The nature of the encroachment upon American constitution is such, as to grow every day more and more encroaching. Like a cancer; it eats faster and faster every hour. The revenue creates pensioners, and the pensioners urge for more revenue.The seekers more numerous and more corrupt, and every day increases the circles of their dependents and vanity, luxury, foppery, selfishness, meanness, and downright venality swallow up the whole of society.
John Adams
Can I suggest that we stop the threats of recall and deal with the problems? It way past time to recall the creators of the problems and no recall is going to change that fact. All that recall will achieve is bringing up the past and tarnishing the creators of these problems images. So let’s move on and address the problems that were created long before this council and budget committee and put an end to creating more problems that will only make the original problems worse.
I myself have pushed to get the City Services Committee up to deal with these problems by a citizens group, in an open forum to the public. We are already finding what caused these problems and looking for solutions to resolve them. As time goes on we will find more, but from our first meeting, our request for information for our upcoming meeting, opened the floodgate of problems in our emergency services department alone. One of which the county will be addressing council on in an upcoming council meeting.
So instead of all these personal attacks on one another, how about becoming a member on this committee or attending the meetings and giving input to this committee? After all don’t we all want the problems fixed? Or you can sit idly by and hope for the best from this committee. But mark my words this committee is going to try to the best of its ability to get all departments back on track.
I support the recall of the mayor and 4 council members. There may have been a time when I would have agreed with you. However there was clearly no intention on the part of this council to listen to the community. We all know how many community members asked for a Town Hall only to be blown off. I for one will not accept that kind of disrespect and abusive from my elected officials. Too many mistakes we just need to clean house and start over. It seems obvious we have no leadership in these elected officials. We also lost a list of City Employees whose jobs have been replaced with more expensive contractors who have NO vested interest in the community as evidence in Rich Carson taking his leave abruptly. Rich Carson has nothing to do with the past that was all the new mayor and council. So sorry I disagreed but boy do I ever. As far as joining a committee seems the mayor makes the decision who is in and who is out and again he spoke volumes with the people he appointed to the committees. So what would be the point? Nope I am sure it time for them to go.
So Anon@1:48, what part of no time for a Town Hall Meeting before the legally required vote passing the budget did you miss? And pray, tell me what helpful suggestion would you have made? I suggest that there was never a time you might have agreed and have been mad since the election.
I am curious, why ask for a Town Hall meeting when what we needed was a brainstorming session to present possibilities, something that could have been done at the Council Meetings where citizens instead spent their time either screaming at or threatening the Council?
And, just for giggles, what four would you choose to recall? I am really unhappy that Eva doesn't not step up to the plate and talk more often. I had hoped she would be more of a force for compromise and yet she just listens, rarely talks and votes with Lance - all the time! I don't think you will find many people willing to vote Tom out. He has always supported the fire Dept. and he voted for the new engine and the new station.
The Mayor ALWAYS make the decision who to appoint to the committees. It's the way the rules are written. Did someone apply who you think should have been appointed? Or are you pissed off about limiting the number of committees one can belong to? Perhaps you are annoyed because you and your girlfriend couldn't be on the same committee so you could tell her how to vote again?
Oh I see I am not allowed an opinion oh OK thanks for letting me know. I am sure your smart ass comments will sway my vote. I love it how you idiots always think you know who is blogging you are so far F**king off. Keep up the guessing. Oh and Cody are these the people who I should be on committee with? Nice open folks!!!RIGHT
I agree with you that we all should be working towards solutions, but obviously the whiners and sore losers aren't interested.
History shows us that a recall solves nothing. How quickly we forget.
After 20 years of trying to build a healthy, vibrant community the results are in: we the people of Cascade Locks are incapable of conducting our affairs as an incorporated city.
So forget the recall, let's vote to dissolve the city and let the county take over.
Used to be I thought that everyone fought here because of the weather, now I think we just know any better behavior. Did they never teach debate or logic where you went to school? You are allowed your opinion, I am requesting clarification of it.
Dis-incorporation may be our only option left, Gary.
Because we also don't have enough money for a recall. Wave your $500. around all you want guys, that just pays for signature collection, not the voting.
A town hall meeting was premature. Council needs options to bring to a meeting to discuss with the community. These options need to have numbers attached as to what it will cost or save the city. It seems that their agendas have been full. They also need to meet with other agencies to see if they are willing to administer our fire dept. Doesn't any one remember council directing staff to bring back options? Jeff quit before any options were discussed. He is just one of a long line of quitters. He himself said he doesn't want to be the administrator. So what is the argument over? A town hall meeting would come after researching options not at this time. Isn't it funny that when the old mayor was in office it was OK for him to appoint who he wanted to committees. Seems like some people are just upset that their intimidation tactics and bullying didn't work with this mayor.
Referencing above- 'Perhaps you are annoyed because you and your girlfriend couldn't be on the same committee so you could tell her how to vote again?' Nice, talking about George and Tiffany...he can't seem to make one move without her support. Great call!
nice, had to remove my comment because it wasn't an uneducated attack on whomever...what an unrepresentative, swayed blog. kinda like our council and major.
I like the recall the fire hall idea. We've spent millions on them on the last 5 years, and they are still crying and whining. Replace 'em all with REAL volunteers.
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention the Port. After we un-incorporate the city, then we can combine our Port with the Port of Hood River. Maybe they can actually bring some jobs to town, especially if we give them another 20 years.
Plus that would save about a quarter of a million dollars in payroll that is now all going out of town anyway.
Let's see now, how far have we come in the last 20 years: no jobs, no school, no bank, no doctor, hmmm, no hope. And in that 20 years just about all of us has had a hand in adding to our failure as a city.
So you want to save Cascade Locks? Who you gonna call after the recall?
Let's face it folks we have a problem: we are all addicted to the adrenalin rush of confrontation and fighting (Hatfields and McCoys) and just like other addicts we are in denial.
So rather than admit that we have a problem, let's keep on posting anonymous jabs and continue pointing disparaging fingers at each other in public meetings. Oh yeah, and clamoring for another recall as well. Ah, but this time it will go change everything and solve our problems.
As soon as the casino comes in, I'm outa here.
Or maybe one of you wise, anonymous ones has a better plan.
Please call me more names. I enjoy the fact that I am annoying the hell out of you!! At least I know my words have not been for nothing! Kate, I'm with Gary. NEVER! Oh, and anon. the only idea I heard any one come up with besides keep everything the same was when Helfrich suggested combining with another department. Tiffany is the council president she is supposed to work with the mayor. Is that really all that you've got?
YEAH DARLENE "Let's take it out side". Watch yourself on uTube and see what an immmature brat you are! Thank you too for making me laugh!
GARY- do us all a favor and get the hell outta dodge now! We could do without your doomsday negativity, ya weasel. I'll pay yer moving van rental fee! AND no we won't be calling you after any recall.
Hey If you're gonna pay for Gary's moving van and you've got $500.00 in your pocket for a recall. Why don't you just pitch in some for the fire department. Trinket sales must be up. Must still sting to lose all that power.
I can't help but too feel sorry for some of the volunteers. After all they have been brainwashed for the last six years. Kinda ironic that if you listen to Lance six months ago the city was supposedly in fine shape with no budget crisis and now we are dying!
I beg to question what impeachable offence is this council recall based on? I keep hearing about it, but I do not hear what was so immoral or legally constituted the thought of such an action. So let’s start stripping the fact from all this fantasy. The fact is this emergency services department problems began late in 2003. July and September of 2003, to be exact. To those who lived here then, July of 2003, was the time when this City and the City of Hood River entered into an intergovernmental agreement. In September of 2003 this city repealed all city powers due to that agreement to be a fire or ambulance department. Read it yourselves. Ordinance 361 it is on the city web site found under ordinances/governmental administration. Yes citizens all powers of creation, formation, administration and policy concerning our fire and ambulance were repealed and those powers were granted to the City of Hood River.
So wouldn’t of all these misguided and ill informed threats of a recall, be better served in fixing the problem and not an effect from the problem itself? I do not think all you screaming recall really realize just how screwed up and mismanaged this city has been in the past. I truly do not think you realize just what all the facts mean to your recall effort, should you choose to accept that mission. This leads to another question. Will this recall include the Hood River City Council?
Do you see how a simple fact can make you look at things in a different light? This fact exposes a problem larger than you think. It exposes the fact that all these expenditures of funds and decisions made since 2003 were done with no powers to do so. It exposes the fact that if a mistake is made then our city could be at risk of a suit of law. It exposes the fact that we have had no legal fire chief, volunteers or emergency services department since September of 2003. It exposes the fact that we have no power to bill for any service we supply. It exposes the fact that council has had no power to make decisions concerning an emergency services department that did not exist in legislation since September of 2003. It exposes the fact that a recall cannot be petitioned against a council with no powers to make decisions, other than to shut it down or re-establish the powers at this time. Oh it exposes many facts you need to figure out for yourselves. It is funny how facts work. So wouldn’t the best course of action, be to ensure that we re-establish our powers to be an emergency services department in the first place and do it right this time? After all isn’t what is in the best interest of our city what is best for all? What part of that recall is not going anywhere do you not understand? So move on and come up with sollutions or get out of the way.
I don't see where Cody is doing any damage control.
His point is that we have no legal fire/ems department. Some idiot(s) eight years ago dissolved the department and never legally reinstated it. A recall cannot be petitioned against a council without the authority. They don't have the authority. Legally the fire/ems does not exist.
The point being you can't get mad at them for what they didn't do. Get it?
I support the recall of all the firefighters. They have lost touch with their community. While there may be a few who are still interested in helping others, it seems as though the rotten apple has spoiled the majority, even in his absence the selfish arrogance continues. We need to start over and train REAL volunteers who understand why the city has invested millions of dollars (of debt) over the past 5 years in this department. While it may be a shame that a few who deserve the privilege of representing our city will be replaced, there seems to be no alternative. If replacing them all means we have to cover just the city limits for awhile, so be it. I'm not so sure we don't need to restrict the new department members to city residents only, it's seems too easy to insist on more spending when you and your family aren't effected by the increases. I'm sure some will respond with "It's hard to find good volunteers" or "This is just another example of the lack of respect". My reply, Is it easier to find a good Mayor and council? My respect and support has been abused to the point I have to withdraw it, now it has to be earned.
Oh how the speed and depth of the human mind is so remarkable. Just as its inability to face the obvious. What am I smoking? If that is a comeback at me for something, then it seems I just smoked you! Because once again instead of trying to counter the fact with a fact you resort to neurotic behavior and attempt to alienate me from reality by means of implication. So grow up and develop a brain will you?
Sounds like I am doing damage control? The only thing I am doing is pointing out the reality. I am just leveling the playing field right now.
Yes, he submitted a letter of resignation - on is way out the door. And if he spoke to a citizen about anything maybe we need to hear that from the 'citizen' instead otherwise I would characterize your post as gossip.
I am on the citizen's committee for interviewing the candidates for City Administrator. I find myself sharing the "honor" with businessmen - all four of them. I am asking for other citizens to give me some ideas as to what they would like in a new CA. Mainly because although I appreciate that a business person (and men) need to have a strong say that other citizens also have a strong stakeholder presence in this process.
Please feel free to email me at katelincless@gmail.com. I really want to do this right and feel we all need a say in this. Even if you disagree with my politics, I can appreciate, respect and need your opinions.
Here is an opinion from someone with a neutral mind, and someone does not reside in Cascade Locks. However; I have been following the chain of events that have taken place within your city for the last 3 months. You can take my opinion for what its worth. I am not out to point fingers, spread gossip, or place blame. So here it goes...
It seems that some people in some key posistions have made some mistakes. I get that, God teaches us to forgive, so forgive. Nobody is perfect. There is also a lot of blame placing, fingerpointing and mud slinging going on. It seems like no one is willing to meet in the middle on the issues. People are sticking to their side of the fence and there is no room for comprimise. Now as an outside observer, thats no way to run a city.
There is talk about recalling council members and recalling the volunteer firefighters. Does anyone realize the time committment and the amount of hours it takes for someone to train to become an entry level firefighter? It takes on average, 140-160 hours of training to become trained to the most basic level. So if the volunteers are disbanded and new ones are put in place, how long is the city willing to go without a trained fire dept? This is not including going on calls, drills,continued training, using thier gas, and spending thier time helping others. When thier budget gets cut, or their incentive for being volunteers goes away (i.e 3000.00 being cut from "incentives"), it would be a reasonable to feel betrayed by the city they are volunteering to protect. Why would someone want to volunteer to help another, when they get no "thanks for being here", no "here is an award for your time and service to our community". Would you want to volunteer for something that you didn't feel appreciated for?
Or how about the city council, I am sure that is an extreme committment itself. I know I would not want to deal with the issues that this council is faced with. They are trying, but it seems to me that there is a bit of a personal agenda with some of the council members.
The people of Cascade Locks can continue down the road your on, and watch the city slowly implode on itself, or they can set aside thier personal opinions, focus on creating a "win/win" situation for everybody involved without the opinion based mudslinging, or fingerpointing going on.
Again, just an outsider opinion. Take it for what its worth. Good Day
Thank you for your well-reasoned and thoughtful response, assuming it in response to my request and assuming that you actually are an outsider. Your response contrasting fire volunteers vs. city council members plus five separate mentions of neutrality leaves me in doubt of your avowed disinterest.
