(Read complete press release on our website)

The city discussed this at length in executive session, and has another "Special council meeting" scheduled -- also an executive session, for next Monday at 4 PM. Our question: If THIS subject doesn't concern the voters most personally and directly, what does? I would love to know why this is being discussed behind closed doors (without Raney or Everett; McPherson was, unfortunately, absent last night due to illness).

Okay, we're kidding. But something equally ridiculous happened last night, when the Sky Valley Weekly News was selected as the city paper. (This action is also referenced in the Herald article.)

Despite loud and boisterous verbalizations from the assembly last evening, Rowe broke a tie (the second vote that was taken on the subject) to make the SVWN the city's legal paper.

Clerk Laura Koenig stated there was little difference in price between the bids received.

Porter stated he "hasn't seen any lies in it [SVWN] yet." (The assembly erupted in enthusiastic laughter.)

Raney indicated:

• That Marc Mechling, a Monroe Councilman, said that attendance at their meetings have risen since using The Monitor as their paper (related to criticism aimed at using a weekly, as opposed to a daily, paper).
• That the audited circulation of the newspapers being considered were as follows: The Herald, 600 daily, the Monitor, 1550 weekly. The Sky Valley Weekly News' circulation was stated as 200, and was not audited.
• Vehemently denied Porter's assertion regarding the accuracy of the paper, indicating Coy's well-known plagiarism of the Herald (& other) sources.
• That the Herald has issued a "cease & desist" order against Editor Coy to stop his plagiarism.
• (after the tie-breaking vote by Rowe) that, "We have done something tonight that tarnishes Sultan."

Champeaux (who was present despite the obvious pain from back surgery approximately three days ago) asked City Attorney Graafstra if the city could "split" publication of the city legal notices, to which he responded that, although the city could publish notices in as many papers as it wished, there could only be one legal newspaper.

Boucher (Dusty) hedged his bets by urging a motion (which was eventually passed) that the city revisit this subject in 90 days to review their satisfaction with the SVWN.

Young Brennan Deveraux summed up the majority opinion of citizens when he stated (after Raney's failed motion to adopt the Herald), "it's clear that judging from the public's faces, reaction and laughter, they don't want it (the SVWN)." At that point the council still had an opportunity to listen to the loud voice of the people, and councilmember Champeaux (as I told him personally following the meeting), as the possible swing vote, missed a chance to be a hero. During Councilmember comments following the meeting, Deveraux: "I am disappointed that we couldn't do what the people wanted."

This hearing was a sort of "Who's on First" routine, the bottom line of which is an appeal for wavier of fees had been requested, despite codification that requires the appeal occur after payment of the fees, within a specified time period following issuance of a building permit. (The structure on which Mr. Broughton is requested fee waiver is almost fully constructed, yet the building permit was only issued three days ago by the Sultan's Building Official, Craig Bruner.)

This hearing will continue to 6:00 PM before the next council meeting, 12/4/02.

This is just another example -- do we need any more? -- of why the city needs a professional manager who reports to the council and not a chief executive.

John Dick's quest for this now-infamous letter has been "released," but the mayor wishes to discuss this personally with the city attorney first.

Based on information given at the meeting last night, I am correcting my update of 11-19-02 on this 160-acre annexation. Much of the land is not all owned by Cliff Morris. He polled, and received, signatures of agreement on a petition from several other homeowners in order to build a "bridge" from his properties to city infrastructure (water, sewer). A total of 25 parcels are included in the annexation area (as shown on the map on our website), with the owners of 9 parcels signing the petition.

According to the city attorney, this is the initiating process for the annexation. The signatures will be verified by the County Auditor next. If sufficiency of the petition is verified, the council will set the matter for an election by the public, in accordance with the law as it now stands. As some may know, the State Supreme Court will be revisiting their decision made earlier this year on this subject, so the process may change.

Mr. Morris told me after the meeting that this action is being forced upon him because the county will not allow him to subdivide his land. He said he is the sole support of a sister and two elderly parents (his dad is 87), and thus, needs to accommodate their future financial needs.

