OPPORTUNITY TO BROADEN YOUR HORIZONS AND HELP AN EXCHANGE STUDENT (Timed Response Required, No Later Than June 15^th):

The "desert" of information has heretofore existed on this subject, as the City has garnered miserable failing marks in its responsibility to engage the public. This is evidenced by people's less-than-eloquent response when the subject is raised, normally eliciting a confused, "Huh?" "Regular" hard-working family folks don't have any idea what a Comp Plan is, and they blankly stare at you when it's mentioned.

What IS a Comp Plan, anyway? Put in simplest terms, it’s the blueprint for how Sultan will grow over the next 20 years. And you don't have to understand it or be a rocket scientist to provide input on it. I have heard people repeatedly say, "I feel stupid. I don't know enough about it." You don't need to. Just come and tell the City how YOU want Sultan to grow: What type of businesses would you like to see come here? What would you like to see happen with Main Street? Would you prefer to see larger houses on larger lots, or smaller, low-income "affordable" homes on small lots? What type of parks would you like? Where should the parks be located? How about trails, green spaces and more concern for the environment? Would you rather have more commercial and retail businesses here, similar to what's in Monroe? Or would you prefer more industrial or professional office-type businesses where the head of a family could bring home a paycheck that reflects more than an hourly minimum wage?

It's your city. It's your choice. Don't let others take away that choice by not using your voice to say what YOU want for Sultan's future. You don't have to be a genius or even know specifics about the Plan. But you DO NEED to speak your mind. Some folks recently have been saying that it doesn't matter what they say, 'cause the city doesn't listen to them anyway. To that I say: You're not speaking often, loudly or eloquently enough. Us "regular" folk don't have money to develop 100 houses or a business; but we can make up the lack of financial influence with large numbers of people and a voting power base.

[Note: One of the major formal comments/criticisms made during the official review of the draft Environmental Impact Statement (myself, included), was the lack of public awareness of the Plan, charging the city had failed in its statutory responsibility to engage the public in this very public process. Except for the two brainstorming sessions at the high school almost 18 months ago, and two or three non-publicized council updates by the consultant, the only true "public" notice of the several planning commission meetings on the Plan was a 50-person email sent by the City. The make-up of recipients on that emailed distribution list consisted of city staff/officials, both Sultan and outside economic development interests, and three mainstream media sources. There were only two (2) "regular" Sultan citizens on this list. There were no flyers/postings at city hall. It was not on the city's website (which was non-existent), at the post office, at businesses, in newsletters or in the City-and council-supported, now-defunct Coy publication, The Sky Valley Weekly News. It was, in fact, a well-kept secret. But we have no doubt that Brady Boucher's Valley Review will be devoting a special issue, or, at least, a special insert on this subject, as well as advertising this hearing in a prominently-placed area of his paper.]

Bob Terwillinger has forwarded his facts and findings onto Snohomish County Prosecutor Janice Ellis, to decide whether local Sultan business owners Rusty and Jana Drivstuen should be charged with voter fraud for registering to vote in Sultan, rather than in Monroe, where their residence is located. (There is court precedent for using one's business address for voter registration, based on a superior court ruling where two judges justified their "business" address as their legally-registered voting address.)

We have a comprehensive web page on this subject that includes the entire Auditor's file.

We're certain the Prosecutors will do the right thing in testing the added "wisdom teeth" contained in the new Washington Secretary of State-requested voting fraud statutes passed by the legislature last year. Otherwise, what would be the point of the legislation?

Besides being well-educated, intelligent individuals who are well-connected with Sultan politics (Rusty is a charter member of the Highway 2 Safety Coalition and an associate and strong supporter of Mayor Rowe), they also have a county-wide presence through their relationship with County Councilman Jeff Sax. Mr. Drivstuen has appeared at the Gold Bar Planning Commission, most recently with Councilmember Sax in tow, trying to "sell" a 78-acre UGA expansion in Gold Bar (known as the "Eddie Bauer annexation") for land he and other partners, wish to develop, despite the fact that Gold Bar has no sewer.

The real question here is: Did the Drivstuens understand they were registered illegally, or not? And if they were aware of it, why didn't they come forward after the Coin Toss Fairy-tale ending of the 2001 election, continuing the Rowe political juggernaut by placing Rob Criswell in office?

On our website is the most recent study performed on Sultan's sewer, performed in October, 1997 for the LID 97-1 as part of the requirement for the $1.2 million Economic Development grant.

It's clear that the Sultan sewer is nearing capacity, and, at the least, several sewer lines are in dire need of replacement due to failing lines, First Street among them.

We will be publishing the transcription of the second council debate on this subject shortly. What we find astounding is the dearth of answers presented by Cisar, staff, consultants and Sultan's legal team after tabling this issue for two weeks in order to "find" the answers asked by councilmembers at the previous council meeting. This issue has been tabled again until further answers can be found. I found it amazing that the most basic and simple questions had not yet been researched, yet the item was not removed as an action item and the council spent yet another pointless hour in "debate." Some basic, still-unanswered questions include: The maximum number of homes that could be built, or even, what is the county zoning designation for the area; the total length of new and replaced sewer being considered; and the most basic, what is the current total capacity of the sewage treatment plant.

The most confounding question of all, however, is why Councilman Jimmy Porter and Mayor C. H. Rowe have become such strong proponents of the Morris "proposal"? We do not believe either owns property in the area to be improved, so what's the motivation for their clearly-aggressive championing of a 350-house development located one mile away from the city limits? Could it be for the good of the community?

