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NEWS

Monroe Councilman Ken Berger's seaplane at the bottom of Lake Louise poses certain ecological damage and other problems

OTHER "STUFF"

DISCUSSION, OPINION & MESSAGE FORUM

G.R.I.T.'s 2002 RECORDING WARS - updated 3/21/06
(When the City tried to stop G.R.I.T. from recording public meetings, with the help of the Boucher Boys, then-Mayor C. H. Rowe, and others....)

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.

Posted Friday, Feb.98th:

• Audio of Feb. 8, 2006 Ramirez's Twin Rivers Estates "Appeal Meeting and Closed Record Hearing" (Whatever the heck that is!)

Posted Thursday, Feb. 8th:

Seattle Times' article (Feb. 7th) re Sultan's proposed Mixed Use ("Sultan Market") development (with 600 homes).

Seattle Times' article (Feb. 7th) re shortage of police and recruitment, salaries and hiring bonuses: Excerpts:

• "According to the Seattle Police Department's 2006 salary schedule, an entry-level officer earns just over $47,000 a year, while an officer with six years on the department makes a little more than $67,000 a year."
• "In a similar effort to boost employment, the Des Moines Police Department recently began offering $2,000 bonuses for experienced police officers who join the department and $1,000 bonuses for entry-level officers...."

Posted Wed, Feb. 7th:

• The Feb. 8 City council meeting's "consent" agenda items include approval of a $7,000 contract for a Jones & Stokes Wagley Creek mitigation plan. This is compensatory wetland mitigation ordered seven years ago in 2000 by the Army Corps of Engineers, and is a rather hard hand-slap for the environmental damage done during the illegal construction of Sultan's LID 97-1 sewer line install. There's an $18,000 budget mentioned to pay for this mitigation, but is the source of that funding the Sultan taxpayers, or from the LID 97-1 owners' assessment?

  Also of great interest is approval of the Shockey Brent $40,000 contract to bring the Comp Plan into compliance, as ordered by the Central Puget Sound Growth Mgt. Hearings Board. This is of interest because the source of the "donations" to pay for this contract was from developers: Read transcription of Fin. Dir. G. Hey's inadvertent disclosure of these contributions).

  Because consent agenda items are merely council's "rubber stamp" approvals of issues and actions already tacitly approved by the city with council's approval a foregone conclusion, these items should never have been included in the Consent Agenda. Unquestionably, there's a need here for deeper scrutiny, public input, and, at the very least, complete dicussion and disclosure, with per-council-member voice votes. These -- and one or two other Consent agenda items on this week's agenda, are clearly Action items. (If, because of the two plat hearings, not enough time was available for these items, they should have been saved for the Feb. 22nd meeting.

• City's Council Sat., Feb. 10th Retreat - Documents & agenda are available on their website. Primary topics are: (1) city's vision; (2) Mixed use development; and (3) Police services. This looks more like a major planning development meeting than a council retreat. Citizens are advised to attend and monitor.
• Kudos due City Admin. Deborah Knight, who continues to impress: The background and detail of this agenda packet -- and its availability in advance -- is deeply appreciated!

Posted Tuesday, Feb. 6th:

• New (as of 10:30 a.m.) - DRAFT Document of Comprehensive Plan Revisions (This is a 2.6 mb file, as small as we could reduce the city's original 8.3 mb file, without printing out the pages and scanning them in.)
• FEB. 6th (TUESDAY) PLANNING BOARD meets - Staff Report and Reid Shockey Presentation on the following important Comprehensive Plan Update issues: (1) Utilities & Public Services, (2) Land Use and (3) Parks & Recreation. If you wish to get involved, now is as good a time as any to put your toe in the water. As PB Member Jeff Cofer said at the last meeting: "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you already have." Now is the time for change.
• Planning Board's 2007 Schedule & Plans
• Sultan Council Agenda for Feb. 8, 2007 Meeting (These files are way too big. The City needs to fine-tune this process to reduce their size. They also need to create a single, easily-accessible -- and small size -- file which contains ALL agenda items in a single file as they used to do. Their new system is too awkward, and extremely time-consuming to download for citizens still using dial-up ISP service.)

Posted Thursday, Feb. 1st:

Decrease in salmon reason for Orca relocation to California (and how the heck does that story tie into the City's approval to spend $9,000 on a lobbyist to Fetch Funds and the City's non-compliant code enforcement of dirty development?

NEW (posted 2/1, 1:30 PM) - Audio of January 30, 2007 Town Meeting re Police & Security issues

Posted Wed., Jan. 31st:

• Jan. 30th Town Meeting re Police & Security was attended by County Prosecutor Janice Ellis and County Exec. Reardon's representative, Ms. Dawson, along with 90-100 Sultan residents, including sitting councilmembers Kristina Blair, Jim Flower, John Seehuus, Steve Slawson and Ron Wiediger, as well as former Mayor Rowe and former councilmembers Dusty Boucher and Rob Criswell and Carolyn Eslick. We have photos only, which were (taken 10 min. before start of meeting, which do not show the SRO crowd which flowed into the lobby area). We have gotten a late start this morning, so the AUDIO of this meeting will be posted later today or first thing Thursday a.m.