However it does not answer me as I was looking for insider suggestions as to what we currently need for a CA. I would advance the idea that most of us who sign our names to these posts understand the aforementioned issues and the imperative already from personal experience.
Wow you are an outsider getting all of that from where? This blog? Or who? First of all the volunteer fire fighters put in all of those hours not for an award. They do it to help people in need. The city,council, the planning commission, the budget committee, the charter review committee, the Tourism committee, the Comprehensive plan review committee .... are also a bunch of volunteers who put in a lot of hours, not just at meetings but researching city business. All of these volunteers are equally important in running our city. Seems they just put up with whining bickering vengeful people who lost the last election and have nothing but gossip to spread. They also spend hours away from their family and businesses to help the city with no thanks or awards. Hey folks the city didn't get in this condition overnight. It took years of mismanagement to get to where we are. Compromise is all that we have seen the council and budget committee do. Just off the top of my head I can think of the council compromising by not doing the 70/30 split with Tourism and the General Fund. The budget committee compromised by fully funding the fire department (no revenue was cut) and reversing taking $60,000. out of the fire department. Lets see now there is the fact that budget could have had the employees paying at least 15 to 20 % of their health insurance like others in the state. But no the staff is on the most expensive health care policy that CCI offers. Also the General Fund is picking up the tab for not only the fire hall but most of the supplies for the fire department. Now you say that there seems to be a lot of personal agendas that the council has and yet I have not seen one council person write on this blog. How do you know what their personal agendas are? Seems like to me that for someone who says they aren't pointing the finger and playing the blame game that is just what you are doing. How about looking beyond the last three months and get the big picture of what this is all about. Look into the archive of council meetings and see just how the last administration has treated the community. You may discover the truth of why the last mayor and council were not reelected and why our administration flew the coop!
Katelin, I would love to see a CA with honesty, integrity, and self motivation. Someone who doesn't have to have all of the answers but is not afraid to tell you they don't know, but will find out. Whether the person has 10 college degrees or 30 years of city management experience doesn't impress me. How about someone who is just successful and truthful? Wouldn't that be a nice change?
There is no such thing as a neutral outsider. You are hearing information from someone with a strong opinion, and everyone speaking out is on one side or another. You are very obviously on one side. Everyone in town, both in a political position and as a citizen, has a personal agenda. One's belief and opinion is personal and everyone is striving for what they think is right. Life isn't always fair, some will lose, and those that won in their elections will work towards what they feel is right, even if sometimes they are wrong. You can't listen to everyone. Those that didn't win will be hurt, thats just a simple fact. They are human and have feelings of rejection. There will always be disagreement, that is human nature. Nothing that is happening in town is anything out of the ordinary either for this town or any other town. In fact I know of political strife in other towns that make Cascade Locks look like an 80's sitcom. When the last mayor and his group of supporters ran the show, the other side screamed. Now there is a new mayor and new majority and the old mayor's group is screaming because everything they hold dear has been taken from them. This is life, another day in the little blip that is humankind's existence. The only truly grave importance that exists for any of us is how we treat each other. Katelin put everything aside and reached out to all sides and that is something to rally around. If everyone truly did that we could actually start working towards some compromise and common ground. So we can name call and write back and forth using exciting names like " weasel" or " dumbass" or we can stop and think about how we could act differently towards each other and actually start building our town and each other up. It's going to take some intense exercising of self-control for everyone, because we are a passionate group. But there is a reason all of us are here and choosing to stay and I think we could have something great, greater than any other town I know. How the heck is that for a feel-good speech?! :)
I agree with Darlene 11:05 wholeheartedly. Honesty, integrity, success in his/her life. I would also like to add that extreme patience and steadfastness should be a must! He/she will need it to work here in this time of upheaval. I also would like to take this time to thank all of the amazing volunteers in this town. The fire volunteers are a good bunch. I have empathy for what they are going through. Jeff was their figurehead and leader and I know they are reacting with their hearts. I hope they stay and adapt to the department without Jeff. I would also really like to thank all of the volunteers that are putting in massive amounts of time and energy with no thanks or appreciation. I can't imagine how hard it must be to be a councilor, mayor, budget committee member, etc and dealing with such chaos. I am very appreciative of all of your hard work and dedication to your town! And those behind the scenes that are trying to help but are made fun of, you deserve much appreciation.
Katelin, I suggest you ask the candidates if they would ever approve a retroactive building permit for a business owned by a city council member if it was against the advice of the city planner. That's what George got Carson to do right before he resigned. Seems less than ethical.
One other thing, I am damn sick and tired of people pulling up every damned little, personal item to throw at someone when they politically disagree with them. Insults, childish behavior and anonymous rude comments just have no place in this town anymore. We have no space for idiots like you anymore. We are out of money, almost out of staff and I, personally, am out of patience with posts like yours. Now if you have a concern about ethical behavior, or honesty or perhaps a clarification from a candidate regarding training, fine. Let me know. But don't use me to continue your immature stance and don't suggest I ask a question that I am not legally allowed to.
The outgoing City Administrator is preparing an organizational audit regarding city government, as promised to the City Council. He said in his contract termination letter that he will issue it. Maybe we should wait and read what it says. Or did anyone read what he said?
The outgoing City Administrator also issued a Temporary Permit to Kevin Benson for $300 that clearly says he has four months to get a Conditional Use Permit and a Site Plan Review for his new units. That seems straighfoward. Check the email correspondence between Larry Epstien and Rich Carson, and from Rich Carson and Kevin Benson.
Talk to the Hood River County Building Official. He is the only person responsible for issuing a "building permit." There is no argument. It is just a fact.
Saying "get a life, volunteer for a committee.." is just changing the subject and running away from the facts. The building permit is issued by Hood River County. I prefer to deal in facts and not some conspiracy theory based in gossip by ill informed citizens.
Katelin, Please don't have a tantrum and tell someone to go fuck themselves if you don't like something you hear when you are interviewing the next city administrator. I would still like you to ask the candidates if they think the situation I described was ethical.
You keep asking the wrong question in order to serve you purpose. Tell me the difference between legal and ethical. I think you are really putting a spin on ethical. In other words, it was legal, but I didn't like it. So it must be unethical to serve my policitical mindset. Now that is unethical. What is legal is legal. It has nothing to do with your political justice.
KOA Kamper needs to first argue with Anonymous who thinks that it wasn't legal before we decide that it wasn't ethical. Get your stories straight guys. Besides I don't see where where she asked for anything but an idea of what you wanted in a CA, certainly she did not ask you for any specific questions.
Get a life. It is all legal and not unethical. Truth is no one here can actually ask a question about governance that makes any sense. It is all about fighting shadows that don't exist. It is the root cause of the sickness in Cascade Locks. No one has the ability to say... "Stop the madness."
Another step closer to relying on the county manage our affairs
said...
Yeah, let's all start telling lies about George. Maybe if we try real hard we can get him to quit too and then this city will grind to a complete stop.
Blah, blah, blah. He said blah, she said blah. I get enough of this from listening to my kids all day. Let's roll out the welcome mat for Hood River county to come and take what is left. That should be a riot!! Whoo hooo enjoy the ride!
I think we are at the point of no return. It's gonna get fixed or buried. There's no going back to the way it was. Hey council, how bout you grow a pair and govern. We didn't elect you use polls and ouija board sessions to figure out what do, do what you believe is right and live with it.
'The council COMPROMISING by not doing the 70/30 split with Tourism and the General Fund'. They finally realized how stupid and unsupported that idea was...
'The budget committee COMPROMISED by fully funding the fire department (no revenue was cut) and reversing taking $60,000. out of the fire department'. BS Fire dept was cut to the breaking point. Might as well cut revenue fully if you have no one to bring it in, idiot
'How about someone who is just successful and truthful? Wouldn't that be a nice change?' I simply wish you were truthful...
There is a lot the City Council could do to cut back on expenditures -- since they no longer control revenues. The problem is that none of the Council understand how a government works and they are getting rid of everyone on staff who does. The end result is a a diminished capacity. Imagine driving up to MacDonalds and being to to wait in line for an hour. That is what Cascade Locks is now. Diminished. Cascade Locks needs to make a mental shift. Tell the people you hire to generate as much much as they earn+. That is how you run a business. But most folks in Cascade Locks can't make the mental shift to a positive government. Most folks just want to bayonet the wounded. And achieves nothing.
If there was staff that understood how a government works, how did we get to the point we are now? Paying back money you borrow seems like a pretty basic principle. The notion that when an account has no money left in it you have to stop spending seems logical as well. Why else would you even bother keeping track of the balance?
While "diminished capacity" certainly seems to apply to a few quitters and losers, I don't believe it's endemic.
Apparently you don't understand how government works. The elected Council sets policy and the staff dutifully carries it out. Kind of basic. Don't bayonet the wounded. I can tell one true thing. The staff in city hall are sick and tired of this blame game. They would like to see all of the citizens of Cascade Locks grow up and create a more positive environment where everyone works together. Got a problem with that?
Imagine spelling McDonalds correctly, imagine telling the truth - that no one has been gotten rid of - everyone, repeat, everyone has QUIT! For what ever reasons you care to assign, they have chosen to leave. No one has been terminated, no one has been fired. There is a reason that the oath says the truth, the WHOLE truth...
I am so angry I can hardly contain myself. So Jeff volunteered to continue as a volunteer fire fighter and EMT and now the mayor is demanding Jeff turn in his gear and his keys or there would be legal action. What the hell is wrong with George and his followers what the hell is going on in this town? I am not interested in the regular bloggers and their stupid ass comments I want to hear from people who are as angry as I am. I want to do something to make sure we are heard if you are interested in invoking a change hang tough we are working on an informational meeting to get the truth out. Watch for a posting in the Post Office and keep your eyes peeled on the Hood River News. Sorry Jeff that a few bad ass apples have spoiled our town. I don’t even know you but I know you are a better person than this band of liars who wish nothing more than to turn this town over to the county and don’t care who they step on in the process. It may not seem like it but you have a lot of support.
"Apparently you don't understand how government works. The elected Council sets policy and the staff dutifully carries it out." LOL, what have YOU been smoking (for the last 5 years)?
"Tell the people you hire to generate as much much as they earn+." Okay Mr New CA, you and the front office need to generate more than $400,000.00 in the next 12 months. Great idea, wish I could take credit for that one.
Not Anonymous for long because I am a idiot who doesn't know Jeff but is running off at the mouth saying stuff about this town, knows the Mayor well enough to use his first name and first insults and then threatens that we are working on an informational meeting. Yeah, sure I believe you.
Hey Anonymous 10:15 you little Meter Maid what the fuck are you talking about? Who the hell doesn’t know the mayors name or the ex-fire chiefs name? Hey dumb-shit read the paper. And then bite me!!!!!!
A constitutional oath to; back date time cards, violate election laws, and miss-appropriate public funds? Well, I guess that is the basis they quit on anyway
The blog works just fine thank you. I hear from those with enough common sense to realize that there are reasons why everything is happening and know the change we need. And I hear from those who to be honest are making no sense at all to me. So to those who get it thank you. To those who do not you soon will? So keep running around town and threatening to recall Council, the Budget Committee which has now diminished down to an “informational meeting” and another Hood River News Article. All I can say is keep wasting your time. I see your Hood River News Article and raise you.
I have been quite for a very good reason. Around 2 months of virtual silence. While you objectors have been spouting your crap I have been making change. Again the blog works fine, as it keeps you objectors busy while I attack your front line and strip your defense to shreds. Objectors you need to learn who your higher powers are and when to bring them into the game!!! And I am not talking about council here as once again they will not have a choice in what happens. They have to do what they are going to be ordered to do from that higher power again. They do not have a choice in the matter anymore and you can blame previous councils and employees for that and now some of you. So when are you going to get it? When it is check and mate? Well I have bad news for some of you. Check and Mate!!!
Actually, I think that Cascade Locks is becoming united. With the latest actions of the mayor to run off the fire department volunteers, including the ex-chief, and the termination of mutual aid agreement by Hood River County; the mayor and the majority of the City Council have proven themselves incompetent at the very least. Republicans, Democrats, Conservatives, Liberals, Citizens who have lived here their whole lives, and people who have moved here are uniting around this fact.
Ms. Stuart: I think that anyone who posts two statements like yours of the afternoon of the 13th should resign from the interview team. I am stunned by your incivility and immaturity. Certainly others in this blog who disagree with you have been immature, but you are representing the City in an official capacity in these interviews.
Mr. Mayor:
How are your actions in the last 48 hours - vis-a-vis the Fire Department - in the best interests of the safety of the people of Cascade Locks?
Why is everyone anonymous here? It's like you are afraid of the truth you pretend to speak. The folks who signed the Declaration of Independence signed their names on threat of hanging by the British. What are you afraid of?
Hey 1:56 PM: Gotta say I love your comic relief. To quote your post:
"Anonymous said... Why is everyone anonymous here?..."
That is priceless!!
Seriously, though, with the provocative nature (to put it mildly) of some of the comments by Darlene and Katelin on this blog and in public meetings(for example), I don't blame people for wanting to stay anonymous.
The 1:47 post makes me think of an interesting question for the mayor.
Is it the right thing to do to get rid of possibly the most qualified fire department volunteer in history, while not removing Katelin from the interview team after her unhinged public display in this blog on the 13th?
