Yelm Issues: January 2007 Archives

This letter was received by the Yelm Community Blog and permission was granted to share it with all of you by the writer. It has been edited in no way:

Dear Steve,

I continue to be deeply inspired by your dedication to our community -- running for Mayor, tirelessly informing us, and making sure we have the information necessary to chart a course that will make our community truly thrive and be sustainable.

And at the same time I am disheartened at the lack of comments to your posts on many vitally important issues. Week after week I have seen many important issues and questions raised only to scroll down the page to see "comments: 0" on nearly every one of the articles posted -- and not being inclined to post one myself.

And so I ask myself why, and I am pretty sure the answer to that is the same for a lot of people – and the solution probably is too.

Is it because of the hectic construction of my life where I just don't have enough time or energy to put my mind to writing something good, much less really do what needs to be done to help remedy the problem?

Answer: Yes, I have constructed my life around filling immediate personal needs in the short term to the detriment of many long term necessitites, with one of the first to go being participation in community.

Do I feel that since no one else is saying anything, why should I?

Answer: Yes, it is the second best excuse of all, next to having a hectic, busy life of paying bills. It also brings the great joy of having an opinion and never doing anything about it.

Is it that I just don’t care?

Answer: Yes, sometimes the problems appear too big for "little ol’ me" to do anything about and a sense of defeat and fatigue creeps in. And then for some reason warm flannel sheets and down comforters seem like a workable solution.

Do I consider myself a private person, not really suited to social affairs?

Answer: Yes. I am very private and am uncomfortable in social situations, I am also deathly fearful about speaking in public -- so therefore I vigorously avoid putting myself in those positions.

So what is the solution?

Isn’t it simply to just "get over it?"

Is there really anything further that needs to be said for me to do that?

Nope.

From now on I am going to make comments however small on all the articles in your post that I have thoughts about. Then, I am going to actually take some kind of further action on at least one issue that I feel especially concerned about -- whether it be attend a meeting or write a letter.

And I think that will be a good start for now.

Thanks for the inspiration Steve!

Sincerely,
Shelley Lucus
Rainier

[Ed. Note: The title quote "A time comes when silence is betrayal." is from
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-1968)
American Civil Rights Leader in a
speech delivered on April 4, 1967, at a meeting of Clergy and Laity Concerned at Riverside Church in New York City.]

The Agenda from the meeting regarding Yelm's Thompson Creek
at the Washington State Dept. of Ecology in Lacey took place Monday morning January 19th at 9am.

All gathered introduced themselves including state, county & city officals, residents, and property owners
of the affected area...
The introduction to the Thompson Creek flooding area was with maps, site pictures, charts, and graphs
provided by Bill Hashim of the Dept. of Ecology and Ed Wiltsie, PE of the Olympia engineering firm Morrissette & Ass.
with an excellent, clear and concise presentation on the creek's geology.

The public expressed their concerns followed by comments and presentations from:

Kevin Farrell. Dept. of Ecology about flooding, channel modification
Key McMurry of the WA. Dept. of Fish & Wildlife about undersized culverts & reeds canary grass blocking flow
Derek Rockett of the Dept. of Ecology on sedimentation & stormwater
Bill Hashim of the Dept. of Ecology on impervious surfaces and runoff
Grant Beck, City of Yelm Development Director, who declined to make a presentation

Others present in audience were:
Thurston Conversation District
Thurston County engineers
City of Yelm associate planner
Tahoma Terra engineer
Yelm Community Blog host
JZ Knight's general manager
Nisqually Tribe representative

The fact that all of these people came together to discuss this issue created an atmosphere of understandings from all viewpoints on the problems for everyone...
The one glaring omission was the deferral of comments by the City of Yelm representatives. Only when pressed by several questions as to who was the governmental entity responsible for Thompson Creek issues upstream of 93rd in Yelm, did all of the officials in the room specify the City of Yelm. When asked, Yelm official Grant Beck deferred questions to the developer, who opened his remarks by saying he does not represent, nor was he answering for the City of Yelm.
[Ed. Note: Everyone was in wonder as to the attitude of City of Yelm officials present not engaging with State & County representatives or their own fellow neighbors, nor making a presentation of any kind. This was an embarrassment. Yelm property owners/taxpayers pay these peoples' salary to serve the city, yet were on the receiving end of blatant silence.]
Also noticed was that no one from the Nisqually Valley News identified themselves. That's interesting since they had a large story about this meeting on page A3 in their January 19th edition.

At the end of this meeting, there was an understanding of who is responsible for what in each governmental
entity and whom to call when the public needs assistance:

Key McMurray - Fish and Wildlife 360 249 4628 ext 231
Key is the habitat manager for this area

Joe Butler -- Thurston County 754 3355 x6699
Joe is the flood control officer for Thurston County

Kevin Farell -- Dept. of Ecology 407 7253
Kevin the flood control manager for this area

Derek Rockett -- Dept. of Ecology 407 6697
Derek is a enforcement officer for Dept. of Ecology

Deb Cornett -- Dept. of Ecology 407 7269
Deb is the unit supervisor for enforcement

Grant Beck -- City of Yelm 458 3835
Grant is the development director for the city

WHAT SAY YOU?
YOUR COMMENTS WOULD BE WELCOME!

Flying in and out of Sea-Tac, the progress of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge becomes very apparent.
For those of you that have not flown over the Narrows, check out the latest pictures from the WA. DOT website.

Tacoma Narrows Bridge Snapshots:
By mid-January 2007, the final set of deck sections that arrived last month in the Narrows will all have been lifted into place into the center and side spans.

This aerial image of the eastbound SR 16 provides an excellent view of the new 24th Street on-ramp adjacent to the 24th street overpass. The eastbound ramp will be a restricted to vehicles with the electronic toll pass adhered to their windshields.

The new bridge deck is making its way across the Narrows. All 46 sections are expected to be lifted and in place by mid-January.

Construction camera view.

