $12.7 billion decrease.

'Washington is the most trade-dependent state in the country and we're clearly feeling the global decline in trade,' said Anthony Hemstad, executive director of the World Trade Center Tacoma," quoting the Pierce County Business Examiner.

5. Have extra vegetables from your garden you don't want?
UCBO would love them! They take just about anything for their food bank to give to folks.
They have an open door policy and folks from Tacoma and even Seattle come here for food.
If you are not sure UCBO will want your items, you can call and they will tell you yes or no.
This is a nice idea before people start tossing their garden abundance.
UCBO - Yelm Community Services
624 Crystal Springs Rd NW
Yelm, WA 98597
(360) 458-7000‎

1. Freedom School of the Pacific Northwest
"Greetings Friends and Families,...

We have been busy processing the mountains of paperwork that need our attention. Our lawyer is also helping us with the process of achieving non-profit status. We are checking off items as they are completed. At this point The Freedom School is moving forward to operate as a home-school co-op.

What does this mean for our children and families?

This fall The Freedom School will home-school children of interested families. This will be on a part-time basis, with tuition set according to the number of hours of participation. There will be classes in basic academics offered, the 4 R’s, as well as student driven studies. There is no list of required school supplies – children and families should buy what they want or think they will need, as in keeping with the model of education we are employing. We have a tentative start date of September 15 at The Freedom School site.

All families interested in participating in our program are invited to attend an
Assembly Meeting
Monday, August 31
at 6 PM
at The Freedom School
10905 138th Ave SE in Rainier.
Staff will be giving parents a proposal regarding hours of operation, tuition, fees and class offerings, and will be asking for input. Students have an important role in the creation of the school and are encouraged to attend and participate as well!

We also will be starting Adult Education classes in September! There is a pilot class running at this time involving Sacred Geometry. This and other offerings will be communicated to the community in the near future.

If you have any questions, please call Deanna Waldo at 400-2492.

Also, if you know of anyone who may be interested in our school, feel free to forward this email to them."

2. You’re invited to coffee with Commissioner Romero & Commissioner Valenzuela

This month’s coffee will focus on the county’s Resource Stewardship Department with special guest Director, Cliff Moore. This department is responsible for Development Services, Recreation, the Fair, Noxious Weeds, Water Resources, and the WSU Extension.

Join us Monday, August 31st
10am - 11am
Blue Bottle Café
309 E Yelm Ave., Yelm
Please note the new date for this month’s coffee.

Please join Thurston County Commissioner Sandra Romero as she hosts an informal coffee hour. There is a lot happening in Thurston County, and we want to hear from you. These coffees give you the opportunity to talk about issues of concern, ask Commissioner Romero questions about the county, and share ideas.

Coffee provided.

If you have any questions contact:
Lisa Paribello at 360-786-5747 or paribel@co.thurston.wa.us

NVN Publisher/Editor Graves said this week in his op-ed:
"For some time, Klein has giddily derided the city for its handling of water issues, traffic and other matters. He has accused the NVN of sweeping matters under the rug....

My hope is this finding will result in less mudslinging and fewer baseless accusations, which only helped to fuel a fire that clearly never should have been lit."

I continue to assert that the NVN DOES "sweep matters under the rug". They continually omit and leave out key and important facts in stories. Either they do this through their own lack of knowledge or negligence, or they have purposefully kept important information from the public. I discovered this for myself 4 years ago next week, when then-NVN Editor Graves made a decision NOT to inform the public that then-Mayoral candidate Ron Harding had declined to participate in the NVN's Town Hall Forum. To this day, Mr. Graves has not informed the public why he decided to keep this important bit of news from the public nor has his newspaper reported that the NVN did keep that news under wraps. THAT was important news for the voters then, don't you think?

I contacted a local daily newspaper editor to ask them if keeping information from the public is a practice in newspaper reporting. He said in all of his years, he had never heard of that and his newspaper has never kept important news information from the public.

Anything this Blog puts forward is supported by public documents and facts.

What Mr. Graves did NOT report in this weeks story titled "Auditor debunks channeler’s claim" is that the State Auditor only examined what they were requested by a Citizen Hotline comment about whether the city's Golder Water Study contract was valid and whether the Water Study itself was something the city should have funded.
Of course, a city has a right to enter into contracts and pay for whatever they want. I never wrote the State Auditor questioning that.

This issue is not about the validity of Golder Water Study contract with the city.
This is about the city's vagueness in protecting the public's interest & in keeping their word to the taxpayer -
FIRST WE HEAR-
In late 2006, the City Staff Report says “Through the Conceptual Master Plan process for the Thurston Highlands community, there will be a determination on the pro-rata share of private financial participation towards this project [Golder Water Study].”

THEN WE GET THIS FOLLOW-UP FORM THE CITY-
Ms. Badger was quoted in the NVN February 2, 2007 saying,
“If a good water source is found on the Thurston Highlands site, developers will have to pay their fair share [for the Water Study], which won't be determined until the Environmental Impact Statement is complete later this year."
“It's after the EIS ‘when it will be determined how much they have to pay.’"

The EIS finally came out almost 2 years after I brought this issue into the open, and upon the EIS being made public, the developers defaulted and left the city with massive debt. Since the city had no contract with the developer to be repaid for their undetermined "pro-rata share" of the Water Study, the city received nothing from the developer when they defaulted at the public issuance of the EIS in Fall, 2008.

Now, if you ran a business, would you verbally agree (without contract) to be reimbursed at some future time for a job you would do for a undetermined pro-rata amount?
This begs a question: why did the city not require the taxpayer get repaid by the developer for the Golder Water Study?
This just never made any sense.
Would you run your business this way?

Regardless of the State Auditor's findings, Mr. Graves, this is a question of what is the right thing to do on behalf of the taxpayers the city is supposed to protect - the ethical thing to do in the public's interest.
You can giddily gloat that the "Audtor debunks...claims", however while covering issues of ethics for Roy & Rainier issues, the NVN continues to omit those facts in Yelm!

In a front-page headline story out today and NOT on the NVN website titled,
"DOE set up application for failure, alleges city"
City of Yelm Administrator spews more deceptions about the city's water issues.
Mrs. Badger says in the NVN,
"The City of Yelm is appealing the state Department of Ecology's denial of the McMonigle water rights transfer.
The city is alleging that the DEO (sic) didn't do its job." ...

On July 20, DOE informed the city its application was denied, citing a procedural error and failure to analyze the impacts to Thompson Creek...

In its appeal, the city said the back-and-forth between the city, conservancy board and DOE "shows a pattern of conflicting, inadequate and unclear direction by Ecology to the (conservancy board) and the city..."

"This pattern ultimately 'set up' this transfer of a valid water right for unnecessary failure, at great expense to the city, hampering the city's ability to continue to meet its obligations to serve its growing community under the growth Management Act," the appeal states.

Ecology REVERSED the decision of the Thurston County Conservancy Board on July 20, 2009 and specified exactly why they took that action in a letter to Mrs. Badger where they state,
"The board (conservancy board) failed to adequately analyze the extent and validity of the subject water right [the McMonigle water right]. Ecology's records include a consultant report from 2005 that analyzed recent power records that indicate significantly less water for change. This information conflicts with the Board's extent and validity analysis, which must be reconciled prior to approval of subject change."
CLICK HERE to see Ecology's letter in full.

So, the McMonigle water right may not be a transferable right and may not be valid.

OBVIOUSLY, MRS. BADGER ONCE AGAIN GIVES THE NVN & THE PUBLIC A SNOW-JOB!
SINCE THERE IS NO INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING BY THE NVN ON CITY OF YELM ISSUES, THEY ARE COMPLICIT IN THE REPORTING OF WHATEVER THE CITY SHOVELS THEIR WAY!


All of Mrs. Badger's other comments in the newspaper are just dross to cover-up this glaring omission to the NVN and their readers from the DOE reversal of the decision of the Thurston County Conservancy Board:
the McMonigle water right may not be a transferable right and may not be valid, period!

Again, where is the city mindful of taking care of the public's interest and trust when they continue to deceive, omit and gloss over the facts?

And, did anyone notice that the October, 2008 city Water Mitigation Plan was finally published on the city's website yesterday afternoon, almost one year after being released. That would not have happened without citizen input, for this city hides all they can unless the public speaks up!

Olympia Regional Airport tied the all-time record high for August 27th of 92 degrees set in 1967. The low of 43 degrees yesterday was close to the 1955 record of 38.