  A second town meeting on this subject has been set for March 15th.

• Sultan receives Award for Intersection at U. S. 2 and Sultan Basin Road - Photos & MP3 audio - presentation of plaque/"award" from Project Engineer W&H Pacific to Mayor Tolson at Jan. 18, 2007 council meeting.

Posted Tuesday, Jan. 30th:

• Sultan's Future Vision: What's YOURS? (Here is Mayor Tolson's vision back on Aug. 23, 2003 while still a mayoral candidate.) And The Monitor Monitor & Valley News' Steven Higgins' vision of Tolson in his Jan. 13, 2003 opinion column.

Posted Monday, Jan. 29th:

• TOWN MEETING - Tuesday, Jan. 30th, 6:30-8:30PM Sultan Comm. Room - re CONTINUATION OF SULTAN POLICE SERVICES (slide show - Revised) NOTE! This is a slightly-revised slide show emailed to us Tues., 1/30. No material or content revisions have been made with one exception: an additional page has been inserted titled "2006 Law Copies Fingerprints CPL Total Revenue $2,615.00." (For comparison purposes, if anyone wishes to check the documents side-by-side, here is the outdated 1/25 version.)
• Proposal for 600 condominiums on Rice Road/U. S. 2 - Artist's Conceptual drawing of buildings (pdf, 420 kb), and Artist's layout of plat (pdf, 345 kb)

Posted Friday, Jan. 26th:

• Sultan Police Slideshow Presentation (in pdf) - Statistics and charts of SPD activity and comparisons with previous years (presented at Jan. 25th's council mtg.)
• AUDIO of Jan. 25th Council Meeting
• Draft HOD-MU proposed rezone revisions

• Audio for Jan. 18th council meeting
• Stanton Northwest Corporation's website - Potential developer for land east of Rice Road. Proposed project is called "Sultan Market" which calls for major rezone changes and 600 new homes (which are not included in Sultan's currently-scheduled sewer plant improvement).
• New Page: Sultan Sportsmans' Club

Posted Wed., Jan. 24th - Audio of Jan. 23, 2007 Sultan Planning Board Meeting re Sultan Market Project

Two Stanton Northwest representatives, Brenda Fodge and Randy Forsyth attended last night's Planning Board meeting, doing some pretty impressive "damage control" caused by Mayor Tolson's highly-inappropriate, Not Yet Ready for Prime Time announcement of the "Sultan Market" development in last week's Monroe Monitor. (Explanation: The city has been working on this for over a year behind the scenes, with no previous public notice, input or involvement, lack of required codes, and the fact that -- as it stands now -- this project will violate both the Comp Plan and the "award-winning" Industrial Park Master Plan. Mr. Tolson owes citizens an apology.)

Mr. Cisar gave a report on the required changes to Sultan's HOD (Highway Oriented Development) code and a new M. U. (Mixed Use) code necessary for this development to be built. He also unveiled a large colored and updated Sultan planning Map of new residential developments planned through 2009, to which we say, "Kowabunga!" (We have photos and will post them if the quality is acceptable.) We have split up the audio into easily-accessible files and will be uploading it this morning, with a hopeful, if overly-optimistic goal of having them ready for folks to listen to by this afternoon. (We'll start with Ms. Fodge's and Mr. Forsyth's comments, obviously.) Ya shoulda been there....

FLASH UPDATE (posted Tuesday, Jan. 23rd:) The Stanton Group, developer of Sultan Market, the City's proposed commercial and 600 condo unit project at Rice/U. S. 2, will attend tonight's Planning Board Meeting (see below for details). The City is now indicating that the review process for major Stanton-requested revisions to Sultan's code will be fast-tracked, using Sultan's over-used, but never worn out, Rubber Stamp. The City's meeting notice, distributed via listserv Jan. 19th, failed to communicate this little detail.