A multi-agency meeting about Yelm's Thompson Creek flooding with officials from the Washington State Department of Ecology & Department of Fish & Wildlife has been scheduled for Monday, January 29th in the Department of Ecology auditorium 300 Desmond Dr., Lacey
from 9-noon.

The Dept. of Ecology has received several complaints in regards to flooding issues, water quality issues, wetland filling, channel modifications and other activities that have affected Thompson Creek in Yelm.

This meeting is open to the interested public!

Kevin Farrell
Floodplain Management Specialist
Washington Department of Ecology - SWRO
(360) 407-7253
kfar461@ecy.wa.gov

"Drinking water suppliers now provide reports (sometimes called consumer confidence reports) that tell where drinking water comes from, and what contaminants may be in it.

* Read your water quality report if it is online, or
* contact your water supplier to get a copy.

Local information, such as contacts, case studies, and more on source water protection for your state can be found here .

To view the information about your drinking water supplier that is in EPA's database, please visit the Envirofacts page on your state.

* Envirofacts data on Washington

The Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water (OGWDW), together with states, tribes, and its many partners, protects public health by ensuring safe drinking water and protecting ground water. OGWDW, along with EPA's ten regional drinking water programs, oversees implementation of the Safe Drinking Water Act, which is the national law safeguarding tap water in America," quoting the EPA.

Hopefully, this information will give the citizens of Yelm the motivation to get their city's water supply listed as public documents on these sites.

WHAT SAY YOU?

"Puget Sound is one of Washington’s most precious state treasures. But toxic chemicals called PBDEs, found in everything from furniture to laptops, are polluting the Sound and its wildlife, from orcas to harbor seals, fish, and shore birds.

We’ve been working to protect the people of Washington from PBDEs, and now that Governor Gregoire has made cleaning up Puget Sound a top priority for 2007, we have an amazing opportunity to make Washington a leader in phasing out these chemicals. To sign the petition, fill in the form below," quoting WashPIRG.

The City of Yelm has announced an Open House for the Stevens Street Northwest Roadway Project
on Thursday, January 25 from 5-7pm at the Public Works Facility,
901 Rhoton Rd.
Yelm
This is an informal discussion & project update.

The chief question that should be asked is how will the city handle the left turn traffic in the afternoons from Yelm Ave. West Eastbound that will turn left onto Edwards St. to access the Stevens St. connector?
Also, with the new Tahoma Terra roadway at Killion Road plus this connector both dumping traffic onto Yelm Ave. West, how does the City expect Yelm Ave. West to handle the additional traffic from these roads with only a center turn lane added -- meaning there is still only one lane in and one lane out of town via Yelm Ave. West -- with Thursday & Friday afternoon inbound traffic gridlocked NOW for over a mile each week?

No, this Open House was not listed on the new City of Yelm Public Notices page on the city's website. Click Agendas, then Public Notices.

Olympia Regional Airport recorded a tie for record high temperature on January 23, 2007,
56 degrees set in 2005.

I would like to acknowledge Cindy Teixeira of the Nisqually Valley News for her in-depth report published on January 19, 2007 in response to questions I posed to the City Council on January 9, 2007 and to the Yelm area community on this very Blog January 14, 2007. I have received no response to those questions to date from the City of Yelm and they still remain unanswered.

This was an informative piece however far from investigative journalism, as there were no questions printed as to anything Ms. Teixeira may have asked City Administrator Shelley Badger to address regarding the SW Aquifer Project, so the front-page story was just a vehicle for the City Administrator’s views only, without cross-examination. Additionally, there were no further comments from “some county residents [critical] for the money the city is spending to conduct water studies on the site of the Thurston Highlands Master Planned Community,” quoting the NVN.

The questions still remain and even more come to mind from this report:

1. Does the City of Yelm have any contract with the Thurston Highlands developers about water?
Based on comments from Ms. Badger in the NVN, obviously not, “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.”

2. Does the City of Yelm have a pro-rata contract with the Thurston Highlands developers about water?
Based on comments from Ms. Badger in the NVN, obviously not, “It's after the EIS "when it will be determined how much they have to pay."

3. Quoting the NVN, “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 [EIS] is complete later this year.”
Oh really? Says who? There is no contract with the developers for such.
What if a good water source is not found there? Who pays?
What if the developers pull out? Who pays?
There is no contract with the developer for water, so who is giving permission for wells to be placed on the Thurston Highlands property? Where is the right to do that?
Is the City going to bill the interest payments to the developers for reimbursement for loaning them city money for this study?
Is the City fronting the money for a developer's EIS to be repaid when the EIS is complete preferential treatment?
Would they do that for you or I?
The Yelm City Council has stated publicly it will not use public funds for private for-profit developments.
Why is the city using taxpayer money to fund a developer's EIS for Thurston Highlands?

4. Quoting the 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.” 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; seize the land and water rights as the City of Olympia did with the brewery last year,
as reported in the Business Examiner?

5. How is the City of Yelm going to recharge the aquifer with all of the treated water it must put back, based on what it proposes to remove? Won’t that volume of treated water being placed back in the aquifer contaminate it? Don’t you think that is a good question to ask?

6. How do downstream users of the aquifer like the Cities of Olympia & Lacey feel about Yelm’s treated water recharging the aquifer from where they derive their water?

7. Let’s see, the City of Yelm is nearing a water emergency with so much development and one of the city’s three wells is unusable, quoting the NVN, “A third well is available for emergencies, but the water supply must be treated in a special fashion because it is "under the influence of surface water," said Tim Peterson, Yelm Public Works director.”
Don’t you think a good question to ask would have been what/where were the surface conditions that caused this well to be unusable and where does that put the city with 1/3 of its wells out of service? What is the proximity of that third well's surface conditions to Wal-Mart & its traffic? Will Wal-Mart's daily traffic pollution from dripping oil & fuel runoff from their proposed volume of vehicles affect those surface conditions in high groundwater areas even more?

