SEARCH THE G.R.I.T. WEBSITE:

WWW ittakesgrit.org (Default)

WILD SKY FACT: The question of how many visitors per year the Wild Sky Wilderness will attract has yet to be answered satisfactorialy. Sultan's county council representative Jeff Sax, in a July, 2004 House Hearing, testified that Senator Patty Murray estimated 2.3 million visitors would be visiting Wild Sky annually. His statement supported his correct assertion that U.S. Highway 2 (the only access to the proposed Wild Sky wilderness), cannot handle that volume of traffic. Using linear averaging, the 2.3 million visitors would add 6,389 one-way vehicular trips per day on U.S. 2. HOWEVER, he quoted Senator Murray incorrectly. What she actually stated was that there are 2.3 million people living within easy travel distance of Wild Sky. Obviously, just because someone may live within travel distance of the Wild Sky area, it does not mean they will be visiting, and Councilman Sax's use of her statement was, either by design or incompetence, disengenous. I am still searching for verifiable data on how many visitors might be anticipated, as well as how much revenue these visitors might bring to Sultan and other U. S. 2 corridor cities. (The future of Highway 2 is currently being addressed through efforts by the Highway 2 Safety Coalition, headed by Sultan's Police Chief Fred Walser; VISIT OUR HIGHWAY 2 SAFETY COALITION page to keep apprised of the progress.)

NEWS
CURRENT & LOCAL INTEREST
SCHEDULE & EVENTS

NEWS SOURCES:
Everett Herald, Seattle-PI, Seattle Times, Sacramento Bee, Wall Street Journal, NY Times, Chicago Tribune, Wired Magazine, Associated Press, LA Times, Washington Post, Drudge Report, Yahoo, G.R.I.T. Updates

NEWS ARTICLES

New

Despite recent rains, encroaching development and draught present "target opportunities" for fires in the Sky Valley

Previous

Housing Market "Crazy" in county (Herald article) and one from the Seattle Times

Former Senator Slade Gorton calls for criminal investigation of election due to "fraud or colossal incompentence." (I vote for the latter reason)

Monroe's Bypass in gridlock

DISCUSSION, OPINION & MESSAGE FORUM


RECORDING WARS
(When the City tried to stop G.R.I.T. from recording public meetings)

FOOD BANK: Put a pre-addressed food bank envelope in your "bills to pay" folder and send a check monthly: $5, $10, whatever you can spare!
For more info, click here.



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
  • NEW! How small towns can comply with the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) without costing them (no pun intended) an arm and a leg? OF SPECIAL INTEREST to us is Item #5, complying with audio aids or an adequate PA system to allow everyone to hear what is being said by their public officials (even though we may not agree with what is being said!). Citizens have complained about the lack of a good (or any) PA system for years, with no improvement in sight. In fact, the mayor's new, well-intentioned but awkward council table arrangement have made things even worse: the voices of Public Works Director Connie Dunn and Chief Walser must reach from one corner of the room to the other, not an ideal communication situation. But to give Mayor Tolson his due, he has been bringing the HVAC environment in Council Chambers up to baseline before the meetings begin , which mitigates, somewhat, the negative effects of the City's cheap, loud and totally disruptive cooling/heating system and the room's poor acoustics before the meeting starts. That helps a bit. But before the city even thinks about raising the mayor's salary (or their own), a good quality PA system is crucial. Our final question: Why has it taken the city so long to place this communication essential so far down (off, actually) their "to do" list? It might make one begin to wonder whether public input is even important to them, huh? It would have made more sense to focus on improving the communication and operational essentials when the city built its new city hall, i.e., an adequatea PA system, new voicemail/ computer networking capabilities and financial software and a $$$-saving and quiet HVAC and electrical system, rather than in the building esthetics? The building is beautiful, yes, but how about some meat with them good-lookin' taters?
  • NEW! The following is an event announcement from mrsc.org that should be of great interest to the City of Sultan. (Oh, wait. I forgot. The city does not HAVE a viable website!) -- Local Government Webmasters Meeting (March 9) A full agenda for our next local government Webmasters meeting to be held on Thursday May 26 in Seattle. Topics include use of the Web in emergency management, audio and video streaming of council meetings, adding photographs to your site, and intranet-based HR systems. All Washington local government employees are welcome to attend. (By the look of this agenda, I guess G.R.I.T. is pretty well leading the pack in terms of cutting edge technology for a local/small city.)
  • New! Sultan Councilman Dusty Boucher's letter to the Herald's editor re Wild Sky: City Council said 'no' together. One elegant quote in his letter which will no doubt have many Sultan folks scrambling for their dictionaries, is: "It is environmental elitism riding within a Trojan Horse of political activist sycophantism." Ah, Dusty, no one disputes your unequaled didactic speechifyin' skills. But hidden underneath those fine words I spy the ungainly outline of 1930s-era property rights dino-dogma masquerading as high-minded principle. Too bad the costume is so obvious to everyone except the few, the proud and the obsolete. Like it or not -- and I have strong feelings about property rights, too -- the problems of today and tomorrow will not be solved by such one-dimensional thinking. By the way, Councilman Boucher, the unanimous council vote on Wild Sky was, sadly, anything but "a rare occasion." This "new" council has voted unanimously on virtually every issue since January. And despite our hope that councilmember Blair might fill Jeff Everett's shoes, it's clear from her statements** on Wild Sky that her political bent will prevent her from doing so. Sadly, it is also evident that this council will continue to represent the Old Sultan Way of Thinking.