Idiotic posters like you are unable to separate private behavior vs. public behavior. I am not a sworn official, I am not representing the city, I am assisting with a selection process. Suppressive tactics like yours are covered in First Amendment cases.
As a private citizen, I can have opinions and can choose to state them with whatever language I want to, in whatever venue I choose to (it's known as free speech.)
Utilizing swear words and refusing to be a part of a disenfranchising attempt is not unhinged, just using adult language. Did you read that button you pressed to get onto the blog?
As Lenny Bruce told the judge that "Ninety-eight percent of the words I used are correct words in Webster's Third New International Dictionary."
And, I sign my name which puts me on the high ground, way above you, coward.
You can quote anyone, anytime and it proves nothing other than can find quotes on the Internet. I have no idea how to end this war of words, other than to tell you that good people of good faith can work together. Personally, I think it is time to end all the cheap shots and for all of you to work together to make Cascade Locks a better place to live.
For example, I could critize everyone here all day long. But that would be pointless. I like everyone I ever me in Cascade Locks. Being annoying is a perception and not a reality.
Well Cody, I've just tried a post 10 times that you are censoring. How do I know this? because you have let another of my posts in and there have been several others during that time.
It is time for a new Cascade Locks blog that acutally does what it says, and does not censor posts.
It's time to learn that the page loads automatically with a Google account request and you need to change it to Anon or (hahaha) sign your name to your post and wait for it to accept it. There is no censoring, just an impatience on your part to smack someone down before the customer leaves.
I do feel we are dialoging - those of us willing to sign our names.
I regard most of the anonymous signers with an occasional flash of angered frustration but mostly with an amused tolerance. Their rebellious responses seem to come only from 3 or 4 citizens who have shown such an irresistible force vs. an immovable object style ignorant stubbornness. Occasionally I am amazed that a black hole doesn't materialize within the Council chambers. There's a glorious faux-plausibility to the proceedings lately. As Juvenal said, "Panem et circenses."
Well, 5:06 PM - just to let you know, you are incorrect. I've tried now over ten times to post a specific thought and it has not shown up here. it is the same computer, the post does not have too many character.
I do not censor anything. But this is in my email more than 10 times and I do not see it on the blog so let me see if my computer will get the job done for you. You may wish to clean your cache as that works 9 times out of ten for people having the problem you mention. I guess I need to post the info from Google on why this happens on the front page of the blog. It seems it did not work on a comment in the past. When I get some free time I will do this to end these claims I censor when I do not. So is this what is not going through for you?
Cody
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "July 07, 2011, Special Council Meeting.":
Ms. Stuart,
Thanks for your response - if you are responding to me (post at 1:47PM today).
Here are some of your words from three different posts on this blog:
1.) “Insults, childish behavior and anonymous rude comments just have no place in this town anymore.”
2.) “and while you're at it, go f*** yourself and your trouble making friends.”
3.) And just now you called me a “coward” and an “idiot”
I did not call you names. What I said was that I was stunned by your incivility and immaturity (while pointing out that some who have opposed you have been immature as well), and I asked you to resign from the interview team. Yet you were rude to me and insulted me.
If my words “in an official capacity” do not accurately describe you being on the interview team for the new city administrator during a forthcoming official City Council meeting (see agenda online), then I withdraw them.
I agree, you have the right to use swear words in the expression of your opinions (I personally think that right would extend to you even if you were a sworn city official during meetings, as long as you were not violating an employment or other law in doing so).
But just because you have the right to do something doesn’t mean it is “the right thing to do”.
Posted by Anonymous to WhosCity?OurCity!!! at July 15, 2011 4:42 PM
Kate "you are so not the boss of me" Stuart
said...
I am sorry all you anonymous's look alike. I am not on the agenda for anything except as a member of one of three interview panels. We are to write down our preference of one of two candidates. If we still have two by tomorrow. No addressing anybody, no appearances. Now let's take care of the rest of this.
1) You were rude in not signing your name and in assigning your made up rules of conduct to someone else.
2) Still feel that way for anyone who thinks they have the right to put their words in my mouth (referring to my request for CA abilities and qualities) just to keep their fight going. You want to talk to George and Kevin about it - you go talk to George and Kevin about. Leave me out of your stupid little schoolyard fight.
3) I called you a coward and an idiot because it is obvious you are both.
If you are not a coward, then sign your name and let's have a real discussion and not one where you think you have the right to tell me “the right thing to do.”
And you could thank me for the help I just gave you for getting your post on here. Only an idiot would start screaming when they are doing something wrong instead asking for Cody's help, you accused him of censorship. That's the sort of paranoiac reaction I've come to expect from any anonymous on this blog.
OMG.. THE RECALL IS COMING,ALL GOES EXCEPT LANCE AND EVA... CAN'T WAIT......THEN AND ONLY THEN WILL THE CITY GET BACK ON THERE FEET...(IF THE SPELLING IS WRONG TO DAMN BAD READ BETWEEN THE LINES)
I've heard of news hot off the press but this getting ridiculous! Kirby knows the volunteers aren't responding to calls before they do? He knew that Jeff quit before the council and mayor knew. Kirby also said in the Saturday paper that the council eliminated the paid fire chief position. When did that happen? Oh, it didn't! Kirby is so slanted on town politics I'm surprised he can stand up. I wrote a letter to the HRN disputing Kirby's figures. I took him all of the correct figures and the documentation to back them up. He states that my figures are correct but he verified his figures with Rich Carson after the June 6th council meeting. Here's a news flash, there wasn't a June 6th council meeting! What Kirby told me when I spoke to him right after he wrote the bogus article was that Jeff Pricher gave him the figures about his wages. It seems like you can't trust the news paper to even try to report the facts.
I forgot to mention that he lost the first draft of my letter and I had to send it in twice. I hope that the rest of you out there try to stay up on his misrepresentations of the facts and let the Hood River News know that we expect a better accounting of the news.
Thank you for helping me to post my prior post, and thank you for your work with the Food Bank.
Seriously, and no irony or sarcasm intended, I have similarly volunteered for both food banks and clothing banks in my day, and I must tell you that this is the highest work of human hands...
I just ask you to step back a moment, and look at your own recent statements on this blog, and your own statements to me...
First, I am confident that if you knew who I were, you would be embarassed by your description of me (coward and idiot). I am neither. I am human and have made mistakes in my life, but I am not a coward. I do believe in your basic goodness, and therefore will gently remind you of that when you depart from that through anger or whatever.
I will go to my grave with my anonymous status for reasons that I choose to not explain.
Can you be sure that I am an idiot and a coward? What if I am a disabled veteran with PTSD and can only find the courage to make it through another day because of the horrors I have encountered and what this country has asked me to do? What if I am a Senior that is reliant on the goodness of so many citizens of Cascade Locks so that I can continue to survive?
In any case, I assure you, Kate, that if you knew who you were hurling these insults towards, you would be ashamed, and likely would break into tears. Again, I say this because I believe in your goodness.
Don't conflate me with the person who tried to include you in a "schoolyard fight". I am not that person.
I am merely a person who knows you are better than your coarse insults - and better than your haughty, superior, latin-quoting put-downs.
It's the "let's re-write history to suit our needs" routine. The "I forgot" excuse is gonna be kinda difficult, he broke the "Pricher RESIGNS" story what, a whole week ago? But ya never know, a Kirby is a vacuum isn't it?
So the volunteers, being public servants are refusing to do their lawful duty that is clearly inherent in the nature of the office they hold because they want to keep the chief and harm this council publically?
ORS 162.415 Official misconduct in the first degree. (1) A public servant commits the crime of official misconduct in the first degree if with intent to obtain a benefit or to harm another: (a) The public servant knowingly fails to perform a duty imposed upon the public servant by law or one clearly inherent in the nature of office; or (b) The public servant knowingly performs an act constituting an unauthorized exercise in official duties. (2) Official misconduct in the first degree is a Class A misdemeanor. [1971 c.743 §215]
I would think the volunteers may want to rethink that decision. Enough is enough because if someone dies or property is lost because of this type of action I have news for the volunteers. If the city gets sued so will the volunteers, for failure to do their fiduciary duty by refusing to respond. So that is another thing to think about volunteers. So it boils down to this. Do you, or do you not, want to be a volunteer. Because all you are doing by this type of action is putting your personal livelihoods at risk of a law suit. All it would take for me to file criminal charges is get the call log and incident reports and take to the district attorney. The crimes’ have already occurred and that fact cannot be changed. So from a citizen all I can say is, you have until Monday night to work this out. If you cannot come to terms with the duties you are bound to by title of your position, resign and turn in your equipment so we as a city know what we have to work with, so we can move on without you. That’s how to deal with a problem. Now until this point I called you volunteers, firefighters and heroes of our town. But when your actions endanger the lives, safety and welfare of the general public and disrespect firefighters and the ethics that they stand for, I have a problem keeping that respect I may have once held for you. And respect is the hardest thing in life to earn back. And right now you are playing a dnagerous game with peoples lives and property and that is all you are doing.
Now all you citizens whom keep interrupting the meetings. If I was the mayor I would trade my gavel in for a cell phone.
ORS 162.235 Obstructing governmental or judicial administration. (1) A person commits the crime of obstructing governmental or judicial administration if the person intentionally obstructs, impairs or hinders the administration of law or other governmental or judicial function by means of intimidation, force, physical or economic interference or obstacle. (2) This section shall not apply to the obstruction of unlawful governmental or judicial action or interference with the making of an arrest. (3) Obstructing governmental or judicial administration is a Class A misdemeanor. [1971 c.743 §198; 1981 c.902 §1]
ORS 162.455 Interfering with legislative operations. Any person not a member of the Legislative Assembly who engages in conduct in or near the legislative chambers of either house or in or near any meeting of a joint, standing, interim or special committee of either house, wherever held, with the intention of interrupting, disrupting or otherwise interfering with the orderly conduct of business therein, or who gains or seeks to gain access to the chambers or meeting in such manner shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. [1971 c.276 §1]
ORS 166.025 Disorderly conduct in the second degree. (1) A person commits the crime of disorderly conduct in the second degree if, with intent to cause public inconvenience, annoyance or alarm, or recklessly creating a risk thereof, the person: (a) Engages in fighting or in violent, tumultuous or threatening behavior; (b) Makes unreasonable noise; (c) Disturbs any lawful assembly of persons without lawful authority; (d) Obstructs vehicular or pedestrian traffic on a public way; (e) Congregates with other persons in a public place and refuses to comply with a lawful order of the police to disperse; (f) Initiates or circulates a report, knowing it to be false, concerning an alleged or impending fire, explosion, crime, catastrophe or other emergency; or (g) Creates a hazardous or physically offensive condition by any act which the person is not licensed or privileged to do. (2) Disorderly conduct in the second degree is a Class B misdemeanor. [1971 c.743 §220; 1983 c.546 §5; 2001 c.104 §55; 2005 c.631 §1]
You see the secret to power is knowing what power you hold to begin with. Now the mayor has the power and you don’t. It was not this council who drove this car off the cliff. It is those disrupting this council and their followers.
Cody, really... get clue! The volunteers do not have a fiduciary responsibility you idiot... they are volunteers! Fiduciary means they are paid, last time I checked they weren't, cause the council cancelled their contract. Next, there is no OATH of office for volunteers. Being that they are volunteers, they are not working shifts, so no one is actually on duty. They respond when they can. You sure can talk a big talk but in most of the "law" stuff you have posted about fire your facts are misleading and in a lot of ways does not apply. Maybe you should be part of the solution instead of ranting. It sure is easy to point out flaws, but I dont see you trying to mend any bridges.
Maybe the mayor should have been more of a leader and reached out to the volunteers and former chief. Seems he was too good to reach out to anyone including current city hall staff. Thats not leadership material in my book. Our mayor is a pathetic excuse of an elected official. This should have never been allowed to get to where it is now. I don't blame a group of volunteers, I blame him!
A fiduciary duty (from Latin fiduciarius, meaning "(holding) in trust"; from fides, meaning "faith", and fiducia, meaning "trust") is a legal or ethical relationship of confidence or trust regarding the management of money or property.
Property: they have received training and and gear and utilize our equipment. One does not have to be paid.
The Mayor, Kevin, Don and Tiffany fired the volunteer fire fighters as of 07-15-11 see the last 10 minutes of the 07-15-11 council meeting on YouTube. There is no question about it they were let go. Kevin stated the volunteers won't respond to emergency calls therefore emergency calls must go to Hood River. He has NO evidence to back up this statement none. Yet the majority of the council votes for a policy which eliminates emergency calls going Cascade Locks Volunteers. Emergency calls will go to Hood River Fire. I think what bothers me most about these four is the fact they behave as if this is all a big shock to them. Really? The good citizens of Cascade Locks have been begging for you to listen. Over and over again council meeting after council meeting citizens have asked what will happen if you start down the path of eliminating the Fire Chief. What will happen with our insurance? What’s the plan? To which Don said nothing would happen because his agent told him so. We have asked what will happen with our volunteers? Who will train our fire fighters? What’s the plan? We were told no worries it’s all good. What will happen is we lose our mutual aid contracts? What’s the plan? To which we were told that is not going to happen. Even though there was a letter sent to the City Administrator from Hood River County Fire Defense Board Chief dated 05-27-11 stating “I do feel it is my responsibility that I inform you if drastic changes are made in the management of your fire and emergency response effecting Incident Command Systems qualified scene managers and fire fighters, our mutual aid compacts could be jeopardized.” Won’t it cost more money if we have to pay Hood River for covering Cascade Locks? What’s the plan? The answer, there is nothing to worry about that is not going to happen. Well here we are and it happened just as your citizens predicted. This council set out to be fiscally responsible and instead they have cost this city more money they and hurt the firefighters they ran off numerous good civil servants’ and have showed complete disregard for the citizens of Cascade Locks. The question is why? The answer I believe is a personal vendetta all for the purpose of destroying Bernard and Jeff and to thrash the former mayors, it is all about jealousy and power tripping. You had many other options for moving the city forward then the path of total destruction which you seem to believe is the correct path. I help put you in power and I will help remove you. I am more certain then ever a Re-Call is in order. To the citizens working on the re-call effort can you post something at the post office and let us know who we can contact if we would like to help?