8. Quoting the NVN, “The owners of the golf course, also the developers of Tahoma Terra and Thurston Highlands, offered to give the city water rights if half of the available water could be used for the Tahoma Terra development.” Clearly the developers are in the need for some deal and the city needs their perceived water. Therefore, this question needs to be raised, “What limits and conditions have the developers placed on the city for the SW Aquifer Project?” Where is the accountablility on all of this between the Thurston Highlands developers and the City of Yelm? Wouldn't you like to know?

Bottom line:
There continues to be sidestepping of the answers to these specific questions and others posed, indicative of community lack of interest for not demanding answers.

What WILL make this community care about this and other issues to want to get involved and demand a full accounting to these questions?

What say YOU?

Due to input from area citizens, the city now has a PUBLIC NOTICES section on the City of Yelm website:

click AGENDA then PUBLIC NOTICES

Quoting USA Today's edition this morning,
"Chelan -
This community will allow a new Wal-Mart to open today, despite a judge's ruling that the city issued invalid building permits for the store. The project's opponents sued Chelan after it allowed the construction, which was more than three times the size allowed by local zoning laws. City officials say they're looking to change those laws."

The Wenatchee World reports in its January 21, 2007 edition:
"The new Wal-Mart super store in Chelan will be allowed to open as scheduled on Monday [Jan. 22], officials with the city of Chelan announced Friday [Jan. 19] afternoon...They (sic) city still has to remedy that issue, and on Friday said one option will be to modify the site's zoning through its planned development district. Witherbee said that Pacland, the Seattle company that conducted the planning and development for the Chelan Wal-Mart, has already submitted a "preapplication" to amend its plan. "Unless we're legally obligated to, we're not going to prevent the store from opening. In fact, the spirit of the judge's order is that the store should open," said Mayor Jay Witherbee."

Pacland worked on the planning and development of the Yelm Wal-Mart.

The Olympian reported in its editions today that,
"Some Thurston County teachers have shown their classes former Vice President Al Gore's climate change documentary "An Inconvenient Truth."

Other local educators are seeking permission to present the film, which recently sparked controversy 40 miles north of South Sound in the Federal Way School District, where showings have been restricted.

Meanwhile, Bush Middle School teacher Jana Dean is about to get a firsthand experience with climate change research during a two-week trip to the arctic. In February, the Tumwater School District educator plans to join researchers who are studying climate change by measuring the depth of arctic ice, snowpack temperatures and more.

The Earthwatch Institute and the National Geographic Society helped fund a grant that made her trip possible.

Earthwatch contacted her about the opportunity after she wrote an article for the publication Rethinking Schools about her work teaching students about global warming, Dean said...

"People need to know about this," Dean said.

'An Inconvenient Truth'

The Federal Way School Board recently restricted showing the movie "An Inconvenient Truth" after parents complained. Federal Way teachers who want to show the movie now are required to balance it with an adequate opposing viewpoint. Plus, the district's superintendent must approve each showing.

Neither the Olympia nor Tumwater school districts have any plans to ban the film, district officials said, leaving the decision about whether to show it to individual teachers.

So far, several Tumwater High School teachers have shown the movie, district spokeswoman Sue Haskin said. She expects more to follow."

The Yelm Prairie Arts Association announces:

Open Mike Saturdays
Free to the public. All ages welcome

at
“The Blue Bottle”
309 Yelm Ave. 360-458-4611
Come strut your stuff!
Comedians, dancers, musicians, poets, performance artists, vocalists, writers…
Sign up start at 3:30 for a 10 minute time slot
Show start @4:00 to 6:00

We also will have the open Mike on
February 3, March 10, April 14,
@ 4:00- 6:00pm

A multi-agency meeting about Yelm's Thompson Creek flooding with officials from the Washington State Department of Ecology & Department of Fish & Wildlife has been postponed until Monday, January 29th in the Department of Ecology auditorium 300 Desmond Dr., Lacey
from 9-noon.

The Dept. of Ecology has received several complaints in regards to flooding issues, water quality issues, wetland filling, channel modifications and other activities that have affected Thompson Creek in Yelm.

This meeting is open to the interested public!

Kevin Farrell
Floodplain Management Specialist
Washington Department of Ecology - SWRO
(360) 407-7253
kfar461@ecy.wa.gov

"With one whole year as Yelm's mayor under his belt, Ron Harding has performed many official duties, including attending new business openings and community events... When he attends the special ground breaking for Yelm's new golf clubhouse next week, instead of scooping up a handful of dirt with a symbolic golden shovel, he'll get to sit in a big machine and scoop dirt with a real bucket. Harding was invited by the developing duo of Doug Bloom and Steve Chamberlain, who bought the golf course and dilapidated country club. They are now creating a first-class space for regional golfers to enjoy. Tahoma Terra Country Club's ground breaking ceremony is 1 p.m., next Thursday, Jan. 18, at the site of the former building on Mosman Street, two blocks off First Street and State Highway 507," quoting the Nisqually Valley News edition of January 12, 2007.
Here is the link to the Tahoma Valley Golf & Country Club.

Ed Wiltsie, BSCE, MSCE, PE (Professional Engineer) has announced he will be holding a lecture titled:
"Earth Changes, Part 1 - Global Climate Change & the Systems At Work"

Where: Yelm Middle School - Commons
When: Thursday, January 18
Time: 6:30pm - 8:30pm
Cost: $10 at the door

Mr. Wiltsie has a vast amount of experience in geology & soils and will share his observations to be prepared for the days to come - days that are here.

You will not want to miss his unique perspective.
Tell your friends & family to join you for this fantastic knowledge Mr. Wiltsie is bringing to his Yelm neighbors.
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!

Photo courtesy of Ed Wiltsie

"Climate change could lead to sea-level rise capable of flooding 56 square miles of South Sound by the end of the century, a report released Wednesday [Jan 11] says.

The rising waters of Puget Sound would affect at least 44,429 people, a population greater than the city of Olympia. The city, particularly its downtown, would be one of the most heavily affected areas, the $100,000 report says.

The study group used a 24-inch sea-level rise estimate, based on a projection that the northeast Pacific Ocean will rise between 3 and 40 inches," quoting The Olympian.