Megan Hansen, NVN Assistant Editor called me yesterday at work to get my comments on the State Auditor letters of August 12th sent to City Administrator Shelly Badger in response to several Citizen Hotline referrals related to contracting and the City of Yelm's Golder Water Study. I told her I NOT could answer about writing to the State Auditor until I could get home and verify my documents, which was after her deadline. I have commented here several times previously about the Golder Water Study really being funded by the Yelm taxpayer for a private developer, so she wanted my views. I had never seen the Auditors letters, so asked her to fax them to me.

The Washington State Auditor "found it is reasonable that the City would pay for the water study, not the private developer."
They did not say why.
The Golder Water Study letter from the
Washington State Auditor-1
The water contracts letter from the
Washington State Auditor-2

LOOK FOR A FRONT-PAGE NVN STORY TODAY WITH CITY OF YELM ADMINISTRATOR BADGER ATTEMPTING TO COVER THE CITY'S BACKSIDES WITH THE AUDITOR'S REPORT, AS THEY LICK THEIR WOUNDS FROM A STINGING REBUKE FROM ECOLOGY'S DECISION TO DEFER CONSIDERATION FOR ANY WATER-RIGHTS ACQUISITIONS FOR YELM IN 2009, FORCING THE CITY TO WITHDRAW THEIR MDNS FOR LACK OF WATER RIGHTS.
Will update this once the NVN story hits the newsstands later today!
[UPDATED 1:15PM AUGUST 27, 2009
Here is the front-page story & Op-Ed piece in the NVN today on this issue:
1. Auditor debunks channeler’s claim

2. Editor/Publisher Kevin Graves' Op-Ed Piece in today's NVN:
A fire that never should have been lit]

Ed. Note: The public should have the benefit in-full of my letter to Mrs. Badger mentioned in the NVN story. CLICK HERE.
The City of Yelm nor the Nisqually Valley News have ever explained which items of JZ Knight's 2 full-page ads about water issues here are not correct. That they have not said anything is telling!
Ad # 1 CLICK HERE
Ad # 2 CLICK HERE
The WA. State Auditor has verified I filed no Citizen Hotline comment in either of these cases.
To Mr. Graves:
Interesting that you say this should have never been examined, yet asking about the taxpayer getting reimbursed their money to the tune of several hundred thousand dollars is NO different than your Op-Ed questioning a Rainier High School Principal's $10,000 severance package, except the amount of dollars the Yelm taxpayers are out is almost $1 million with the Water Study and the expenses of Thurston Highlands not being repaid. "Where do I get on the gravy train?"
If 1/2 your passion and zeal in examining Roy & Rainier issues were directed at Yelm, the public would be better served!

I said this to the NVN yesterday,
"The Auditor's report states, 'The study [Golder Water Study] recommended that the City should consider moving its water supply to the south west portion to pull from a deeper aquifer...'
The issue for me has always been WHY is the city looking to move its water supply to the south west, except to support a 5,000 home MPC (Master-Planned Community) that applied to the go there? The city sits on the same aquifer as does the south west area and all the city has to do is to drill their wells deeper. Isn't drilling current wells deeper & upgrading the city's current water system less costly to the public than moving the city's water system over a mile down the road?"

Further,
The City has not been totally up-front and in serving the public's interest by saying this Golder Water Study expenditure was not for an MPC. To repeat to make a point, if the Golder Water Study and the city's Draft Water System Plan are not for an MPC, then why has the city been looking to build a whole new system out in the south west area? If not to support an MPC there, the city would have no need to spend the money on miles of pipes and other infrastructure to the tune of $11.4 million, from Chapter 8.8 Chart of the Yelm Plan, when they already have all they need to support current and future customers by simply upgrading their existing system.
Therefore, the Golder Water Study IS indeed to support an MPC!

The Auditor did not address this issue in their answer.

Interesting that the south west area that is the focal point of the Golder Water Study and the City's Draft Water System Plan is on private property, for which the city has no rights of access. The Thurston Highlands developers that owned the land defaulted and left the city holding the bag on back taxes and fees for that property.

Yet, as covered here on January 14, 2007,
The City Staff Report says “Through the Conceptual Master Plan process for the Thurston Highlands community, there will be a determination on the pro-rata share of private financial participation towards this project.” [this means that the costs of the water study will be divided between the city and the developer and that the split of those costs is yet to be determined.]

Then, Ms. Badger was quoted in the NVN February 2, 2007 saying,
“If a good water source is found on the Thurston Highlands site, developers will have to pay their fair share, which won't be determined until the Environmental Impact Statement is complete later this year."
“It's after the EIS ‘when it will be determined how much they have to pay.’"

I asked the following questions back then,
- So, why IS the city using public money to front a developer’s EIS?
- Is this not preferential treatment?
- Would the city fund an EIS for you, me or any other developer? Then determine payment AFTER the EIS?
- Will the public be repaid interest on loaning money for Thurston Highlands’ EIS?
- Obviously not, quoting Ms. Badger in that NVN story, “It's after the EIS ‘when it will be determined how much they have to pay.’"
I asked,
If there is no contract now for how much they have to pay, what obligates Thurston Highlands’ developers to pay anything for this study in the future?
- Quoting the February 2, 2007 NVN, “But, said Badger, and Yelm Mayor Ron Harding, pursuit of water from that location would be taking place regardless of who owns the property and what they plan to do with it.”
As I said, this is private property that has had various owners during the last decade. What if there is no agreement reached with the current owners, what will the city do then?
And who will pay Thurston Highlands’ pro-rata share for the study then?

[Ed. Note: Interesting to note that when the EIS finally came out last Fall, the Thurston Highlands developers were in default and in arrears on back taxes, fees and the repayment of the Water Study. So, now the aforementioned questions have come home to roost, as the city is out the developers' money for the Water Study! I saw NO mention in the NVN about the city not being repaid from the developer for the pro-rata share of the Water Study, as mentioned in the NVN by Mrs. Badger in 2007!
Interesting how the City of Yelm & the NVN continue to leave out important facts!
The city continues to be not totally up-front in serving the public's interest by omitting this information.]

Golder Associates is the engineering firm hired by the City of Yelm to conduct the south west aquifer study. The City of Yelm tells the firm what they want covered in the study and pays them for that report. So, the Golder Water Study was the city's own contracted report. Since the city has had eyes on developing the south west area water to support more housing developments there, we all can see the Golder Water Study WAS indeed to support an MPC, a Multi-Planned Community that was to be built by a single company - Thurston Highlands!
The State Auditor investigates only what they are requested by Citizen Hotline comments, nothing more. Their job is to be fair and balanced in assessing what is presented them. Since the Citizen Hotline comments filed were anonymous, we do not know exactly what was given the State Auditor to examine, nor the thoroughness of the questions to direct the Auditor's attention. I have never a legal issue on the Water Study, rather, I have always questioned the ethical thing for the city to do regarding what they said they would do (have the developer pay a pro-rata share) and just what is the right thing to protect taxpayers' money.

So, how is the city's taxpayer to be repaid for the Golder Water Study?
1. Through a developer's pro-rata share according to Mrs. Badger? They're gone.
2. Through the potential new land-owners "pro-rata" share? Perhaps, though at this time, not likely
3. Though new hook-ups? In this economic environment, very few new homes will be built here.
And, the city has no more water to have any new hook-ups anyway.
So, Mrs. Badger via the NVN, please tell the public how and when the Yelm taxpayer is to be repaid the pro-rata share" of the Water Study?
Or was that all shoved aside and the city now feels justified to go ahead and use taxpayer money to fund the entire Water Study?
And, why did the city not require they get repaid by the developer for the Golder Water Study?
This just never made any sense.
Would you run your business this way?

Did the Auditor have this information to address this issue in their answer.

UNFORTUNATELY, THE CITY HAS ONCE AGAIN NOT BEEN TOTALLY UP-FRONT IN SERVING THE PUBLIC'S INTEREST BY SAYING THE GOLDER WATER STUDY WAS NOT FOR AN MPC. OF COURSE IT WAS, SO THE CITY BASICALLY PAID TAXPAYER MONEY TO SERVE ONLY ONE MPC - THURSTON HIGHLANDS!
I HAVE BEEN BRINGING THIS ISSUE TO LIGHT FOR ALMOST 4 YEARS.
I STAND BY MY PREVIOUS STATEMENTS ON THIS, REGARDLESS OF THE STATE AUDITOR'S REPORT. WASN'T THE RIGHT THING TO DO ON THE PUBLIC'S BEHALF WAS FOR THE CITY TO FOLLOW-THROUGH AND ATTEMPT TO RECOUP THE DEVELOPERS' PRO-RATA SHARE?

MRS. BADGER WILL SNOW-JOB THE NVN ONCE AGAIN IN TODAY'S STORY AND THE PUBLIC WILL BE BE LEFT IN THE DARK ON THIS ISSUE.
AND, MRS. BADGER KNOWS BETTER!