Hood River News: 7/15/11 "CL Fire Not in service" "They have stopped responding because we feel our safety is in jeopardy" Webb said. Seems as though they quit.
I've had enough. I like three of the four of them, but the mayor, Kevin, Don and Tiffany are proving that they are "all hat and no cattle" when it comes to running the city.
Cody, you are like someone testing the emissions of the tail pipe of a bus that is being driven off a cliff - with your never-endng "ORS..." posts
The bus was already driven off the cliff. So if you recall these council members for something they did not create does that mean I can tar and feather those who are truly responsible or how about a public stoning? Now I will give you partial credit for the all hat and no cattle bit. But I will put it this way to fit my take on it. This council is being controlled by stress. They are so afraid to offend anyone that the stress becomes worry. When they worry, the time that needs to be spent on the problem is spent thinking about the worry. What this council needs to do is grow a set and run this like a business. The first thing is this council needs to do is go to our ex chief and tell him, you may have been ordered to fix the books but you knew it was wrong, it was a crime and it violated the principles of firefighters worldwide. You mismanaged this department to the point that we can no longer afford to pay you. You have violated the Oregon rules of ethics for advertising your personal business on government web sites. You have built these web sites for this city and other agencies and did so without permission from this council or the other agencies. The videos on these governmental web sites violate copyright laws as you used copyright protected music without permission. These videos represent production companies that do not exist. You have your personal videos some of which contain controversial subject matter on these governmental web sites. You have over $400,000.00 from your budget reflected in the auditor’s report and those funds are not reflected in your department’s expenses. You had FCC licensed radio spectrum owned by the City and Hood River County licensed in your name. You got the city into a grant obligation with no permission from the Council. Now you refuse to submit to the council the monthly reports you promised. Now you resign and make yourself an assistant fire chief. Well I have news for you, that takes approval from council and at this point we are sorry but you need to go so we can recover and move forward. Now that is the first action this council should have done long ago and did not. But no I see this council letting stress control them and grow. Cut off the head of the snake and the stress will start to go away.
The next thing I would do is go to the volunteers. I would tell them that public employees cannot go on strike. That their actions constitute criminal negligence under the law. That they are either a volunteer firefighter or they are not and to decide quickly. Because if they do not end this illegal strike they are engaged in that the city will take the matter to the District Attorney to file criminal negligence charges against all volunteers who are striking. I would end with resign and turn in all city equipment or fulfill your duties under the office you hold. That would deal with that problem and it just takes growing a set.
Then I would pull in the budget committee. I would have them tear the books apart beyond the line item. I would want an accounting of everything in that department since the fire hall project began. When the committee runs into items which cannot be verified from the records we keep today then recommend to council solutions to remedy this problem for the future. Then when you know what you have to work with beyond the line item, they may be able to budget a paid position and maybe even the volunteers in the near future?
I would also pull in the City Services Committee. I would have them empty the file cabinets of all legislation. I would have them using a risk assessment study for government go through all legislation and ensure that; It is in compliance with the law. It is written to protect the department from the fund, administration and policy level to the point that the city is able to generate all revenue allowed under the law and no abuses ever occur again. It is written to protect the intention of the department and the city. It is written to ensure transparency in the audit process. It is written with a policy so strong that abuse is prevented from happening and department heads and employees are limited to the powers the council allows and legally and financially responsible for misuse in accordance to the law. It is written to protect those it was meant to protect being the people. And most importantly I would codify the legislation.
At the same time I would form a charter review committee. The purpose of this committee would be to re write our charter to support the legislative changes so the abuses that have been happening never happen again without a vote of the people.
Have all these committees report not only to council but to each other as they are going to run into issues which are the jurisdiction of the other committee’s to look into. Such as the budget committee finds that the records the city now uses do not reflect the total time spent by an employee on a daily basis nor does the record show what the employee was doing. So throw it back to the city services committee to make it a part of a policy discussion and find a solution to recommend to council.
Rip the books and legislation apart and reorganize because that is where we are at. So those who suggest I am doing nothing to help. Might I suggest you read the proposed city services packet I submitted to the mayor Friday. If you really want to see how to begin fixing it read it. And to those who have a better idea let’s hear it. So put up or shut up as at least I am trying. Which is more than I can say for the cry babies who come to the table with no attempt to present a solution to the problems.
'So if you recall these council members for something they did not create does that mean I can tar and feather those who are truly responsible or how about a public stoning?'
Always placing blame elsewhere! Previous councils/majors, always someone else. The current council and budget committee OBVIOUSLY caused this stupid mess, instead of trying to move us forward, make he community better, our community was hi-jacked and forced to take severe money-wasting steps backwards.
Who died and made you god, Cody? Talk to the volunteers, with all this 'power' you speak of. I shouldn't even be wasting one moment of my life...but I simply once need to say you are an unemployed trouble-maker with deluded convictions that you are important while you continue 'living off the system' fella with no other value than to create a blog to be heard.
'And to those who have a better idea let’s hear it. So put up or shut up as at least I am trying. Which is more than I can say for the cry babies who come to the table with no attempt to present a solution to the problems.'
I am finished wasting any time here, as you Cody & cronies, are not worth it... Keep stroking each other-all 5 of you! SOON THIS WILL BE YOUR ONLY PODIUM.
Many fine, intelligent people have presented solutions and options-to no avail. Few elected council members listen.
Time to rebuild the community with people of integrity. Get ready for the recall friends and fellow citizens! We want our city back! NOW!
Again you have to resort to the personal insults. Integrity would mean not calling someone names who is volunteering his time on a city committee in order to improve things. Integrity would not mean threatening people or calling them unemployed because they don't agree with you.
I'll bet you want YOUR city back. Then you shouldn't have given it away to people like Jeff, or Bernard, or Brad. People who utilized their offices to feather their own nests or sell their souvenirs or build personal loyalty rather than loyalty to the town. The brainwashed volunteers are not going to get Jeff back. Scream all you want, but learn to accept the current reality. He cannot resign and appoint himself to a position he wants. The insurance company and the other fire departments have put their collective foot down.
I would love to talk to the volunteers. Who are they? What are their names? How many of them are there and what training have they had? Why doesn't the administrative arm of the City have these answers? Hell, why don't I as a citizen have access to these answers?
When will they realize that they will lose their personal certifications? Jeff is taking vacations right now. Do you want to bet whether he is looking elsewhere? Did you think he is able to stay here without a job? What are you all going to do when your beloved leader leaves and you're still here?
I agree that citizens have the right to change their government and that a recall is one of the processes available for them to determine if a change is wanted by the majority. What I disagree with is any group attempting to coerce, intimidate, or bully any public body into following that groups demands. A government that allows itself to be unduly influenced by any minority isn't protecting the interests or rights of all citizens. People who rely on mob tactics such as disrupting public meetings, intimidation, threatening action or even inaction have no interest in democracy, their only care is about themselves and getting what they believe they are entitled to regardless of the cost to the rest of the community. They have no interest in what the entire community really wants or needs. Mob rule isn't democracy.
Who are you kidding if it's good enough for the screamers like Sandra,Kate and Darlene then I guess it is good enough for all.We have hours of tape of the three of them yelling!!!!! Never heard you scold them maybe you would like to right now. Keepin' it real and all!
No one has died yet but let’s give it some time at this rate.
And just what do you know about me? Not a damn thing. I’ll tell you what. Put your name on here and I will shove every diploma, certification, certificate of achievement and license I hold along with my work history and shove it right down your throat you smart ass SOB. So bring yours bitch if you have the nerve and we will see who has accomplished more in ones life!!! You know nothing about me and my history but if you did you might understand a thing or two.
Do you really think Deputy State Fire Marshall, Ted Megart, just happened along into this? Oh hell no. I brought him into this months ago as I seen this meltdown coming. He has all the proof he needs down to the criminal and professional rules of conduct acts violations. He feels the chief needs to step down!!! Ask him. By now he should have contacted the volunteers and I do not think they are going to like what he has to say. He has also suggested that the city repeal all powers and restrict the city to the state powers allowed. I know his vehicle was at City Hall the other day. I cannot wait to learn what was said then. I have a very good idea. And I did catch a few things in the last meeting about that meeting last night.
You people do not have a clue of how high up the chain of command this goes. So blame council and budget folks. They had nothing to do with it and did not even know it was happening until they got their notices from the true higher powers. Which was not me as you think, aside from because of me. So now what are you going to force me to do take the evidence to the State Police? Trust me if you truly care about the ex chief, it is best that he leaves on his own just like our previous administrator did. But I would have no problem doing that, as I always hold government to a higher standard than any citizen.
I do not need to speak with the volunteers. All the volunteers need to know is that if I, or someone I love, gets harmed or losses property, due to this rebellion of theirs, that I will sue their asses off personally. From a citizen to the title of the office they are bound by duty to respectfully hold and fulfill the terms thereof. And right now I am at the point of filing a criminal negligence criminal complaint with the District Attorney to protect myself and those I love and care for at this time. Like I said they have until Monday Night to work it out, or resign, as this city needs to move forward and begin a healing process.
Dig Dug. I have to totally agree with you except one thing. We are not a democracy. We are a nation built upon a republic form of government. Democracy is mob rule. Democracy is illegal in our nation. Believing we were a democracy is what put us in the situation we are in. No democracy has ever survived. Now if you would like I can put a 7 page Oregon Attorney General Opinion about my very statement on this blog. It may serve this blog well to understand this misconception.
But other than that you were right on the mark.
Cody
And Darlene get ahold of me so I can see what it is you want. If you do not know how let me know and I will track you down. Now to see if last nights meeting has completed the copyright check and if so a new page.
154 comments:
Can I suggest that we stop the threats of recall and deal with the problems?
It way past time to recall the creators of the problems and no recall is going to change that fact.
All that recall will achieve is bringing up the past and tarnishing the creators of these problems images.
So let’s move on and address the problems that were created long before this council and budget committee and put an end to creating more problems that will only make the original problems worse.
I myself have pushed to get the City Services Committee up to deal with these problems by a citizens group, in an open forum to the public.
We are already finding what caused these problems and looking for solutions to resolve them.
As time goes on we will find more, but from our first meeting, our request for information for our upcoming meeting, opened the floodgate of problems in our emergency services department alone.
One of which the county will be addressing council on in an upcoming council meeting.
So instead of all these personal attacks on one another, how about becoming a member on this committee or attending the meetings and giving input to this committee?
After all don’t we all want the problems fixed?
Or you can sit idly by and hope for the best from this committee.
But mark my words this committee is going to try to the best of its ability to get all departments back on track.
Cody
I support the recall of the mayor and 4 council members. There may have been a time when I would have agreed with you. However there was clearly no intention on the part of this council to listen to the community. We all know how many community members asked for a Town Hall only to be blown off. I for one will not accept that kind of disrespect and abusive from my elected officials. Too many mistakes we just need to clean house and start over. It seems obvious we have no leadership in these elected officials. We also lost a list of City Employees whose jobs have been replaced with more expensive contractors who have NO vested interest in the community as evidence in Rich Carson taking his leave abruptly. Rich Carson has nothing to do with the past that was all the new mayor and council. So sorry I disagreed but boy do I ever.
As far as joining a committee seems the mayor makes the decision who is in and who is out and again he spoke volumes with the people he appointed to the committees. So what would be the point? Nope I am sure it time for them to go.
I think we need to "recall" the disrespectful and abusive "volunteers" members of the fire crew. enough is enough
So Anon@1:48, what part of no time for a Town Hall Meeting before the legally required vote passing the budget did you miss? And pray, tell me what helpful suggestion would you have made? I suggest that there was never a time you might have agreed and have been mad since the election.
I am curious, why ask for a Town Hall meeting when what we needed was a brainstorming session to present possibilities, something that could have been done at the Council Meetings where citizens instead spent their time either screaming at or threatening the Council?
And, just for giggles, what four would you choose to recall? I am really unhappy that Eva doesn't not step up to the plate and talk more often. I had hoped she would be more of a force for compromise and yet she just listens, rarely talks and votes with Lance - all the time! I don't think you will find many people willing to vote Tom out. He has always supported the fire Dept. and he voted for the new engine and the new station.
The Mayor ALWAYS make the decision who to appoint to the committees. It's the way the rules are written. Did someone apply who you think should have been appointed? Or are you pissed off about limiting the number of committees one can belong to? Perhaps you are annoyed because you and your girlfriend couldn't be on the same committee so you could tell her how to vote again?