Mr. Broughton has until approximately June 23^rd to appeal the council's decision to disapprove the formal plat. The basis for the denial was inadequate plat approvals/certifications and the lack of an available title report. According to the State Attorney General's opinion (AGLO 1980, No. 031), several items need to be included on plats, along with the Mayor's and Council members' signatures, one of which is an engineer's certification (per RCW 58.17.150 and 58.17.160). Citizens might be interested in learning that the city attorney was adamant that the formal plat be approved, despite the absence of some required items, his primary fear being a future Broughton lawsuit.

I guess the council is finally gaining wisdom, rightly becoming a bit skittish on affixing their signatures to plats without proper, required certifications or documentation. If they need any reminders, the words "Willow Run" should strike fear to their hearts. Residents may recall the filing with the Auditor of an illegally-revised plat for Willow Run that was approved and signed by Mayor Rowe without council review or approval, as "The revised Plat of Willow Run." And if that wasn't bad enough, another revised final plat was filed with the auditor at few months later titled, "The Revised Plat of the Revised Plat of Willow Run," also without proper approvals and signatures.

We'll be publishing either an article or a full transcription (or both) on this subject shortly.

And while we're on the subject of questions with no answers, Rowe's appointment of Rick Cisar is another such issue. In a hurry-up, railroaded action, Rowe appointed, and a majority of councilmembers confirmed, city planner Rick Cisar as Administrator. The selection and interview process used for this appointment is loaded with questions. The word-for-word transcription of the council discussion and decision is linked to our front page (transcription of previous discussions on our transcription page).

As Councilmembers Raney and Everett delved into how, when and why Rick Cisar was interviewed for the position, Councilman Dusty Boucher called for the question (which means all debate is suspended and a vote taken). Councilman Everett pointed out the Robert's Rules of Order criterion stipulating that action took a majority plus one, whereupon City Attorney Graafstra pulled a strategic rabbit out of his wizard's sleeves. As he began to advise the council that they could temporarily suspend Robert's Rules of Order, Councilman Boucher interrupted him by making the motion that they do so, the vote was taken, and Mr. Cisar was confirmed.

The question of whether Mr. Cisar is qualified for this position has been raised by several Sultan politicos. However, the answer to that question is simple: The only qualification required is agreement with, and implementation of, Rowe's direction.

We have been advised that ex-City Administrator Roy Bysegger's lawsuit continues moving forward. Mr. Bysegger is being represented on a contingency basis by a well-known Wenatchee attorney. Mayor Rowe was recently deposed. We hope to make it to downtown Seattle to research the file at the U. S. District Court Clerk's office at the U. S. Courthouse on 5^th Avenue. In case anyone is also curious about this subject, it's Case #CO2-1682L, Judge Robert S. Lasnik.

The great directional signs posted along Main Street was a joint effort by the Sky Valley Chamber of Commerce (providing the materials) and Jeff Adcott Rubber Room, who sold the ad space and manufactured them. If you would like to become involved in getting more signs around town, or volunteering to assist in a Main Street renovation effort, either call 360-793-0983, or write the Chamber at P. O. Box 46, Sultan 98294

Mr. Dick has complained to the City. He has complained to the Council. His complaints (documented on our transcription page) began with the presence of what he thought were hazardous chemicals and a faulty or overflowing septic system on nearby residential property, a business owner operating without a license, and using a residential lot on which to store industrial materials and large commercial trucks. Although the business owner/Sultan resident in question acted quickly to clean up the area and address several of the issues, according to Dick there are still safety issues associated with the use of commercial truck traffic on that small, quiet dead-end street, as well as the larger issue of commercial operations on residential property, a subject the City has not addressed.

Dick and others have been trying to resurrect the Technical Review Committee. This committee could assist in resolving citizen complaints that the city either will not, or cannot adequately address, in a less-formal and costly venue than City Council chambers.

The City Attorney has, in part, recommended that the portion of the Sultan code which authorizes this committee, be eliminated. Mr. Dick told us recently that the city attorney has also suggested that Mr. Dick should videotape the ongoing activity, apparently ignoring the fact that Mr. Dick, as all other small business owners and "regular" people must, spends most of his waking hours working for a living wage for his family. Mr. Dick already has quite a collection of photographs documenting the suspected violations that give his complaints substance, so we're confused why a videotape would is needed.

We're beginning to wonder who, or what, is the problem here: Mr. Dick's business owner/neighbor? Or the City and its process?

For the last several council meetings, Councilman Mark Raney has requested the city to provide him with a stated policy on the use of rubber signature stamps at city hall. Despite this oft-repeated request and a well-justified legal concern on the fast-and-loose use of rubber stamped signatures at city hall, he has been ignored. (Funny, when one considers the City's well-known fondness for "rubber stamping" land use decisions.)

If you wish to volunteer to help with fundraising during Shindig, call Lin McIlrath Valley General at 360-794-7497, Ext. 304.

I have not had the time (unfortunately) to follow this subject closely. But it looks as though the county will "mitigate" traffic impacts from gravel trucks -- at least on Highway 2 and other such routes -- by charging a haul fee, rather than monitoring and curtailing the actual truck volume. As we all know, there is no way to "mitigate" Route 2 -- UNLESS -- those hauling fees will be placed into a trust or reserve account earmarked for its four-lane expansion. Fat chance.

But in speaking with County Public Works planner John Davis, I learned that, through the city-county's interlocal road agreement, the City pass an ordinance to LIMIT THE NUMBER OF TRUCKS on any city roadway. Hmmmm, how come we haven't done that? Could one reason be because our mayor owns a trucking company?

Loretta Storm

Co-founder, G.R.I.T.

360-793-6683