“TRANSPARENCY IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT”
Mayor indicates Library purchase unsettled

In the local newspaper of August 19, Mayor Ron Harding’s statements in his monthly column require answers.
Let’s examine the issues, one by one:

1. Quoting Mayor Harding:
As many of you know, the City of Yelm is actively working with the Timberland Regional Library system and the property owner of the current Yelm library building to purchase that location as the future and permanent home of the Yelm Timberland Library [TRL].

Though we are working cooperatively in the right direction, we have a great deal of work to do before this issue is completely behind us, and I dont want the residents of the city or surrounding area to take that spirit of cooperation as an indicator everything is settled.”

Blogger:
WHILE DETAILS OF NEGOTIATIONS TO PURCHASE THE LIBRARY ARE NOT USUALLY MADE PUBLIC, A STATUS REPORT USUALLY IS PROVIDED TO THE PUBLIC AND PATRONS.
MAYOR HARDING HAS PROVIDED NONE.
HIS STATEMENT ABOVE INDICATES NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE SELLER HAS SOME CHALLENGES AND IS UNSETTLED.

2. Quoting Mayor Harding:
“The city is working to purchase the building, but we still need to support and encourage community efforts to raise money to help with the purchase.

Blogger:
AGAIN, HARDING HAS PROVIDED NO DETAILS OF WHAT THE PUBLIC IS EXPECTED TO CONTRIBUTE TO CONSUMMATE THIS PURCHASE.
ALL FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGNS FOR PUBLIC PROJECTS HAVE GOALS, MARKERS OF ACHIEVEMENT & PERIODIC PROGRESS REPORTS.
NOT SO WITH THIS LIBRARY BUILDING PURCHASE. ALL ARE SORELY MISSING.
HARDING PROPOSED TO TRL THAT THE CITY WILL PAY FOR THE BUILDING – NOW HE REQUESTS PUBLIC DONATIONS TO REDUCE THE EXPENSE “BURDEN”.

3. Quoting Mayor Harding:
It is important that we dont take for granted that the city will pay for this purchase in its entirety using city taxpayer resources.

Blogger:
OK, FINALLY WE HAVE MAYOR HARDING SPECIFICALLY STATING THE CITY CAN NOT OR WILL NOT PAY THE ENTIRE AMOUNT OF HIS ONE-MILLION DOLLAR PROPOSAL. HOWEVER, HARDING DOES NOT STATE WHAT THE CITY CAN/WILL PAY VS. WHAT IS TO BE FUNDED BY PUBLIC FUNDRAISING EFFORTS.

THIS QUESTION NEEDS TO BE SERIOUSLY EXAMINED –
IS THIS FACILITY TOO LARGE, TOO COSTLY AND UNAFFORDABLE TO PURCHASE?

4. In a letter received by Mayor Harding on June 2, 2011, TRL Director Michael Crose states:
Mayor Harding said that the city would agree to take over the obligation to provide full building maintenance for the facility.

WHAT IS THE TOTAL COST OF THE FACILITY, BONDING INTEREST EXPENSE AND MAINTENANCE TO THE CITY FOR THE 20 YEAR BOND TERM?

The letter goes on to say the TRL Board approves to commit up to $37,000 per year & that TRL wishes to enter into an agreement with the City of Yelm.

I ASKED TRL DIRECTOR CROSE LAST WEEK THE STATUS OF THE NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE CITY OF YELM AND HE REPORTED:
“Timberland will arrange for its own janitorial services, have utilities specific to the library billed directly to the [Library] District and intends to agree to a number of other related services.”
He continued that TRL will not write a $37,000 check to the city annually for 20 years, rather pay the annual aforementioned services up to $37,000. If only $15,000 a year, that is what TRL will pay, for example.
Crose stated this is the “direction we have been planning for with all city owned buildings for the past few years.” He said an agreement between TRL and the City of Yelm for services should be finalized by the end of September.

5. Yelm Library Advisory Board member Glen Nutter wrote a beautiful letter in the local newspaper published last Friday. I applaud he and his Board colleagues for their efforts, yet they still have been given no fundraising goals by the City of Yelm. On Tuesday, the Yelm City Council will re-establish a library fund to receive donations from the public. That is the extent of any official fundraising statement from the city.

6. Friends of the Library volunteer Cindy Teixeira wrote a letter to the local newspaper last Friday, as well. Again, this fine organization has been provided no fundraising goals by the city.