AND, NVN CONTINUES TO RAIL AT ROY AND RAINER FOR THEIR PUBLIC MALFEASANCE, WHILE YELM CONTINUES TO GET A "BYE" FROM THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER!
EITHER THAT, OR THE NVN TRULY JUST DOES NOT POSSES THE KNOWLEDGE OR ABILITY TO DISCERN YELM'S ISSUES. I WILL GIVE THEM THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT ON THAT.
HOWEVER, THIS IS TRULY SAD, TRULY SAD!

CITY OF YELM WATER CUSTOMERS SHOULD ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THEIR WATER BILL INSERT.
City of Yelm August Water Customer Bill insert

ALL THREE ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ON THE INSERT ARE ALL FILLED WITH INNUENDOS, MISCONCEPTIONS & OUTRIGHT LIES - THE CITY'S OWN WATER SYSTEM PLAN REVEALS THESE DECEPTIVE ANSWERS!

IF THE PUBLIC WERE ALLOWED A TOWN HALL MEETING AND PRESENTED WITH THE FACTS, WOULD THEY ACCEPT THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE CITY'S WATER SYSTEM PLAN?
OF COURSE NOT!

Let’s examine each question/answer in the City of Yelm’s Water Bill Insert to their customers, of which I am one, owning a home in Yelm.

QUESTION/ANSWER # 3 ON THE INSERT:
"So, if we would have no population growth, we would have to pay increased rates?

Yes, operations and maintenance include; replacing aging pipes, detecting and repairing leaks, insuring that your drinking water is safe and maintaining sufficient water sources for the future are necessary for long time residences and those new to Yelm. Growth does help to fund the water system for the City of Yelm."

Spare us the psycho-babble camel dung. This is all a bunch of smoke & mirrors, as discussed the previous two days.

The City of Yelm Draft Water System Plan mentions several times having wells in the SW Annex (Thurston Highlands property) - this has nothing to do with "replacing aging pipes, detecting and repairing leaks, insuring that your drinking water is safe and maintaining sufficient water sources for the future," rather is all to support an MPC [Master-Planned Community] in the Thurston Highlands.

THIS LEADS TO SOME QUESTIONS:
- Why do we have wells proposed in the SW area project titled W-1 & W-2 & W-3 in the future (scroll to pg. 19) when the city has no rights over there?
- Is the city negotiating some land deal in exchange for exonerating the back taxes and debt owed the city by the Thurston Highlands' developers?
- What is REALLY going on?
- Why has the city proposed moving their water system to the SW Yelm wellfield, as stated in the Plan?
- How does the city have access there, when the developers are gone?
- If so, is this to serve MPC's [Multi-Planned Communities, i.e. Thurston Highlands] to provide future capacity (even without MPC's in the 6-year improvement plan)?
The city is clearly planning to build an infrastructure for an MPC there as stated in the Plan, when upgrading the current well would be sufficient if there is no MPC.

Further from the Draft Water System Plan:
Transmission Main #1
12-inch pipe to connect W-1, WTS-1 (wells in the Thurston Highlands area), and RES-1 to the point where connection is made with the existing 16-inch line near Tahoma Terra.
Estimated length = 5,500 feet.

Questions should be asked:
- $1.5 million for a one-mile pipe? And from the Thurston Highlands area!
- From an area the city has NO water rights!
- Why do we need a new water system in the SW AREA, when all the city has to do is add new pipe and other infrastructure to upgrade the current system?
- What about getting new extended water rights for the wells the city currently has?

The city does NOT need to build a new water system, regardless of what City Hall says.
The City wants to tax the Yelm public and spend money "like drunken sailors" while no one is looking or cares! When the public get their bills will be too late.

More from the Draft Water System Plan:
9.4.1.2
A number of mechanisms can be considered toward funding local facilities. One of the following scenario typically occurs: (a) the utility charges a connection fee based on the cost of the local facilities (under the same authority as the SDC), (b) a developer funds extension of the system to its development and turns those facilities over to the utility (contributed capital), or (c) a local assessment is set up called a Utility Local improvement District (ULID/LID) which collects tax revenue from benefited properties.

Do you see any mention in the plan of a developer funding "extension of the system to its development and turns those facilities over to the utility (contributed capital)."
No, neither do I!

This is from the city's DNS, on which they were pinning their hopes of getting more water:
"Existing water rights held by the City, including a pending transfer currently being reviewed by the Thurston County Water Conservancy Board and Ecology total approximately 952 acre-feet.

The Thurston County Water Conservancy Board approved water rights were REVERSED by the Dept. of Ecology!
Read the official letter from Ecology: CLICK HERE

Last week, the city was forced to withdraw their own MDNS for lack of water rights, as reported in The Olympian.
Read the city’s letter of the MDNS withdrawal: CLICK HERE

IF THE CITY OF YELM WAS TRULY HONEST WITH THEIR CITIZENS, THEY WOULD ASK:

- Do you want a water system at the Thurston Highlands site that YOU will underwrite?
- What will the rate-payer get in return for their dollars to underwrite such a system there?
- Does the rate-payer approve the miles of pipe and infrastructure that would have to be built over a mile from the downtown core?
- If all rate-payers were invited to come to a meeting and presented this information honestly, how do you think they would vote?

BOTTOM LINE:
THIS CITY OF YELM PROPERTY OWNERS ARE GETTING A "SNOW-JOB" FROM THIS WATER BILL INSERT. SINCE FEW KNOW OR CARE ENOUGH TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT, EXPECT MORE MISINFORMATION, INNUENDOS, & OUTRIGHT DECEPTIONS FROM THE CITY OF YELM ABOUT THEIR WATER ISSUES!
THE CITY OF YELM IS NOW REALLY IN THEIR OWN SELF-CREATED PICKLE WITH NO NEW WATER RIGHTS & BEING AT OR NEAR PUMPING THEIR ECOLOGY ALLOCATED WATER. EXPANSION IS AT A SCREECHING HALT HERE, AS THE CITY HAS NO MORE WATER.

CITY OF YELM WATER CUSTOMERS SHOULD ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THEIR WATER BILL INSERT.
City of Yelm August Water Customer Bill insert

ALL THREE ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ON THE INSERT ARE ALL FILLED WITH INNUENDOS, MISCONCEPTIONS & OUTRIGHT LIES - THE CITY'S OWN WATER SYSTEM PLAN REVEALS THESE DECEPTIVE ANSWERS!

IF THE PUBLIC WERE ALLOWED A TOWN HALL MEETING AND PRESENTED WITH THE FACTS, WOULD THEY ACCEPT THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE CITY'S WATER SYSTEM PLAN?
OF COURSE NOT!

Let’s examine each question/answer in the City of Yelm’s Water Bill Insert to their customers, of which I am one, owning a home in Yelm.

QUESTION/ANSWER # 2 ON THE INSERT:
“2. Am I paying for my service and providing for new developments, too?
Answer: "No, new connection fees are paid for by developers. Yelm's population is growing and we are obligated to provide service to existing customers and prepare and provide for customers that are new to the area as mandated by the State of Washington."

Let's again get guidance and direction from the City's Draft Water System Plan from where I quote:

9.4.1.1 System Development Charges
"In the absence of an SDC, growth-related capital costs would be borne in large part by existing customers. In addition, the net investment in the utility already collected from existing customers, through rates, charges, and/or assessments, would be diluted by the addition of new customers, effectively subsidizing new customers with prior customers’ payments. To establish equity, an SDC should recover a proportionate share of the existing and future infrastructure costs from a new customer. From a financial perspective, a new customer should become financially equivalent to an existing customer by paying the SDC.

9.4.1.2 Local Facilities Charges
While an SDC is the manner in which new customers pay their share of general facilities costs, local facilities
funding is used to pay the costs of local facilities that connect each property to the system’s infrastructure."

As quoted yesterday,
Chapter 9 Financial Plan
9.4.1.1 states:
"In addition, the net investment in the utility already collected from existing customers, through rates, charges, and/or assessments, would be diluted by the addition of new customers, effectively subsidizing new customers with prior customers’ payments. To establish equity, an SDC should recover a proportionate share of the existing and future infrastructure costs from a new customer. From a financial perspective, a new customer should become financially equivalent to an existing customer by paying the SDC."

The cash funding is broken down between 15 percent SDC [system development charge] revenue, 16 percent rate funded system reinvestment, and 7 percent from the capital fund balance. It is assumed that revenue bonds will cover the remaining 62 percent of capital costs.”

So, an SDC is only covering 15% of the required financing!