How would that affect the Nisqually River Basin & the City of Yelm & vicinity?

To pause in remembrance of a great American on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in America:

"At the age of thirty-five, Martin Luther King, Jr., was the youngest man to have received the Nobel Peace Prize. When notified of his selection, he announced that he would turn over the prize money of $54,123 to the furtherance of the civil rights movement," quoting the Nobel Prize website.

"At the White House Rose Garden on November 2, 1983, U.S. President Ronald Reagan signed a bill creating a federal holiday to honor King. It was observed for the first time on January 20, 1986 and is called Martin Luther King Day. It is observed on the third Monday of January each year, around the time of King's birthday [January 15, 1929]. In January 17, 2000, for the first time, Martin Luther King Day was officially observed in all 50 U.S. states. This is one of three federal holidays dedicated to an individual American and the only one dedicated to an African American," quoting Wikipedia.

"This Martin Luther King Jr. Day, as U.S. deaths in Iraq exceed 3,000 and Iraqi casualties climb into the hundreds of thousands, we need to remember King's words of wisdom about the perils of war. King was not only an advocate of desegregation and civil rights but also an internationalist, who in 1967 took a principled but controversial stand against the escalating war in Vietnam...In April 1967, the Nobel Peace Prize recipient delivered an eloquent antiwar speech at Riverside Church in New York. It was one of his most powerful orations.

"I could never again raise my voice against the violence of the oppressed in the ghettos without having first spoken clearly to the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today - my own government," he said.

King advocated nonviolence not only for the poor, oppressed and subjugated black people of the South, but also for the presidents, the power brokers and profiteers. In King's view, it is self-serving and duplicitous to tell protesters and people without much power to be calm, dignified and nonaggressive, but at the same time allow governments to perpetuate even greater violence against innocent civilians for the sake of economic and political interests.

In January 2007, it's crucial to understand King's message about the dangers of war and imperialism," quoting
"Barbara Ransby [who] is an associate professor in the Department of African American Studies and History at the University of Illinois, Chicago. She can be reached at pmproj@progressive.org," in The Olympian.

Why have Yelm area residents been mute on water issues undertaken by the City of Yelm, which will affect everyone in and out of city limits?

I continue to be amazed at the City of Yelm officials' favor of developers over the value of their small-town personna- from Wal-Mart to Tahoma Terra to Thurston Highlands, et al, under the guise of the monetary benefits to the city, all while "backseating" the very constituents they are supposed to serve.
I am aware of and realize that my tone may sometimes seem acerbic, however I believe that the "little guy/gal" that pays their taxes, spends their dollars and raises their children here deserve to be heard and have the effects of the city's decisions on their future understood, considered and adhered to, above the monetary benefits to corporations and the town's tax revenue- a true small-town America!

I raise these issues so our local community can be educated and hopefully desire to join with me to act in speaking out on this and other important issues that will affect our lives, our children's & grandchildren's for generations.

The following is one such issue I brought before the Yelm City Council on Janaury 9, 2007 with these questions:

Facts:
-The City of Yelm has been looking at the potential to develop water rights in what is known as the SW Aquifer since it annexed that land in 1995. That was one of the chief forces behind the annexation.
-The area within city limits where this aquifer is located is currently on PRIVATELY OWNED LAND by the developers of Thurston Highlands.
-The Yelm City Council has approved almost $600,000 of taxpayer money for what is called the SW Aquifer Study to determine if there are enough water resources on the land where the private development of Thurston Highlands is to be built. An update was given the Yelm City Council in a December 12, 2006 Staff Report on the project.
-The City of Yelm has stated it desperately needs more water for the continued level of growth on which it has embarked.
-The City of Yelm has stated it has reached a point where there are not enough water resources to continue the current rate of developmental approval or to provide water for future developmental consideration.
-The City of Yelm's development department does not approve developers’ applications without first proving the existence of a certified water resource [a determination there is enough water to support the needs of the homes & businesses].
-The Yelm City Council has publicly stated on several occasions that private, for-profit developments are going to be mitigated only with private money. That means taxpayer money from city coffers will not be used in a private development’s application and/or approval.

Application & Contractual Questions:
-The City is entertaining the private development of Thurston Highlands without a certified water resource? Why?
-The City accepted the Thurston Highlands application without a certified water resource? Why?
If I applied to build a development, would the City allow me or any other developer to do so without first proving water availability?
-Is this preferential treatment for Thurston Highlands?

-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.]
-Does the City of Yelm have a contract [including the pro-rata share] to develop water rights with the Thurston Highlands developers?
-If so, what is the formula?
-If none currently exists, how & when will that be determined?
-What limits, if any, have the developers put on their pro-rata share of the water study?
-Is this a “blank-check” issued by the City of Yelm to continue to fund a study for private property?
-What if the developers opt out of the project? Has anyone thought of that as a possibility?
-Who would then pay the city for the developer’s share?

-This taxpayer-funded Aquifer study will provide support for an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) & SEPA review for the Thurston Highlands project, yet the Yelm City Council has publicly stated on several occasions that private, for-profit developments are NOT going to be mitigated with public money. Why is the City of Yelm spending all of this taxpayer money to support a private developer’s application, without any monetary participation from the developer?

-If the City is fronting the money for this project in conjunction with Thurston Highlands, does the city taxpayer get interest back on the loan of their money on behalf of Thurston Highlands, and is that calculated in the formula for repayment from the developer?

-Mayor Harding responded to two of these questions I posed at the January 9, 2007 City Council meeting saying, "Steve, we're not going to address your questions here tonight, however I will say you did not do your homework, as the city has been engaged in attempting to access the water in SW aquifer for years... and that the city was going to develop the water in the SW Aquifer study no matter what and if Thurston Highlands joins the City in that project, all the better for the city taxpayer with Thurston Highlands assisting to defray the costs of the study." However, this is the DEVELOPERS' PRIVATE LAND; the city DOES NOT own that property. The city has only accepted an application for the Thurston Highlands development. If the developer declines participation in the development of water, what is the city then going to do- condemn the land and take the water? If the developers agree to work with the city on a water rights transfer, where is the contract?