TO GET MAJOR DONOR SUPPORT FROM FOUNDATIONS, BUSINESSES & MULTI-NATIONAL CORPORATIONS WITH LOCATIONS IN YELM, MAYOR HARDING NEEDS TO TELL THE PUBLIC WHAT THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT THE CITY WILL PAY, ESTABLISH FUNDRAISING GOALS FOR THE DIFFERENCE AND COMMUNICATE THEM WITH THE LIBRARY ADVISORY BOARD AND THE PUBLIC.

In closing:
Keven Graves is quoted from his November 25, 2005 editorial in the local newspaper:
“We (he & then Mayor-elect Harding) agree that a transparent government is better government.”

The fundraising goals and amount the city can afford to purchase the Yelm Library have been conducted in an environment far from being “a transparent government”.

‘TRANSPARENCY IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT’ IS A WEEKLY SERIES DISCUSSING LOCAL ISSUES EVERY MONDAY!

Quoting American Poet Ella Wheeler Wilcox:
“To sin by silence, when we should protest,
Makes cowards out of men.”

“Cell Phones for Soldiers hopes to turn old cell phones into more than 12 million minutes of prepaid calling cards for U.S. troops stationed overseas in 2008. To do so, Cell Phones for Soldiers expects to collect 50,000 cell phones each month through a network of more than 3,000 collection sites across the country.”

“The phones are sent to ReCellular, which pays Cell Phones for Soldiers for each donated phone enough to provide an hour of talk time to soldiers abroad.”

‘Americans will replace an estimated 130 million cell phones this year, says Mike Newman, vice president of ReCellular, with the majority of phones either discarded or stuffed in a drawer. Most people dont realize that the small sacrifice of donating their unwanted phones can have a tremendous benefit for a worthy cause like Cell Phones for Soldiers’

“Cell Phones for Soldiers was founded by teenagers Robbie and Brittany Bergquist from Norwell, Mass., with $21 of their own money. Since then, the registered 501c3 non-profit organization has raised almost $2 million in donations and distributed more than 500,000 prepaid calling cards to soldiers serving overseas.”

“Through increased fundraising efforts, the Bergquist family hopes to raise more than $9 million in the next five years to fund new programs, such as providing video phones with prepaid service to allow soldiers abroad to see their families on a regular basis,” quoting Cell Phones for Soldiers.

Drop-off your cell phones for this worthy cause with David Dunsmore, Manager of
Yelm’s Liberty Tax Service,
715 Yelm Ave E – Ste 3,
Yelm, WA. 98597

Cell phones can also be donated at the Yelm High School.

Sandra Romero

Commissioner Sandra Romero Hosts Monthly Coffees with Area Residents

Monday, August 22nd, 2011.

FROM COMMISSIONER ROMERO’S E-MAILER:
Commissioner Sandra Romero Hosts Monthly Coffees with Area Residents

Please join Thurston County Commissioner Sandra Romero, as she hosts her monthly informal coffee hours in Rainier, Yelm and Lacey on Monday, August 22nd.

Guest speakers will be Liz Lyman and Ruth Elder of the Board of Equalization

Commissioner Romero provides coffee to participants. She is the representative of District 2, which includes Yelm, Lacey, and Rainier.

What: Citizen meeting with second district County Commissioner Sandra Romero

When: Monday, August 22nd, 2011

Where: Rainier: 9:30am 10:30am – Rainier City Hall 102 Rochester St. W.

Yelm: 11:00am Noon Fadis Restaurant (Tahoma Golf Course) 15425 Mosman Ave. SW.

Mary Anderson
Commissioner Staff
360-786-5747 or anderma@co.thurston.wa.us

From the News Release:

“Effective immediately, paper milk cartons, juice cartons, and frozen food boxes are now prohibited in your yard waste/organics bin. This is due to changes at Silver Springs Organics, the commercial composting facility where all yard and food waste collected in Thurston County is sent. Silver Springs has discovered that certain paper items that have a thin plastic coating called polycoating do not break down completely during their composting process. After the paper composts, this plastic layer is left over, and contaminates the finished product. The majority of commercial composting facilities prohibit these items for this reason. Please examine paper products closely. If they have a slick, shiny surface, they most likely have a plastic coating and should not go in the yard waste/organics bin. In addition, many items sold as “compostable” such as bioplastic bags, plates and cutlery do not break down. Silver Springs has created a list of products that successfully compost in the time and temperature of their composting process and these will be the only bioplastic products accepted.