Further stated in the Plan,
Mitigation Projects
"Projects identified as part of Mitigation Plan, including potentially monitoring, purchase of water rights in the Deschutes River basin, and habitat restoration.

There is money in the Plan budgeted for $100,000 for each 8 years for "Mitigation Projects"."

Ed. Note:
What is the purpose of property owners paying almost a million dollars over 8 years for a mitigation project?
Answer: the purpose of a mitigation project is to find water in support of Multi-Planned Communities [MPCs]. Period!
Shouldn't the developers should pay for MPC costs up-front and the city's costs be separate?

The purpose of the water mitigation plan is to get water rights and the city has previously stated that it needs more water rights in-part to support the 5,000-home Thurston Highlands development, as reported last week in The Olympian.
However, with Yelm's Draft Water System Plan, the developers are not paying one cent for that - the city will pay that through rate increases to their customers. So, the City of Yelm property owner is being hood-winked to support water for MPC's to the tune of $11.4 million, and this amount is almost all exclusively for SW Annex structure.

The City's Draft Water System Plan states all is without an MPC [Master Planned Community] for 6-years.
However, when the MPC gets connected:

A. $11.4 million in 6 years will be financed by existing city rate payers says
Table 8-8
City of Yelm Water System
6-Year Capital lmprovement Plan (without MPCs)
most all of it to build a new water system in the south west area
Why do that if not for the MPC proposed property out there?
CLICK HERE FOR THE TABLE OF EXPENSES, then scroll to Table 8.8

B. Will developers to pay for this according to the city bill insert?
No! The city's Draft Water System Plan says existing rate payers will finance MPCs.
- to repeat, why are we putting in a whole new water system out where the MPC is going?
- When there isn't supposed to be an MPC for 6 years.
- Shouldn't the developer pay for this?
- The developers are gone and left in their wake alot of debt to the city!

Then, this answer in the water bill insert is also misleading:
"Yelm's population is growing and we are obligated to provide service to existing customers and prepare and provide for customers that are new to the area as mandated by the State of Washington."

A Thurston County Superior Court has already ruled Yelm must prove it has water PRIOR TO plat approval.
Therefore, Yelm can only prepare and provide for customers that are new to the area as mandated by the State of Washington if they prove they have sufficient water rights PRIOR to plat approval.
The City has appealed this ruling; a decision should be forthcoming this Fall.

Now, you tell me if the city's bill insert answer to question # 2 is honest:
"Am I paying for my service and providing service to new developments too?"
THIS IS NOT DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND!

BOTTOM LINE:
For the city to tell rate payers they are NOT funding for development is very devious & false when their Draft Water System Plan clearly says otherwise!

CITY OF YELM WATER CUSTOMERS SHOULD ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THEIR WATER BILL INSERT.
City of Yelm August Water Customer Bill insert

ALL THREE ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ON THE INSERT ARE ALL FILLED WITH INNUENDOS, MISCONCEPTIONS & OUTRIGHT LIES - THE CITY'S OWN WATER SYSTEM PLAN REVEALS THESE DECEPTIVE ANSWERS!

IF THE PUBLIC WERE ALLOWED A TOWN HALL MEETING AND PRESENTED WITH THE FACTS, WOULD THEY ACCEPT THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE CITY'S WATER SYSTEM PLAN?
OF COURSE NOT!

Let’s examine each question/answer in the City of Yelm’s Water Bill Insert to their customers, of which I am one, owning a home in Yelm.

QUESTION/ANSWER # 1 ON THE INSERT:
“1. I am happy with the service I have. What will the increased rate fund?

Repairs and improvements are necessary to maintain the integrity of the City’s water system.”

Yet while partially true, the city's own Draft Water System Plan says 38% of that is to fund capital projects, which they don’t tell you on the insert!

Chapter 9 Financial Plan
9.3.2 last paragraph, page 5:
"The 20-year capital funding plan identifies 38 percent of cash funding for capital projects (which includes system reinvestment). The cash funding is broken down between 15 percent SDC [system development charge] revenue, 16 percent rate funded system reinvestment, and 7 percent from the capital fund balance. It is assumed that revenue bonds will cover the remaining 62 percent of capital costs.”

Chapter 9 Financial Plan
9.4.1.1 states:
An SDC [system development charge], also called a “connection charge” as provided for by Revised Code of Washington (RCW) 35.92.025, refers to a one-time charge imposed on new customers as a condition of connection to the utility system. The purpose of the SDC is twofold: to promote equity between new and existing customers, and to provide a source of revenue to fund capital projects…

In addition, the net investment in the utility already collected from existing customers, through rates, charges, and/or assessments, would be diluted by the addition of new customers, effectively subsidizing new customers with prior customers’ payments. To establish equity, an SDC should recover a proportionate share of the existing and future infrastructure costs from a new customer. From a financial perspective, a new customer should become financially equivalent to an existing customer by paying the SDC."

So, the city is saying in their own Draft Water System Plan that 38% is for capital projects to support for new customers over the next 20 years.

CITY OF YELM WATER CUSTOMERS GOT A NEW RATE STRUCTURE AND MAJOR INCREASE EFFECTIVE AUGUST 1ST.
YET, THEY ARE NOT BEING TOLD THE TRUTH AND FACTS BY THE CITY, NOR WILL THEY READ ABOUT THIS IN THE NVN!
THE CITY EXPECTS NO ONE WILL READ NOR WILL THE NVN REPORT ON THE TRUTH OF THE DRAFT WATER SYSTEM PLAN AND SO, WILL DO NOTHING, AS IS USUALLY THE CASE IN THE CITY OF YELM.

This is very simple to understand when broken down and dissected...

The City of Yelm property & business owners are getting a 1-2-3 stomach punch from the city with increased water fees, 2% increase in B & O taxes & staff cutbacks. Notice that voters mostly rejected the proposed fire authority, with with the Regional Fire Authority measure failing by 56%, and the next ballot count is today.
Mayor Harding told the NVN, "Harding said it’s interesting that the proposition isn’t passing in District No. 4.
It’s interesting because it doesn’t cost them anything,” Harding said. “It tells me that message hasn’t gotten out to enough voters.”
HMMM! Maybe many voters are saying they just do not trust the charade of Yelm City Hall deceptions, lack of fiscal restraint and outright contempt for the public.

While NVN editor/publisher Graves has been very outspoken in his condemnation of city affairs in Roy & Rainier, including this week's op-ed about Rainier Schools titled "Where do I go to board the gravy train?" about the $10,000 severance package to former Rainier High School Principal Jeff Weeks, Mr. Graves has been mute on the $11.4 million the City of Yelm is foisting on their property owners to pay for water systems for MPCs [Master Planned Communities], all disclosed in public documents, just like the public documents he referenced in the Rainier Schools issues.

I do agree with Mr. Graves on this op-ed quote, however, "Meanwhile, this experience will hopefully serve as yet another lesson of why public servants should not be doing their jobs behind closed doors."
Yet, when we will read Mr. Graves' condemnation of the Yelm City Council's closed-to-the-public Executive Sessions "to discuss potential litigation and possible real estate acquisition"? HMMM!

STAY TUNED FOR MORE ON THE $11.4 MILLION IN PART TWO TOMORROW FOLLOWED BY PART THREE ON WEDNESDAY OF THIS INVESTIGATIVE REPORT!

Quoting the Wolf Haven Press Release of August 11th:
Wolf Haven Takes Home APEX 2009 Award for Publication Excellence

"Congratulations to Wolf Haven International in Tenino, WA, for winning a 2009 APEX Award for Publication Excellence in the One-of-a-Kind Scientific & Environmental Publications category for their Winter 2009 issue of WOLF TRACKS! The APEX Awards are an international competition that recognizes outstanding print and electronic media.

According to APEX, 'The awards were based on excellence in graphic design, quality of editorial content and the success of the entry in conveying the message and achieving overall communications effectiveness.' WOLF TRACKS was one of only six winning publications selected from 239 One-of-a-Kind Scientific & Environmental Publications entries. Editors: Trudy Soucoup and Kim Young. Graphic Designer: Julie Lawrence.

WOLF TRACKS is the official quarterly publication of Wolf Haven International and is a benefit of membership or available by subscription for businesses, providing an educational forum for information on Wolf Haven, its wolves and activities; and facts and attitudes about wolves and wolf related issues. This magazine is produced with Wolf Haven wolves and the world in mind and publication costs are kept at a minimum."

WOLF HAVEN
"We are a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is "working for wolf conservation" by:
protecting our wild wolves;
providing sanctuary for captive-born wolves;
promoting wolf restoration in historic ranges;
and educating the public on the value of all wildlife."