NEW ITEMS Posted Monday, January 22nd:

• Planning Board Meeting tomorrow night, Tuesday, 1/23, 7:00 PM - ALERT! The Board will be discussing major zoning & code revision impactful to the Comprehensive Plan and its Industrial Park Master Plan, including City recommendations (1) to rezone all properties bordering U. S. 2 to HOD (Highway Oriented) from its current commercial and industrial zones and (2) to CREATE A NEW MIXED USE code which will allow the city -- for starters -- 24 residential units per acre, doubling current upper housing capacities. Here are the suggested codes, revised & distributed by City Planner Rick Cisar in 2006. (The mixed use code change is necessary for the "Sultan Market" to become reality.)
• CITY COUNCIL AGENDA PACKET (Thursday, Jan. 25th, 7 PM)
• RE U. S. 2: John Morrison of Everett writes the Herald about U. S. 2, stating he fears he might die when he drives U. S. 2, and that he's "infuriated at the State's lack of care," responded to by Northwest Region's Lorena Eng. ON A RELATED NOTE, here's a brief transcription of the answer given by Transportation Secretary Doug MacDonald's (in Word) response to a question posed by 39th Dist. Rep. Dan Kristiansen at the closed of the Jan. 11th House Transportation Committee working group meeting.
  • Want to help our legislatures do the right thing? Visit the U. S. 2 Safety Coalition's website, and visit the "How you can Help" and "Legislative Issues" pages.

UPDATED 1/16: City Fee Schedules since 1999 (with the exception of Year 2000)

NEW (posted 1/16; 10:50 a.m.) - Audio & Minutes of City Council's Dec. 14, 2006 Meeting

NEW (posted 1/15) - Audio & Minutes for City's Dec. 6, 2006 Council Meeting

NEW (posted 1/14) Response to 12/28 Valley Review article re Sultan crime rates by Sultan resident Gerry Gibson (in Word, pdf).

NEW (posted 1/14; updated with correction, 1/15) - Hiring a City lobbyist: Sound business practice, or something else? Here's some background on what the City and developers told Snohomish County about its ability to ufnd sewer treatement improvements in 2006, "selling" the need for 60 more acres north of 124th St. SE, at this "sewer-less"and remote locale. (Correction: We inadvertently used $10,000 as the figure for the Chief's salary increase rather than 10%, which is only approx. $6,500 and - far less than our previously-stated amount of $10,000. This makes the city's idea to spend $9,000 and more on a lobbyist seem ludicrous, at best.)

New (posted 1/14) - Public Notice of appeal "meeting" and a closed record "hearing" re Dan Ramirez' Twin Rivers palt ALSO A letter from Mr. Ramirez's attorney, stipulating reasons for this appeal "meeting"

New (posted 1/13) - $9,000 for a city lobbyist to schmooze the legislature for $11.25 million in taxpayer-supported federal monies in the form of low-interest Public Works Trust Fund [PWTF] and other grants?

Question: What is oh-so-wrong with this picture?

Answer: Long-term, constant mismanagement by the City and generally fiscally-incompetent actions guided by special interests rather than sound business precepts, has led the city to this point. "Begging" for state and federal loans and grants to fund improvements to its Wastewater Treatment Plant is not sound business and should be offensive to every Sultan citizen and taxpayer. This statement is especially true when one considers the substantial dollars the City has lost by selectively failing to charge mandated fees to developers and others, while not assessing and increasing annually fees and rates for services (i.e., water, sewer, parks, traffic, permits, etc.) to get, and keep, the City on a paying basis. It's been easier to plead poverty, and ask for taxpayer-supported grant funding.

(We encourage everyone to read this agenda item for themselves, which can be found here: click here for complete agenda packet.)

New (1/11/07) - More on the Sultan Police, the "Crime spree" and why U. S. 2 and other issues outside Sultan deeply affect Sultan citizens (also, a "primer" to give some perspective to some of Sultan's newer residents who wonder what the flap is all about.

New (1/10/07) - 7:00 PM Council meeting, Thursday, Jan. 11 (Begins at 6:00 PM with Vodnick appeal hearing) Council Agenda and links to agenda items on City's website (or click here for complete agenda packet) (A bright note on this week's agenda packet: We heartily congratulate the new City Administrator, Deborah Knight, for providing good background information on this, and other items in the council packet. We are impressed with her organizational and administrative skills thus far.)

New (1/10/07) - How many new homes are coming to Sultan? How many new sewer connections will Sultan need (over and above the already-planned 1,699 connections, which does NOT include the almost-done-deal mixed-use development east of Rice Road near McDonald's))? Read our Transcription of PW's Director Connie Dunn's presentation to council at the Nov. 9th hearing (in Word, pdf).

New (1/10/07) - Audio & Minutes, Nov. 21st Council Meeting & Hearings

New (1/10/07) - Updated Agenda and Audio Main webpages

New (1/10/07) - 6:30-9 PM Jan. 24th Marketing/"Branding" workshop at the Galaxy Theatre (in Word) - (This is an event sponsored by the City of Monroe, but doubtless the City of Sultan, the Sky Valley Chamber of Commerce and merchants up and down the Valley can benefit.)

NEW & Updated Jan. 10th - A letter sent to us signed only as "Dave, Sky Valley resident" -- He did call us (as we had requested on this website several days ago) and identified himself. He has close ties to Sultan and he lives in Startup. He also has solid reasons for wishing not to divulge his true identity. We were satisfied as to the validity of his information and intentions, so we have decided to publish it.