    • **Blair's statement began, hopefully, with: "I represent the people here and I want to make sure that I don't just impose my opinion on this, that I do a good job of representing the community," but then her political double-speak listedt the reasons why she thinks Wild Sky is a bad idea, none of which can hold up to any objective scrutiny. (Read the entire Transcription of the Sultan Wild Sky discussion and vote, during the Mar. 23, 2005 council meeting (in Word, Acrobat).

  • UPDATED 4/2/05 - An exchange of letters to the Herald's editor between Monroe activist Meredith Mechling and Monroe Councilmember Chad Minnick (in Word) re MONROE'S ETHICS BOARD (which includes two new letters by Todd Fredrickson and Loretta Storm)
  • Current - WOW! "WHAT IS YOUR FUTURE VISION OF SULTAN?" - Last year Laura Fox's Mars Day concept actualized in a community-wide effort that drew everyone together in exciting and positive way. And now it looks as if she's doing it again (with the help of the Art Council). Here's Laura's PRESS RELEASE her exciting new idea (in Word, Acrobat).
  • Current - Transcription of all comments related to Wild Sky issue during Mar. 23, 2005 council meeting (in Word, Acrobat). CORRECTION: Last week in my council summary (re the LID 97-1 segregation requests by C. H. Rowe and Janie Botting), I mistakenly said that Councilman Criswell stated that these property owners have "suffered enough." In listening to the audio I discovered it was Councilman Jim Flower who commented that Rowe and Botting, "have been through enough pain as it is," re the LID 97-1 assessments. (It is good for folks to remember that sentiment: Based on C/M Flower's constant oratory and his recent actions in wishing to increase council and mayoral salaries, it seems clear to us that he'll be tossing his hat into the mayoral ring at some point. The motives and mindset of anyone who could, under any circumstances, conceive of Mr. Rowe as a "victim" of the LID 97-1 over-the-top assessments, should be closely, and regularly, scrutinized.)
  • COUNCIL Mar. 23, 2005 AUDIO & SUMMARY page (All audio uploaded, and a transcrription is being prepared of ALL public and councilmember comments, and discussion on the Wild Sky resolution.)
  • Not surprisingly, Timber Ridge is not yet dead: RTG, the consultant engineer for the property owners, have appealed Hearing Examiner John Galt's decision: Part 1 (265 kb) & Part 2 (231 kb)
  • More on the Wild Sky issue (A Resolution stating that the citizens of Sultan OPPOSE this wilderness designation will probably be passed during the Council meeting, barring any input from its citizens to the contrary): Here's some "Fast Facts" from the National Wilderness Preservation System. Sultan's proposed resolution states that 105 million areas (roughly the size of California) has already been set aside as "wilderness" (a definition quite different than "National Park" or "National Forest Service" land).That statement is true. However, 54% of that wilderness is located (of course) in Alaska, and will be disappearing fast, no doublt, if Mankind continues its previous mindset and behavior patterns, a sort of "Me First" mentality (as opposed to "Future First"). One of the Wild Sky's opponents' most potent arguments is that a wilderness designation will eliminate the lands as recreational area, that taxpayers will not be able to use the area. Not so. Planned within the wilderness are trails (which will accommodate the disabled at the lower elevations), and hikers, horseback riders and seaplanes will still be allowed to land on the remote, virtually-inaccessible Lake Louise (as the proposal currently exists). However, the bumble-bee, screaming-engine vehicles enjoyed by many members of our younger generation especially, will be prohibited: mud-wrestling 4x4's, cars, ATVs, motorcycles, motor boats -- the gas-guzzling, pollutant-emitting toys -- will not be allowed.
  • UPDATED - . One landmark item on this agenda is a Resolution for Sultan to officially represent ALL the people of Sultan in the Wild Sky Wilderness matter, i.e., to oppose the proposed wilderness area. The slant of this resolution (in Word, Acrobat) reflects an extremist property rights' position, incorrectly stating (among other things) that if this area is made a wilderness, it will prevent recreational opportunities. This is a "scare" tactic and not true. Check out our WILD SKY page for more info. This resolution was authored, we believe, by Ed Husmann, who simply handed over a copy of this proposed resolution to the City Council during their 3/9 meeting. Mr. Husmann's actions found a ready audience, and without any pre-scrutiny of this document by the city attorney, as is ALWAYS the case when a citizen attempts to give a document/hand-out to the council during the public comment session. (Wish it was that easy to get the council's/city's ear in opposing pro-developer ordinances/znoing/issues.)
  • Recent - Sultan's Road Design Standards: Part 1 (pgs. 1-10, 289 kb)& Part 2 (pgs. 11-21, 329 kb)
  • Agenda Packet (as web page) for March 9th Council Meeting (in Word, Acrobat); Big kudos to Ben Tolson: one of the highlights of the meeting will be a discussion/passage of a City of Sultan "Communication Policy" for city staff. NOTE: We'll be posting the audio from this meeting as we get it completed and uploaded (today and Saturday).
  • UPDATED 3/5, 3/6 - TIMBER RIDGE DOCUMENTATION: Here's a few comment letters from government agencies to start things off. These letters, very unfortunately, were not supplied by the City, despite our 1/18/05 Public Info request for pretty much everything in the file and the 3-ring binder kept at the front counter of City Hall. Two problems with this: (1) the city's public information on display at city hall on a proposed development should not exclude this type of information. On the contrary; taxpayers have the right to know what other government agencies are saying about a proposal so they can get the whole story; and (2) we did not know of these comments until the 2/28 hearing and had some problems obtaining the information in time to review them before the continuation hearing. UPDATED 11 a.m. 3/5: Patricia Bunting's (Graham-Bunting Associates) third party review of critical areas reports; Geri Reinhart's review of Gibson Traffic Consultants' study; Updated 3/6...Gibson's Traffic Study; City's 2/23/05 Staff Report & proposed recommendations, PART 1 & PART 2; maps of interest; with more to come....
  • UPDATED 3/2: Here's the text of an email from one of the Coalition's Guiding Gurus (representing WSDOT), detailing the status of funding on this Rural Route Development Plan project.....The 2/28 meeting of the Highway 2 Safety Coalition resulted in a decision to continue to pursue an application for PSRC (Puget Sound Regional Council) funding, in part to help finance the entire Rural Route Development Plan, but also to assist with some less-costly improvements in smaller cities. The next Working Meeting of this group will be March 11th in the Monroe council chambers. Former Mayor C. H. Rowe, by way of his suggestion to raise private funds to help in this effort, was immediately "nominated" as the Coalition's Fundraising Chairman.
  • Recent - Also at 2/28/05 H2SC Meeting...large-format color maps were presented by WSDOT's Kamuron Gurol, who was kind enough to send them via email. Although we've requested definition of some of the terms and dates of study for the data contained in these maps, it's our understanding that they represent weekend traffic volumes. (in .pdf, here's Map 1, Snohomish through Gold Bar, and Map 2, Gold Bar to Skykomish)
  • Audio of 2/23/05's Council Hearing on Sultan's proposed Annexation Goals & Procedures (in Word)
    • NOTE: Unfortunately, my Tech Wizard (Ray) did not attend the 2-23 council meeting, and yours truly messed up during the recording process, so we have no audio of this council meeting.
  • Recent - Proposed Annexation Goals & Procedures, final draft (10/19/04, in Word, Acrobat)) Our thanks to Barclays North's Blair Anderson for sending this document to us. We had previously requested this from the City, but I refused to send us a copy to post so folks could review it prior to the hearing.
  • Ongoing- A House bill to set up an ombudsman office through which education and complaints relative to the state's PDA (Public Disclosure Act) can be heard and, supposedly, resolved, is being considered. Here's a summary of that bill, along with our commentary (in Word, Acrobat)
  • Ongoing....and outrageous: How exhorbitant are Sultan's appeal fees, anyway? Here's an analysis I have been wanting to do ever since this fee was raised to $1,000 (plus "direct costs), following an appeal of the Boucher Short Plat decision by 54 Willow Run residents. (in Word, Acrobat) As Sultan continues making poor planning choices, this fee constrains the ability of folks who care about the future quality of life of Sultan -- people like you and me -- to appeal a bad decision.
  • Recent - Hearing Examiner Galt's decision on Craig Morrison's Stratford Place, in Acrobat (Part 1, pgs 1 thru 11, and part 2, pgs. 12 through 22)
  • Recent - "Council Quickies" page (which are brief summaries we have posted on previous front pages. Look for these summaries on this new page, as they are removed from here.)

PREVIOUS:

  • Ongoing- Qualifications of City staff: A poster on my discussion forum on the 17th asked about the education, training, etc. of city staff. Much of that is "protected" information, per the increasingly-stringent hand-cuffs being placed on the State's Public Disclosure Act. However, here is a file which contains all the City of Sultan (and the City of Mt. Vernon, Cisar's previous employer) would release on , respectively, Craig Bruner and Rick Cisar's qualifications (in Word, Acrobat). Note: The reason we have their qualifications, and no other city employee's, is because we had previously requested this information and had it on hand.
  • More "Developing News"
  • PC AGENDA (in Word) - Although we did not attend the 1/4/05 PC meeting, during which the "relevance" of the Sultan Planning Commission was discussed, we have ordered a copy of the audio tape. The "relevance" of the Commission, the newest pet subject of Commissioner Dalmasso, is outrageous. And if you are not mad at the very concept of discontinuing this advisory body, then that is indeed part of the problem. The leadership at City hall -- both mayoral, the City Administrator and city council -- is to blame, . First, because of their silence during the harassment of Josie Fallgatter and Jeff Kirkman, and secondly due to their "encouragement" of this, and other, city government positions; indeed, public participation in general. If the city would put forth the same PR effort and encouragement of public participation as they do for, say, Sultan's Centennial, the Annual Sultan Photo, the Shindig, the numerous grants the city receives, and other "positive" City events, perhaps people who value Sultan's future quality of life would be anxious to step up to the plate and serve, rather than hide in the shadows. Or, indeed, hear of the opportunity in the first place.
  • IN THE "IF ONLY" Category: If only the city leadership would expend as much energy encouraging people to get excited about becoming involved in their government as they do on the city's "feel good" or "Aren't we the greatest?!" promotional activities, one can't help but wonder how much more taxpayer-friendly some of the City's decisions might be.

OLDER STORIES/ITEMS....

