Letters to the editor
Published on Tue, Dec 8, 2009Read More Letters
One volunteer's perspective
I began volunteering at the Sequim Food Bank in late 2008 when there was a crew of long-term, dedicated people led by Nina Fatherson. How amazing these people were and are.
Newer to the food bank, but just as dedicated and passionate about giving, was Stephen Rosales. At that time Nina and Stephen were great friends and much in accord, having in common their dedication to community.
Unfortunately, 2009 brought strife, with a resistance to any change from the long-established way of doing things on one side and a fervent belief that changes were needed to better serve the community on the other.
It's public knowledge that Nina recently chose to leave. After nobly serving the community for many years in her own way, the tide of change became unbearable.
Many changes have come about now. Things seem to be running smoothly. Stephen's constantly shopping for the best prices to save money also facilitates giving out more food. We now have a third opening for those who cannot attend the other openings. We have lots of new volunteers, many hands making light work.
Changes have been made in the way we pack and distribute food now to decrease waiting time and to make it easier for people to move through several stations using carts rather than having
to carry boxes out to their cars.
Feedback is overwhelmingly positive. All the changes are meant to serve the community better. As Stephen says, it's about the community and serving and that while Nina and Bill Fatherson set the bar of serving high, he hopes to reach it.
Shirley Cosentino
Sequim
In the best interest
As a homeowner at SunLand, I know my property is not likely to hold its value whatever happens to the golf club. In fact, this year's tax assessments have declined an average of 10 percent at SunLand compared to other neighborhoods. Most homes at SunLand are a generation or more old and a growing supply of newer, competitively priced homes in Sequim may have greater appeal to today's buyers.
Damage already has been done to the SunLand community by the golf club's request for an assessment to bail them out of their self-generated predicament. It will be much worse for the marketability and pricing of our properties if buyers are told they must pay fees for a country club they have no interest in. The best way now to maintain, or increase, both the value and marketability of our properties is to turn much of the golf course into natural open space.
Among hundreds of studies, a 2007 report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture states that "The public has increasingly demonstrated a strong support for open space preservation .... Preservation of open space can cause real estate values to rise ...." I would add such land use has less environmental impact than a golf course that consumes copious amounts of water and fertilizers. It is in each homeowner's best interest, as well the community at large, to reject the attempt by the golf club to force an assessment on everyone to solve its problems.
Ron Croft
Sequim
In appreciation
To the greater Gardiner community
The gathering in celebration of my 90th birthday was much appreciated and enjoyed - and such a surprise. Thank you.
Helen Dent
Gardiner
Song from Burnt Mountain
For years now, we have been hearing the vocal calls come down from Burnt Mountain in late afternoon as I quietly tend to the apple trees and berry bushes here in the middle of Happy Valley. The calls are heard almost daily, a HO-ho sound. Then, off in the east, a reply, then another farther along.
So, there are now more than just the one creature up there. Also, the calls are now heard just before the sun goes down. They were in the past heard for a couple hours in late afternoon.
As people continue to build more and more homes on the mountainside and clearcut the woods around them, the creatures' habitat is reduced. The use of double glazing on windows and insulation-packed walls cuts down on noise heard from outside. The loud volume of these bigfoot calls would rattle the foundation of these hillside homes, as they are heard miles away here in the center of Happy Valley.
A couple days ago, we had a visitor from the bigfoot society come for a listen and was not disappointed by the creatures' howling and when other joined in, we were amazed at the number of calls from east of our position.
Normally these creatures are found in a line from Joyce to Forks, here in Clallam County. It's not just fictitious vampires and werewolves "Twilight" and "New Moon" fans have to contend with around here when you have these creatures in your nearby woods. Of course, the local dogs and coyotes joined in with the "song of the setting sun."
Richard Dobbs
Sequim
A possible way to share the wealth
"Sequim, where water is wealth" used to be the valley motto. Now it's "Sequim, water for the wealthy."
With flood irrigation and open ditches, there was lots of water in the valley in the 1900s to the 1940s. At that time, there were many hand-dug wells 10 feet to 20 feet. Now the wells are over 100 feet deep, and many are being driven deeper.
Would it not be sensible to pipe the Highland Ditch pressure system that irrigates the farms east of town into wells along the foot of Bell Hill? There is over 100 psi in the system, and it's not used during the winter.
Harold J. Edgington
Port Angeles
Council, voters - both wrong
The Sequim City Council members who voted to put a sales tax increase on this past ballot should be voted out of office when they are up for re-election.
They made a wrong decision and should have found areas which are riddled by waste before ever thinking of raising the sales tax.