Dave's letter was in response to a 12/28 unattributed article about Sultan's "crime wave" and the SPD, printed in the Boucher's(s') Valley Review, which is an unattributed publication.**

**Unattributed: Most articles in this "news"paper are unattributed. Aside from an email address and phone number, this publication does not:

• identify the Publisher (who's footing/paying the bills)
• identify the Editor (who decides on the content, in conjunction with the Publisher's guidelines, and makes the day-to-day decisions)
• identify the legal address for the corporate entity (and whether it is a corporation, sole proprietorship or other legal organizational info)
• identify its circulation or subscriber info

Even six-year-old ittakesgrit.org, what our opponents consider a "fly-by-night" online publication, complies with these basic newspaper subscriber/circulation guidelines. We do not specifically identify the author of our articles because -- with very few exceptions, such as Joe Beaver's Gold Bar reports or other articles/comments given attribution to others -- it is authored by webmaster L. Storm (who, along with Ray Kistenmacher, is co-founder of G.R.I.T., and whose contact information appears at the bottom of our home page).

In the absence of funding source or circulation information, imagination takes flight, especially when one considers Mr. Boucher's lifelong affiliation with members of Sultan's Old Guard, many of them quoted in the 12/28 "Sultan's crime wave" article

One last thing: Although we were pleased to see that Boucher printed the image of the U. S. 2 Safety Coalition's new bumper stickers/window decals (now available through the U. S. 2 Safety Coalition) -- this was printed at the end of "The Outdoor Guy's" opinion piece re U. S. 2 safety -- it would have been appropriate to share attribution for the source of that image, which was lifted either from G.R.I.T. or the Coalition's website. More disappointing, however, is the fact that Boucher purposefully failed to mention that it was a bumper sticker at all, or that citizens could obtain that sticker through the Coalition to place on thier cars.

NEW & Updated! Due to the over-abundance of quotes from long-time, known anti-police sources and others who are closely-related to the Boucher Clan in 12/28's Valley Review, we asked Sultan Councilman Jim Flower, who has been a stalwart supporter of the police, as are we, whether he was asked by Boucher for a quote for his article. Below is Flower's response, which he said we could publish. (Our thanks to councilman Flower for his steadfast support of the police.) Jan. 10, 2006 Update: During Mr. Flower's recent visit with Dusty Boucher, Mr. Boucher told FLower that he had emailed him an invitation to comment, but that the email had been lost. We are attempting to determine whether, and how, the Valley Review canvassed the other council members to obtain their comment and will report our results in a couple of days.

Councilmember Flower's candid reaction/response to us, prior to learning that Mr. Boucher's soliciation email had gotten "lost in the mail."

"In a word, "yes". Dusty requested a qoute, in 50 words or less, on my views concerning the issues in the article. After some thought, I responded, choosing my words carefully.

Out came the paper, no mention. I can only surmise that:
A) he did not agree,
B) my counterpoint to his editorial view was a little too eloquent, and
C) this is an election year, and I expect that he will attempt to have some influence in the coming months.

Concerning the salary issue, please keep in mind that the discussion revolves around the position, not the person. To attract and retain quality people for leadership positions, our policy of compensation should at least be market value. That's just good business sense.

We were submitted a draft budget for approval, a budget that was balanced enough to include an unencumbered fund balance as well as the Chief's salary inrease.

That being said, I believe the Council reacted to political pressure, not economics."

(Posted 12/31) City's 2007 Fee Schedule (in pdf only, 309 kb) (G.R.I.T.'s Fee Schedule Main Page - updated to include 2006's.)

New (posted 12/29) Galt's Recommendation on Ramirez's Twin Rivers Estate plat application (remanded version) and an updated Ramirez plat webpage

New (Posted 12/29) FULL AUDIO & SUMMARY of Ramirez's Nov. 30, 2006 John Galt Hearing on Ramirez's Twin River Estates

Updated 12/29:

• Hearing Examiner John Galt's Recommendations webpage
• A stroll through our Archives: revamped & updated "old" pages: Willow Run Galt Appeals webpage, Bob Broughton's Short Plat webpage, Wagley LID 97-1 webpage.
• And speaking of the LID 97-1, whatever happened to the compensatory wetland mitigation ordered by DOE (Dept. of Ecology) back in 2000? (in Word)

(posted 12/22) - STATE AUDITOR'S REPORT for year ending 2005, and State Audit Report Status of Accountability (of previously-reported findings)

Did you know? U. S. 2 at Kelsey Street gets 42,938 average vehicles per weekday and 36,063 per weekend. By way of comparison, the Alaskan Way Viaduct has 115,000 average per day.