Visit www.silverspringsorganics.com for a full list of accepted items and approved compostable bioplastic bags and service ware products. Additional information on these changes will be featured in the fall edition of the Talkin’ Trash Newsletter, which is mailed to every residence in Thurston County by Thurston County Solid Waste.

Contact: Loni Hanka, Thurston County Solid Waste, (360) 754-4398, hankal@co.thurston.wa.us”

Join us on-line:
www.facebook.com/ThurstonSolidWaste
www.twitter.com/SolidWasteThuCo
www.youtube.com/user/ThurstonSolidWaste

“Waste reduction is a key component of sustainability. The Solid Waste education staff work to conserve environmental resources through education and outreach, technical assistance, diversion programs, and advocacy.”–Thurston Solid Waste

www.ThurstonSolidWaste.org

1. “Locals advance military careers”
“Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Bryan R. Graves and fellow crew members aboard the amphibious transport dock USS New Orleans, home ported in San Diego, Calif., recently departed Naval Base Point Loma after completing a six-day demagnetizing evolution in preparation for the ships scheduled deployment.
Graves is the son of Lori J. Graves of Allenhurst and Terrence R. Graves of Lakewood, Wash. He is a 2006 graduate of Yelm High School in Yelm, Wash. and joined the Navy in August 2006,” quoting Coastal Courier.com.

2. “Upsurge of suicides at Lewis-McChord, Army-wide”
“Since the first of July, five soldiers from Joint Base Lewis-McChord have died in apparent suicides, part of an Army-wide upsurge in such deaths despite stepped-up prevention efforts…

Jared Hagemann

Ashley Joppa-Hagemann, of Yelm, is the widow of Staff Sgt. Jared Hagemann, 25, an Army Ranger whose body was found in late June at a training area at Lewis-McChord. His wife said it was a suicide, though the Army would not confirm that.

Joppa-Hagemann said her husband had deployed to combat zones eight times, including after briefly being admitted in 2009 to Madigan Army Medical Center, where she said he was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.

In his final months of life, she said her husband was increasingly desperate to get out of a scheduled ninth deployment this year.

‘He actually had a gun to his head at least three times that last month talking about wanting to kill himself,’ said Joppa-Hagemann. ‘They pretty much backed him into a corner.’

She said the Thurston County Sheriff’s Department, which responded to the suicide threats, said they would contact her husband’s command.

The Army Rangers have yet to schedule a memorial service for her husband. She said she was told that was due to concerns that the service might generate media coverage.

Master Sgt. Eric Hendrix, a spokesman for the Special Operations Command that includes the Rangers, said it is unclear what caused Hagemann’s death and declined to comment on memorial-service plans.

‘I know that she [Joppa-Hagemann] is in a lot of pain, and the Army is making a concerted effort to make sure that she is taken care of'” said Hendrix,” quoting Hal Bernton in the Seattle Times.

UPDATE: August 25
“Widow wants recognition for soldier husband”
“JBLM: He died of a gunshot wound to his head June 28”
Read more from Adam Ashton in The Olympian.

Opening her interview at 11pm on Sunday, August 14, JZ Knight greeted listeners in Yelm Washington.

On Sunday, August 14 from 11PM 2AM PDT,
Guest host Rob Simone was joined by Founder and President of Ramthas School of Enlightenment, JZ Knight, for a discussion about her experiences connected with the channeling of a 35,000 year old warrior from the lost continent of Atlantis, called Ramtha. Knight detailed how she first began channeling this being and how that relationship has evolved over the last three decades. She explained that, initially, people misunderstood her experience, thinking she was a medium. To that end, Knight credited Ramtha with creating the term channeling, in the 1980s, as a way of differentiating what was happening with her, since, when she channels Ramtha, he actually takes over her brain and she leaves her body.

Knight shared a number of predictions and insights which she has learned from Ramtha over the years.

Knight also imparted some steps that people can take to bring enlightenment into their lives. She advised that they first ask themselves if they are ready for a future. From there, they should write down the statement I have always lived the future, now. She said that focusing on those words and saying them slowly three times will result in a jazz energy feeling in ones head. So powerful is this process, Knight claimed, that you will see how your life will change in one day. Additionally, she suggested using statements like I have always been, followed by a specific goal, such as increased intelligence or improved health. Knight contended that using these techniques, over time, would result in dramatic changes in a persons life. You have nothing to lose, except your past, she marveled, quoting the shows website.

Read more and download the MP3s from Coast to Coast AM with George Noory.
If not a member, access all 4 segments on YouTube.