  • The 9-7-04 PC meeting; Criswell-requested revisions to UC code passed to council: The Criswell-requested "re-look-see" at the UC Code, which would allow yet another Main Street entrance/exit for automobiles in this pedestrian-friendly zone, was discussed and, of course, passed by the pro-development majority held by the PC. Here's the city attorney's opinion on the subject of whether or not the PC should even have been re-reviewing this issue only one month after the council had denied it.
  • Recent (& Updated 8/27 with Exhibit A, courtesy of BNI's David Toyer) - During 8-25's council meeting, a surprise action item was added to the agenda. And following an executive session, the City signed this Memorandum of Agreement with MBA (Master Builders Assn.) and BNI (Barclays North, Inc.) . This document now contains Attachment A, referred to in the Agreement (our thanks to BNI's David Toyer for sending this to us). This scene is being played and replayed throughout Snohomish County, where these two BIg Guns, using their Big Gun Bank Accounts, intimidate cash-strapped cities in which they want to develop by threatening litigation, whether on a sound legal footing or not. But, hey, BNI/MBA did accomplish one thing: They managed to get the city to "legally" agree to follow certain GMA-mandated public process statutes, something we've been attempting for years to get the city to agree to, with little success; specifically, creating and using a "master distribution list" for public hearing notices which would include "known parties of interest," Despite my endless requests to the city to adhere to this legal mandate, during Rowe's Administration the city just blew me off, and has still remained hit-and-miss during Tolson's.
  • Why do Barclays North and the Master Builders Association (MBA) have such a deep interest in Sultan's Annexation policies?
    • New! Notice of MBA's appeal to Snohoco superior court of the below decision by the Growth Mgt. Hrg. Board on whether to provide city services (sewer, water, police, fire, roads, etc.) outside city limits.
    • Here's a Central Puget Sound Hearings Board decision that explains their oversight of the Sultan Plng. Commission review of Sultan's annexation policy. The MBA appealed a City of Arlington code which essentially excluded ewer service into its UGA-designated areas (except in specific instances). Interestingly, however, MBA lost their appeal, yet submitted it with other propaganda to be considered by Sultan 's Planning Commission when reviewing/revising the city's annexation policy.
    • LEGAL NOTICE: Determination of Non-significance on Sultan's Annexation policies, which have not yet had a Planning Commission Hearing to gain input. (We agree with BNI on this point; this issue requires public input.. The City's reluctance to hold such a hearing raises nasty questions such as Jeff Kirkman's famous statement a co8uple of years ago, "What are afraid of?"
  • Why do Barclays North and the Master Builders Association (MBA) have such keen interest in Sultan's sewer rates? Below are two letters which give two reasons: (1) More money; and (2) more profit (to the developer). If the City keeps losing money on its hook-up fees, who, then, will continue to foot the bill? Yep. The Sultan Lil' Guy ratepayer.
  • Barclays North and Sultan's Annexation Policy: They want CITY SERVICES extended into UGA (County) areas:
  • BNI is Calling the Shots in East County. Just drive around, especially north of Hwy. 2 in Monroe. They changed the face of Lake Stevens (which used to be a beautiful town), and we heard last night that they're giving Stanwood fits. There are construction stops, detours and "Another Quality Project By Barclays North" signs everywhere, it seems. Also, no code seems to be lenient enough for them. They're constantly looking for holes through which they can filter more money to increase their bottom line. Can't fault them for that, I guess. Then again, why should Sultan buckle under to their pressure to write them "Cinderella Codes" ("Ill just MAKE it fit!")? Money is the driver, but Barclays' insistance on having it their way or no way will quite simply decimate the quality of life in our area. Read the letters above re annexation, then those below, to see what I mean:
    • What happens when "good" impact fees go "bad"? - Read Barclays North's May 12, 2004 letter to the City of Monroe (scroll down a bit to the "Monroe" header), which represents over $100,000 in "lost" funding for schools; Developers shill, taxpayers foot bill.
    • Barclays North Appeal of City's 5/28/04 Administrative decision on roadway standards, as applied to BNI's Sky Harbor development. This appeal will be held before John Galt, City of Sultan Hearing Examiner, on Monday, July 20th.
    • Something in common with Barclays North: They feel as we do on public participation issues; Here's their 6/15/04 letter on making the draft annexation policy available for public review BEFORE the PC discusses it. (You're humming our tune.)
  • "Asphalt by Default" - Green Space going, "Lynnwood" is coming: Two well-intentioned ordinances designed to build a fund for a large-scale recreational facility for Sultan, are up for a 2nd reading at this Wednesday's council meeting. These ordinances will eliminate all open space areas and recreational facilities in new developments, allowing developers to "buy" Sultan's green heritage that belongs to future children and families. We are joining with Derek Boyd (Yes, folks, believe it or not, right here in River City), at his request, to ask Sultan residents (and, yes, non-Sultan residents, too!) to speak against these ordinances during the public comment period of the city council meeting. You're not a good enough speaker, you say? Well, then, just say whatever's in your heart. Our primary concerns are (1) these ordinances will eliminate any recreational, green or open spaces in new developments; and (2) these fees, if not used within a six-year period, will be returned with interest earned to the developer in question, a tricky proposition for a city that has not performed or published any capital facilities plan since 1994. For your reading pleasure:
    • A compilation of applicable codes regarding impact fees (in Word, Acrobat)
    • Agenda cover sheet and proposed ordinances (in Word, Acrobat) from June 23rd meeting. (The vote: Derek Body and Jeff Everett voted nay on these issue, but Dusty Boucher, whom we understand might have voted nay, as well, was absent. Therefore, assuming everyone is present at Wednesday's meeting, only one more vote is required to kill these scary ordinances. YOUR VOICE is needed to help win that remaining vote.
    • Remember: Do nothing....get nothing.
  • Ongoing: HERE'S A March 26, 2004 letter to City Administrator Rick Cisar from the State CTED on the requirement of a CFP in Sultan's comp plan, draws a colorful, broad-stroke picture in crayon which even the most slow-witted Sultan official is able to clearly understand. I mean, really, folks: How can any city official mandated to plan under Washington State's GMA, not know this stuff? And an even more pertinent question is, how is it possible that Sultan has operated for so many years without a capital facilities plan, an issue that those "truoblemakers" Ron Kraut and Josie Fallgatter (along with Jeff Kirkman) have been pounding Rick about for months during the PC's review of the city's comp plan. The city has, in fact, operated without a legal CFP since 1995. Is it any WONDER that it's broke?
  • June 23rd: Sultan council held a hearing on three ordinances, two of which will destroy open space in new developments, the third of which will negatively affect Main Street's future by changes proposed in the "Pedestrian-friendly" UC zone (in Word), which will allow incompatible automotive uses such as car lubes, in the downtown core and will totally change the direction in which Main Street is headed. There are alsoi two other proposed ordinances by which developers will be allowed to "buy out" required open spaces (in Word) in their planned developments, as well as elminating the requirement to provide tot lots ( Rick Cisar stated last night that tot lots "just haven't worked in conventional subdivisions"). Instead, developers can "buy" open space, the funds for which can ostensibly be used later by providing bigger and better recreational facilities. That's the idea, anyway. But as we all know, "ideas are cheap and easy: it's the implemention that's the challenge. There are a few major problems with this, the most important of which is the 6-year set-aside of funds; if they haven't been expensed within six years, they must be returned to the developer. But the scary part of this process is it assumes both ethical and financially-competent leadership within city hall (a hasty assumption that, sadly, taxpayers historically have not been able to count on).
  • Durng the hearing, Plng. Commissioner Josie Fallgatter raised the concern that the City needs to factor in future commercial, industrial and retail sewage flows, in addition to the ERU's (Equivalent Residential Units) presented in the City's Study of connection fees (Scroll down for that study and other documents and details.). Here's a sample of uses, by application, that the State's DOE uses... Also, here's a list of monthly sewer flows from the City of Sultan's STP.
  • Transcription of Barclays' Donnie Belk's reading of their letter of frustration during the May 12th council meeting (in Word, Acrobat)
  • Storm comments read during 6-2-04 PC Hearing/Meeting: Re the legal process on the proposed UDC amendments (in Word, Acrobat), and abnormalities of the SEPA process in Sultan's Comp Plan caused by Cisar's issuance of his recommendations issued through his SEIS (in Word, Acrobat)
  • Notice of Determination of Non-significance on the City's I&I Reduction Program for 1st St. Sewer Improvements, Phase II (in Acrobat)
  • BUDGET AMENDMENT, ETC. - Back-up info to (not included in the Council's agenda packet for a recent hearing on a budget amendment): A letter from Barclays-North, requesting that the city sponsor a joint PC/Council "workshop" to present their PowerPoint Dog-and-Pony show (see previous (Part 1 and Part 2) -- perhaps the same -- show which was given to Sultan's PC)...Detailed budget amendment info, with proposed changes highlighted...Comment from Barclays-North to the City, and the City's response, on the city's proposed Water & Sewer Engineering Standards...And last but certainly note least, a letter from the City of Sultan reiterating its bonding requirements for developers; B-N does not seem to like it, but big kudos to the City for standing firm on that issue.
  • Barclays North's April 30, 2004 Letter to Sultan council on "Accusations" of appearance of fairness issues. Barclays' position is that because they've been requesting "legislative" code changes to the City that have "general applicability citywide" (as opposed to what is termed "quasi-judicial" actions, which are site-specific actions by council), that the appearance of fairness doctrine does not apply to them. If some of you out there are saying, "Well, this is just Greek to me," distilled into layman's languge, Sultan is on the verge of celebrating the arrival of a Trojan gift horse; but in this case, the recipient (Sultan) needs to scrutinize this particular gift horse's mouth; its maw will swallow Sultan's future, not "save" it....unless the city gains back the control Mr. Cisar has given away to them. (Time permitting, we will address these issues in more detail later. In the meantime, read mrsc's document on the subject of appear. of fairness. (If amy of you quasi-legal types out there want to take a swipe at locating legal challenges that have been withheld on this issue, your help would be appreciated. The case Barclays submitted was Raynes v. City of Leavenworth (Word, Acrobat)