This donation was accepted by the council. There was no discussion regarding whether or not a survey was performed. A motion was made to accept the donation. Porter amended that the city reimburse Mr. Jones for his expenses in being so generous in donating this worthless land to the city; Clerk Koenig said the city has thus far paid for everything, and Mr. Jones will receive the benefit of future relief of paying property taxes on the land. A motion was passed that this parcel will be designated specifically for open space, and not to solve the problem with fishers needing somewhere to park, due to possible insurance liability concerns.

After reconvening following the executive session, there was a motion made (By Criswell) to adopt Option #3 of the proposed budget, which includes $60,000+$13,000 in benefits for a city administrator, rather than Option #4, which does not include a salary for this position.

I was a bit surprised because the motion seemed to come out of nowhere.

Councilmember Raney urged adoption of Option #4 (with a budget amendment later, if needed) due to possible problems in locating and hiring a city administrator in light of a possible February or March vote on Sultan's form of government. Criswell's motion passed with all aye's, after being amended to prorate this budget item to reflect a 10 months of salary rather than a full year. (Koenig believes it will take until February or March to find someone.)

• Merle Estrin, a neighbor of the 10-year-old Sultan girl who died a couple of days ago despite efforts by Sgt. Shelton and Fire Chief Halverson, made a plea to the community to open their hearts and pocketbooks to assist in helping her family pay large medical bills and a funeral for their daughter. In addition to the recent expense incurred during the girl's last struggle for life, the family has major medical expenses also related to the girl's pacemaker operation, as well as expenses from her life-long problems with a congenital heart defect. Merle, clearly moved by emotion, urged everyone's help and asked that they go into any Bank of America (local BofA #360-793-1131) and make a donation, if you can. (Because the family has requested that their name be withheld, the account has been set up as Night Rider Creations, which will be the payee on any checks.) We hope that some of our more affluent developers and would-be developers in town, will liberally contribute.

• Ray and Kay George echoed Merle's sentiments.

• Kathryn McDonald spoke eloquently on the subject of using a paper with greater circulation, which will help bring business to Sultan. She also reiterated the concerns of many other Sultan citizens of the continuing cronyism, and specifically noted the violations to the city's permit (more precisely, conditions of approval for this short plat) during construction which have not been addressed.

• Bart Dalmasso read a letter urging the council to address lowering the speed limit to 35 mph on Rt. 2's 3-lane area east of SBR.

• Jill Sumpter adamantly protested the city's even considering the SVWN as it's legal paper.

• Cole Auckland, a Trout Farm Road resident, spoke against Morris' annexation and made a very key point: "Who would benefit but the people who own that land?"

Ray and Kay George, made several copies of a letter which detailed their recent negative experience in applying for city approval to build a kitchenette in a home in downtown Sultan, with a total estimated cost of renovation of $5,391. The letter states that total impact fees paid to the city to complete this project would be $12,810, and requests that the council correct this problem.

[Note: We're confused as to why these fees would be so large, because impact fees are not charged when an existing dwelling unit is renovated. The total fees for one dwelling unit (includes traffic, park and school fees) is $3,810. If you divide that into the $12,810 figure it results in a total of 3.36 dwelling units, so this is quite confusing.]

Jim Flowers berated Mayor Rowe's comment made in jest that Councilmember Deveraux could break the tie vote on the SVWN issue. He also expressed consternation at the increased use of abstentions by council members, rather than a yea or nay, and stated "We hired you to do the job, not sidestep issues." [Note: Those might not be the precise words he used, but it is very close.]

Yesterday I received a correction request from Bart Dalmasso regarding my comments in the 11-19-02 update on the Planning Commission voting issue. I will be posting something on this a bit later today or tomorrow. I did not make corrections immediately, because I disagreed with his "facts" and wished to check the RCW's and SMC's for verification of my position.

However, there are other corrections Mr. Dalmasso gave me related to details on the 11-18-02 Economic Development meeting, for which I am very grateful, and they appear below:

• The owner-operator of Ixtapa in Sultan is Manuel Mejia.
• DND Glass mural will be the old bridge but looking from town to the West. The mural at the Dutch Cup, will be the old car as stated in the foreground with the Sultan valley floor and the river in the background. The True Value building will be Main Street looking Easterly and the building I’m in will have Main St. looking Westerly. The high school arts class was in this from the beginning and the Arts council has had to be a recent addition due to constraints in the class being able to paint directly on the buildings. The teacher and/or some other adult supervision

Loretta Storm

360-793-6683