"Wolf Haven Intl. has been working for wolf conservation around the Northwest and throughout the world since 1982. In addition to providing sanctuary for captive-born wolves, Wolf Haven educates over 30,000 visitors each year on the role of the wolf in the wild. Wolf Haven offers educational guided walking tours of its wolf sanctuary in Tenino, Washington as well as off-site presentations to schools, community groups, and professional organizations."

Wolf Haven International
3111 Offut Lake Rd. SE
Tenino, Washington 98589
Phone: 1-800-448-9653

TELL WOLF HAVEN YOU READ ABOUT THEIR AWARD ON THE YELM COMMUNITY BLOG!

The Quality Leader in Environmental Heaters

"CZ Infrared™ Heaters are the finest heaters you can buy. They are also the best infrared heaters ever made. Quality, backed by technological leadership, is what we are all about.

CZ Infrared™ is a technologically superior infrared heater that offers ultra-efficient, safe, evenly-distributed heat at less cost than other heating systems. Its impressive air quality and effective heating performance are the result of an innovative, patented system design. This patented technology uses absorption of infrared energy which produces, mixes, and circulates heated air back into your space.

The resulting evenly-distributed heat minimizes losses at walls, windows and ceilings, saving you energy and money! This soft, cozy heat warms the air in much the same way as the sun heats the earth by means of safe infrared absorption. Tests show that the CZ Infrared™ Heaters are 35% more efficient than forced air electric furnaces and 56% more efficient than propane furnaces."

*SUMMER BLOWOUT SALE*
+ All Units Come With A 30 Day Money Back Guarantee -
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EARTH WISE TECHNOLOGIES
LOCALLY OWNED. 360-791-6936

TELL EARTH WISE TECHNOLOGIES YOU READ ABOUT THEM ON THE YELM COMMUNITY BLOG!

"The price of Wal-Mart coming to town"

Quoting MSN,
"When the retail giant moves in, it promises cheaper goods, more jobs and more tax revenue. And in the short term, it delivers. But the initial boost hides later losses...

A glance at Wal-Mart's store openings page, or any news story that follows (they're eerily similar), reveals the reason: "an increase in tax revenue" and "150 new jobs" for Wilkesboro, N.C., or "450 new jobs" for Albuquerque, N.M.

The numbers may change, but this key point does not: The promised benefits are not something a city can easily ignore.

Yet each of Wal-Mart's promises has a flip side.

* Jobs: Check. But, after an initial boost, studies show a net loss of jobs.

* Low prices: Check. So low that wages and benefits are reduced as well. Then the neighbors follow suit.

* Tax boosts: Check. But that boost comes at the expense of communities nearby, which tend to lose any businesses that compete. And don't forget to factor in the cost to taxpayers of subsidies for Wal-Mart and public aid to low-wage workers...

Certainly, Wal-Mart doesn't set out to undermine local economies. Nor do the city fathers who approve the stores or the consumers who shop at them. Each of them is serving constituents -- stockholders, taxpayers or households -- as best they can.

How can such good intentions go so wrong?..

'I am torn between two things: the fiscal demands to keep the city whole and a dislike of Wal-Mart,' he [Ventura City Councilman Carl E. Morehouse] said. 'I have to look at the big picture for our financial needs.'...

Wal-Mart sells things people already buy, and typically locally. Things like bread, shampoo and rakes. When Wal-Mart opens, consumers merely shift their dollars; they don't spend additional money...

A study led by David Neumark, an economist at the University of California, Irvine, counted a net loss of 150 jobs after a Wal-Mart opened. Wal-Mart didn't create jobs; it destroyed them. For every person who got a job at Wal-Mart, 1.4 other retail workers lost theirs.

AND IN YELM:

1. City of Yelm officials were salivating at the prospect of having a Wal-Mart here a few years ago and approved a Super Wal-Mart with an unfunded Bypass to mitigate their traffic. They were going to do anything to get this store here, regardless of so much outcry and documented issues with their site at the public hearing. The Wal-Mart section [Stage 2, 3.1 miles] of the Bypass has been bumped on the Governor's funding budget to 2021-2023, 15+years after their July, 2007 opening! HMMM!

2. Wal-Mart continues to get a "free-pass" from the City of Yelm by still not constructing the required connector to 103rd that Wal-Mart was suppoosed to have completed 18 months after their opening, or November, 2008.

"THE PRICE OF WAL-MART COMING TO TOWN"

NVN: "Yelm bypass goes on front burner"

If the NVN gave their readers true facts, their story of August 14th on the bypass should be titled:
"One quarter of Yelm bypass goes on front burner"

The NVN reported,
"Motorists should be travelling down phase one of the Yelm Bypass by 2011.

Assistant project manager Jeffrey Petterson gave a special presentation to Yelm City Council Tuesday [August 11]...

The project will go to bid Nov. 9.

The original estimate to go to bid was October.

Petterson said construction will start in spring 2010 and should be functioning by January 2011.

Phase one of the bypass will start at Mud Run Road and end at Cullens Road [1.1 miles, commonly called the Yelm High School Bypass, since this road only bypasses the High School section of Yelm Ave. West.]...

Construction for phase two of the project, which runs from Cullens over to Wal-Mart, is currently unfunded, but is included in the city’s six year transportation improvement plan.

In order for a city to seek funding for a project, it must be included on the plan.

The bypass will consist of 4.2 miles of two-lane corridor with nine intersections."
[Ed, Note: Maybe at some future date 4.2 miles will be built, however for now, only 1.1 of the 4.2 miles has been funded.]

"...the Gov. has decided to bump Bypass [STAGE 2] funding to the 2021-2023 biennium, as the Tacoma News Tribune reported on January 16, 2009," meaning the longer, Wal-Mart end of the Bypass (3.1 miles long) has along way to go before being funded.

UNFORTUNATELY, NVN READERS ONLY GET PARTIAL FACTS ONCE AGAIN ON THIS STORY!

"The following construction and maintenance activities are scheduled for the week of Aug. 15-21, 2009," quoting WSDOT.

MAINTENANCE

1. SR 507, Tenino to Rainier
DAYS: Monday – Wednesday 8/17-19
TIME: 6 a.m. to 5 p.m.
DESCRIPTION: Asphalt inlaying and pavement repairs.
LOCATION: Both directions of SR 507, from Tenino to Yelm, mileposts 13.5 to 28.

•Tenino city limits from Ninth Avenue to Old Highway 99, mileposts 13.5 to 14.7
•Rainier city limits from Vail Cutoff Road Southeast to Koeppen Road, mileposts 22.1 to 24.85.
•Yelm limits from Koeppen Road to Mosman Avenue, mileposts 26 to 28.
EXPECT: One-way, alternating traffic in Tenino on Monday, Rainier on Tuesday and Yelm on Wednesday.

2. SR 510, at Yelm Highway
DAYS: Thursday 8/20
TIME: 6 a.m. to 5 p.m.
DESCRIPTION: Asphalt inlaying and pavement repairs.
LOCATION: Both directions of SR 510, at the Yelm Highway intersection, milepost 10.
EXPECT: One-way alternating traffic.

3. SPECIAL EVENTS

SR 507, Rainier
WSDOT Communications, 360-357-2789
DAYS: Saturday, August 22
TIME: 10:30 a.m. to noon
DESCRIPTION: Rainier Round-Up Day Parade.
LOCATION: Both directions of SR 507, from Minnesota Street to Tipsoo Drive, mileposts 22.6 to 24.0.
EXPECT: Roadway closed for parade. Signed detour route available.

BAKER GOES AGAINST THE STATUS QUO HERE & SPEAKS OUT/VOTES AGAINST THE CITY'S B & O TAX INCREASE

"Yelm City Council approved an increase to the city’s Utility B&0 Tax Tuesday [Aug. 11], not so unanimously.

The tax would have increased from 4 percent to 6 percent, which is the cap the city can increase to without going to the voters.

A survey of other Washington cities show most are currently taxing at 6 percent.

Councilman Joe Baker was against the 2 percent increase.

“Nothing to say we can’t cut some things from our budget,” Baker said. “To raise this 2 percent, just because other cities are at 6 percent.”

This increase is in conjunction with the recently announced city layoffs to help balance city finances...

With the current 4 percent tax rate a customer will pay $2 for a $50 bill. With the 2 percent increase, a customer will pay $3 for a $50 bill.

The tax rate change would increase city revenues by approximately $219,268 annually.

If the tax increase wasn’t approved, the city faced cutting services and/or additional staffing.

'I don’t really like seeing increasing taxes that will affect the consumer,' said councilman Mike McGowan.

However, because it was bringing the tax to the same level as other cities, he said the increase was palatable.