Oh I see I am not allowed an opinion oh OK thanks for letting me know. I am sure your smart ass comments will sway my vote. I love it how you idiots always think you know who is blogging you are so far F**king off. Keep up the guessing. Oh and Cody are these the people who I should be on committee with? Nice open folks!!!RIGHT
Cody,
I agree with you that we all should be working towards solutions, but obviously the whiners and sore losers aren't interested.
History shows us that a recall solves nothing. How quickly we forget.
After 20 years of trying to build a healthy, vibrant community the results are in: we the people of Cascade Locks are incapable of conducting our affairs as an incorporated city.
So forget the recall, let's vote to dissolve the city and let the county take over.
Used to be I thought that everyone fought here because of the weather, now I think we just know any better behavior. Did they never teach debate or logic where you went to school? You are allowed your opinion, I am requesting clarification of it.
Dis-incorporation may be our only option left, Gary.
Because we also don't have enough money for a recall. Wave your $500. around all you want guys, that just pays for signature collection, not the voting.
A town hall meeting was premature. Council needs options to bring to a meeting to discuss with the community. These options need to have numbers attached as to what it will cost or save the city. It seems that their agendas have been full. They also need to meet with other agencies to see if they are willing to administer our fire dept. Doesn't any one remember council directing staff to bring back options? Jeff quit before any options were discussed. He is just one of a long line of quitters. He himself said he doesn't want to be the administrator. So what is the argument over? A town hall meeting would come after researching options not at this time. Isn't it funny that when the old mayor was in office it was OK for him to appoint who he wanted to committees. Seems like some people are just upset that their intimidation tactics and bullying didn't work with this mayor.
Darlene Sullenger
Referencing above- 'Perhaps you are annoyed because you and your girlfriend couldn't be on the same committee so you could tell her how to vote again?' Nice, talking about George and Tiffany...he can't seem to make one move without her support. Great call!
nice, had to remove my comment because it wasn't an uneducated attack on whomever...what an unrepresentative, swayed blog. kinda like our council and major.
many fire/ems options have been discussed, for years. y'all forget to listen...clean out your ears.
I am sorry Darlene I thought you were the big intimidator. Here’s a thought go back and watch yourself on YouTube what a loud mouth brat.
I like the recall the fire hall idea. We've spent millions on them on the last 5 years, and they are still crying and whining. Replace 'em all with REAL volunteers.
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention the Port. After we un-incorporate the city, then we can combine our Port with the Port of Hood River. Maybe they can actually bring some jobs to town, especially if we give them another 20 years.
Plus that would save about a quarter of a million dollars in payroll that is now all going out of town anyway.
Let's see now, how far have we come in the last 20 years: no jobs, no school, no bank, no doctor, hmmm, no hope. And in that 20 years just about all of us has had a hand in adding to our failure as a city.
So you want to save Cascade Locks? Who you gonna call after the recall?
Let's face it folks we have a problem: we are all addicted to the adrenalin rush of confrontation and fighting (Hatfields and McCoys) and just like other addicts we are in denial.
So rather than admit that we have a problem, let's keep on posting anonymous jabs and continue pointing disparaging fingers at each other in public meetings. Oh yeah, and clamoring for another recall as well. Ah, but this time it will go change everything and solve our problems.
As soon as the casino comes in, I'm outa here.
Or maybe one of you wise, anonymous ones has a better plan.
Hey Gary:
Illegitimi non carborundum.
Kate,
Never.
Please call me more names. I enjoy the fact that I am annoying the hell out of you!! At least I know my words have not been for nothing!
Kate, I'm with Gary. NEVER! Oh, and anon. the only idea I heard any one come up with besides keep everything the same was when Helfrich suggested combining with another department. Tiffany is the council president she is supposed to work with the mayor. Is that really all that you've got?
Darlene
Darlene you don't annoy me, in fact it is I who should thank you for making me laugh!
And Katelin Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
Finally, someone who can spell! And yet is still unable to sign a name.
I'm jealous, Darlene - you get called better names than I do. I notice they are reduced to name-calling from a child's film.
Bet they never read the books either, assuming they even know it was a series. It appears neither Latin nor subtlety works with Anons.
YEAH DARLENE "Let's take it out side". Watch yourself on uTube and see what an immmature brat you are! Thank you too for making me laugh!
GARY- do us all a favor and get the hell outta dodge now! We could do without your doomsday negativity, ya weasel. I'll pay yer moving van rental fee! AND no we won't be calling you after any recall.
Anyone else hear an annoying buzzing in their ears? Can't quite make it out. Must be an immature mosquito in the room.
Hey Anon. 7:49,
Perfect.
The poster child for the recall effort.
Hey If you're gonna pay for Gary's moving van and you've got $500.00 in your pocket for a recall. Why don't you just pitch in some for the fire department. Trinket sales must be up. Must still sting to lose all that power.
Recall the Fire Hall, it's the only way to make those "volunteers" happy.
Millions of dollars and still crying for more.....Replace the high-priced "volunteers" with people interested in helping others, not just themselves.
RECALL THE FIRE HALL!!!! REPLACE 'EM ALL!!!!
I can't help but too feel sorry for some of the volunteers. After all they have been brainwashed for the last six years. Kinda ironic that if you listen to Lance six months ago the city was supposedly in fine shape with no budget crisis and now we are dying!
weasel
I beg to question what impeachable offence is this council recall based on?
I keep hearing about it, but I do not hear what was so immoral or legally constituted the thought of such an action.
So let’s start stripping the fact from all this fantasy.
The fact is this emergency services department problems began late in 2003.
July and September of 2003, to be exact.
To those who lived here then, July of 2003, was the time when this City and the City of Hood River entered into an intergovernmental agreement.
In September of 2003 this city repealed all city powers due to that agreement to be a fire or ambulance department.
Read it yourselves. Ordinance 361 it is on the city web site found under ordinances/governmental administration.
Yes citizens all powers of creation, formation, administration and policy concerning our fire and ambulance were repealed and those powers were granted to the City of Hood River.
So wouldn’t of all these misguided and ill informed threats of a recall, be better served in fixing the problem and not an effect from the problem itself?
I do not think all you screaming recall really realize just how screwed up and mismanaged this city has been in the past.
I truly do not think you realize just what all the facts mean to your recall effort, should you choose to accept that mission.
This leads to another question.
Will this recall include the Hood River City Council?
Do you see how a simple fact can make you look at things in a different light?
This fact exposes a problem larger than you think.
It exposes the fact that all these expenditures of funds and decisions made since 2003 were done with no powers to do so.
It exposes the fact that if a mistake is made then our city could be at risk of a suit of law.
It exposes the fact that we have had no legal fire chief, volunteers or emergency services department since September of 2003.
It exposes the fact that we have no power to bill for any service we supply.
It exposes the fact that council has had no power to make decisions concerning an emergency services department that did not exist in legislation since September of 2003.
It exposes the fact that a recall cannot be petitioned against a council with no powers to make decisions, other than to shut it down or re-establish the powers at this time.
Oh it exposes many facts you need to figure out for yourselves.
It is funny how facts work.
So wouldn’t the best course of action, be to ensure that we re-establish our powers to be an emergency services department in the first place and do it right this time?
After all isn’t what is in the best interest of our city what is best for all?
What part of that recall is not going anywhere do you not understand?
So move on and come up with sollutions or get out of the way.
Cody
What are you smoking Cody?
Why? What are you selling?
Cody it sounds like your doing damage control for the ones that could face recall. Or are you just acting as the PR firm for them.
I don't see where Cody is doing any damage control.
His point is that we have no legal fire/ems department. Some idiot(s) eight years ago dissolved the department and never legally reinstated it. A recall cannot be petitioned against a council without the authority. They don't have the authority. Legally the fire/ems does not exist.
The point being you can't get mad at them for what they didn't do. Get it?
I support the recall of all the firefighters. They have lost touch with their community. While there may be a few who are still interested in helping others, it seems as though the rotten apple has spoiled the majority, even in his absence the selfish arrogance continues. We need to start over and train REAL volunteers who understand why the city has invested millions of dollars (of debt) over the past 5 years in this department. While it may be a shame that a few who deserve the privilege of representing our city will be replaced, there seems to be no alternative. If replacing them all means we have to cover just the city limits for awhile, so be it. I'm not so sure we don't need to restrict the new department members to city residents only, it's seems too easy to insist on more spending when you and your family aren't effected by the increases.
I'm sure some will respond with "It's hard to find good volunteers" or "This is just another example of the lack of respect".
My reply, Is it easier to find a good Mayor and council?
My respect and support has been abused to the point I have to withdraw it, now it has to be earned.
Oh how the speed and depth of the human mind is so remarkable. Just as its inability to face the obvious.
What am I smoking?
If that is a comeback at me for something, then it seems I just smoked you!
Because once again instead of trying to counter the fact with a fact you resort to neurotic behavior and attempt to alienate me from reality by means of implication.
So grow up and develop a brain will you?
Sounds like I am doing damage control?
The only thing I am doing is pointing out the reality.
I am just leveling the playing field right now.
Cody
Apparently, Rich Carson submitted a letter to the city council regarding his leaving. And he responded to one citizen that he had an attorney.
Yes, he submitted a letter of resignation - on is way out the door. And if he spoke to a citizen about anything maybe we need to hear that from the 'citizen' instead otherwise I would characterize your post as gossip.
Check out Carson's letter in the Hood River News
Hey folks,
I am on the citizen's committee for interviewing the candidates for City Administrator. I find myself sharing the "honor" with businessmen - all four of them. I am asking for other citizens to give me some ideas as to what they would like in a new CA. Mainly because although I appreciate that a business person (and men) need to have a strong say that other citizens also have a strong stakeholder presence in this process.
Please feel free to email me at katelincless@gmail.com. I really want to do this right and feel we all need a say in this. Even if you disagree with my politics, I can appreciate, respect and need your opinions.
Thank you.
Here is an opinion from someone with a neutral mind, and someone does not reside in Cascade Locks. However; I have been following the chain of events that have taken place within your city for the last 3 months. You can take my opinion for what its worth. I am not out to point fingers, spread gossip, or place blame. So here it goes...
It seems that some people in some key posistions have made some mistakes. I get that, God teaches us to forgive, so forgive. Nobody is perfect. There is also a lot of blame placing, fingerpointing and mud slinging going on. It seems like no one is willing to meet in the middle on the issues. People are sticking to their side of the fence and there is no room for comprimise. Now as an outside observer, thats no way to run a city.
There is talk about recalling council members and recalling the volunteer firefighters. Does anyone realize the time committment and the amount of hours it takes for someone to train to become an entry level firefighter? It takes on average, 140-160 hours of training to become trained to the most basic level. So if the volunteers are disbanded and new ones are put in place, how long is the city willing to go without a trained fire dept? This is not including going on calls, drills,continued training, using thier gas, and spending thier time helping others. When thier budget gets cut, or their incentive for being volunteers goes away (i.e 3000.00 being cut from "incentives"), it would be a reasonable to feel betrayed by the city they are volunteering to protect. Why would someone want to volunteer to help another, when they get no "thanks for being here", no "here is an award for your time and service to our community". Would you want to volunteer for something that you didn't feel appreciated for?
Or how about the city council, I am sure that is an extreme committment itself. I know I would not want to deal with the issues that this council is faced with. They are trying, but it seems to me that there is a bit of a personal agenda with some of the council members.
The people of Cascade Locks can continue down the road your on, and watch the city slowly implode on itself, or they can set aside thier personal opinions, focus on creating a "win/win" situation for everybody involved without the opinion based mudslinging, or fingerpointing going on.
Again, just an outsider opinion. Take it for what its worth. Good Day
Thank you for your well-reasoned and thoughtful response, assuming it in response to my request and assuming that you actually are an outsider. Your response contrasting fire volunteers vs. city council members plus five separate mentions of neutrality leaves me in doubt of your avowed disinterest.
However it does not answer me as I was looking for insider suggestions as to what we currently need for a CA. I would advance the idea that most of us who sign our names to these posts understand the aforementioned issues and the imperative already from personal experience.
Wow you are an outsider getting all of that from where? This blog? Or who? First of all the volunteer fire fighters put in all of those hours not for an award. They do it to help people in need. The city,council, the planning commission, the budget committee, the charter review committee, the Tourism committee, the Comprehensive plan review committee .... are also a bunch of volunteers who put in a lot of hours, not just at meetings but researching city business. All of these volunteers are equally important in running our city. Seems they just put up with whining bickering vengeful people who lost the last election and have nothing but gossip to spread. They also spend hours away from their family and businesses to help the city with no thanks or awards. Hey folks the city didn't get in this condition overnight. It took years of mismanagement to get to where we are. Compromise is all that we have seen the council and budget committee do. Just off the top of my head I can think of the council compromising by not doing the 70/30 split with Tourism and the General Fund. The budget committee compromised by fully funding the fire department (no revenue was cut) and reversing taking $60,000. out of the fire department. Lets see now there is the fact that budget could have had the employees paying at least 15 to 20 % of their health insurance like others in the state. But no the staff is on the most expensive health care policy that CCI offers. Also the General Fund is picking up the tab for not only the fire hall but most of the supplies for the fire department. Now you say that there seems to be a lot of personal agendas that the council has and yet I have not seen one council person write on this blog. How do you know what their personal agendas are? Seems like to me that for someone who says they aren't pointing the finger and playing the blame game that is just what you are doing. How about looking beyond the last three months and get the big picture of what this is all about. Look into the archive of council meetings and see just how the last administration has treated the community. You may discover the truth of why the last mayor and council were not reelected and why our administration flew the coop!