Conduct of Study Questions:
-The City has authorized spending almost $600,000 to date for the SW Aquifer Study, which “does not include local stakeholders such as the City of Olympia, City of Lacey and the Nisqually Tribe,” quoting the Staff Report. If almost $600,000 has been spent to “produce a defensible mitigation plan [just] for the City of Yelm,” then has the Yelm taxpayer & City Council considered the boatload of money required for “evaluations of joint mitigation strategies with the Cities of Olympia and Lacey and the Nisqually Tribe" yet to come [meaning Yelm will be working with Olympia, Lacey & the Tribe about this aquifer's use in the future]? Councilman Bob Isom expressed his concern for continued additional taxpayer funds requested from city staff for this study at the December 12, 2006 Council meeting. Does Mr. Isom, the Mayor & City Council know all of the other forthcoming expenditure requests for this work? Where are those amounts budgeted?

-How can the City of Yelm produce a "defensible mitigation plan" without a contract from the owners of the land with the water, Thurston Highlands? How is that a defensible mitigation plan?

-Why are “assumptions,” as stated in the December 12, 2006 City of Yelm Staff Report, being used for the preparation of a study of such magnitude?
What type of engineering principle does this represent?

-How does the City of Yelm propose to recharge the deeper aquifer as required by state law, with the amounts of withdrawal-water being contemplated? How would the city put this large amount of water back into the aquifer and what is the funding source for such? How would such a large amount of treated water being reintroduced into the aquifer affect it and private home-owner wells?

-The Yelm City Administrator, Shelley Badger, has been responding to water issues for the City of Yelm like a “technical hydrologist.” Why does Ms. Badger have this responsibility and is she qualified to act in this capacity? Does the job description of the City Administrator encompass representation for the city in the capacity of a technical hydrologist in these matters?

-Should the city be using a non-local hydro-geological multi-national corporation (Golder Associates, Inc.) as a consultant in these matters; one who has no interests here?
Would it not make sense to have the city staff acquire the services of a more local professional to represent and protect the city’s interests in this matter with the amounts of money involved; for example, an impartial third party to advise, check and supervise these contractual affairs (i.e. one might liken this situation to an architect or engineer that supervises a building project for a client)?

Bottom line: I would like to see these issues addressed on behalf of the City of Yelm property owner and taxpayer, in particular and area residents affected for generations by these actions. I believe Council member Isom’s concerns are valid and warranted and should be sending a “red-flag” to our community to seek answers.

What say you AND what are you going to do about this matter?

What can you do?
You can write the City Administrator and request answers to these questions and others you might have, copying the Mayor and City Council.

You can also write the Nisqually Valley News publisher and demand they do an investigation for the upliftment & awareness of their community to get answers to these questions. After all, his newspaper won an investigative journalism award in 2006 by the Washington Newspaper Publisher's Association for their work in reporting how many times a day my wife & I flushed our toilets in our home while I ran for mayor. smile. Their reporter was at the City Council meeting on January 9th and reported nothing about the SW Aquifer issue in the January 12 newspaper.

"The Citizens’ Hearing on the Legality of U.S. Actions in Iraq will be held on January 20-21, 2007, in Tacoma, Washington, two weeks before the Feb. 5 court martial of Lieutenant Ehren Watada at Fort Lewis.. The Citizens’ Hearing will function as a tribunal to put the Iraq War on trial, in response to the Army putting Lt. Watada on trial as the first U.S. military officer to refuse deployment to Iraq.

Please help bring out the truth about the Iraq War by donating today. By helping the Citizens’ Hearing document the legal case against the war, you will help present the case for Lt. Ehren Watada--and for those who may follow his example. By highlighting the illegality of U.S. actions in Iraq, the tribunal can inform military personnel and other citizens to reflect deeply on their roles and responsibilities in an illegal war...

The Citizens’ Hearing will be hosted by The Evergreen State College’s Tacoma Campus (1210 6th Ave.) on January 20-21, 2007. Please consult the Citizens’ Hearing at http://www.WarTribunal.org for the schedule and contact information. The Citizens’ Hearing Advisory Board includes Jeremy Brecher, David Krieger, Richard Falk, Nadia McCaffrey, Blase Bonpane, Bishop Gumbleton, and others. For more information about the case of Lt. Watada go to http://www.ThankYouLT.org," quoting wartribunal.org

Folks, I do not make this stuff up, as you always have a source for everything placed on this blog:

"FEDERAL WAY - The school board in this suburb south of Seattle has restricted showings of Al Gore's movie on global warming, including requiring that it be balanced with an adequate opposing viewpoint....

The decision was sparked by complaints from parents who said their child was taking the film as fact after viewing it at school.

Condoms don't belong in school, and neither does Al Gore. He's not a schoolteacher," said Frosty Hardison, a parent of seven who doesn't want the film shown at all.

"The information that's being presented is a very cockeyed view of what the truth is," Hardison told the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. "The Bible says that in the end times everything will burn up, but that perspective isn't in the DVD."...

"We have to ensure that our schools are not being used to politically indoctrinate anyone," said board member Dave Larson, who with Barney and board member Charlie Hoff voted Tuesday for the requirements.

None has seen the movie. District policy, however, requires that an opposing view be aired whenever a controversial issue is examined in school.

"I am shocked that a school district would come to this decision," the movie's co-producer, Laurie David, said in a prepared statement. "There is no opposing view to science, which is fact, and the facts are clear that global warming is here, now."

Gore's documentary has received approval from some of the nation's top climate scientists for its accuracy.

In it, he presents scientists' findings on the catastrophic dangers of climate change.

Federal researchers with the National Academy of Sciences have said the planet's temperature has climbed to levels not seen in thousands of years, and has begun to affect plants and animals.

But Larson offered two opposing articles, including one by author John Stossel that said many scientists discredit global warming predictions. He also cited NASA and NOAA Web sites referring to debate and disagreement over climate change.