Only one person from the public spoke during the public hearing, Yelm real estate agent Mark Steves.

He said he thought the tax increase would be counterproductive for the city bringing new businesses into Yelm.

'If we have to make cuts in the city, we have to make cuts in the city,' Steves said.

Council voted to approve the rate increase with three in favor.

Baker voted against and councilwoman Pat Fetterly abstained.

Councilmembers Bob Isom and Russ Hendrickson were not present.

Fetterly clarified she abstained because she was not at the meeting the tax increase was discussed.

She also said she particially agreed with Steves.

'We could be hurting ourselves rather than helping ourselves,' Fetterly said. 'We have to make cuts, we have to make cuts,'” quoting the NVN.

THIS WRITER STANDS CORRECTED, AS I SAID HERE THAT THE B & O TAX INCREASE WOULD BE A "SLAM DUNK", BASED ON OBSERVING THIS CITY COUNCIL FOR 5 YEARS NOW, AS REPORTED HERE ON AUGUST 11TH.

I applaud Mr. Baker for his courage in standing up and speaking out against the wanton acts of this City Council to make up for their budgeting and expense mistakes (lawsuits, snubbing their noses at water issues, etc.) by taxing businesses here (first a major water rate increase, now a 2% B & O tax increase).
Of course, outside of Ms. Fetterly who retires this Fall from the City Council, Mr. Baker is painfully aware of what these taxes do to the small businesses of Yelm because his family have been business owners here for decades. All others on the City Council (excluding the Mayor) work for others and do not know first-hand how the fees, taxes and decisions this City Council makes affects local business owners.

THANK YOU TO MR. BAKER & MR. STEVES FOR SPEAKING OUT IN SUPPORT OF OUR LOCAL BUSINESS OWNERS.
THAT THE YELM CHAMBER OF COMMERCE WAS SILENT ON THIS ISSUE AND THE WATER RATE HIKE'S AFFECTS ON LOCAL BUSINESS OWNERS HERE SPEAKS VOLUMES!

Yelm Public Safety Building & City Council Chambers

The City of Yelm announced on Friday, August 14th that their MDNS has been withdrawn in this statement listed on the city's website:

"The Mitigated Determination of Non-significance dated May 1, 2009, regarding Yelm’s application to the Washington State Department of Ecology [DOE] for additional water rights (Ecology application numbers G2-29084, G2-29085, and G2-29086) is hereby withdrawn by the City of Yelm.

This action has been taken after the Washington State Department of Ecology indicated that it will not take action on Yelm’s applications for additional water rights in 2009. Withdrawal of the MDNS also provides additional time for the City to continue its work alongside its watershed partners in refining the proposed water rights mitigation plan.
You will be notified when the City re-issues a threshold determination in this matter."

THIS IS HUGE!
Finally, the City of Yelm's disregard for the environmental effects of their desires to pump huge amounts of water, lack of consideration for citizen input, contempt for neighboring property owners living outside of city limits affected by the proposed aquifer drawdown and basic snubbing their noses at procedures put in place by the State to protect all has been squelched!

This issue has been covered here thoroughly on the following dates, for those wishing to learn more about Yelm's MDNS:

JZ KNIGHT SPEAKS OUT ON HARDING'S NVN COLUMN & DOE DECISION ABOUT WATER - July 26th

"A CITIZEN RESPONDS" - JZ KNIGHT BUYS AD - ADDRESSES CITY'S & NVN'S MISLEADING & INACCURATE WATER/MDNS REPORTS" - July 8th

NOT ONE COMMENT IN FAVOR OF YELM MDNS, YET 100 AGAINST - June 3rd

THIS STOPS THE CITY IN THEIR TRACKS IN APPROVING ANY FURTHER DEVELOPMENT, AS THEY ARE AT THEIR LIMIT ON THE AMOUNT OF WATER ALLOCATED BY ECOLOGY THEY CAN PUMP ALREADY!

HAVEN'T YOU NOTICED THE ROADSIDE STRIPS OF GRASS ON YELM AVENUE ARE NOT WATERED THIS YEAR, EXCEPT IN FRONT OF SAFEWAY, WHO PAYS FOR THEIR OWN GRASS WATERING? HMMM!

Did anyone notice the city's MDNS withdrawal was posted on a Friday, well after the city's offiical newspaper weekly publication date & buried in the Public Notices page on the city's website?

Isn't this Yelm News that warrants being listed on the Homepage for all of the public to see?

Or is the city too embarrassed to post this information there?

Unfortunately, non-Yelm Community Blog readers will not see this information until next week's NVN. However, since only a handful of Yelm property owners out of the 100 public comments against the MDNS were from inside the city limits, citizens have shown little interest in affairs of their local government anyway.

Harsh words?
Yes!
Someone has to say them!

UPDATE: Tuesday, August 18, 2009
The Olympian & Tacoma news Tribune ran this sotry in their editions today:
The only error in their report was they reported Thurston Highlands would have 5,000 people, rather than the much larger-impacting proposed 5,000 homes:
The Olympian
&
The Tacoma News Tribune

"The Children¹s School of Excellence (CSE) is currently enrolling students in Pre-K through 7th Grade for the upcoming school year, which begins on September 9th, 2009.

A CSE education is rooted in the belief that every child comes to us with a reservoir of extraordinary possibilities to discover and explore. It is our privilege to elicit the best from each of them through distinctive programs that encourage children to be creative contributors to a global society. Our teachers consider it an honor to guide the growth and development of our students in creating their own path of success in school and in life.

Parent Orientation will be held on campus on Tuesday, September 1st at 6:00 PM
to welcome new and returning families for a wonderful opportunity to Meet & Greet teachers and get to know the school¹s signature programs.

Please call 360-446-1100 for more information or visit us at
www.cseinfo.com," quoting the CSE Press Release.

TELL CSE YOU READ ABOUT THEM ON THE YELM COMMUNITY BLOG!

"The American Public Transportation Association, the transit industry’s principal trade group, recognized IT as the nation’s best midsized transit agency during an event Tuesday [August 4].

The recognition comes as IT is experiencing record ridership and is a culmination for the transit agency’s rebuilding effort almost a decade after the passage of Initiative 695, which replaced the motor excise tax with a license tab fee. IT lost significant revenue as a result and cut 40 percent of its service.

We hope it’s a continuation,”General Manager Mike Harbour said of the recognition. “There’s more to do.”

Potential roadblocks lie ahead as transit agency officials look to boost ridership and services even more.

Agency officials likely will ask voters next year to increase IT’s operating revenue to maintain and add routes or increase the frequency of existing ones. If no new revenue is found, the agency might cut back again," quoting The Olympian.

This is a thoughtful Op-Ed in The Olympian about IT.

Yelm Timberland Regional Library
Photo courtesy of Guustaaf Damave

Stop by and wish newly appointed Yelm Librarian Mike Wessells well in his new post here in Yelm. Mr. Wessells was formerly Timberland's Community Services Manager. He replaces retiring Yelm Librarian Kristin Blalack.

Mike shared this with the Yelm Community Blog,
"I am excited to be here.

It is my pleasure to meet new people and serve them in their library and information needs to the best of my ability, along with the already friendly staff. We want this to be the best library experience a resident or visitor could have.

As for me, I am on a quest to become an active member of my new community...

I hope to get involved in community service organizations as well, but this is subject to the library schedule, as you might expect."

The Yelm Community Blog congratulates Timberland in their fine selection and wishes all the best to Mike in his new life in the Yelm Community!
Ed. Note: I had the opportunity & pleasure to exchange ideas with Mike when I was on the Yelm Library Board and found him to be open, honest & an interested listener.

TELL MIKE YOU READ ABOUT HIS APPOINTMENT ON THE YELM COMMUNITY BLOG!

Sound-friendly farming
Wilcox: Earth-friendly practices work for egg producer

"Harts Lake – When you get right down to it, Jim Wilcox says, he doesn’t really know whether the 600,000 chickens his family keeps in cages are any less happy than the 100,000 that get to go outside every day and stretch their wings in open courtyards...

What Wilcox does know is that more and more U.S. shoppers believe eggs from free-range, organic birds are healthier. And he knows that when they see the words “free-range” and “organic” on a carton of eggs, they will pay a dollar or two more per dozen.

That goes a long way toward explaining why Wilcox Family Farms, the giant Pierce County egg producer celebrating its 100th anniversary this week, finds itself on the cusp of a revolution in corporate food production and the darling of environmentalists trying to save Puget Sound.

Scientists say the Puget Sound ecosystem is nearing collapse, battered by pollution and loss of habitat. Agriculture is by no means the main culprit, but in certain critical areas, primarily along rivers and at their deltas, farmers face heavy pressure to change practices ecologists say contribute to the death spiral.