  • While Sultan's new mayor continues to find his sea legs on legal procedural matters (such as the difference between a hearing, a workshop, regular and special council meetings, when votes can be taken, et al.), we offer this document to all, in the hope of clarifying some of these tricky questions (No public interaction or questions were allowed during last night's public workshop, which is, of course, one of the primary reasons for that venue.)
  • During April 20th's Plng. Commission meeting: City Planner and Administrator Rick Cisar distributed draft ordinances (see below) on changes to Sultan's Unified Development Code which impact its current comprehensive plan. These items appeared on the agenda as "Discussion" items, yet Mr. Cisar curtailed discussion by saying is only purpose in handing out the proposed drafts was a PC "FYI" only, not for discussion. Text of these ordinances were not made available ahead of time for either Commissioner or public review. Of greater concern is that these draft ordinances have not been approved by the Planning Commission, yet Mr. Cisar has already sent them onto CTED (Washington State's Department of Commerce, Trade and Economic Development) for their comments, an action that bears no resemblance to the legal process, as they impact RCW 36.70A. The more I follow Mr. Cisar's actions in the PC, the more I wonder why Sultan has a PC at all.
  • These ordinances follow:
    • A Barclays North-requested designer ordinance by which they can construct up to nine model homes (rather than simply building these homes once the preliminary plat has been approved, selling them to homeowners when they're no longer needed as model homes).
    • A Barclays North-requested code by which open spaces can be "purchased" by a developer and the funds deposited into a newly-created park fund by which to pay for future parks (supposedly). This leaves the new community without its open space area. This would be a great concept if it were being proposed in a city other than Sultan. Thus far, however, Sultan has a poor-to-horrible track record with this sort of financial transaction.
    • An ordinance creating a "Public Facilities" zone, supposedly by which a promised "caretaker" house could be used to "protect" Sultan's 365-acre watershed area, as recommended by Mr. Cisar and approved by the council for Sultan's new comprehensive plan. This ordinance bears no resemblance whatsover to the intent of Cisar's watershed recommendation to council. This ordinance removes any doubt whatsoever that the City has Great Expectations for this land, and that both Cisar and the city have lied to us and its taxpayers. (We do hate it when we're right.)
    • Finally, here's the PC-approved (Botting, Dalmasso, George, Green and Kirkman) revision to Sultan's UC zone, to allow a car lube direct access to Route 2 in a zone designed to maintain and enhance a pedestrian-friendly atmosphere downtown.
    • During the April 20th PC meeting, Mr. Cisar asked David Toyer, Barclays North's Government Liaison, to clarify this state's current annexation policy. G.R.I.T.'s belief is that it's entirely inappropriate for the City Planner/Administrator to be asking for advice from a developer who's gobbling up hundreds of acres on the Basin for residential development. If Mr. Cisar does not understand the state's new annexation policy, then he should be removed from oversighting this policy, a no-brainer.
    • Sadly, at this point we can only surmise that Mayor Tolson is aware of, and approving, all of Mr. Cisar's actions. After 3 1/2 months in office, we can make no other assumption.
  • The State has recommended that the City of Sultan use this Planning Guide for justifying the over-sized UGA being requested by Rick Cisar's SEIS.
  • Comments received on Rick Cisar's SEIS (Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement) for Sultan's Comprehensive Plan Update (including a petition for the watershed's inclusion into Sultan's UGA, signed by 63 people [65 signatures, but Ed Boucher and Robert Mann signed twice].
  • Washington State's CTED response to Cisar-driven Sultan Comp Plan...and Rick Cisar's transmittal to CTED of the Comp Plan update, along with a map showing proposed enlargements to Sultan's UGA which were not approved by the PC...Also, Tom Beckwith's response to an earlier CTED comment on the Comp Plan Update.
    (To support, at least partially, the assertions we make in the above Acrobat file of Cisar's letters to CTED, and the PC recommendations on properties to be included in Sultan's UGA, read our transcription of the discussion and vote taken by the PC on September 2, 2003, as webpage, Word)
  • SPINNING SULTAN WETLANDS INTO GOLD: Barclays North's PowerPoint presentation (in Acrobat, sorry; we only had a hard copy) at the 1-20-2004 Planning Commission meeting, selling more profitable densities to the City, and asking for more lenient codes. (Part 1 contains a B-N "advertisement" of their capabilities, and Part 2 deals with Sultan's buildable lands and why their "clients" can't make enough $$$$ with current codes (which were all revised just last year to compensate landowners -- such as Margaret Skogland and other 132nd St. development-hopefuls -- for non-buildable lands, such as wetlands).
    • Follow-up to above: City Administrator/City Planning Director Rick Cisar, when questioned whether Barclays North had paid the city's mandated $500 fee (each rezone) to request zoning changes, responded that Barclays was simply "presenting new development tools" to the city and, thus, were not charged any fees. As we have long stated, if Sultan is so strapped for funds, one "common sense" way to enhance coffers is to simply charge what's what's already on the books, rather than raising fees
  • 12/22/03 Denial of Sultan Basin Road CDBG grant (diffrence of opinion between city and county on the real low income population)