Darlene Sullenger
Katelin, I would love to see a CA with honesty, integrity, and self motivation. Someone who doesn't have to have all of the answers but is not afraid to tell you they don't know, but will find out. Whether the person has 10 college degrees or 30 years of city management experience doesn't impress me. How about someone who is just successful and truthful? Wouldn't that be a nice change?
Thanks for asking,
Darlene
There is no such thing as a neutral outsider. You are hearing information from someone with a strong opinion, and everyone speaking out is on one side or another. You are very obviously on one side. Everyone in town, both in a political position and as a citizen, has a personal agenda. One's belief and opinion is personal and everyone is striving for what they think is right. Life isn't always fair, some will lose, and those that won in their elections will work towards what they feel is right, even if sometimes they are wrong. You can't listen to everyone. Those that didn't win will be hurt, thats just a simple fact. They are human and have feelings of rejection.
There will always be disagreement, that is human nature. Nothing that is happening in town is anything out of the ordinary either for this town or any other town. In fact I know of political strife in other towns that make Cascade Locks look like an 80's sitcom. When the last mayor and his group of supporters ran the show, the other side screamed. Now there is a new mayor and new majority and the old mayor's group is screaming because everything they hold dear has been taken from them. This is life, another day in the little blip that is humankind's existence. The only truly grave importance that exists for any of us is how we treat each other. Katelin put everything aside and reached out to all sides and that is something to rally around. If everyone truly did that we could actually start working towards some compromise and common ground.
So we can name call and write back and forth using exciting names like " weasel" or " dumbass" or we can stop and think about how we could act differently towards each other and actually start building our town and each other up. It's going to take some intense exercising of self-control for everyone, because we are a passionate group. But there is a reason all of us are here and choosing to stay and I think we could have something great, greater than any other town I know.
How the heck is that for a feel-good speech?! :)
I agree with Darlene 11:05 wholeheartedly. Honesty, integrity, success in his/her life. I would also like to add that extreme patience and steadfastness should be a must! He/she will need it to work here in this time of upheaval.
I also would like to take this time to thank all of the amazing volunteers in this town. The fire volunteers are a good bunch. I have empathy for what they are going through. Jeff was their figurehead and leader and I know they are reacting with their hearts. I hope they stay and adapt to the department without Jeff. I would also really like to thank all of the volunteers that are putting in massive amounts of time and energy with no thanks or appreciation. I can't imagine how hard it must be to be a councilor, mayor, budget committee member, etc and dealing with such chaos. I am very appreciative of all of your hard work and dedication to your town! And those behind the scenes that are trying to help but are made fun of, you deserve much appreciation.
Katelin,
I suggest you ask the candidates if they would ever approve a retroactive building permit for a business owned by a city council member if it was against the advice of the city planner. That's what George got Carson to do right before he resigned. Seems less than ethical.
Dear Kamper:
Leave me out of your fight and while you're at it, go fuck yourself and your trouble making friends.
One other thing, I am damn sick and tired of people pulling up every damned little, personal item to throw at someone when they politically disagree with them. Insults, childish behavior and anonymous rude comments just have no place in this town anymore. We have no space for idiots like you anymore. We are out of money, almost out of staff and I, personally, am out of patience with posts like yours. Now if you have a concern about ethical behavior, or honesty or perhaps a clarification from a candidate regarding training, fine. Let me know. But don't use me to continue your immature stance and don't suggest I ask a question that I am not legally allowed to.
Katelin, No one dug up anything, just more lies to spread around. No building was built, they were prebuilt. I agree with your response. You go girl!!
Darlene
The outgoing City Administrator is preparing an organizational audit regarding city government, as promised to the City Council. He said in his contract termination letter that he will issue it. Maybe we should wait and read what it says. Or did anyone read what he said?
The outgoing City Administrator also issued a Temporary Permit to Kevin Benson for $300 that clearly says he has four months to get a Conditional Use Permit and a Site Plan Review for his new units. That seems straighfoward. Check the email correspondence between Larry Epstien and Rich Carson, and from Rich Carson and Kevin Benson.
Modular homes are pre-built you still need a permit. Not a great argument.
Talk to the Hood River County Building Official. He is the only person responsible for issuing a "building permit." There is no argument. It is just a fact.
It is obviously a non-issue to everyone but you. Get a life, volunteer for a committee or the senior potlatch why don't you?
Saying "get a life, volunteer for a committee.." is just changing the subject and running away from the facts. The building permit is issued by Hood River County. I prefer to deal in facts and not some conspiracy theory based in gossip by ill informed citizens.
Katelin, Please don't have a tantrum and tell someone to go fuck themselves if you don't like something you hear when you are interviewing the next city administrator. I would still like you to ask the candidates if they think the situation I described was ethical.
You keep asking the wrong question in order to serve you purpose. Tell me the difference between legal and ethical. I think you are really putting a spin on ethical. In other words, it was legal, but I didn't like it. So it must be unethical to serve my policitical mindset. Now that is unethical. What is legal is legal. It has nothing to do with your political justice.
KOA Kamper needs to first argue with Anonymous who thinks that it wasn't legal before we decide that it wasn't ethical. Get your stories straight guys. Besides I don't see where where she asked for anything but an idea of what you wanted in a CA, certainly she did not ask you for any specific questions.
Get a life. It is all legal and not unethical. Truth is no one here can actually ask a question about governance that makes any sense. It is all about fighting shadows that don't exist. It is the root cause of the sickness in Cascade Locks. No one has the ability to say... "Stop the madness."
Yeah, let's all start telling lies about George. Maybe if we try real hard we can get him to quit too and then this city will grind to a complete stop.
Eventually you get the government you deserve.
endless humor here.. Go CL GO... All of Oregon watching you...
Good night Cascade Locks.
Blah, blah, blah. He said blah, she said blah. I get enough of this from listening to my kids all day. Let's roll out the welcome mat for Hood River county to come and take what is left. That should be a riot!! Whoo hooo enjoy the ride!
I think we are at the point of no return. It's gonna get fixed or buried. There's no going back to the way it was.
Hey council, how bout you grow a pair and govern. We didn't elect you use polls and ouija board sessions to figure out what do, do what you believe is right and live with it.
http://i.imgur.com/ZO96B.gif
There is an obvious answer to this problem that none of you thought of.
Please share!
'The council COMPROMISING by not doing the 70/30 split with Tourism and the General Fund'. They finally realized how stupid and unsupported that idea was...
'The budget committee COMPROMISED by fully funding the fire department (no revenue was cut) and reversing taking $60,000. out of the fire department'. BS Fire dept was cut to the breaking point. Might as well cut revenue fully if you have no one to bring it in, idiot
'How about someone who is just successful and truthful? Wouldn't that be a nice change?' I simply wish you were truthful...
There is a lot the City Council could do to cut back on expenditures -- since they no longer control revenues. The problem is that none of the Council understand how a government works and they are getting rid of everyone on staff who does. The end result is a a diminished capacity. Imagine driving up to MacDonalds and being to to wait in line for an hour. That is what Cascade Locks is now. Diminished. Cascade Locks needs to make a mental shift. Tell the people you hire to generate as much much as they earn+. That is how you run a business. But most folks in Cascade Locks can't make the mental shift to a positive government. Most folks just want to bayonet the wounded. And achieves nothing.
If there was staff that understood how a government works, how did we get to the point we are now?
Paying back money you borrow seems like a pretty basic principle.
The notion that when an account has no money left in it you have to stop spending seems logical as well. Why else would you even bother keeping track of the balance?
While "diminished capacity" certainly seems to apply to a few quitters and losers, I don't believe it's endemic.
Apparently you don't understand how government works. The elected Council sets policy and the staff dutifully carries it out. Kind of basic. Don't bayonet the wounded. I can tell one true thing. The staff in city hall are sick and tired of this blame game. They would like to see all of the citizens of Cascade Locks grow up and create a more positive environment where everyone works together. Got a problem with that?
Anon @1:34 pm:
Imagine spelling McDonalds correctly, imagine telling the truth - that no one has been gotten rid of - everyone, repeat, everyone has QUIT! For what ever reasons you care to assign, they have chosen to leave. No one has been terminated, no one has been fired. There is a reason that the oath says the truth, the WHOLE truth...
I am so angry I can hardly contain myself. So Jeff volunteered to continue as a volunteer fire fighter and EMT and now the mayor is demanding Jeff turn in his gear and his keys or there would be legal action. What the hell is wrong with George and his followers what the hell is going on in this town? I am not interested in the regular bloggers and their stupid ass comments I want to hear from people who are as angry as I am. I want to do something to make sure we are heard if you are interested in invoking a change hang tough we are working on an informational meeting to get the truth out. Watch for a posting in the Post Office and keep your eyes peeled on the Hood River News. Sorry Jeff that a few bad ass apples have spoiled our town. I don’t even know you but I know you are a better person than this band of liars who wish nothing more than to turn this town over to the county and don’t care who they step on in the process. It may not seem like it but you have a lot of support.
"Apparently you don't understand how government works. The elected Council sets policy and the staff dutifully carries it out."
LOL, what have YOU been smoking (for the last 5 years)?
Dutiful staff, hahahahaha.
"Tell the people you hire to generate as much much as they earn+."
Okay Mr New CA, you and the front office need to generate more than $400,000.00 in the next 12 months.
Great idea, wish I could take credit for that one.
Not Anonymous for long because I am a idiot who doesn't know Jeff but is running off at the mouth saying stuff about this town, knows the Mayor well enough to use his first name and first insults and then threatens that we are working on an informational meeting. Yeah, sure I believe you.
This town seems to have a certain diminished capacity magnetism to it.
Don't fit in anywhere else? We got a spot for ya! (heck, we might even appoint you chief!!)
You are right. One way or the other they all took a Consitutional oath and they all quit on that basis. As public servants they can't break the oath.
Hey Anonymous 10:15 you little Meter Maid what the fuck are you talking about? Who the hell doesn’t know the mayors name or the ex-fire chiefs name? Hey dumb-shit read the paper. And then bite me!!!!!!
To Anonymous 9:48 what have I been smoking? Only the stuff I have been getting from Kevin!!!!!
Full Moon tonight.
A constitutional oath to; back date time cards, violate election laws, and miss-appropriate public funds? Well, I guess that is the basis they quit on anyway
Meter Maid?????
I hear Jeff's stuff makes you feel way better, but the bill makes you sick.
Anonymous 10:30 oh she knows who she is!
Uhhh - there is no anonymous at 10:30 Time to stop smoking the funny stuff.
What ever 10:42 Hope you feel good about your trash talk!! Cody you proud yet? Your Blog is really pulling people together!!!
Oh sorry 10:38 I was using my prescription drugs my back hurts!!!
The blog works just fine thank you.
I hear from those with enough common sense to realize that there are reasons why everything is happening and know the change we need.
And I hear from those who to be honest are making no sense at all to me.
So to those who get it thank you.
To those who do not you soon will?
So keep running around town and threatening to recall Council, the Budget Committee which has now diminished down to an “informational meeting” and another Hood River News Article.
All I can say is keep wasting your time.
I see your Hood River News Article and raise you.
I have been quite for a very good reason.
Around 2 months of virtual silence.
While you objectors have been spouting your crap I have been making change.
Again the blog works fine, as it keeps you objectors busy while I attack your front line and strip your defense to shreds.
Objectors you need to learn who your higher powers are and when to bring them into the game!!!
And I am not talking about council here as once again they will not have a choice in what happens.
They have to do what they are going to be ordered to do from that higher power again.
They do not have a choice in the matter anymore and you can blame previous councils and employees for that and now some of you.
So when are you going to get it?
When it is check and mate?
Well I have bad news for some of you.
Check and Mate!!!
Cody
The State Fire Marshall was at City Hall yesterday. Cleaning up another mess?
So I hear that the kids don't wanna play with our new firetruck anymore!
to July 14, 2011 10:31 PM
Are you sure it's not the stuff your brother-in -laws sells? It's been known to make you angry....
Now you're just getting too damn obscure. If you're going to be a screaming bitch, do it so we all can understand it.
Very Funny. You peope crack me up.
-RK
Actually, I think that Cascade Locks is becoming united. With the latest actions of the mayor to run off the fire department volunteers, including the ex-chief, and the termination of mutual aid agreement by Hood River County; the mayor and the majority of the City Council have proven themselves incompetent at the very least. Republicans, Democrats, Conservatives, Liberals, Citizens who have lived here their whole lives, and people who have moved here are uniting around this fact.
Ms. Stuart: I think that anyone who posts two statements like yours of the afternoon of the 13th should resign from the interview team. I am stunned by your incivility and immaturity. Certainly others in this blog who disagree with you have been immature, but you are representing the City in an official capacity in these interviews.
Mr. Mayor:
How are your actions in the last 48 hours - vis-a-vis the Fire Department - in the best interests of the safety of the people of Cascade Locks?
Why is everyone anonymous here? It's like you are afraid of the truth you pretend to speak. The folks who signed the Declaration of Independence signed their names on threat of hanging by the British. What are you afraid of?
Darlene Sullenger lied...imagine that...
Love 1:47 PM
Hey 1:56 PM: Gotta say I love your comic relief. To quote your post:
"Anonymous said... Why is everyone anonymous here?..."
