HomeMy WebLinkAbout022425 email - Full text_ 3 minute verisionALERT: BE CAUTIOUS This email originated outside the organization. Do not open attachments or click on links if you are not expecting them.
Good morning Commissioners and staff,
I appreciate the time granted this morning, but was unable to provide the full 3 minutes of my comments so here they are. My appologies for this odd pink text, I cannot alter it for
some reason unknown to me.
Greg-
You missed the mark when you accused me of politicizing this issue. This is not about politics. This is about process, participation, sharing of information, and leadership. This is
about YOU hearing from only one side. I KNOW that I am hearing from one side and I am telling you that you MUST hear from both. The consequences of failure are far too great to ignore.
We have seen too many problems caused from the bottleneck of our commissioners being isolated from the dialogue with the developer. We need you. We want you to roll up your sleeves
and help solve this problem. I have confidence in your ability to shed light on the dark corners of this complicated and consequential barrier to the mutual benefit of the county and
the development. I know that you can help facilitate and expedite the PROCESS, not the politics, IF you engage.
Nobody, least of all me, has ever asked for the cutting of corners. That comment was not an accurate characterization of what is being asked. The failures we are seeing - serve as a
repellent to contractors. Who can blame them? It has nothing to do with a desire to cut corners. It's all about doing things the right way and being able to get through the process
with a reasonable expectation of collaboration and competence from the permitting agency. I am not blaming you, or anyone else, for these failures. But it is obvious that there is room
for improvement in the process, and you are in a position to push in the right direction.
When your subordinates are failing, it is not about politics. It is about lack of accountability and a lack of solutions. It's about lack of support and engagement on the part of the
top of the food chain. Doesn’t the buck stop with the County Commissioners? YOU can help DCD and you can help the developer. We need you to do that for the benefit of the entire county.
I am going to use a quote I stole from Heather during a recent update on MUNIC. She said: “Every large task is broken down into a lot of small ones”.
This project is not so insurmountable as they would have you believe. You have accomplished big things before, and you can do it again. You can help DCD improve their process. You can
help lift people out of poverty in South County and bring them stable employment. You can help bring dozens of recreational activities to the community. You can help bring hundreds
of homes to market. You can help bring in a boatload of new taxes that will support all the taxing beneficiaries and services. You can help give the county 2 new pools in Brinnon, which
will be built without taxpayer dollars and are open to the public. Don’t do it for the developer. Do it for the people.