Knight recommended reading the book Last Waltz of the Tyrants when asked about Ramthas 2 decades of teachings on the world economic conditions.
Order here

Coast to Coast AM airs on more than 500 stations in the U.S., as well as Canada, Mexico and Guam, and is heard by nearly three million weekly listeners. With hosts George Noory, George Knapp (weekend) and Ian Punnett (weekend), it is the most listened to overnight radio program in North America.

Yelm Timberland Regional Library

A Facebook page devoted to saving the Yelm Library, which already has more than 1,200 fans, continues to mislead the public on the library issue.
Let’s examine their statements, one-by-one:

1. If library moves, it will be a smaller space. there is no doubt
TRUE:
Yes, however, the current facility is way too large for our needs and one the city cannot afford at $1 million plus interest expense, otherwise the Mayor would not be asking for relief to lower what he calls the debt “burden” to his local citizens.
THE YELM PROPERTY TAXPAYERS WILL HAVE TO SAY ENOUGH TO MAJOR LIBRARY TAX INCREASES TO GET THIS MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL TO CHANGE THEIR PLANS!

2. if library moves there is a high probability that it will NOT be in the center of town
NOT TRUE!:
My wife spoke with a local contractor who told her a brand new library could be built on city-owned land where the former Police Station is located for a cost of half-a-million dollars, for a 5,000 sq. ft. facility ($100 per sq ft).
This land is idle right now.
This spot would have plenty of parking, a central-city address, a first-floor location for the public and computer stalls, with employee kitchen and public meeting room potentially built on a second floor. Five-thousand square feet would be the perfect size for a Yelm Library, with less book space needed due to electronic media (i.e. Kindle) housing many titles.
AND, $500,000 would be well within what Mayor Harding’s $600,000 goal, even adding the removal costs of the old police structure.

3. if library moves, we STILL will have to raise money to pay for it
NOT TRUE:
A $500,000 building would be within Mayor Harding’s original $600,000 proposal. Timberland Regional Library told the Yelm Library Advisory Board in early 2008 they would “willing to pay the full cost of financial/site analysis, a feasibility study, financial considerations, 50% of architectural services up to the point where the project is ready to go to bidders, interior design costs and TRL professional support for developing the new library (i.e. physical plan).”

4. WE will NEVER be able to afford what we have now for $1,000,000 if we move
NOT TRUE:
The City of Yelm can NOT afford a $1 million structure in today’s economic environment. Let’s face the facts, folks! Wait until the City of Yelm taxpayer sees the tax “burden” they will incur, even IF the city raises $100,000 on donations to lower the $1 million cost.

So, one has to ask: “is this all about saving Margaret Clapp from having her building 75% empty if the current library location moves?”

THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO HAVE THESE ISSUES AIRED!

Today, a new series begins on Mondays:
“TRANSPARENCY IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT”
Yelm City Council’s intent to purchase the current library facility.

Members of the Yelm City Council approved an intent to purchase of the current Yelm Library facility on the second floor of the Fay Fuller Bldg. at Prairie Park for one million dollars.

While all agree the future of a library here will be an asset to southeast Thurston County, several have said the process to get to the decision was seriously flawed.

If anything, the City of Yelm has a reputation for eliminating public input to come to decisions. Council members have a history and disposition of usurping public due-process.

And why was the decision to spend $1,000,000 to purchase 8,400+ sq. ft. of space in Margaret Clapp’s building made without much public involvement, discussion and interaction with city officials?

How many times have we heard from Mayor Harding that the city could only afford to spend $600,000 for a library building, yet he put forth a proposal on April 27th to the Timberland Regional Library Board (TRL) for the City of Yelm to spend one million dollars, or 66% more than the mayor’s stated limits? On-the-record, he admittedly presented the one million dollar offer to TRL without prior consultation of the Yelm City Council.

Some residents within the Yelm library’s taxing district called the council to task on the lack of public involvement. Several expressed concerns that the agreement gave Margaret Clapp too much undue consideration to preserve her current Fay Fuller space over other options, without any public airing of the alternatives Mayor Harding said were considered by the city.

This Blogger agrees. The one million dollar proposed library purchase at Prairie Park should have worked its way through the council first, followed by a public hearing of all options and only then presented to the TRL Board.
It didnt.

Mayor Harding suggested to the TRL Board he thought the proposal would be acceptable to Yelm-area taxpayers and patrons after the public knew more about it.

And therein lies the problem. Members of the public dont know enough about the plan. Its no wonder people are skeptical.

