Letters to the editor, August 6, 2008Yes on hospital levyThere is tremendous competition from hospitals and health systems across the country to recruit and retain primary and specialty care physicians and the ever so important health professionals who work with them. Seven years on the Olympic Medical Center Board of Commissioners (Public Hospital District #2) has convinced me that the OMC will be seriously challenged to provide the latest in new medical technology to a fully staffed cross-section of medical specialists and primary care physicians without additional financial support from the individual property owners (patients) within this wonderful rural community. When completing your Aug. 19 primary election ballot, please vote yes on the proposed hospital tax levy. Harlan Knudson Sequim A nod for Judge Robin Hunt We are often asked our opinion on judicial candidates. We wholeheartedly endorse re-election of Judge Robin Hunt to the Washington State Court of Appeals, Division II. Every case we hear in the Clallam County Superior Court can be appealed to the Court of Appeals. It is important that an appellate judge have clear thinking, a full knowledge of the law and the experience to apply the law fairly in any given situation. Judge Hunt has these attributes and has excelled as an appellate court judge. Please vote to retain her. Judge Ken Williams Judge George Wood Judge S. Brooke Taylor Commissioner Brent Basden Once a great nation Although it is disputed by many people, this country, America, was founded by men who, for the most part, wanted its governance and character to bring glory to God. For many years, God has blessed this nation far beyond any other in the history of mankind. This, I believe, is because for many years we honored Him and kept His word. In recent years this has changed. As a nation we have turned our back on Him and told Him to get out of our lives. This, in turn, has led to all sorts of moral depravity. As a nation, we deserve the judgment of God. I believe that has been taking place for some time. I don’t think I need to explain that. We have heard a lot about the need for change in our society and in our government. The most important change we need is for God-fearing people to follow the promise from God in 2 Chronicles 7:14, “? to humble themselves and pray, and seek His face, and turn from their wicked ways ?” that He will hear, forgive us, and heal our land. Perhaps, once again, He will bless us and make us the great nation we once were. Paul Hanson Sequim Alternatives to disc golf course I’ve read commentary that The Sequim Gazette has published, as well as that which is now posted at the Clallam County Web site (http://www.clallam.net/CountyParks/html/parks_current.htm), regarding disc golf at Robin Hill Farm County Park and I have had the opportunity to review the maps of the proposed course which also are posted on the site — one of which was published in the Sequim Gazette on July 2. While my basic position of not being in favor of the proposed modifications to the park has not changed, it has occurred to me that there may be a compromise implementation that would appeal to all parties. Here are the specifics of such a compromise. Build a nine-hole course by retaining the holes numbered 18, 17, 16, 1, 2, 3, 4, 7 and 8 while dropping all the rest. Note that this change spares the meadow, spares having to remove an existing pedestrian trail and spares having to remove any equestrian trails (assuming holes 7 and 8 can be moved slightly to the east). Disc golf players who want to play 18 holes can still do so by playing the nine-hole course twice — just as I currently run a six-mile route in the park by running a three-mile loop twice. Benefits of the compromise that I see are: • Lower cost — it might allow the addition of the often-discussed portable toilet near the Dryke Road parking lot. • Concentrates the course near the Dryke Road parking lot. • Effectively hides the golf course from other users of the park. • Avoids the current conflict where an existing pedestrian path crosses the proposed 12th fairway. • Retains the “meadow” in its current form — a major and beautiful asset of the park. • Allows a minimal footprint “baby step” for all to experience to inform a future dialogue regarding a larger disc golf course. • Gets the disc golf players playing sooner than later. • Avoids routing pedestrians and their dogs through the forested southeast corner of the park where I have observed (and photographed) coyotes. • Avoids building a second trail (for equestrians) through that same southeast corner and further impinging on the coyote habitat there. David Stahl Sequim Send disc golf comments here Recently an article was published in your paper concerning the Dosewallips Road rebuild near Brinnon stating that the Olympic National Forest is seeking public comment but with no contact information mentioned. Please note comments for or against can be made by writing Olympic National Forest, 1835 Black Lake Blvd., S.W., Suite A, Olympia, WA 98512, or by e-mail to pacific-northwest-olympic@fs.fed.us. Also in regards to the disc golf course at Robin Hill Farm, comments for or against can be sent, note by July 31, to 223 E. Fourth St., Suite 7, Port Angeles, WA 98362 or e-mail parks@co.clallam.wa.us. Personally, I favor reopening the Dosewallips Road. As it stands now only an elite group can access the trails and campground as a 13-mile road hike is required to reach the trailhead. Commenting upon the disc golf course at Robin Hill Farm, I feel as if your July 23 edition was totally biased toward opening the park to disc golfers as no against editorials were presented. Instead of destroying a picturesque serene setting for others, hikers, walkers and equestrians, it seems other more multiuse settings such as Carrie Blake Park should be considered. John Swearngin Sequim Election 2008 It’s time to check your income stream. Are you a middle income or low income wage earner? Are you a retired person living on a small fixed income? The Tax Policy Center has said that “The McCain tax plan would make the tax system more regressive — even compared with a system in which the 2001-2006 tax cuts are made permanent — because it would give huge tax cuts to households at the very top of the income distribution but little tax relief to those at the bottom of the income scale.” Remember the $829 billion deficit gift that we just received from the current Bush administration? Think what we could have done to use that money for infrastructure projects here in the United States rather than in the Iraq war. The best example of failure in this area is in the state of Minnesota where the Republican Party is getting ready for their convention. They want to drive attention away from the disastrous bridge failure on I-35 that is an example of the nation’s crumbling road and bridge infrastructure. It’s no wonder that they are doing this since Gov. Pawlenty is reported to be on John McCain’s short list for vice president. Politico.com has reported that “The state of Minnesota was recently highlighted in House legislation for spending only 51 percent of its federal bridge funding on bridges over the past five years. Just last weekend, a 1,200-pound slab of concrete fell from the bottom of a St. Paul bridge, damaging two vehicles.” The American Society of Civil Engineers (ACSE) has estimated that $1.6 trillion is needed over a five-year period to bring the nation’s infrastructure to a good condition. It is time to spend our tax dollars on road and bridge infrastructure to bring it up to acceptable standards of safety. Michael L. McCarty Port Angeles More zoning questions With regard to the zoning issues related to the proposed crematory in Carlsborg, the county, thus far, has taken the position that a crematory would be appropriate as a “materials processing” facility, rather than as a service for the disposal of human remains. However, under state law, operation of any such crematory would be subject to a permit issued by the Cemetery Board and the crematory would be regulated by the Cemetery Board. (Chapter 68.05 RCW “Cemetery board”; RCW 18.39.217.) The county should question why it proposes to allow a crematory on grounds that it is more akin to “materials processing” than to a service for the disposal of human remains, where the service would be expressly permitted and regulated by the Cemetery Board under state law and where the zoning regulations for Carlsborg expressly prohibit cemeteries. Virginia P. Shogren Sequim Judge, legislators need to ‘bee’ educated One of the more remarkable decisions by a judge was the notion that bees are not part of agriculture. The existence of vegetarians and lavender emphasize the utility of bees. For those of a carnivorous bent, the animals they eat live off of plants, which are indebted to the endeavors of bees. Our Legislature finances education and decides much of what is taught, resulting in people that decide they don’t need farmers — we get our food from the supermarkets. Including some judges. One of the unfinished tasks of the Legislature is to restore the “B” to its rightful place in the ABCs. Robert W. Robinson Sequim |
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