That is priceless!!
Seriously, though, with the provocative nature (to put it mildly) of some of the comments by Darlene and Katelin on this blog and in public meetings(for example), I don't blame people for wanting to stay anonymous.
The 1:47 post makes me think of an interesting question for the mayor.
Is it the right thing to do to get rid of possibly the most qualified fire department volunteer in history, while not removing Katelin from the interview team after her unhinged public display in this blog on the 13th?
Here's the real issue:
Idiotic posters like you are unable to separate private behavior vs. public behavior. I am not a sworn official, I am not representing the city, I am assisting with a selection process. Suppressive tactics like yours are covered in First Amendment cases.
As a private citizen, I can have opinions and can choose to state them with whatever language I want to, in whatever venue I choose to (it's known as free speech.)
Utilizing swear words and refusing to be a part of a disenfranchising attempt is not unhinged, just using adult language. Did you read that button you pressed to get onto the blog?
As Lenny Bruce told the judge that "Ninety-eight percent of the words I used are correct words in Webster's Third New International Dictionary."
And, I sign my name which puts me on the high ground, way above you, coward.
Darlene didn't lie, your just stupid.
Is this blog censored?
I just tried a post three times...
You can quote anyone, anytime and it proves nothing other than can find quotes on the Internet. I have no idea how to end this war of words, other than to tell you that good people of good faith can work together. Personally, I think it is time to end all the cheap shots and for all of you to work together to make Cascade Locks a better place to live.
All you need to do is agree to a few simple principles and move on.
For example, I could critize everyone here all day long. But that would be pointless. I like everyone I ever me in Cascade Locks. Being annoying is a perception and not a reality.
Well Cody, I've just tried a post 10 times that you are censoring. How do I know this? because you have let another of my posts in and there have been several others during that time.
It is time for a new Cascade Locks blog that acutally does what it says, and does not censor posts.
Kate,
Ah, you too are getting fed up with the Anonymous posters that are both too lazy to research their facts, and too cowardly to sign their names.
Pointless to debate with any of those spineless, uninformed whiners.
Too bad. This could become a great place to debate the issues and maybe even start bringing us together as a community.
It's time to learn that the page loads automatically with a Google account request and you need to change it to Anon or (hahaha) sign your name to your post and wait for it to accept it. There is no censoring, just an impatience on your part to smack someone down before the customer leaves.
5:06 PM : testing your theory - this one will post... the next one won't becuase Cody doesn't like it
Yup, just tried it again... this one will post...
Gary,
I do feel we are dialoging - those of us willing to sign our names.
I regard most of the anonymous signers with an occasional flash of angered frustration but mostly with an amused tolerance. Their rebellious responses seem to come only from 3 or 4 citizens who have shown such an irresistible force vs. an immovable object style ignorant stubbornness. Occasionally I am amazed that a black hole doesn't materialize within the Council chambers. There's a glorious faux-plausibility to the proceedings lately. As Juvenal said, "Panem et circenses."
Well, 5:06 PM - just to let you know, you are incorrect. I've tried now over ten times to post a specific thought and it has not shown up here. it is the same computer, the post does not have too many character.
This blog is censored.
Any swear words? Cause google will censor things or kick them into Cody's email for him to look at later - like when he's back home.
Kate,
I'll drink to that.
Just pulled out Katelin's quoted swear word... still didn't post
I'm curious... which one do you consider a swear word? BTW, all of my posts go right through, swear words or not.
Even the occasional anonymous ones I post just to fuck with somebody.
Ms. Stuart:
Your post on 7/13:
"while you're at it, go fuck yourself and your trouble making friends."
Well, Cody, there goes that theory:
Same computer, and a swear word this time, and it went through from both Ms. Stuart's post and mine... why not the other post??
I do not censor anything.
But this is in my email more than 10 times and I do not see it on the blog so let me see if my computer will get the job done for you.
You may wish to clean your cache as that works 9 times out of ten for people having the problem you mention.
I guess I need to post the info from Google on why this happens on the front page of the blog.
It seems it did not work on a comment in the past.
When I get some free time I will do this to end these claims I censor when I do not.
So is this what is not going through for you?
Cody
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "July 07, 2011, Special Council Meeting.":
Ms. Stuart,
Thanks for your response - if you are responding to me (post at 1:47PM today).
Here are some of your words from three different posts on this blog:
1.) “Insults, childish behavior and anonymous rude comments just have no place in this town anymore.”
2.) “and while you're at it, go f*** yourself and your trouble making friends.”
3.) And just now you called me a “coward” and an “idiot”
I did not call you names. What I said was that I was stunned by your incivility and immaturity (while pointing out that some who have opposed you have been immature as well), and I asked you to resign from the interview team. Yet you were rude to me and insulted me.
If my words “in an official capacity” do not accurately describe you being on the interview team for the new city administrator during a forthcoming official City Council meeting (see agenda online), then I withdraw them.
I agree, you have the right to use swear words in the expression of your opinions (I personally think that right would extend to you even if you were a sworn city official during meetings, as long as you were not violating an employment or other law in doing so).
But just because you have the right to do something doesn’t mean it is “the right thing to do”.
Posted by Anonymous to WhosCity?OurCity!!! at July 15, 2011 4:42 PM
Worked for me.
Clean your cache.
You have garbage confussion creating the problem not me censoring.
Cody
I am sorry all you anonymous's look alike. I am not on the agenda for anything except as a member of one of three interview panels. We are to write down our preference of one of two candidates. If we still have two by tomorrow. No addressing anybody, no appearances. Now let's take care of the rest of this.
1) You were rude in not signing your name and in assigning your made up rules of conduct to someone else.
2) Still feel that way for anyone who thinks they have the right to put their words in my mouth (referring to my request for CA abilities and qualities) just to keep their fight going. You want to talk to George and Kevin about it - you go talk to George and Kevin about. Leave me out of your stupid little schoolyard fight.
3) I called you a coward and an idiot because it is obvious you are both.
If you are not a coward, then sign your name and let's have a real discussion and not one where you think you have the right to tell me “the right thing to do.”
And you could thank me for the help I just gave you for getting your post on here. Only an idiot would start screaming when they are doing something wrong instead asking for Cody's help, you accused him of censorship. That's the sort of paranoiac reaction I've come to expect from any anonymous on this blog.
OMG.. THE RECALL IS COMING,ALL GOES EXCEPT LANCE AND EVA... CAN'T WAIT......THEN AND ONLY THEN WILL THE CITY GET BACK ON THERE FEET...(IF THE SPELLING IS WRONG TO DAMN BAD READ BETWEEN THE LINES)
guess we might as well replace the no show fireslackers too.
I've heard of news hot off the press but this getting ridiculous! Kirby knows the volunteers aren't responding to calls before they do? He knew that Jeff quit before the council and mayor knew. Kirby also said in the Saturday paper that the council eliminated the paid fire chief position. When did that happen? Oh, it didn't! Kirby is so slanted on town politics I'm surprised he can stand up. I wrote a letter to the HRN disputing Kirby's figures. I took him all of the correct figures and the documentation to back them up. He states that my figures are correct but he verified his figures with Rich Carson after the June 6th council meeting. Here's a news flash, there wasn't a June 6th council meeting! What Kirby told me when I spoke to him right after he wrote the bogus article was that Jeff Pricher gave him the figures about his wages. It seems like you can't trust the news paper to even try to report the facts.
Darlene
I forgot to mention that he lost the first draft of my letter and I had to send it in twice. I hope that the rest of you out there try to stay up on his misrepresentations of the facts and let the Hood River News know that we expect a better accounting of the news.
Darlene
Cody, If you get a chance could you put Denny Smith's contact information back up? I went back looking for it and can't find it.
Thanks, Darlene
Kate,
Thank you for helping me to post my prior post, and thank you for your work with the Food Bank.
Seriously, and no irony or sarcasm intended, I have similarly volunteered for both food banks and clothing banks in my day, and I must tell you that this is the highest work of human hands...
I just ask you to step back a moment, and look at your own recent statements on this blog, and your own statements to me...
First, I am confident that if you knew who I were, you would be embarassed by your description of me (coward and idiot). I am neither. I am human and have made mistakes in my life, but I am not a coward. I do believe in your basic goodness, and therefore will gently remind you of that when you depart from that through anger or whatever.
I will go to my grave with my anonymous status for reasons that I choose to not explain.
Can you be sure that I am an idiot and a coward? What if I am a disabled veteran with PTSD and can only find the courage to make it through another day because of the horrors I have encountered and what this country has asked me to do? What if I am a Senior that is reliant on the goodness of so many citizens of Cascade Locks so that I can continue to survive?
In any case, I assure you, Kate, that if you knew who you were hurling these insults towards, you would be ashamed, and likely would break into tears. Again, I say this because I believe in your goodness.
Don't conflate me with the person who tried to include you in a "schoolyard fight". I am not that person.
I am merely a person who knows you are better than your coarse insults - and better than your haughty, superior, latin-quoting put-downs.
I believe in your soul, Kate.
It's the "let's re-write history to suit our needs" routine.
The "I forgot" excuse is gonna be kinda difficult, he broke the "Pricher RESIGNS" story what, a whole week ago?
But ya never know, a Kirby is a vacuum isn't it?
So the volunteers, being public servants are refusing to do their lawful duty that is clearly inherent in the nature of the office they hold because they want to keep the chief and harm this council publically?
ORS 162.415 Official misconduct in the first degree. (1) A public servant commits the crime of official misconduct in the first degree if with intent to obtain a benefit or to harm another:
(a) The public servant knowingly fails to perform a duty imposed upon the public servant by law or one clearly inherent in the nature of office; or
(b) The public servant knowingly performs an act constituting an unauthorized exercise in official duties.
(2) Official misconduct in the first degree is a Class A misdemeanor. [1971 c.743 §215]
I would think the volunteers may want to rethink that decision.
Enough is enough because if someone dies or property is lost because of this type of action I have news for the volunteers.
If the city gets sued so will the volunteers, for failure to do their fiduciary duty by refusing to respond.
So that is another thing to think about volunteers.
So it boils down to this. Do you, or do you not, want to be a volunteer.
Because all you are doing by this type of action is putting your personal livelihoods at risk of a law suit.
All it would take for me to file criminal charges is get the call log and incident reports and take to the district attorney.
The crimes’ have already occurred and that fact cannot be changed.
So from a citizen all I can say is, you have until Monday night to work this out.
If you cannot come to terms with the duties you are bound to by title of your position, resign and turn in your equipment so we as a city know what we have to work with, so we can move on without you.
That’s how to deal with a problem.
Now until this point I called you volunteers, firefighters and heroes of our town.
But when your actions endanger the lives, safety and welfare of the general public and disrespect firefighters and the ethics that they stand for, I have a problem keeping that respect I may have once held for you.
And respect is the hardest thing in life to earn back.
And right now you are playing a dnagerous game with peoples lives and property and that is all you are doing.
Cody
Now all you citizens whom keep interrupting the meetings.
If I was the mayor I would trade my gavel in for a cell phone.
ORS 162.235 Obstructing governmental or judicial administration. (1) A person commits the crime of obstructing governmental or judicial administration if the person intentionally obstructs, impairs or hinders the administration of law or other governmental or judicial function by means of intimidation, force, physical or economic interference or obstacle.
(2) This section shall not apply to the obstruction of unlawful governmental or judicial action or interference with the making of an arrest.
(3) Obstructing governmental or judicial administration is a Class A misdemeanor. [1971 c.743 §198; 1981 c.902 §1]
ORS 162.455 Interfering with legislative operations. Any person not a member of the Legislative Assembly who engages in conduct in or near the legislative chambers of either house or in or near any meeting of a joint, standing, interim or special committee of either house, wherever held, with the intention of interrupting, disrupting or otherwise interfering with the orderly conduct of business therein, or who gains or seeks to gain access to the chambers or meeting in such manner shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. [1971 c.276 §1]
ORS 166.025 Disorderly conduct in the second degree. (1) A person commits the crime of disorderly conduct in the second degree if, with intent to cause public inconvenience, annoyance or alarm, or recklessly creating a risk thereof, the person:
(a) Engages in fighting or in violent, tumultuous or threatening behavior;
(b) Makes unreasonable noise;
(c) Disturbs any lawful assembly of persons without lawful authority;
(d) Obstructs vehicular or pedestrian traffic on a public way;
(e) Congregates with other persons in a public place and refuses to comply with a lawful order of the police to disperse;
(f) Initiates or circulates a report, knowing it to be false, concerning an alleged or impending fire, explosion, crime, catastrophe or other emergency; or
(g) Creates a hazardous or physically offensive condition by any act which the person is not licensed or privileged to do.
(2) Disorderly conduct in the second degree is a Class B misdemeanor. [1971 c.743 §220; 1983 c.546 §5; 2001 c.104 §55; 2005 c.631 §1]
You see the secret to power is knowing what power you hold to begin with.
Now the mayor has the power and you don’t.
It was not this council who drove this car off the cliff.
It is those disrupting this council and their followers.
Cody
Cody, really... get clue! The volunteers do not have a fiduciary responsibility you idiot... they are volunteers! Fiduciary means they are paid, last time I checked they weren't, cause the council cancelled their contract. Next, there is no OATH of office for volunteers. Being that they are volunteers, they are not working shifts, so no one is actually on duty. They respond when they can. You sure can talk a big talk but in most of the "law" stuff you have posted about fire your facts are misleading and in a lot of ways does not apply. Maybe you should be part of the solution instead of ranting. It sure is easy to point out flaws, but I dont see you trying to mend any bridges.