Besides, there are a lot of unanswered questions, such as:
– what is the total cost of this project,
– is a 2nd floor library optimum for the next 20+ years, instead of a first floor facility,
– what interest rate will the city incur for a 20 year bond,
– how this will affect the taxes owed annually by Yelm residents, added to the city’s already burgeoning annual rate/fee increases, and,
– the key unanswered question is IF the city has the bonding capacity for one million dollars in this constricted, economic environment.

But since negotiations continue on the purchase plans, this deal is not set in stone, yet city officials have already launched efforts to raise money from the public to lessen what Mayor Harding calls a “burden” on Yelm property owners.
IS funding this library building purchase considered a “burden” already?

Support of a library in Yelm is NOT the issue,
regardless of the Save the Yelm Library group’s postings.
We all agree that a library will be a boon to the city, but as one of the most significant public buildings ever to be financed by the city, the one million dollar purchase of the property deserved a full public airing and thorough analysis by the council, city staff and Library Advisory Board.

That didnt happen. Instead Mayor Harding and the Yelm City Council rushed through an “intent’ to purchase the Prairie Park property and marched ahead in negotiations to obtain an agreement. Even the Library Advisory Board, tasked to raise citizen donations to reduce the “burden” of the library proposal expenses, do not know what amount of money or financial goals on which their fundraising objectives are to be based.

An additional question put to the Library Advisory Board was,
“Can the city afford the large amount of 8,400+ sq ft of space at this time, what with reduced demand for printed book titles from alternative electronic media such as Amazon’s Kindle and severe budget cuts in-store from the state and federal government?”
They do not know if the city can truly afford this large of a facility.
Perhaps 5,000 sq. ft of space is sufficient AND all the city can afford.

The Mayor and his City Council picked the site, approved a motion for an ‘intent’ to go to contract and developed a plan for the current locale, whose huge price tag the city will then place on the backs of his city’s property owners. The City of Yelm has a decades-long established contract with TRL for Yelm to provide a building. Harding has created a “we” (those inside the city) vs. a “they” (those library property taxpayers outside of the city) division because he has not wanted the city to fund the structure alone. Yet, Harding and the Council knew about the TRL lease expiration in 2001, so Yelm must honor the city’s word/contract to house a facility. And, with the majority of tax revenues and patrons from outside of the City of Yelm, those library tax contributors were invited to no hearing or Open House for discourse.
Thats not a public process.

Keven Graves is quoted from his November 25, 2005 editorial in the local newspaper:
“We (he & then Mayor-elect Harding) agree that a transparent government is better government.”

The purchase of the Yelm Library has been conducted in an environment far from being “a transparent government”.

‘TRANSPARENCY IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT’ WILL BE A WEEKLY SERIES DISCUSSING AN ISSUE EVERY MONDAY!

Quoting American Poet Ella Wheeler Wilcox:
“To sin by silence, when we should protest,
Makes cowards out of men.”

– Read more from KOMO-TV 4 news in Seattle:
“Fundraising ramps up to help purchase Yelm Library building”

– Mayor Ron Harding issues Proclamation of September as Library Awareness Month.
Read more

Senator Randi Becker

Senator Randi Becker will be traveling to Yelm for a coffee hour scheduled for Tuesday, August 23 at Mr. Dougs Restaurant in Yelm at 2 p.m. with a 2nd Legislative District update:

Yelm – Mr. Doug’s Restaurant
2:00 3:00 pm
210 103rd Ave
Yelm, WA 98597
Phone: 458-2255

Becker said, “During this time, I hope to update you about what I am doing in district, as well as allow you to ask questions about issues that are important to you.”

Photo courtesy of Faith, Fiber & Friends Yarn Shop website

After reading about the recent Open House at Faith, Fiber & Friends, I was inspired to find their link and read all about this unique area business. Here is what they do, in their own words:

“Faith, Fiber, & Friends is the brainchild of Rustine Samples. We are quaintly located in the heart of Northwest Washington’s Nisqually Valley. We offer a variety of fiber related goodness, such as yarns and supplies for knitting and weaving, fiber for spinning and finished products available at the shop and through mail order.”

Read more about Custom Embroidery, Knitting, Weaving, & Handspinning Services.

Read more about Classes.

Faith Fiber and Friends Yarn Shop
14315 Solberg Rd
Yelm, WA 98597
Contact us for more details: (253) 229-2082
Stop By Tues through Sat 10:00am – 6:00 pm

PLEASE TELL FAITH, FIBER & FRIENDS YARN SHOP YOU READ ABOUT THEM ON THE YELM COMMUNITY BLOG!