The National Science Teachers Association turned down an offer from the film's producers for 50,000 free DVDs for classroom use. The association said it didn't want to be seen as politically endorsing the film or open itself to requests from other special interests," quoting The Olympian.

Ed. Note: This is why making changes to America's carbon based fuel addiction is so difficult.
Ignorance And Stupidity is more like it. This writer feels for these school children not getting bald truth.

"There hadn't been a lot of buzz about Comet McNaught. But, as the comet got closer to the sun it brightened and the word spread among stargazers. The Comet McNaught was special...
The comet, discovered last year by Australian astronomer R.H. McNaught, is expected to remain visible in the Northern Hemisphere, conditions permitting, through today, when it likely will become obscured by the sun's glare. After that, it will begin its traverse around the sun, eventually emerging for people in the Southern Hemisphere to enjoy.

According to the Web site www.spaceweather.com, the Comet McNaught is the brightest one in 30 years. The comet is "plunging toward the sun, and the heat is causing it to brighten dramatically. A few days ago, it was barely visible in evening twilight, but now it pops into view while the sky is still glowing blue. Only Venus is brighter."

Comets - collections of ice, gas and dust - usually have two tails, one made of dust and the other of ionizing gases, Gutoski said. The Comet McNaught is bright because it is traveling close to the sun and toward it. That proximity is producing a long, highly visible, dust tail...

The comet, discovered last year by Australian astronomer R.H. McNaught, is expected to remain visible in the Northern Hemisphere, conditions permitting, through today, when it likely will become obscured by the sun's glare. After that, it will begin its traverse around the sun, eventually emerging for people in the Southern Hemisphere to enjoy.

According to the Web site www.spaceweather.com, the Comet McNaught is the brightest one in 30 years. The comet is "plunging toward the sun, and the heat is causing it to brighten dramatically. A few days ago, it was barely visible in evening twilight, but now it pops into view while the sky is still glowing blue. Only Venus is brighter."

Comets - collections of ice, gas and dust - usually have two tails, one made of dust and the other of ionizing gases, Gutoski said. The Comet McNaught is bright because it is traveling close to the sun and toward it. That proximity is producing a long, highly visible, dust tail.

The comet is both visible in the morning and evening. Stargazers in the morning should look to the southeast horizon [to the right of Mt. Rainier] about a half-hour to 45 minutes before sunrise to get a good look at Comet McNaught. In the evening, the comet should be visible by looking to the southwest about a half-hour to 45 minutes after sunset," quoting The Olympian.

Space.com has the full story.

The Tacoma News Tribune ran a story earlier this week that transportation (i.e. roads) funding faces a shortfall:

"The state faces a $1.6 billion shortfall for all the highway, bridge and ferry projects the Legislature said would be built with higher gas taxes. The governor wants to borrow $1.1 billion more to close part of that gap and postpone construction for many projects for a couple of years – possibly longer.

“We can’t stick with the timetable,” Gregoire said last week.

Safety projects get priority, which means the $2.82 billion replacement of the earthquake-damaged Alaskan Way Viaduct is at the top of the list.

But Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, Democratic chairwoman of the Senate Transportation Committee, doesn’t like the idea of borrowing so much money. She’d rather “pay as you go,” spending gas tax monies as they come in, rather than using them to make payments on 20-year loans.

Will the Legislature eliminate some projects? Will projects such as carpool lanes planned for Tacoma’s freeway be postponed even longer? Those are unappealing but possible options."

Will the Yelm Loop Project be one that is axed since $33 million is to come from the 2005 gas tax according ot the DOT website?
AND, $35 million is UNFUNDED!

The Yelm City Council approved $2,450 in funds on January 9 to renew the intergovernemental services contract between the Yelm School District & the Nisqually River Education Project (NREP) for the period of January 1 - May 31, 2007.

"Located at the Yelm School District, the Nisqually River Education Project (NREP) is the Nisqually River Council's watershed education program. The NREP offers watershed workshops and training opportunities for teachers interested in community-based watershed education from throughout the entire Nisqually River watershed.

The NREP features a student water quality monitoring program in cooperation with South Sound GREEN. The NREP also coordinates school involvement in salmon habitat enhancement and restoration projects. For more information, please call Chris Maun, 458-6137," quoting the Thurston County Environmental Education Guide.

This is now a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization associated with the Nisqually River Council.

Yelm Cinemas has announced their first Independent film of 2007 will be a movie called Raising Flagg (2006).

""RAISING FLAGG" is a zany comedy-drama about a rural handyman, Flagg Purdy (Alan Arkin), who prides himself on being a man of principle – though he often can’t remember which principle. In one of his best comedic performances since the 1979 madcap blockbuster, "The In-Laws," Arkin’s Flagg Purdy ekes out a living doing odd jobs for his neighbors while his wife Ada (Barbara Dana) sells cage-free chicken eggs.

Lovable but stubborn to the core, Flagg is easily overwhelmed by life’s little annoyances. Only Ada is able to look past his crusty exterior to the tender and vulnerable side of the father of their six children. Unfortunately, few of their eclectic clan share her feelings," quoting the official website.

Yelm Cinemas Manager Howard Christian reports, "We plan to open it 2/9/07 and have the director in attendance."

""Raising Flagg" is the first major motion picture in years to be both financed and filmed entirely in Oregon. Directed by Neal Miller, the zany comedy-drama marks a reunion between the award-winning filmmaker and Oscar-nominee Alan Arkin and Barbara Dana – who play the lead characters, Flagg and Ada Purdy."

"Airlift Northwest, the region’s flying intensive care unit, is about to close its only Pierce County emergency helicopter base and move south of Olympia.
Trauma response in Pierce County will be fine and two helicopters will remain within 11 minutes of Tacoma hospitals, said Stephen Lewis, the company’s chief executive and a former paramedic and Tacoma native.

Airlift Northwest has good response times to Tacoma General and Mary Bridge Children’s hospitals, and there’s no reason to believe that will change, said Todd Kelley, spokesman for MultiCare Health System.