(posted 12/22) Sultan Planning Board Minutes from Dec. 5, 2006 meeting (in Word, pdf)

(posted 12/22) NOTICE FROM CITY OF SULTAN re FEMA info on Flood-related damage (in Word)

NEW - (posted Mon. 12/18) - Sultan to "grow" by 100 acres, 60 acres of which is located north of 124th Street at its western dead-end, land on which the City has been working with a consortium of developers to build 200 single family homes. The County Council has final approval on whether or not this land will be added to Sultan's current UGA [Urban Growth Area] and if you'd like to contact the County Council to offer your opinion on this or would like additional information on this subject, check out of G.R.I.T. 12/12/06 update (located below the US 2 Safetey Coalition bumper sticker)

Bumper/window Stickers are available now. Visit the Coalition's website or send them an email. These stickers are offered free of charge, although donations would be gratefully received.

Posted 12/13/06; UPDATED Monday, 12/18- Ex. A to Sultan Resolution 06-17 re PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PLAN (This Plan has never received a hearing.) in Word, pdf (This item is an Action item at tomorrow's 12/14 Sultan Council Meeting.) 12/18 UPDATE: Kudos to City Attorney Cheryl Beyer and new City Administrator Deborah Knight for advising the city to PULL this item from the council agenda and bring it back to SQUARE ONE. This will go to the Planning Board for a hearing to begin the process of gaining input on Sultan's PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PLAN (i.e., how the city should communicate with its citizens in the future).

Posted/update 12/12/06 - RE 12/11 County Council UGA Remand Hearing (see below for details): L. Storm testified against the 60-acre annexation, as did a number of other citizens (Josie Fallgatter, Stan Heydrick, Kerry Ourada, Jean Roberts). Testifying on behalf of these city annexations were Mayor Ben Tolson, Developer Neil Latta, Tim Albers, Reid Shockey(Sultan consultant); also attending were City Planner Rick Cisar, and others.

Posted on Monday, 12/11 - 3:00 - 6:30 PM - County Council hearing - This link will take you to the complete GMA/County Comp plan amendment docket table. The specifics for Sultan are the last items on the agenda. However, citizen testimony has traditionally been taken in the order their names appear on the county's sign-in sheets. You can access our direct linksto two proposals for Sultan lands being considered for UGA expansion;Proposal 3-A - Ttext (and map), 40 acres at SBR/132nd St. and Proposal 3B-text and map, 60 acres north of 124th St. SE. The City is aggressively wanting to build 200 homes or more on Proposal 3B, despite the lack of sewer lines at that location, and that the proposal's only vehicle access is by leaving the city limits at 132nd/SBR and traveling one mile on county roads. This annexation and future development is a very, very bad idea. Re Proposal 3-A, the 40-acres at 132nd and SBR, we would cetainly support this UGA enlargement if it is conditioned upon the City bringing the LOS for both police and parks into compliance with its CP.

During the 12/6 council meeting: The council approved a new CFP (Capital Facilities Plan) and passed the 2007 budget as amended on a first reading (2nd reading next Thursday, 12/14). Amendments to the budget: Added $3,000 to code encorcement for public education re animal control

Another amendment was to reduce Mayor Tolson's recommendation to increase the salary for the police chief by 20% in 2007, downgrading it to a 10% increase in 2007 with another 10% increase in 2008, both of which include COLA increases. In the last several years, Chief Walser has received only COLA increases, while trying to hold the city's police department together with sealing wax and bailing wire and his bare hands, working countless overtime shifts, weekends and holidays and with outdated equipment and skeleton staffs. Meanwhile, the city's "economic development" department has sunk an I.V. into the city finances, draining them via excessive legal bills -- more than twice the 2006 budgeted amount -- needed to defend incompetent or poor plat and land use decisions (and lack of Comp Plan knowledge), and via signifficant and excessive (but needless) staff time required for countless "redos" of previous decisions. (Here's a statement I made on this webpage last March that's even more appropriate today: "Mr. Cisar is making $75,000 in salary while Chief Walser's is $63,000. Interestingly, Chief Walser distributed a letter from the Black Diamond Police Department, canvassing other cities for new police officers. The top pay for a uniformed officer -- not a chief -- is over $67,000. And, say-hey, they even get to drive their police cars home. BLACK DIAMOND's POPULATION (per MRSC.org) is 4,080 and it's located on a rural King Co. road (KC 169), as opposed to Sultan, situated smack on a major U. S./federal highway. Its median household income is $67,092 compared to Sultan's is $46,619. (Is it possible that this city has made better planning choices than Sultan?) Black Diamond's community profie & Sultan's community profile."

I fear Sultan may lose its chief. And who could blame him for leaving? I hope I am wrong. Because Fred Walser is significantly more than a "police chief": He is also a mentor to countless kids and citizens, a tireless advocate for children through his support of the Boys and Girls club, Safe Stop, an officer in the schools and as a leader of the Sultan skateboard park, as well as a champion of an endless number and type of issues and causes, a true Friend of the People.. If Sultan loses the Chief, that loss will run deep and wide throughout Sultan and the entire Sky Valley.

