City-State-Developer "Interests" re Wastewater Treatment Financing:
Pulling back the curtiain (i.e., going behind the scenes)
AUDIO, Sultan Council Subcommittee Meeting 12/6/2007 re Funding of Wastewater Treatment Plant:
Dec. 6, 2007 Report of the Nov. 20th WWTP funding meeting, attended by seven developers* while citizens were barred from monitoring the proceedings..
- AUDIO of
the oral report given by City Administrator Deborah Knight to the Sultan
Council's Government Services and Public Safety Subcommittee. In two
audio files:
- Audio File A (344 kb): Connie Dunn Summary of 11/20 meeting and other background
- Audio File B (2.0 mb): Knight's Summary of the Meeting and Councilmembers' questions (See transcription, below)
- Transcription of Ms. Knight's Oral presentation to the Subcommittee of the Nov. 20, 2007 City-State-Developer's meeting
- Handout distributed at that Subcommittee meeting.
*Developers attending the 11/20 meeting were: Wayne Fjelstad and Matt Anderson (Skyridge Estates), Keith Arndt (representing his own development interests on 60 acres on north side of 132nd); Dan Danger, The Molnick Group, Craig Sears (developer of Sultan 144 LLC, Skogland Estates plat) and Keven O'Brien, of Taylor Development, and Paul Tortorice representing his own development interests at the northeast corner of 132nd and Sultan Basin Road.
The Skyridge Estates (north side of 124th's westernmost end) and Tortorice properties expanded Sultan's UGA last year after an all-out effort to convince the County the City could support expansion of city services to these areas. Therefore, this land is still subject to annexation into the City of Sultan, using the petition process. However, this should be no problem, as Mr. Cisar stated in October's Council retreat that he had already received three petitions to annex into the city, one of which he stated he was "holding onto." Such action by Mr. Cisar has severely compromised the legal annexation and public process.
Nov. 19, 2007: Citizens Banned from 11/20/2007 City-State-Developer Meeting - Subject: Funding of Sultan Wastewater Treatment Plant Improvements:
Sultan has called a sort of "special session." But the city has blocked any attendance by citizens or taxpayers. The meeting participants are -- as described by a public official in a recent council meeting -- "City, state and developer interests." The subject is financing for Sultan's wastewater treatment plant.
The day after that meeting was first mentioned (a throw-away comment on the fly) in a council meeting, I requested specifics -- in writing -- of the meeting's specifics. Despite several follow-up requests, the city remained mute as stone. Then, in response to one last request for this information, during a 11/19 conversation (regarding other matters), I was politely informed by City Administrator Deborah Knight that behind-the-scenes discussions related to our attendance (or any other taxpayers or citizens, for that matter) had resulted in the city's position that it would be "uncomfortable" for other meeting attendees
An additional reason stated by Ms. Knight as to why citizen attendance was undesirable, was how G.R.I.T.'s website might report the meeting. Ms. Knight informed me that I was certainly at liberty -- and she encouraged me -- to "lobby" any other public official (council, the mayor) in an attempt to have her ruling overturned. After substantial discussion, Ms. Knight also deigned to share with me the agenda of the meeting that would include descriptions of each item discussed so we could post it on our website. She also offered to request any council person of my choosing attend the meeting (assuming their scheduled allowed it) and give us a verbal report of what transpired.
A subsequent phone call to Mayor Tolson to ask that he rethink the city's position, and allow taxpayers or citizens desirous of attending the meeting, do so (rather than holding this high-profile meeting behind closed doors), to prevent possible embarrassment to the City.
Mayor Tolson first feigned ignorance of the meeting time and place, indeed, even of the meeting itself. Then he stated that "We [referring to he and I] have not gotten along too well over the last several years," and then commented on "the irony of you calling to ask me for a favor" (in light of what Mr. Tolson feels has been unfair criticism and treatment on G.R.I.T.'s website during his last couple of years as mayor). My response instant response was this: "I am not asking you for a favor. I am calling you as the Mayor of Sultan to urge you to intervene so the city will avoid yet another predicable city mistake in terms of a botched public process."