  • The Affordable Housing ordinance in Sultan: Is it being discarded so developers can charge more $ for homes? Letters from the State CTED and from 1000 Friends of Washington provide support for Ray and Kay George's long-held position that more affordable housing is needed here, not less.. What say YOU?
  • SULTAN'S APPEAL FEES WAAAAAY OUTTA WHACK: While doing research for a comparison of what other cities charge for the privilege of appealing a city action, (Sultan seems to be outrageously out of proportion: $1,000 versus other cities' fees of $100, $200 and the largest I could find, $500), I stumbled across this excellent learning tool on the City of Snohomish's website. Whether you're a "newbie" to development/politics or an Old Guard S.I.R.E., everyone will learn something from this. Guaranteed.
  • While I was "cruising" for appeal fees, I also happened to notice that the City of Snohomish's school impact fee is $5,208. Sultan's is $1, 637. (Boy, does this city desperately need a study of its fee/rate structure, or what?)
  • Matrix of 165 more acres of ecologically-sensitive areas and property ownership slated for economic development (Because the 300-plus acres in Wagley's LID 97-1 Industrial Master Plan is not enough? Some Planning Commissioners' argument is that the LID 97-1 and is "too sensitive" for development. HEL-lo.... ALSO: Comparison of Sultan growth scenarios: City's vs. County's (with maps of various alternatives)
  • Traffic Assessment (draft) for alternatives for Sultan Basin Road and Hwy. 2 intersection
    Citizen's "How To Make a Difference" Manual (in Word, in Acrobat): This manual was authored by the grass roots organization, Citizens for Shoreline. They have graciously given their permission for us to share this comprehensive document with the people of Sultan. Warning! This manual still contains many Shoreline-specific references (especially related to the review/hearing process and specific codes), so please keep that in mind when reading it. While we have made a fewcorrections, there is still much work to be done to make it Sultan-specific. For clarification of any specific information or direction given here, call Rick Cisar at city hall (360-793-2231), Loretta Storm (360-793-6683), or email us.
    Transcription of testimony from the July 1, 2003 continuation hearing on the 2003 comp plan (Word, Acrobat)
  • Signs of new developer-friendly, environmentally-devastating ordinances in the wind: Plng. Commish Dalmasso and Council Candidate Jim Flower's constant references to Wagley Creek as "The Drainage Ditch" and asking for a reduction to a 25-foot buffer...Rick Cisar's comment during 7-15-03 Plng. Commission meeting that "I think what you're going to see is there's a lot more wetlands up there [north and south of 132nd] than we had anticipated [see note below this one]...and Building Official Craig Bruner's "concern" about the "dangerous" wetlands' fire hazard that needs to be controlled (Oh, pul-eeze).
    Here's a Cinderella Story; the "I'll just make it fit!" version: The North Wagley Creek LID area's "buildable" acreage has been all over the place, beginning with 250-some acres as given by Gary Bourne in August, 2001, despite the Jones & Stokes Wetland study performed in May, 2000 indicating only 71 acres were buildable. Why didn't Rick Cisar know this? Why didn't Gary Bourne know this? Yes, Virginia, a Santa Clause really does exist that can help you sell your worthless, wet land at an obscene profit: The current City of Sultan administration's plans to build on the previous developer-friendly land ordinances passed last year. All you have to do is....ask. (By the way, this is a good time to remind folks that last year's ordinances were passed under the guise of helping the poor, beleaguered LID 97-1 landowners make better use of their property (which, before the LID was also not worth much). But that's not enough. Read the comments during the July 15th Plng. Commission by Commissioners Dalmasso, Botting, Green and City Administrator Rick Cisar on why these poor landowners need even more help. REMEMBER, FOLKS: Once a developer-friendly ordinance is passed, it never, ever gets repealed.
    A Wind through Willows Runs....How a 10-lot condominium became 108 single family homes; the council was supposedly "sold" on those S.F. homes as "affordable" housing; how those "affordable" homes morphed into "high density moderately-priced housing"; and why Valwork is still clutching Willow Run's HOA's financial records and checkbook. (Someone oughta write a book.)
  • SURFACE WATER QUALITY UTILITY? Here's the presentation, given by Don Graf, President of Berryman & Henigar,, in PowerPoint and Acrobat
  • "Designer" Ordinance: A new ADU code, which has been dragging through the Plng. Commission because of Sultan's comp plan process, has upset real estate broker and developer Kay George. Read her letter to Mayor, Council, PC and Cisar. (But during a Plng. Comm. meeting, Mrs. George said her "window of opportunity" had closed on this ADU and doesn't need it anymore.)
    What happens when a $850,000 due bill in impact fees doesn't get paid by the developer? Check this out. You won't believe it.
  • BOTTING'S SHORT PLAT (Sultan will soon be able to boast of, and celebrate, another gas station, car wash and convenience store! Just what we needed)
  • LEGAL NOTICE: Botting Short Plat, SP03-001; notice indicates this land is zoned HOD, yet assessor information for this 30 acres indicates it is zoned "Open Space Argicultural RCW 84.34" with 2003 taxes of $164.90.
  • MAGICAL BUILDING PERMITS: How can a building permit be issued AFTER the house is built? It was a simple case of confusion, according to Sultan's building official, who some say should be charged with malfeasance in office rather than being given a raise. Here's the Raney-Bruner exchange during the 12-18-02 council meeting re Gary Broughton Fir/6th Street house. (as webpage, as Word document) (City documents detailing when permits were issued and fees paid)
  • Here's an idea for an appropriate T-shirt:
    "Representation by Litigation"