The new increase should not be raised to 8.6 percent.
It should not have been raised that high at all.
And shame on you, the voters that voted "yes" on this increase.
Noelle Levesque
Sequim
Don't tarnish the good work
Debbi Reed should have identified herself as the daughter of the former food bank director. The mission seems to be to undermine the public's confidence in Mr. Rosales.
It should be observed that her mother did not wish to open the food bank to the public on Saturday mornings. So now who was denying food for the needy?
I think the objective of the resignation by the former staff and the commentary following the resignations was to hope that they would be begged to return. Seems a simpler solution was to have other folks run the food bank on Saturday mornings if that staff did not wish to.
Positive impressions of their past 18 years are tarnished by unwillingness to "let go and let grow." If you quit something, retire - you are done. You move on, you have fun and do other things. You don't monitor your old job, if you do anything, you mentor - only if you are asked.
Don't hope to tarnish the organization you worked for hoping to be recognized in a positive way for it. Ms. Reed is tarnishing her mother's years of work with her letter. Did she consider how she or her mother might be perceived from writing such a letter?
Jean Kelley
Sequim
Hurting Santa's feelings
Now you've got your readers worried. How can we expect to receive anything on our Christmas "want list" since you denied Santa's very existence on Page 15 in the Dec. 2 edition - after welcoming him on Page 2.
Now you've hurt Santa's feelings and that's not very
Sequimy of you. Maybe you can get back onto Santa's "nice list" by printing this poem in Santa's honor:
Where is Santa Claus in Sequim?
He's seen in the smiles the whole town is sharing
He's found where there's friendship and loving and caring
He's felt in warm handshakes when people are meeting
He's heard in the cheer of a Christmastime greeting
His spirit's behind all the gifts we receive
He's everywhere, always, to those who believe.
Fran Pollari
Sequim
I began volunteering at the Sequim Food Bank in late 2008 when there was a crew of long-term, dedicated people led by Nina Fatherson. How amazing these people were and are.
Newer to the food bank, but just as dedicated and passionate about giving, was Stephen Rosales. At that time Nina and Stephen were great friends and much in accord, having in common their dedication to community.
Unfortunately, 2009 brought strife, with a resistance to any change from the long-established way of doing things on one side and a fervent belief that changes were needed to better serve the community on the other.
It's public knowledge that Nina recently chose to leave. After nobly serving the community for many years in her own way, the tide of change became unbearable.
Many changes have come about now. Things seem to be running smoothly. Stephen's constantly shopping for the best prices to save money also facilitates giving out more food. We now have a third opening for those who cannot attend the other openings. We have lots of new volunteers, many hands making light work.
Changes have been made in the way we pack and distribute food now to decrease waiting time and to make it easier for people to move through several stations using carts rather than having
to carry boxes out to their cars.
Feedback is overwhelmingly positive. All the changes are meant to serve the community better. As Stephen says, it's about the community and serving and that while Nina and Bill Fatherson set the bar of serving high, he hopes to reach it.
Shirley Cosentino
Sequim
In the best interest
As a homeowner at SunLand, I know my property is not likely to hold its value whatever happens to the golf club. In fact, this year's tax assessments have declined an average of 10 percent at SunLand compared to other neighborhoods. Most homes at SunLand are a generation or more old and a growing supply of newer, competitively priced homes in Sequim may have greater appeal to today's buyers.
Damage already has been done to the SunLand community by the golf club's request for an assessment to bail them out of their self-generated predicament. It will be much worse for the marketability and pricing of our properties if buyers are told they must pay fees for a country club they have no interest in. The best way now to maintain, or increase, both the value and marketability of our properties is to turn much of the golf course into natural open space.
Among hundreds of studies, a 2007 report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture states that "The public has increasingly demonstrated a strong support for open space preservation .... Preservation of open space can cause real estate values to rise ...." I would add such land use has less environmental impact than a golf course that consumes copious amounts of water and fertilizers. It is in each homeowner's best interest, as well the community at large, to reject the attempt by the golf club to force an assessment on everyone to solve its problems.
Ron Croft
Sequim
In appreciation
To the greater Gardiner community
The gathering in celebration of my 90th birthday was much appreciated and enjoyed - and such a surprise. Thank you.
Helen Dent
Gardiner
Song from Burnt Mountain
For years now, we have been hearing the vocal calls come down from Burnt Mountain in late afternoon as I quietly tend to the apple trees and berry bushes here in the middle of Happy Valley. The calls are heard almost daily, a HO-ho sound. Then, off in the east, a reply, then another farther along.