Airlift Northwest considered Chehalis and Centralia before deciding to move from Pierce County Airport, formerly known as Thun Field, to the Olympia Regional Airport in Tumwater.

One way or another, moving from its base on South Hill was a certainty.

“It became very clear to us that our footprint needed to move south and southwest,” Lewis said this week...

Airlift Northwest, which typically carries accident victims to trauma centers, is expected to set up operations at the Tumwater airport with one helicopter about Feb. 1, said Mike Thielen, president of Glacier Helicopter Service, the company’s new landlord.

Thielen said the Olympia airport has superior flight-control tracking equipment, quoting The Olympian.

Rep. Tom Campbell called and asked if I would post this on the Yelm Community Blog.
This is a wonderful way to share Rep. Campbell's message:

"Chris Baron hurried home in the darkness, on an unlit road through the Fort Lewis Military Reservation that leads to his home near Roy.

He felt compelled to tell the children the grim news.

Their mother, 46-year-old Lori Baron, had been rushed to Tacoma General Hospital the previous day after suffering severe stomach pain and vomiting all night. She was still there, recovering from emergency surgery.

“Our philosophy is not to shield our kids – not to sneak around or hide things,” said Chris, 45.

It was around 9 p.m. on Nov. 3. He quickly gathered his children – all 11 of them, ages 8 to 17. All were adopted from orphanages in Guatemala, Ethiopia and Russia. Many of them live with disabilities.

A fireplace warmed the living room of the old seven-bedroom farmhouse, its walls covered with images of religious figures from the Eastern Orthodox church.

Chris told the family that doctors found Lori had advanced ovarian cancer. The disease had spread throughout her lower intestine and stomach. It was pushing toward her lungs, making it difficult to breathe.

Some of the children were too young to grasp the weight of the news. Even the older ones were confused. The girls began to cry.

“I didn’t really know what was happening,” said George, 14, adopted from Russia.

Later, all the children stood in the kitchen and talked. They discussed what cancer was. They wondered what was going to happen to Lori, the only mom these children from three continents had ever known.

For several days, the house felt like a different place, said Wandemaggen, 12, adopted from Ethiopia. But when Lori came home, the children began to feel life would return to normal.

“I don’t think God’s going to take her away from us,” Wandemaggen said.

‘IT’S BEEN UNBELIEVABLE’

It’s hard to fathom how so much can happen to one household in less than two months, like a chain reaction of stress.

Since her Nov. 3 diagnosis, Lori has fought the side effects of her first two chemotherapy sessions. Chris has had to neglect his home computer business, further frustrated by several recent days without power. And the children are falling behind in their home-school studies, now that Lori is rarely available to teach.

But the Barons are in for a big surprise tonight when they visit Lori’s sister, Julie Cunningham, near Buckley. They will be showered with Christmas Eve generosity from relatives, friends and even strangers.

All three of the Barons’ grown biological sons will greet the family, including the oldest two, who weren’t supposed to be home for Christmas.

Lori’s parents from Alaska will be there," quoting the Tacoma News Tribune.

December 29, 2006

Dear Friend,

I am writing you to ask for your help. A most unusual family that I have known for years is in a crisis this Christmas Season. They are unusual because they have adopted eleven (11) children (mostly special needs) from all over the world in addition to their own three boys. The mom of this large group has suddenly developed stage four ovarian cancer.

They went to the doctor for help and were told, “come back when you have insurance”. Fortunately, we have been able to recently arrange medical care.

Many people are stepping up to help this family through Christmas and it does help keep Laura’s spirits up.

We are going to have a major charity fundraising event on January 13th, 2007 at the Great American Casino located at the crossing of I-5 and HW 512 in Lakewood. The event will begin at 4PM and end at 8:30PM.

We need auction items and donations to help this family through this terrible time. Please plan on attending and spreading the word to your friends. If you can donate items of value for the silent or live auction, please contact us immediately by email or phone. We can be reached at 253-537-0266 or 253-380-4949 or you can email us at thomasjcampbell@qwest.net . If you have items for the auction, they can be dropped off at my office located at 17416 Pacific Ave. S. Spanaway, WA. 98387. A trust account is now located at the Timberland Bank, you can make donations at any branch, or you can mail donations to PO Box 847, Spanaway, WA 98387. The account is listed under Laura Baron account number 140230479.

God bless you and your family, have a happy and prosperous New Year and please keep the Baron family in your prayers. We hope to see you on January 13th at the event.

Please see the attached photo of the Baron family.

Rep. Tom Campbell, DC
2nd Legislative District

"Question: What's the problem?

Answer: Dioxin has been detected in Budd Inlet sediments at levels exceeding typical background levels in an urban environment. Urban background levels of dioxin could be slightly more than 10 parts per trillion while Budd Inlet sediments range from 0.1 ppt to 52.7 ppt. The dioxin level set for open water disposal of dredged sediments from Budd Inlet is 3.8 ppt.

Q: Why should I be concerned?

A: Dioxin is a family of chemicals that can accumulate in the environment, build up in the food chain and cause health problems, including cancer, in humans. Dioxin in the sediments of Budd Inlet are adding time delays and cost to a Port of Olympia and Army Corps of Engineers dredging project to maintain the shipping channel. Port critics point to the dioxin contamination as a reason to question the viability of a marine cargo terminal at the port," quoting The Olympian.

The Foodshed Project
...encouraging directions towards sustainable food systems

"Soupbowl" Meeting

Sunday, January 7, 2007
4:30-6:30 p.m.

Tumwater OLD Town Center
215 N. 2nd Avenue, Tumwater
(directly across I-5 from the former Olympia Brewery)

Working together we can fashion a local food economy.
You have a critical role in shaping our "foodshed" and
we invite you to participate in its evolution. Farmers,
Producers, Consumers, Organizations, Advocates,
Activists, Distributors, and Restaurateurs are all
essential ingredients for a successful and sustainable
local foodshed.

Contacts: Jim at the Olympia Food Co-op (956-3870)
or Andrew at the Northwest Co-op Development
Center (943-4241 or email: andrew@nwdcd.coop)

Website updates

"Less than a month before Chelan’s new Super Wal-Mart is slated to open, a Chelan County Superior Court judge has thrown out the city-issued building permit for the megastore.