Only John Seehuus and Jim Flower supported the higher salary for the Chief, voting against that amendment. Thank you, Gentlemen, for understanding that security cannot be maintained by cutting back on police while simultaneously increasing the City's population, a known financial drain because of the need for improved and new infrastructure. (Councilman Seehuus was eloquent in his strong recommendation to establish salary ranges for all salaried employees, and Jim Flower, Kristina Blair and Derek Boyd echoed John's comments.)

(Posted 11/15/06)- AUDIO - 8.3 mb MP3 file- John Galt's hearing on Vodnick's Plat Application "remand" (which was handled as a new application with a new vesting date, but with (mostly) all the old documentation. Mr. Galt's questions to the City and the applicant as to "new" v. "remand" and vesting date application issues occurred during the first few minutes of the hearing. The applicant's presentation begins at approx. 13-min; Galt's questions re concurrency begins at the (approx.) 20-min. point (directly following the applicant's presentation). The hearing only lasted about 40 min. (GALT RECOMMENDATIONS ON VODNICK PLAT 11-17-06)

(Posted 11/13/06)SULTAN BUDGET DOCUMENTS as presented at its Nov. 2nd workshop (which had no council quorum):

General Ledger (YTD through Sept., 2006) in pdf (384 kb)- What an amazing improvement this is from the manner in which budgeting and financial data has been presented since time immemorial in Sultan. Kudos to Mayor Tolson and the City Council for making this long-needed changeover! (In addition to being easy to read and understand, this new financial software (from Sprinbrook) should protect the city from financial "irregularities.")

2004 - 2007 Budget (in pdf. 247 kb) - Contains 2004 and 2005 Actuals, the 2006 adopted budget, and requested budget for 2007.

Note: Unfortunately, we do not have the audio of this workshop, as we were unable to attend that evening. We did request the City's digital audio of the workshop from Clerk Laura Koenig. We wwere advised that it was not the city's "practice" to record workshops, thus, audio from the city's new (and expensive) MP3 digital audio system cannot be shared with the public. (Here's our emailed communication, in Word)

(Posted 10/27/06) - COUNCIL - CAO (Critial Areas Ordinance):

Faced with loss of grant funding and low-cost loans for its WWTP expansion, the City Council opted for the "Bitter pill" rather than the knife, passing the Critical Areas Ordinance at their 10-26 council meeting. This ordinance had suffered defeat once, with a follow-up request by the City to bring it back to the table for another vote). Standing firm on their previous denials were John Seehuus, Jim Flower and Bruce Champeaux.

Recognition and deserved thanks should be given to Derek Boyd for making the tough choice in bringing this back to the table for discussion and possible action, especially faced as he was with several of Sultan's Old Guard pro-property rights stalwarts in attendance, all long-time friends and neighbors. Kudos to Councilwoman Kristina Blair, who supported the CAO during her opening comments, stating "We are guardians for future generations." Thanks also to fellow Councilmembers Steve Slawson, Ron Wiediger (and Boyd) for the votes needed to approve.

The City had been denied its request for a $1.0 million taxpayer-supported $1.0 million low-interest loan, with other grants facing certain denial soon to follow, because the City's lack in passing this state-mandated ordinance (for critical areas, among other issues) made it noncompliant with the GMA and its own Comprehensive Plan. Despite this, a majority of council members voted not to pass the CAO 'on a matter of principle." Faced with their funding drying up -- faster than a Winters Creek wetland -- they opted to "take the bitter pill" (a term used liberally during the discussion) rather than a knife to the heart of their funding. The city wisely paid for consultant Reid Shockey to present the finer points of this ordinance, rather than using City Planner Cisar. Following Shockey's presentation of the pros and cons, unfortunately Councilman Flower once again gave his "Wagley Creek is a manmade ditch" speech.

We'll try to have the audio of this 30-minute discussion posted today, or early tomorrow morning.

Unrestrained Kudos & Raves to the City for its new audio/digital recording system. Thanks to Ben Tolson for setting this as a city priority, and to Donna Murphy for dogging the process through to execution, guided by expert Morgan Sound. The system worked great! I could actually HEAR what Rick Cisar was saying. The only possible fly in the ointment is that soft-spoken Clerk Koenig could still not be heard well, as she shares a microphone with Chief Walser and Donna Murphy, a lack I'm certain will be corrected at the very next public meeting. THANK YOU, MAYOR TOLSON & DONNA MURPHY -- AND ESPECIALLY TO THE TAXPAYERS, WHO PAID FOR IT!!!