Environmentalists and government regulators are doing their best to convince farmers that sustainable agriculture and a healthy Puget Sound can make good economic sense.

The Wilcoxes have become Exhibit A in that effort.

Not only has Wilcox Farms lately become nicer to its birds, but it also has moved a herd of 2,500 Holstein cattle off its mile-long stretch of Nisqually riverbank and planted hundreds of trees in order to shade salmon-bearing creeks. Wastes the cows produced overwhelmed the capacity of vegetation on the riverbank to absorb nutrients, and temperatures in unprotected streams was too high for salmon," quoting The Olympian.

LOOK FOR WILCOX PRODUCTS IN YOUR GROCER'S DAIRY CASE!

The unusual .18 inches of rainfall yesterday broke the high rainfall total of .12 inches set in 1949 for August 11, as recorded at Olympia Regional Airport's official National Weather Service station.

YEA! Bless those quenching rains... Can Autumn be far behind?

Is the city going to make a deal to take Thurston Highlands property in exchange for exonerating the developers' debt to the city?

On the City Council Agenda for Tuesday, August 11th:
"Executive Session – Council will go into Executive Session for 45 minutes to discuss potential litigation and possible real estate acquisition."

HMMM!
STAY TUNED!

Yelm is behind the 8-ball for poor planning of their 2009 budget, as covered here previously.
As the Mayor stated, his much-heralded era of growth to pay for expansion is over. Now that the city has spent so much for Master Planned Community developments, when the music stopped and the economy went "south", the City of Yelm has been left "holding the bag" of debt & expenses, which are being passed to Yelm's property & business owners.

Now, the City of Yelm is set to raise the the city’s Utility Business and Occupation Tax on top of the recent water rate hike that stung local businesses [Click the hotlink to the left & see the High School's water rate hike. YIKES!]. This city is no longer small-business friendly, thanks to their poor budget planning.

"The City of Yelm set a public hearing for comments on a hike in the city’s Utility Business and Occupation Tax.

The increase is proposed in conjunction with the recently announced city layoffs, aimed to help balance city finances.

The tax would rise from 4 percent to 6 percent, the maximum increase the city can impose without voter approval.

When the city finance committee analyzed the finances, the Utility B&O Tax was identified as an untapped revenue source, said City Administrator Shelly Badger.

“Most cities are at 6 percent,” Badger said...

The tax rate change would increase city revenue by $219,268 annually.

It’s not a huge impact to that individual customer, but looking at it city-wide it does make a difference, Badger said.

The increase will take effect 60 days after council approval.

When the finance committee was forecasting city finances they included the rate increases with the layoffs in their projections.

If council does not approve the rate increase, the city could face more potential layoffs and/or reduction of city services," quoting the NVN.

Ed. Note: Of course the city Council is going to approve the rate increase. That is a slam dunk!

Keene, NH city council taking houses for unpaid property taxes.
From YouTube

Ed. Note: Will Yelm be next to do this due to their own lack of budget planning and with their growth to pay for expansion policies going bust with the developers leaving the town with the debt HMMM!]

The Blue Bottle Cafe

"Jean Isaacs will be presenting another puppet show at the Blue Bottle this Wednesday, August 12, at 11:00 AM.
All are welcome to enjoy the show (suggested donation for adults $5.00, but come regardless)."

These pictures are a must-see
CLICK HERE

Blue Bottle Cafe
309 Yelm Avenue East
Yelm, Washington
360-458-4611

And, mark on your calendar Mona, Eric & Jay's Blue Bottle Concert Friday, August 21st at 7:30pm.

TELL MICHELLE AT THE BLUE BOTTLE YOU READ ABOUT THE PUPPET SHOW ON THE YELM COMMUNITY BLOG!

MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR THE 2ND ANNUAL MCKENNA FEST
Saturday, August 15, 2009
11am - 6pm behind Baydo in McKenna

About the first annual McKenna fest last year:
"The sun shined brightly throughout the day as residents flocked to the first-ever McKenna Fest.

People visited booths selling a variety of items including food, decorations and crafts.

Roger Smith, event organizer and general manager for Baydo Chevrolet, said McKenna Fest was a way to thank customers and introduce themselves to new ones.

Local businesses in McKenna offered various deals...

The sun shined brightly throughout the day as residents flocked to the first-ever McKenna Fest.

People visited booths selling a variety of items including food, decorations and crafts.

Roger Smith, event organizer and general manager for Baydo Chevrolet, said McKenna Fest was a way to thank customers and introduce themselves to new ones.

Local businesses in McKenna offered various deals...

McKenna Fest was sponsored by businesses in the McKenna Y area.

Smith said the event was such a success, they plan to make it an annual or even bi-annual event," quoting the NVN.

The Nisqually River Council is pleased to announce the development and publication of the "Nisqually Watershed Building Guide". This is a collaborative effort of the Nisqually River Foundation, Stewardship Partners, Nisqually Land Trust and Northwest Natural Resources Group working with the Nisqually Valley News in Yelm as the publisher. The purpose of the Building Guide is to showcase sustainable building opportunities and to encourage emerging "green" building technologies and services in the Nisqually Watershed.

The collaborative solicits your articles, information, resources and your experiences in sustainable building construction and services. Editorial and article submission management will be by

Cate O'dahl, ESP Services, (206) 999-0124, Caoesp@aol.com, and

Fiona Douglas-Hamilton, S.E.E.C. LLC, (360) 561-7383 cell; 360-894-6817 office; 360-485-0336 fax, fiona@seecsolutions.com,

Suggested articles and word count are included as page three of the attachment

We also solicit your advertising support for this publication...The deadline for article and ad submissions is September 25, 2009. The Nisqually Watershed Building Guide publishes October 23, 2009.
This includes jurisdictions and non profits.

David Hymel
Sustainable Building Program Manager
PO Box 805
Eatonville, WA 98328
(360) 832-8148
www.stewardshippartners.org

From a flier:
Hello everyone,

The Center for the Creative Arts, in collaboration with Nancy Hillman, is thrilled to be adding another Young Performers' Theater Program in August.

We all had a fabulous experience last week, and produced an awesome play!!!
So we're going to do it again.
The one-week intensive session will give first time participants an opportunity to learn new theater skills and a chance for those who triumphed in The Rainbow Show to continue building their talents.

WHAT: Summer Playacting, an intensive theater camp for ages 8-13
WHERE: Center for the Creative Arts, 302 Binghampton Street, Rainier WA.
WHEN: Monday thru Friday, August 10-14, 10-2pm
AND ALSO: Dress rehearsal, Friday afternoon 3-6pm

PERFORMANCE: Friday, August 14, 7:30pm.
Parents, friends, and relatives welcome!
COST: $100......payable on the first day of camp.

PRE-REGISTRATION IS ADVISED!
CALL NANCY 446-2188

TELL NANCY YOU READ ABOUT SUMMER PLAY ACTING ON THE YELM COMMUNITY BLOG!

"RSE contributes to Yelm retail sales with figures rising in 1st quarter.
Yelm was the only area in Thurston County to show a sales gain."

"Retail Trade Continues to Fall in Thurston County,

Except in Yelm where It rose 4.69% in the First Quarter of 2009

RSE Students inject $2,626,050 into the Local Economy in 2008 and more than $1.5 million in the First Half of 2009. Could this be the factor of Yelm’s unprecedented growth in the middle of a major recession?" quoting the Ramtha School of Enlightenment ad.

CLICK HERE for the full-page paid-advertisement running in the NVN Shopper & NVN print editions this week on JZ Knight's website.

From the July 16th Olympian:
"Thurston County's sales report bleak again
Retail: County’s fifth straight drop"

Olympia Regional Airport

Everyone knows this Summer has been one for the record books all over Western Washington, from an extended period of intense heat to the record dryness.

The following list of hot days puts all in perspective, as officially recorded by the National Weather Service at Olympia Regional Airport:

Date Record High/Year High this day
July 25 93/1988 88
July 26 96/1998 90
July 27 97/1998 99 new record
July 28 100/1998 101 new record
July 29 96/2003 104 tied all-time high temperature ever from 8/1/1981
July 30 97/1965 95
July 31 99/1965 90
August 1 97/1965 91
August 2 91/1986 92 new record
8 days in a row of 90+ degrees.

"The National Weather Service reports the combined precipitation for June and July at Sea-Tac Airport was .24, the driest on record for the two months. The previous record was .44 in 1951," quoting The Olympian.

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC - ALL INVITED TO JOIN!