So, there are now more than just the one creature up there. Also, the calls are now heard just before the sun goes down. They were in the past heard for a couple hours in late afternoon.
As people continue to build more and more homes on the mountainside and clearcut the woods around them, the creatures' habitat is reduced. The use of double glazing on windows and insulation-packed walls cuts down on noise heard from outside. The loud volume of these bigfoot calls would rattle the foundation of these hillside homes, as they are heard miles away here in the center of Happy Valley.
A couple days ago, we had a visitor from the bigfoot society come for a listen and was not disappointed by the creatures' howling and when other joined in, we were amazed at the number of calls from east of our position.
Normally these creatures are found in a line from Joyce to Forks, here in Clallam County. It's not just fictitious vampires and werewolves "Twilight" and "New Moon" fans have to contend with around here when you have these creatures in your nearby woods. Of course, the local dogs and coyotes joined in with the "song of the setting sun."
Richard Dobbs
Sequim
A possible way to share the wealth
"Sequim, where water is wealth" used to be the valley motto. Now it's "Sequim, water for the wealthy."
With flood irrigation and open ditches, there was lots of water in the valley in the 1900s to the 1940s. At that time, there were many hand-dug wells 10 feet to 20 feet. Now the wells are over 100 feet deep, and many are being driven deeper.
Would it not be sensible to pipe the Highland Ditch pressure system that irrigates the farms east of town into wells along the foot of Bell Hill? There is over 100 psi in the system, and it's not used during the winter.
Harold J. Edgington
Port Angeles
Council, voters - both wrong
The Sequim City Council members who voted to put a sales tax increase on this past ballot should be voted out of office when they are up for re-election.
They made a wrong decision and should have found areas which are riddled by waste before ever thinking of raising the sales tax.
The new increase should not be raised to 8.6 percent.
It should not have been raised that high at all.
And shame on you, the voters that voted "yes" on this increase.
Noelle Levesque
Sequim
Don't tarnish the good work
Debbi Reed should have identified herself as the daughter of the former food bank director. The mission seems to be to undermine the public's confidence in Mr. Rosales.
It should be observed that her mother did not wish to open the food bank to the public on Saturday mornings. So now who was denying food for the needy?
I think the objective of the resignation by the former staff and the commentary following the resignations was to hope that they would be begged to return. Seems a simpler solution was to have other folks run the food bank on Saturday mornings if that staff did not wish to.
Positive impressions of their past 18 years are tarnished by unwillingness to "let go and let grow." If you quit something, retire - you are done. You move on, you have fun and do other things. You don't monitor your old job, if you do anything, you mentor - only if you are asked.
Don't hope to tarnish the organization you worked for hoping to be recognized in a positive way for it. Ms. Reed is tarnishing her mother's years of work with her letter. Did she consider how she or her mother might be perceived from writing such a letter?
Jean Kelley
Sequim
Hurting Santa's feelings
Now you've got your readers worried. How can we expect to receive anything on our Christmas "want list" since you denied Santa's very existence on Page 15 in the Dec. 2 edition - after welcoming him on Page 2.
Now you've hurt Santa's feelings and that's not very
Sequimy of you. Maybe you can get back onto Santa's "nice list" by printing this poem in Santa's honor:
Where is Santa Claus in Sequim?
He's seen in the smiles the whole town is sharing
He's found where there's friendship and loving and caring
He's felt in warm handshakes when people are meeting
He's heard in the cheer of a Christmastime greeting
His spirit's behind all the gifts we receive
He's everywhere, always, to those who believe.
Fran Pollari
Sequim
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Your opinions on issues of community interest and your reaction to stories and editorials contained in your Sequim Gazette are important to us and to your fellow readers. Thus our rules relating to letters submitted for publication are relatively simple.
• Letters are welcome. Letters exceeding 250 words may be shortened. We strive to publish all letters.
• Letters are subject to editing for spelling and grammar; we contact the writer when substantial changes are required, sending the letter back to the writer for revisions. Personal attacks and unsubstantiated allegations are not printed.
• All letters must have a valid signature, with a printed name, address and phone number for verification. Only the name and town/community are printed.
• Deadline for letters to appear in the next publication is noon Friday. Because of the volume of letters, not all letters are published the week they are submitted. Time-sensitive letters have a priority.
• Letters are published subject to legal limitations relating to defamation and factual representation.
• To submit letters, deliver to 147 W. Washington St., Sequim; mail to P.O. Box 1750, Sequim, WA 98382; fax to 360-683-6670 or e-mail news@sequimgazette.com.
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