Here's the literature being distributed by the Police Levy Committee referred to in the above anti-police levy mailer: A flyer/hand-out being taken door-to-door, and a mailer.LINK TO OUR POLICE LEVY PAGE

(posted Monday, 10/16) - October 12, 2006 - Audio & Council Summary (Also a bonus - a Transcription of selected discussions)

(posted Saturday, 10/14) - Herald Letter to the Editor by Sultan's Daniel Smith: "Charming Sultan knows how to grow." While we certainly agree with the overall message of Mr. Smith's statement, "Surrounded by the natural wonder of the majestic mountains and rivers, Sultan is destined to become the jewel of Snohomish County," we would replace the words in red font to: "with proper planning, Sultan can become." (Is the Daniel Smith of this letter the very same Dan Smith who recently had his Dyer Road 3-lot short plat application approved as an administrative decision by City Planner Rick Cisar? The City never sent us the legal notice for this action; see below.)

(posted Saturday 10/14) - LEGAL - October 9, 2006 Notice of Decision, Dan Smith 3-lot Dyer Road Short Plat: Approved (City did not send this legal notice to us as previously required and requested as a known party of record for ALL land use actions and decisions.)

(posted Saturday, 10/14) - PROPOSED NEW WWTP SEWER PER-D.U. CONNECTION FEES - Unpublished Agenda Discussion Item during Oct. 12 Council Meeting.

New (posted 10/13) - Press Release from C/M Kristina Blair, Chairman of this year's Sultan Harvest Thanksgiving Dinner (in Word, pdf)

New (posted 10/13) - Council passes Resolution 06-15 (in Word, pdf) Supporting the Police Levy set for the Nov. 7th election. You can still register to vote (see note right)

New - LEGAL - Notice of DNS (Determination of Non-Significance) dated Oct. 6, 2006 -- to create a new code section 16.54 to allow mixed use in city's H.O. (Highway Oriented) zone citywide, and to amend 16.56.060 to provide for residential mixed use as an exception. (This legal notice also available in Word and pdf)

Unfortunately, the City did not send us a copy of the text of this important code change, the result of which could severely push Sultan's population skyward, along with traffic congestion and drains on current infrastructure. Citizens can request copies of these code changes from city hall by making a public information request -- here's how. (Developers and real estate-interested parties will no doubt receive these changes free of charge -- and in electronic format -- by placing a phone call or sending an email. Indeed, I have no doubt that these code changes are being made at the request of a specific developer, as well as being authored by them, as has happened so often in the past.)Comment period ends October 20th.

New Page - Proposed NEW Sultan code: "Property Maintenance" & Code Enforcement (the city wants YOUR comments)

NEW (10/4) On September 12, 2006, Sultan's Police Chief Fred Walser escorted Snohomish County Prosecutor Janice Ellis on a tour of "sites" near Sultan....

Recent (10/4)- Snohomish FD #5 Resolution 2006-06 in Word (in pdf), supporting Sultan's Police Levy. G.R.I.T.'s UPDATED LEVY PAGE: Everything you want to know about the Sultan Police Levy (Photos, transcription of Walser comments at Levy kick-off meeting, audio of council discussions, documents, etc.) If any group or individual wishes to write a letter of support for the SPD Levy, please contact Levy Committee Co-Chairpermen: Jeff Aikens and Gerry Gibson.

Recent (10/4) - Well it does seem these days that everything's about the Sultan Police, doesn't it? And here's a real feel-good story about how Councilman Jim Flower got the Sultan PD flag flying again (at the request of Dave Helman).

(Ongoing; posted 9-18) - Garth York's letter under Steen Park LLC letterhead, to the City Council re objections to the City's "double-dipping." And, although we have not yet had time to review the specific codes he references, I believe Mr. York may just be correct. And if so, then Mr. Cisar may have placed the city and taxpayers in serious financial/legal jeopardy (again).

Ongoing - Sultan Police Dept. Activity (calls for service) 2004 & 2005 (in pdf): This was the Powerpoint slide show presented at Sultan's 2006 Council Retreat in January. (Note: I was the only citizen attending, despite the fact that this was a public meeting.)

Ongoing - POLICE LEVY MEETING - There was a good turnout of approx. 20 people at the Aug. 30th meeting, plus Chief Walser and Interim Fin. Directory Gordon Hey). A Pro-Levy committee has been formed. Co-Chairs are Gerry Gibson (799-1736) and Jeff Aikens (793-6819). Please contact them if you can donate funds or your time. They could use some help. In these days of dwindling funds and taxpayer patience, this levey could be a tough one. Councilman Jim Flower was the only council person in sight (except for good-hearted die-hard former Councilman Perry McPherson). A Church board meeting prevented Mayor Tolson and Ron Wiediger from attending. FOR a CD of the meeting in MP3, email us.