"Our community has one of the highest percentages of entrepreneurial, self-motivated people and highly
qualified professionals in all branches of sciences and arts.

Many have left successful careers in other parts of the world to come here.
The intent of this business network event is to link synergies among all of us in order to start up a powerful and successful future out of the ashes of the present economy, a future where we can all make the most of our expertise and businesses in the many areas in which we are experienced and passionate about.

Let’s meet for a glass of wine and some food at Liquid Soul Cafe and let others know about our businesses,
challenges, opportunities, expertise, needs and dreams.
Come and network with your peers of the future now."

Liquid Soul Coffee Roasters & Cafe
Directions: Click here
McKenna, WA.
1ST Tuesday of every month beginning August 4th
7:00 – 9:00 pm

This is from a flier sent by Teresa Escrig, Ph. D..
Ms. Escrig is a Professor at the U. Jaume I, Spain and now a visiting Professor at the University of Washington. She attends Ramtha's School of Enlightenment in Yelm, as well. Ms. Escrig has an impressive list of links, if you Google her name.

CLICK HERE to see the flier.

Yelm Public Safety Building & City Council Chambers

"The Yelm City Council approved an amended Yelm Comprehensive Plan and updated the Six Year Transportation Improvement Plan Tuesday [July 28].
Maps were updated in the comprehensive plan to reflect new growth figures adopted by Thurston County...

"Council held two public hearings on the proposed changes.
The only person from the public to speak was former Yelm mayoral candidate Steve Klein.
Klein requested that the second stage of the Yelm bypass be removed from the six-year plan because funding isn't anticipated in the next six years.
Community Development Director Grant Beck said the entire bypass needs to be on the six-year plan to remain eligible for funding if it becomes available.
The city can only seek funding for projects on the STIP," according to the NVN's July 31st print edition.

AS PER USUAL, THE NVN DID NOT ACCURATELY REPORT THE TOTALITY OF WHAT I SAID, AGAIN TAKING MY REMARKS OUT OF CONTEXT!

Yelm Community Blog readers knew of my request to the Yelm Planning Commission on June 15th to accurately reflect the fact that the City of Yelm had requested the Bypass be divided into two phases, as covered here on June 16, 2009.

I asked in the Public Hearing for the city to update their STIP Map to show the Y3 (Bypass) from Mud Run Rd. to Cullens (what WSDOT now calls Stage 1) and remove the Y3 Stage 2 from the STIP, since there is no funding potential according to the Governor's budget until the 2021-2023 biennium, at earliest.

Community Development Director Beck said to the council of my request it stays as is and not necessary to split it on the map.

The City of Yelm is seeking funding and Stage Two must be in the STIP for funding to be considered, Beck reported.
Mayor Harding added,
"Just because Stage 2 doesn't have funding doesn't mean funding will not be there during the 2009-2014 period"
That is TRUE.
The potential exists there could be another gas tax revenue package enacted by the State Legislature and the city does need to put their wish list out there to request funding until the package is funded.

Citry Council member Bob Isom said,
"Doesn't the STIP have to include Stage 2 if we want funding pursued the next 6 years."

Beck, "Yes."

Isom, "Is there any reason to remove Stage 2."

Beck . "No."

While the aforementioned is all true, the following is where I differ greatly in what was told to the City Council by Mr. Beck:

1. With a request from the Mayor for Mr. Beck to address my remarks, Beck said and I quote ,
"There was a 2007 meeting with WSDOT I attended and they, not the City of Yelm suggested splitting Y3 into 2 phases. "
That is not what WSDOT said earlier this year in a written document!
WSDOT Olympic Region Plans Engineer Dennis Engel wrote to me on January 23, 2009 and stated,
"The City of Yelm is working with the legislature about the possibility of splitting the project into stage 1 and 2, and changing some of the funding to construction so stage 1 could be built."
Mr Engel further wrote on April 30, 2009, "The City of Yelm was very involved and worked with the legislators from their area to get the funding for construction of the first phase."

WSDOT Olympic Region will do Stage 1 "in support of City of Yelm expectations" and at-no-time stated the two stages Bypass split was WSDOT's idea.

2. Beck told the Council
"There was no money moved between stages."
This is a VERY misleading comment & in particular, to a mostly unaware and uninformed City Council, who rely on Mr. Beck for all of the answers and then make their vote based solely on his report.
The fact is all of the "pre-staged" project money goes to Stage 1 (the 1.1 mile section from Mud Run Rd. to Cullens, sometimes referred tongue-in-cheek as the Yelm High School Bypass). Stage 2 gets none of that money.

3. Beck continued,
"Stage 1 construction was funded from the $11 million left over gas tax money [2005 TPA]."
Mr. Beck knows better!
Since he reads the Yelm Community Blog, he knows the $11 million Stage 1 construction funding is made up of $2.4M former engineering and $8.6M former r-o-w funds, as reported here previously, quoting the Washington State Transportation Executive Information System (TEIS).
However, WSDOT's distribution is slightly different with the $11 million Stage 1 construction funding made up of $1.3M former engineering and $9.7M former r-o-w (right-of-way) funds, according to an internal WSDOT source. These figures were accurate as of July, 2009.

4. Beck stated,
"The r-o-w & engineering funding is in place for Stage 2."
Not true.
The r-o-w acquisition for Stage 2 is largely complete from "pre-staged" activity, due to favorable real estate prices. Therefore, Stage 2 will have no significant r-o-w requirements.
As mentioned previously, engineering funding to continue engineering Stage 2 was diverted to Stage 1 construction. That uses up all of the money. There is no funding in place for Stage 2. There are only unfunded cost estimates in place to finish Stage 2, according to an internal WSDOT source, and
- represent the plan to break Yelm Loop into stages (still in
progress), and
- were accurate as of late July 2009.
These are:

Engineering $7.7 million unfunded estimate
Right-of-Way $4 thousand unfunded estimate
Construction $68.2 million unfunded estimate

I STILL MAINTAIN THE Y-3 SHOULD BE SPLIT ON THE STIP AND MAPS TO SHOW BOTH STAGE 1 AND STAGE 2.
OF COURSE, ONCE CONSTRUCTION BEGINS ON STAGE 1 SLATED IN 2010, THE MAPS & STIP MUST BE UPDATED TO REFLECT STAGE 1 IN-PROCESS ANYWAY!

MR. BECK'S CONTINUED DECEPTION & LACK OF ATTENTION TO DETAILS IN HIS ANSWERS TO CITIZENS, THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL ABOUT IMPORTANT BUSINESS OF THIS CITY ON EVERYTHING FROM TRAFFIC, TO WATER, TO DEVELOPMENTS & A WHOLE HOST OF ISSUES IS STARTLING!
Click Here to see & hear Mr. Beck's recorded remarks at the Yelm City Council meeting.

MUCH OF THE COSTS BORNE BY THE CITY ON LEGAL FEES LIES AT HIS FEET, IMHO !

Trader Joe's sets West Side Olympia date
"Neighborhood grocery store chain Trader Joe’s is scheduled to open its new Olympia store Aug. 21...

Monrovia, Calif.-based Trader Joe’s announced a plan this year to open a store at 1530 Black Lake Blvd. S.W., first saying it would open in the fall, followed by an opening toward summer’s end and now Aug. 21, spokeswoman Alison Mochizuki said this week.

The store’s grand opening likely will include live music and a ribbon-cutting ceremony, although those details are still being determined, she said.

Meanwhile, work continues on transforming a 12,500-square-foot building into a Trader Joe’s, a location that used to be home to The Good Guys, an electronics retailer that closed in 2005.

Inside, workers are hand-painting murals to reflect the community, she said. The new Trader Joe’s store also is next to the bookseller Barnes & Noble Booksellers," quoting The Olympian.

Yelm Community Blog readers first heard of an area Trader Joe's potential in June, 2008.

And an Olympia store coming was posted here on February 25, 2009.

"Skydancer's WILD FOOD GATHERING WORKSHOPS
continue to provide participants with practical knowledge, sharing, and adventure.

---The following SUNDAY TREKS promise to be uniquely WILD & UNFORGETABLE.
Remember to bring a notebook, pen, scotch tape. scissors, water, and a lunch
(and a bathing suit if you wish)

AUGUST 9 & AUGUST 23
9am to 2pm
Workshops $20
Workbooks (optional) $20

Meet at Cochrane Park on Mill Road.
(Take Hwy 507 out of the center of Yelm heading towards Rainier.
Turn left at the second street, which is Mill Road.
You'll see the park on the left.)

Register: gardensgregarious@juno.com

TELL SKYDANCER YOU READ ABOUT HER WORKSHOP ON YELM'S COMMUNITY BLOG!