Defenders of Small Town Chelan today provided a written copy of an order signed by Judge Lesley Allan on Friday. No one from the court, Wal-Mart or the city of Chelan could be reached to comment.

The implications of the decision are still unclear, but Wal-Mart opponents say they will likely ask Allan to order that the 162,000-square-foot store be torn down.

'We’re obviously pleased,' said Laurel Jamtgaard, spokeswoman for Defenders of Small Town Chelan, which sued in May to challenge the building permit.' ...

The store has begun hiring employees and stocking shelves in preparation for a Jan. 22 opening.

In the written ruling dated Friday [December 29], Allan wrote that the city did not follow its own land-use rules in granting the building permit and another permit for grading and excavation on the site about a half mile northeast of Chelan off Highway 97A.

The excavation permit was issued on April 20, and the building permit was issued on May 1.

Allan wrote that a development plan for the site adopted by the city in 2002 only allowed buildings up to 50,000 square feet. The city is required by law to adhere to those requirements, since the plan was never revised to allow larger buildings, she said. The Wal-Mart store is more than three times that big, which would have required some modification of the plan, she noted.

She continued that 'this court is left with the definite and firm conviction that the city erred in granting the two permits at issue,'" quoting the Wenatchee World.

Limited Availability First Come First served
at Yelm's Survival Center
Providers of Family Preparedness, Health, & Survival Supplies

Call 1-360-458-6778

Glacier water from Mt. Rainier is the finest drinking water on earth!

Serac is Pure Glacial Milk. Natural Glacial Water Mineral Supplement from Mt. Rainier.

Serac is produced in limited quantities only during Mr. Rainier’s brief summer months when glacier movement grinds the rich mineral bedrock into a fine powder which produces mineral colloids. This fine colloidal mineral flour then mixes with the melted glacial water to produce Glacial Milk.

The health benefits of drinking Serac include the superior assimilation of essential minerals into the body. Glacial Milk is linked to extraordinary long life, health and virility.

Virtually all of the bottled water sold in the world is drawn from either municipal water supplies (river, surface reservoir or tap water) or from underground water sources (well water or spring water) all exposed to varying degrees of contamination through contact with environmental or underground pollutants and chemicals.

Towering at 14,411 feet above sea level, Mount Rainier supports one of the worlds largest single peak glacial systems. It has over 35 square miles of ice with 26 named glaciers and numerous unnamed ice fields. The Carbon Glacier is the largest glacier on Mount Rainier and the source for our glacier water. This massive glacier, with ice over 700 feet thick and 3.5 miles long, contains more ice volume than any glacier in the continental United States.

Ed Wiltsie, BSCE, MSCE, PE (Professional Engineer) has announced he will be holding a lecture titled:
"Earth Changes, Part 1 - Global Climate Change & the Systems At Work"

Where: Yelm Middle School
When: Thursday, January 18
Time: 6:30pm - 8:30pm
Cost: $10 at the door

Mr. Wiltsie has a vast amount of experience in geology & soils and will share his observations to be prepared for the days to come - days that are here.

You will not want to miss his unique perspective.
Tell your friends & family to join you for this fantastic knowledge Mr. Wiltsie is bringing to his Yelm neighbors.
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!

Photo courtesy of Ed Wiltsie

"Beginning Monday [January 1], residential burning will no longer be allowed in Washington's smaller communities. It's the latest stage of Washington's Clean Air Act of 1991.

The new requirements make it illegal to burn yard clippings, leaf piles and other yard waste in cities with populations of fewer than 5,000 residents, including their urban growth boundaries. Burning was banned in larger cities in 2001.

Burning for land clearing is also now banned, except in communities with fewer than 1,000 peo," quoting KING-5 TV.

South Sound Seed Stewards
Membership Registration & 1st Class of 2007
January 8, 2007

Gordon's Grange Hall
(located next to Gordon's Patio Shop)
Corner of Yelm Ave., East and Third Street
Yelm, WA

6:30 – 7:00 Registration for 2007
7:00 -- 8:00 Introduction to 2007’s Programs & Classes
8:00 – 8:30 Break: Socializing & Sharing with Tea, Coffee & Goodies
8:30 – 9:30 Class: Basic Botany
Cost: Free

The South Sound Seed Stewards (S4) are a volunteer group of gardeners and farmers dedicated to educating people in the art of saving open-pollinated seeds for future gardens and sharing experiences to make everyone better gardeners. S4 meets the 2nd Monday of every month except in July and December. July is a picnic, and December is a Christmas potluck. Established in 1994, S4 became a Washington State non-profit corporation in 1999.

In 2007 S4 will be offering its membership locally grown and adapted garden seed supplied by member growers. In addition to the regular garden programs, there will be instruction on how to grow a complete garden in containers and member gardeners will be making planting space available to those who need it.

Classes include basic botany, recordkeeping, scientific classification, soils, planting, transplanting, seed harvesting and processing, seed storage, crop rotation and cover crops. Programs include seed selection, garden planning, container gardening, soil amendments, insects and diseases, green house gardening and pruning. There will also be workshops on topics of interest and fieldtrips to family gardens and members’ commercial operations.

Membership: A Student Membership is for anyone who wishes to attend the programs and 7 of the 9 classes to obtain a Student Certification, which entitles one to become an Active Member the following year. Student Membership is $55.00/year and includes a copy of Suzanne Ashworth’s Seed to Seed book. A $35.00/yr. Supporting Membership is offered for those who wish to participate in all activities except voting and holding office. S4 members from 2004 & 2005 join as Active Members for $35.00/yr. or $55.00/yr. for households.

S4 is offering a catch-up class in April for those who join in February, March or April. This includes Active Members, new Students and Supporting Members. After April, Student Membership class series enrollment will be closed until the series begins in January 2008. Those joining after April may attend all programs for free and may attend any class for $10.00.

For information, email: southsoundseeds@yahoo.com