HomeMy WebLinkAbout040724 email - Task Force Formation and Methodology Document_ OutlineALERT: BE CAUTIOUS This email originated outside the organization. Do not open attachments or click on links if you are not expecting them.
Dear Commissioners Dean, Eisenhour, and Brotherton,
I just read through the "Task Force Formation and Methodology" document/ outline to be presented at tomorrow's BOCC meeting. This document is exactly what I expected and is exactly why
I did not apply to become a member of the task force. It does not look like the Task Force is going to be guided by the citizens who have volunteered to serve on the task force. This
document mostly suggests a curriculum of information along with presentations that the task force members will be forced to absorb, which just regurgitates the past poor judgements
and bad decisions made by the Healthier Together Steering Committee, City of Port Townsend electeds and staff, and Jefferson County elections and staff. The document states that presentations
will be made by Brotherton, Dean, Eisenhour, Mauro, McCauley, Barth, and Opsis. Reference is also made to presentations by the consultants who reviewed the Mountain View facility, but
no reference as to who specifically will be performing those presentations, i.e. will WTI and CG Engineering be presenting, or will it only be DCW Cost Management?
At the BOCC meeting on Monday the 8th of April during the 3:00 pm session, I recommend not pursuing and not approving this "Task Force Formation and Methodology" concept being pushed
by those who have already miserably failed with the pool/ aquatic center related issues. The task force citizen volunteers need to set their own agenda and curriculum, and call on electeds
and staff for assistance only when the task force members deem this to be necessary. The intention of the task force should not be to be force fed information from the members of the
pool "group think" tank, but to do the following:
1. Determine whether or not there is a viable strategy that refurbishes and renovates the existing Mountain View facility and make this priority #1 for the public's best use of existing
resources. I am confident that there is a way to do this that has, unfortunately, been strategically and maliciously subverted thus far. The task force should take a deep dive in ironing
this out.
2. If it is determined that a viable strategy for refurbishing Mountain View is truly not possible, consider an alternative site for a future new pool facility in the Port Hadlock area.
Consider this option as a practical pool facility only, not as a "Taj Mahal" aquatic center.
3. Develop a strategy for privately funding the building of the possible new facility, with a public/ private partnership including an inter-local agreement for ongoing operational and
maintenance expenses; no PFD.
That is all! Nothing else should be part of the task force methodology, especially not the formation of a PFD. No public monies should be considered for building a new pool facility.
The building of a pool with public funds is way down on the list of essential community priorities needing to be funded. If the task force concept proceeds as is currently defined and
outlined, the process will be nothing more than a monumental waste of time for all those involved, and just a "kangaroo court" to deflect pressure away from the electeds and staff for
the preceding pool/ aquatic center discussion failures, thus making task force members culpable for the potentially poor decisions the electeds and staff will potentially and inevitably
make going forward.
My confidence in your ability to deal with this issue in a practical and non-politicized way is extremely low. The special interests of the few are outweighing the needs of the many.
Please do the right things as you proceed with the pool and aquatic center issue decision making process. Stop pushing regressive taxing methodology on the citizenry.
Sincerely,
Mark L Grant