I'm somewhat surprised, given the tribes influence on Mr. Ozias's behavior and position on the project, that Jamestown Tribe would submit a bid to do the road work. I'm also a bit confused on how an entity that pays no sales tax, no gas tax, and no licensing and tonnage fees on their trucks, is allowed to compete on projects that involve taxpayer monies, and compete against companies that must pay all these expenses. Also, would Ozias have objected if Jamestown had been the low bidder?
Well said, Mike! I admit I was surprised yesterday when I heard Jamestown submitted a bid. I immediately had concerns...will they deliberately sabotage the paving if awarded the contract? They don't want the road paved, and bidding to do so raises lots of questions and potential problems down the literal road.
Addressing this... perhaps they feel they would lose face and appearance is everything here. Everything else is smoke and mirrors but they do have good landscapers:)
Thanks for yet another newsworthy episode, Jeff. Have you considered taking over PDN and the Gazette so that we have REAL newspapers in Clallam County instead of the poor excuses available to us now?
As for Oziass, [sic], I said it before and will say it again: Let's ensure that his political career comes to an abrupt halt. They guy is a useless sellout/turncoat.
Another question: The Tribe is "sovereign", i.e., effectively their own country, exempt from our laws and taxes-- essentially a foreign nation within our soil. So, how is it that these people, who pay no taxes, who thumb their noses at our fishing and hunting regulations, can vote to force us taxpayers to spend money on them. Is this not like, say, Nicaragua voting in our elections to provide financial aid to Central America, say? If the Tribes want sovereignty, they should not vote in our elections. Or if they do, they should have to abide by our laws, including fishing restrictions. And if this is too radical or xenophobic, at the very least stop them from $$influencing$$ our elections and buying candidates. It's wrong!
You're welcome! I saw where the PDN just dropped AP articles and has signed on for NYT content. They are also selling their downtown PA building. I wonder how they are doing financially.
My first thought was surprise that Jamestown Sent in bid. Reminds me of Chinatown movie, of water & LA. In what order did bids come in. Date etc. Have we that info. Thank all for info about taxes, fees all would pay , except Jamestown. I'm grateful for Watchdog. Thank You
Don't forget Cascadia rate hikes. 75% on base $ plus CF from $1.10 to $ 2,28, not part of 75% base increase, extra $$
"I have a couple of questions for staff," began Commissioner Ozias before the motion was made to accept the bids. "If you can talk us through your anticipation with regard to the permitting issues, that would be helpful." ****** word salad**** "What is the process/timeline for the permit?".... I've cringed with those who wordify a simple question in an effort to sound more authoritative..."stay pesky"!!
It seems that, except when it benefits the tribe, Ozias is AWOL for anything benefitting and/or concerning to he/him/his district and he/him/his district’s constituents.
You're welcome, Denise. It's hard to tell if he was surprised or not. Even if I saw the bids, I don't know if I'd be able to decipher them. I just think it's a pity for 4 companies to spend a month getting everything estimated down to the cent only to have Ozias say, "nevermind." I wonder if it means companies aren't likely to bid on our projects. A lot of times we only get one bidder.
According to Ozias, every road in ClallamCounty is unsafe to walk on shoulder of roadway yet I’ve seen at least a dozen each day doing just that in Sequim. Most roads have less than a 6 foot shoulder some speed limits exceed 25mp, N Sequim/Dungeness to the 7th Adventist Church, Medsker, 5th Avenue north to Evans, Evans Road, I could point out almost every road in this County should be labeled as unsafe according to Ozias. REALLY????? I have not heard one word about how unsafe those roads must be according to his parameters that he places as justification for not voting to pave Towne Road, have you? The TAC wants signs, will there be signs for other County roads in case there is an accident, no of course not. Then we heard about how important trash pick up will be from Stoffer, well he can get a picker upper stick and volunteer to pick up trash if he’s so concerned like other groups do in other parts of the County. I really can’t believe the hypocrisy of people especially one elected to manage our tax money! Can’t we be happy there is a beautiful trail and French and Johnson are instrumental in making it happen. Be happy, be kind & be thankful everyday for a trail.
Jeff, A thought occurred to me after we talked yesterday. I think somewhere back in an old article or perhaps a conversation, a question was asked as to how the JST got permits so fast for their ELJ's. I vaguely recall someone saying that JST had a Liaison within the ACOE. Might be worth watching.
You're right, I had forgotten that. Thanks for the reminder. This is why I read all the comments because it takes all eyes and ears on this issue to keep track of things. I appreciate it!