Ongoing- Herald article re Police Levy & Wed.'s SPD Levy meeting (The City is still blaming revenue lost from the Eyman's I-695....Hel-LO? That was how many years ago? If citizens want to know the real reasons for the City's financial demise, how about checking out these pages/info: State auditor findings (for year-ending 2004) and the Prothman Report OTHER REASONS: City has not been fiscally responsible; e.g., it has not increased its road impact fees (which pay for future roads and other future capital road improvements, such as improving the Sultan Basin Road on which 1400 new homes will be built in the next 2-3 years), nor has it adequately increased its development fees and other fees. This, and other behavior, has invited many lawsuits and other legal actions.

Wednesday's (8/30) POLICE LEVY MEETING - HERE'S A FLYER announcing Wednesday's meeting on the SPD levy that YOU CAN PRINT OUT AND DISTRIBUTE TO YOUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS. CLICK HERE FOR OTHER INFO ON THE POLICE

RESULTS OF SURVEY TAKEN DURING 8/17 TOWN MEETING (380 kb pdf file):

Some dramatic results (at least to me) were:

• Which City department(s) staff should be cut first (if cuts are required): A total of 76% of the total respondents indicated Administration (38%) and Community Development (28%) (Slide #5)
• The City should focus greater attention on (1) Growth Management Planning (31%) and Creating a "business friendly" environment (31%) (Slide #6)
• What do you consider to be the top priority for the police department? Reducing drug activity, 36%, Neighborhood Patrol (or proactive policing), 33%. (Slide #10)
• 77% of respondents stated there are not sufficient police to properly perform needed duties (Slide #13)
• 77% indicated it is "vital" for SPD to have at least wtwo officers on duty 24x7. (Slide 16)

Surprising to me were the following responses:

• Slide #21 re whether the city needa a dedicated animal control officer, the vote was 50/50%.
• That in 2004 when the city ran a levy to replace police officers lost in 2002, 29% indicated they did not vote, while 35% said they voted for both 911 service (i.e., for the cost of required, "no-choice" 800 mhz equipment for 911 & added police. (Slide #12)

PREVOUS ARTICLES & HOME PAGES CAN BE FOUND IN ARCHIVES - If you're looking for a previous article or legal, etc., search for it in the Google window at the top of our pags:

Nov. 3 thru Dec. 5, 2006

Oct. 2 - thru November 3, 2006

Mid-August thru October 2, 2006

May thru approx. mid-August 2006

ALL ARCHIVED HOME PAGES

Here's an idea for an appropriate T-shirt for taxpayers:
"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! The world moves fast, but don't be confused. Just take it one hearing and meeting at a time: Attend them,, speak your mind and your heart, ask questions and you will soon be making a difference. Tell your city officials what you want (and don't want). There are no stupid questions, and NO ONE will laugh at you or what you have to say. These are YOUR tax dollars, and you have a say in how they are spent. 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 and citizens who otherwise would have little or no knowledge of the events going on in the Sky Valley, but most particuarl in Sultan. Let us know if you want to learn more, or if you would like to volunteer to help us sculpt our mutual future. From the Washington State Public Disclosure 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 Disclosure/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.

CITY OF SULTAN CONTACT/email INFORMATION:
319 Main Street
PO Box 1199
Sultan, WA 98294
360-793-2231-ph
360-793-3344-fax

City of Sultan 2007 Schedule (Garbage, etc.) (in pdf)

Mayor Ben Tolson

City Administrator Deborah Knight

City Councilmembers (see below links)

City Clerk Laura Koenig (for council agenda and Public Info requests)

Community Development Director Rick Cisar

Public Works Director Connie Dunn

CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS (most council members' mailboxes are almost always full):

Kristina Blair
Derek Boyd
Bruce Champeaux (does not wish to use email)
Jim Flower
John Seehuus
Steve Slawson
Ron Wiediger

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

PLANNING BOARD: (Established June, 2006) Their first official meeting was July 11, 2006. For information on Sultan's previous planning entity -- called the "Planning Commission," disbanded in early 2006, click here.):

Chairman Kurt Latimore

Board member Jeff Cofer

Board Member Sarah Davenport-Smith

Board Member George Schmidt

Board Member Charles Van Pelt

NOTE: We are keeping the below note regarding Sultan's PLANNING COMMISSION on this website for a little while longer to remind folks of either the backdoor shenanigans of the City of Sultan or its incompetence (one of the two must be true).
As of the 2/8/06 via Ord. 904-06, Sultan's PC duties were placed in the hands of the city council, which will be acting as its own PC. However, during their first meeting, it was determined that they did not have the time to fulfill this role. The City is currently seeking NEW APPLICANTS to serve on a NEW Planning "Board." if interested, contact city hall at 360-793-2231 or visit their website: www.ci.sultan.wa.us

Prior to its disbandment, the PC consisted of the following individuals, with two positions vacant):
Bart Dalmasso (resigned just prior to disbandment, and urged that the PC be dissolved)
Josie Fallgatter
Ray George (term expired, not reappointed)
Tom Green (term expired, not reappointed)
Jeff Kirkman