Maybe the mayor should have been more of a leader and reached out to the volunteers and former chief. Seems he was too good to reach out to anyone including current city hall staff. Thats not leadership material in my book. Our mayor is a pathetic excuse of an elected official. This should have never been allowed to get to where it is now. I don't blame a group of volunteers, I blame him!
A fiduciary duty (from Latin fiduciarius, meaning "(holding) in trust"; from fides, meaning "faith", and fiducia, meaning "trust") is a legal or ethical relationship of confidence or trust regarding the management of money or property.
Property: they have received training and and gear and utilize our equipment. One does not have to be paid.
I believe in your soul too Kate, look into my eyes Kate, Your getting sleepy Kate, very sleepy...lol
Yaaaaawwwwwnnnnnnn........
The Mayor, Kevin, Don and Tiffany fired the volunteer fire fighters as of 07-15-11 see the last 10 minutes of the 07-15-11 council meeting on YouTube. There is no question about it they were let go. Kevin stated the volunteers won't respond to emergency calls therefore emergency calls must go to Hood River. He has NO evidence to back up this statement none. Yet the majority of the council votes for a policy which eliminates emergency calls going Cascade Locks Volunteers.
Emergency calls will go to Hood River Fire. I think what bothers me most about these four is the fact they behave as if this is all a big shock to them. Really? The good citizens of Cascade Locks have been begging for you to listen. Over and over again council meeting after council meeting citizens have asked what will happen if you start down the path of eliminating the Fire Chief. What will happen with our insurance? What’s the plan? To which Don said nothing would happen because his agent told him so. We have asked what will happen with our volunteers? Who will train our fire fighters? What’s the plan? We were told no worries it’s all good. What will happen is we lose our mutual aid contracts? What’s the plan? To which we were told that is not going to happen. Even though there was a letter sent to the City Administrator from Hood River County Fire Defense Board Chief dated 05-27-11 stating “I do feel it is my responsibility that I inform you if drastic changes are made in the management of your fire and emergency response effecting Incident Command Systems qualified scene managers and fire fighters, our mutual aid compacts could be jeopardized.” Won’t it cost more money if we have to pay Hood River for covering Cascade Locks? What’s the plan? The answer, there is nothing to worry about that is not going to happen. Well here we are and it happened just as your citizens predicted. This council set out to be fiscally responsible and instead they have cost this city more money they and hurt the firefighters they ran off numerous good civil servants’ and have showed complete disregard for the citizens of Cascade Locks. The question is why? The answer I believe is a personal vendetta all for the purpose of destroying Bernard and Jeff and to thrash the former mayors, it is all about jealousy and power tripping. You had many other options for moving the city forward then the path of total destruction which you seem to believe is the correct path. I help put you in power and I will help remove you. I am more certain then ever a Re-Call is in order. To the citizens working on the re-call effort can you post something at the post office and let us know who we can contact if we would like to help?
Hood River News: 7/15/11
"CL Fire Not in service"
"They have stopped responding because we feel our safety is in jeopardy" Webb said.
Seems as though they quit.
I've had enough. I like three of the four of them, but the mayor, Kevin, Don and Tiffany are proving that they are "all hat and no cattle" when it comes to running the city.
Cody, you are like someone testing the emissions of the tail pipe of a bus that is being driven off a cliff - with your never-endng "ORS..." posts
This is over. People's lives are at stake.
Where do I sign up for the recall?
The bus was already driven off the cliff.
So if you recall these council members for something they did not create does that mean I can tar and feather those who are truly responsible or how about a public stoning?
Now I will give you partial credit for the all hat and no cattle bit.
But I will put it this way to fit my take on it.
This council is being controlled by stress.
They are so afraid to offend anyone that the stress becomes worry.
When they worry, the time that needs to be spent on the problem is spent thinking about the worry.
What this council needs to do is grow a set and run this like a business.
The first thing is this council needs to do is go to our ex chief and tell him, you may have been ordered to fix the books but you knew it was wrong, it was a crime and it violated the principles of firefighters worldwide.
You mismanaged this department to the point that we can no longer afford to pay you.
You have violated the Oregon rules of ethics for advertising your personal business on government web sites.
You have built these web sites for this city and other agencies and did so without permission from this council or the other agencies.
The videos on these governmental web sites violate copyright laws as you used copyright protected music without permission.
These videos represent production companies that do not exist.
You have your personal videos some of which contain controversial subject matter on these governmental web sites.
You have over $400,000.00 from your budget reflected in the auditor’s report and those funds are not reflected in your department’s expenses.
You had FCC licensed radio spectrum owned by the City and Hood River County licensed in your name.
You got the city into a grant obligation with no permission from the Council.
Now you refuse to submit to the council the monthly reports you promised.
Now you resign and make yourself an assistant fire chief.
Well I have news for you, that takes approval from council and at this point we are sorry but you need to go so we can recover and move forward.
Now that is the first action this council should have done long ago and did not.
But no I see this council letting stress control them and grow.
Cut off the head of the snake and the stress will start to go away.
Cody
The next thing I would do is go to the volunteers.
I would tell them that public employees cannot go on strike.
That their actions constitute criminal negligence under the law.
That they are either a volunteer firefighter or they are not and to decide quickly.
Because if they do not end this illegal strike they are engaged in that the city will take the matter to the District Attorney to file criminal negligence charges against all volunteers who are striking.
I would end with resign and turn in all city equipment or fulfill your duties under the office you hold.
That would deal with that problem and it just takes growing a set.
Cody
Then I would pull in the budget committee.
I would have them tear the books apart beyond the line item.
I would want an accounting of everything in that department since the fire hall project began.
When the committee runs into items which cannot be verified from the records we keep today then recommend to council solutions to remedy this problem for the future.
Then when you know what you have to work with beyond the line item, they may be able to budget a paid position and maybe even the volunteers in the near future?
I would also pull in the City Services Committee.
I would have them empty the file cabinets of all legislation.
I would have them using a risk assessment study for government go through all legislation and ensure that;
It is in compliance with the law.
It is written to protect the department from the fund, administration and policy level to the point that the city is able to generate all revenue allowed under the law and no abuses ever occur again.
It is written to protect the intention of the department and the city.
It is written to ensure transparency in the audit process.
It is written with a policy so strong that abuse is prevented from happening and department heads and employees are limited to the powers the council allows and legally and financially responsible for misuse in accordance to the law.
It is written to protect those it was meant to protect being the people.
And most importantly I would codify the legislation.
At the same time I would form a charter review committee.
The purpose of this committee would be to re write our charter to support the legislative changes so the abuses that have been happening never happen again without a vote of the people.
Have all these committees report not only to council but to each other as they are going to run into issues which are the jurisdiction of the other committee’s to look into.
Such as the budget committee finds that the records the city now uses do not reflect the total time spent by an employee on a daily basis nor does the record show what the employee was doing.
So throw it back to the city services committee to make it a part of a policy discussion and find a solution to recommend to council.
Rip the books and legislation apart and reorganize because that is where we are at.
So those who suggest I am doing nothing to help.
Might I suggest you read the proposed city services packet I submitted to the mayor Friday.
If you really want to see how to begin fixing it read it.
And to those who have a better idea let’s hear it.
So put up or shut up as at least I am trying. Which is more than I can say for the cry babies who come to the table with no attempt to present a solution to the problems.
Cody
Cody, could you post the link to the new meeting on the blog so we can all watch what a dick Lance was at the meeting.
'So if you recall these council members for something they did not create does that mean I can tar and feather those who are truly responsible or how about a public stoning?'
Always placing blame elsewhere! Previous councils/majors, always someone else. The current council and budget committee OBVIOUSLY caused this stupid mess, instead of trying to move us forward, make he community better, our community was hi-jacked and forced to take severe money-wasting steps backwards.
Who died and made you god, Cody? Talk to the volunteers, with all this 'power' you speak of. I shouldn't even be wasting one moment of my life...but I simply once need to say you are an unemployed trouble-maker with deluded convictions that you are important while you continue 'living off the system' fella with no other value than to create a blog to be heard.
'And to those who have a better idea let’s hear it.
So put up or shut up as at least I am trying. Which is more than I can say for the cry babies who come to the table with no attempt to present a solution to the problems.'
I am finished wasting any time here, as you Cody & cronies, are not worth it... Keep stroking each other-all 5 of you! SOON THIS WILL BE YOUR ONLY PODIUM.
Many fine, intelligent people have presented solutions and options-to no avail. Few elected council members listen.
Time to rebuild the community with people of integrity. Get ready for the recall friends and fellow citizens! We want our city back! NOW!
Again you have to resort to the personal insults. Integrity would mean not calling someone names who is volunteering his time on a city committee in order to improve things. Integrity would not mean threatening people or calling them unemployed because they don't agree with you.
I'll bet you want YOUR city back. Then you shouldn't have given it away to people like Jeff, or Bernard, or Brad. People who utilized their offices to feather their own nests or sell their souvenirs or build personal loyalty rather than loyalty to the town. The brainwashed volunteers are not going to get Jeff back. Scream all you want, but learn to accept the current reality. He cannot resign and appoint himself to a position he wants. The insurance company and the other fire departments have put their collective foot down.
I would love to talk to the volunteers. Who are they? What are their names? How many of them are there and what training have they had? Why doesn't the administrative arm of the City have these answers? Hell, why don't I as a citizen have access to these answers?
When will they realize that they will lose their personal certifications? Jeff is taking vacations right now. Do you want to bet whether he is looking elsewhere? Did you think he is able to stay here without a job? What are you all going to do when your beloved leader leaves and you're still here?
Oops, we don't have to... they resigned.
I agree that citizens have the right to change their government and that a recall is one of the processes available for them to determine if a change is wanted by the majority.
What I disagree with is any group attempting to coerce, intimidate, or bully any public body into following that groups demands. A government that allows itself to be unduly influenced by any minority isn't protecting the interests or rights of all citizens. People who rely on mob tactics such as disrupting public meetings, intimidation, threatening action or even inaction have no interest in democracy, their only care is about themselves and getting what they believe they are entitled to regardless of the cost to the rest of the community. They have no interest in what the entire community really wants or needs.
Mob rule isn't democracy.
Dig Dup
"I learned it from watching you!"
Who are you kidding if it's good enough for the screamers like Sandra,Kate and Darlene then I guess it is good enough for all.We have hours of tape of the three of them yelling!!!!! Never heard you scold them maybe you would like to right now. Keepin' it real and all!
No one has died yet but let’s give it some time at this rate.
And just what do you know about me?
Not a damn thing.
I’ll tell you what.
Put your name on here and I will shove every diploma, certification, certificate of achievement and license I hold along with my work history and shove it right down your throat you smart ass SOB.
So bring yours bitch if you have the nerve and we will see who has accomplished more in ones life!!!
You know nothing about me and my history but if you did you might understand a thing or two.
Do you really think Deputy State Fire Marshall, Ted Megart, just happened along into this?
Oh hell no.
I brought him into this months ago as I seen this meltdown coming.
He has all the proof he needs down to the criminal and professional rules of conduct acts violations.
He feels the chief needs to step down!!!
Ask him.
By now he should have contacted the volunteers and I do not think they are going to like what he has to say.
He has also suggested that the city repeal all powers and restrict the city to the state powers allowed.
I know his vehicle was at City Hall the other day.
I cannot wait to learn what was said then.
I have a very good idea.
And I did catch a few things in the last meeting about that meeting last night.
You people do not have a clue of how high up the chain of command this goes.
So blame council and budget folks. They had nothing to do with it and did not even know it was happening until they got their notices from the true higher powers.
Which was not me as you think, aside from because of me.
So now what are you going to force me to do take the evidence to the State Police?
Trust me if you truly care about the ex chief, it is best that he leaves on his own just like our previous administrator did.
But I would have no problem doing that, as I always hold government to a higher standard than any citizen.
I do not need to speak with the volunteers.
All the volunteers need to know is that if I, or someone I love, gets harmed or losses property, due to this rebellion of theirs, that I will sue their asses off personally.
From a citizen to the title of the office they are bound by duty to respectfully hold and fulfill the terms thereof.
And right now I am at the point of filing a criminal negligence criminal complaint with the District Attorney to protect myself and those I love and care for at this time.
Like I said they have until Monday Night to work it out, or resign, as this city needs to move forward and begin a healing process.
Cody
There's that pesky mosquito again.. quiet at the social outrage and souvenir shop?
Dig Dug.
I have to totally agree with you except one thing.
We are not a democracy. We are a nation built upon a republic form of government.
Democracy is mob rule.
Democracy is illegal in our nation.
Believing we were a democracy is what put us in the situation we are in.
No democracy has ever survived.
Now if you would like I can put a 7 page Oregon Attorney General Opinion about my very statement on this blog.
It may serve this blog well to understand this misconception.
But other than that you were right on the mark.
Cody
And Darlene get ahold of me so I can see what it is you want.
If you do not know how let me know and I will track you down.
Now to see if last nights meeting has completed the copyright check and if so a new page.
Mob rule, yeah, that's exactly what we have going on here...
Cody, you're funny and so very full of yourself...
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