I will throw out wonderful second hand but trusted knowledge about Scarsella. My friend who is a heavy equipment operator who lives here and has worked for them and other very large companies and massive projects here in Sequim, this State and Alaska has nothing good to say about their work. The work they performed in the recent past on 101, and work over in Seattle....
So my confidence toward them is low.... but then who am I ... and the lowest bidder, I’d want to know what they sacrifice.
FYI - DLTA is planning to "protest" outside the courthouse this week. I'm sharing the information here in case they didn't post their call to action on ND or you didn't get the propoganda in your inbox. More on this in a moment.
HERE'S THE BLOG:
Join us in protesting the paving of the Lower Dungeness Levee
Now is the time to join us in collective action to prevent the imminent paving of the lower Dungeness Levee.
When: Monday May 13th. 7:45 - 10:00 AM
Where: Clallam County Courthouse - 4th Street entrance
For those who are unaware, four bids for the Lower Dungeness Levee paving have been received and were opened on May 7th. All were below the bid limit and were approved by Commissioners French and Johnson with Commissioner Ozias voting no. The bids were sent to the Roads Department for evaluation and a recommended winner. There has still been no permit approval from the US Army Corps of Engineers for the amended plans that were bid on. This is just the beginning of a process that can still be interrupted and delayed by various appeals which are already being undertaken! However at this point the most effective pressure that can be brought to bear is through a protest by as many concerned citizens as possible on the morning of Monday May 13th prior to the BoCC Work Session. We plan to gather starting at 7:45am in front of the courthouse. Please join us anytime between 7:45am and 9:00am. We will go inside at 9:00am to sit down and listen to the work session. We encourage you to bring signs that you can hold up and pass to the commissioners before or after their meeting. If you can't make it Monday, or are available both days, please consider going on Tuesday (5/14) to the BoCC meeting as well, as you will then have an opportunity to speak and tell Commissioners Johnson and French what you think about their decision to pave the levee. It would be reckless and costly to award a bid to pave the levee without proper permitting and further environmental and traffic studies. We are looking forward to showing all three commissioners that we still care greatly about this issue. If you are able to wear blue in any way for the protest that would be helpful to show unity. But if you are not we are just happy to have your participation and support! Thank you all, your efforts have tremendous influence!
I'll continue to support French and Johnson to stand firm on this decision and the process. Get those bids processed and approved. Permits processed and approved. I want to freely drive across Towne Road again this fall.
Not sure if the DLTA supporters think they're being clever when they're sadly being manipulated by a few who do not believe in free speech and who do not support legitimate processes. I might not agree with everything that is said in these comments and I'm sure I've said things not everyone has agreed with. Regardless, I've never been concerned about my post getting deleted by anyone except me.
Meanwhile He-who-shall-not-be-named-private-land-owning-vocal-critic-of-6PPD-q-when-it-suits-him...you know, to have a private $20M tax funded driveway, was out running his tractor along/over(?) Meadowbrook Creek yesterday. He's the biggest polluter of all for the salmon supporting waterways. Heavy farm equipment, older tires, braking, turning, accelerating.... especially that close to tributaries, is the worst.
Very likely the mowing was in preparation for the event they're hosting at the barn-that-doesn't-host-events this weekend. I'm hoping to be on the levee when that event begins and ends. I want to see how they mitigate the traffic against us poor, disabled, dog walking, deaf pedestrians who are walking on a closed-to-the-public road. Hyphen-happy today..
Why does the DLTA imply that proper permitting is not going to happen? They treat the CDC organization and a few of our commissioners as if they're all idiots. The DLTA is condescending, bullying, aggressive, and offensive. If I had to put money on it, I'm betting that Oziass (sic again) is feeding them information that they shouldn't have.
How are they justifying the JST (Inc)'s bid on the road/trail hybrid? Are they hoping the JST will win the award and bypass legitimate process (breached levee anyone?) and then the work can be canceled or delayed? The reality is that we've already had a few years to see what a closed Towne Road looks like. Done. Met that criteria. Now let's get it chipsealed and navigatable (sp?) for the rest of us. Many of us miss this vital and historic connector for our daily commutes and, yes, our scenic shortcuts to businesses on the other side of the blockage.
Pure gossip here but....The farmer doesn't realize the reputation he and his wife have amassed countywide (spoiler alert, it's not a good one) with everyday citizens, businesses and his closest neighbors. The DLTA followers simply share a goal. The reasons behind that support are different (NIMBY - "less traffic in my neighborhood", "private road for me!", "nature is the best!"). I wonder how the last group feels about their leadership polluting the heck out of the salmon supporting waterways.