"Put down that bag of potato chips
and step away from the TV!"

In other words, unplug yourself from your TV I.V. and GET INVOLVED!

Don't be confused about everything that's happening here these days. Just take it one hearing/meeting at a time. Come to them, speak your mind and your heart and make a difference. Tell the city what you want (or don't want). NO ONE will laugh at you or what you have to say: It is important...and now is the time to tell the city what you want Sultan's future to be.

The only time your voice doesn't count
is when you don't use it...

This website is designed and maintained by non-paid volunteers for the purpose of providing news and information to taxpayers who otherwise would have no knowledge of the events going on in Sky Valley, specifically in Sultan. Let us know if you want to learn more, or if you would like to volunteer to help us sculpt our future.

From the Washington State Public Information Act:
"The people, in delegating authority, do not give their public servants the right to decide what is good for the people to know and what is not good for them to know. The people insist on remaining informed so they may maintain control over the instruments they created."
(How to make a Public Information Request)

"Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing
because he could only do a little."

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil
is for good men to do nothing."
Both quotes attributed to Edmund Burke (1729-1797), an Irish philosopher and statesman.
Link to his bio: http://www.bartleby.com/65/bu/Burke-Ed.html
  • Ittakesgrit.org is a registered trademark and non-profit corporation. All original material is copyrighted and proprietary.
    Paid for and created by Loretta Storm and Ray Kistenmacher, Co-Founders of G.R.I.T. (Governmental Responsibility, Integrity and Truth)
    Sultan, Washington
    To contact us:
    Email: grit@direcway.com or call us 360.793.6683

IN SULTAN:

Wed., April 20, 7 PM: Sultan resident and Pullitzer Prize-winning author (in Word) to have poetry reading (sponsored by the Friends of the Sultan Library and Sno-Isle)

April 27 hearing will be held re road easement through Sultan Dental building County Assessor's tax map (in Word)

Friday, May 6, 6:30, SHS - Sky Valley Chamber of Commerce's LIP SYNC CONTEST (in Word)

IN GOLD BAR:

April 5, 2005 meeting included:

IN MONROE:

CITY OF SULTAN CONTACT INFORMATION:

City hall info:
City Clerk Laura Koenig (for council agenda and Public Info requests)
City hall address:
319 Main Street
PO Box 1199
Sultan, WA 98294
360-793-2231-ph
360-793-3344-fax

City Administrator & Planner:
Rick Cisar

EMAIL ADDRESS "formula" for city hall staff and officials: is
firstname, then a period, then "@ci.sultan.wa.us.
Example: Laura Koenig's address is: laura.koenig@ci.sultan.wa.us

CITY COUNCILMEMBERS:

Kristina Blair
Derek Boyd
Dustin Boucher
Bruce Champeaux
Rob Criswell
Jim Flower
John Seehuus

PLANNING COMMISSIONERS:

Janie Botting
Bart Dalmasso
Josie Falgatter
Ray George
Tom Green
Jeff Kirkman

Donna Murphy (for PC Agendas & info)