If you're out there tomorrow, A.J., I'd love photos and a car count. Also, a breakdown of how many of the tires are made of rubber and how many are made of reclaimed wood or hemp.
Help me out here, I recall CDC Joe saying the road could be done cheaper using their road maintenance crew do chip and seal? Does anyone recall? My understanding is no other const firms do Chip and Seal only the County on the Peninsula. Is Towne Road going to be paved and or chip and sealed?
I think the bids are for the curb, water filtration (CAVFS), some grading, and a little earth work on the north and south ends. I believe the County does the rest. So those bids probably weren't the whole budget.
I'm somewhat surprised, given the tribes influence on Mr. Ozias's behavior and position on the project, that Jamestown Tribe would submit a bid to do the road work. I'm also a bit confused on how an entity that pays no sales tax, no gas tax, and no licensing and tonnage fees on their trucks, is allowed to compete on projects that involve taxpayer monies, and compete against companies that must pay all these expenses. Also, would Ozias have objected if Jamestown had been the low bidder?
Well said, Mike! I admit I was surprised yesterday when I heard Jamestown submitted a bid. I immediately had concerns...will they deliberately sabotage the paving if awarded the contract? They don't want the road paved, and bidding to do so raises lots of questions and potential problems down the literal road.
Addressing this... perhaps they feel they would lose face and appearance is everything here. Everything else is smoke and mirrors but they do have good landscapers:)
😳😲😬🥺
Exactly!
Exactly my thoughts!
I’m glad you pointed out the reason for the tribes possible ability to have lower pricing, or the
willingness to take a hit. Trust IS an issue however.
VERY well said, Mike! Perhaps they intend to sabotage the project like they did with their premature breach of the levy?
Thanks for yet another newsworthy episode, Jeff. Have you considered taking over PDN and the Gazette so that we have REAL newspapers in Clallam County instead of the poor excuses available to us now?
As for Oziass, [sic], I said it before and will say it again: Let's ensure that his political career comes to an abrupt halt. They guy is a useless sellout/turncoat.
Another question: The Tribe is "sovereign", i.e., effectively their own country, exempt from our laws and taxes-- essentially a foreign nation within our soil. So, how is it that these people, who pay no taxes, who thumb their noses at our fishing and hunting regulations, can vote to force us taxpayers to spend money on them. Is this not like, say, Nicaragua voting in our elections to provide financial aid to Central America, say? If the Tribes want sovereignty, they should not vote in our elections. Or if they do, they should have to abide by our laws, including fishing restrictions. And if this is too radical or xenophobic, at the very least stop them from $$influencing$$ our elections and buying candidates. It's wrong!
You're welcome! I saw where the PDN just dropped AP articles and has signed on for NYT content. They are also selling their downtown PA building. I wonder how they are doing financially.
My first thought was surprise that Jamestown Sent in bid. Reminds me of Chinatown movie, of water & LA. In what order did bids come in. Date etc. Have we that info. Thank all for info about taxes, fees all would pay , except Jamestown. I'm grateful for Watchdog. Thank You
Don't forget Cascadia rate hikes. 75% on base $ plus CF from $1.10 to $ 2,28, not part of 75% base increase, extra $$
"I have a couple of questions for staff," began Commissioner Ozias before the motion was made to accept the bids. "If you can talk us through your anticipation with regard to the permitting issues, that would be helpful." ****** word salad**** "What is the process/timeline for the permit?".... I've cringed with those who wordify a simple question in an effort to sound more authoritative..."stay pesky"!!
I think maybe he's hoping we will all fall asleep so he can fudge the vote.
It seems that, except when it benefits the tribe, Ozias is AWOL for anything benefitting and/or concerning to he/him/his district and he/him/his district’s constituents.
Great update. Thank you, Jeff. I also was surprised to see a bid from Jamestown. Was Ozias surprised? What was included or excluded in their bid? Hmm.
You're welcome, Denise. It's hard to tell if he was surprised or not. Even if I saw the bids, I don't know if I'd be able to decipher them. I just think it's a pity for 4 companies to spend a month getting everything estimated down to the cent only to have Ozias say, "nevermind." I wonder if it means companies aren't likely to bid on our projects. A lot of times we only get one bidder.
According to Ozias, every road in ClallamCounty is unsafe to walk on shoulder of roadway yet I’ve seen at least a dozen each day doing just that in Sequim. Most roads have less than a 6 foot shoulder some speed limits exceed 25mp, N Sequim/Dungeness to the 7th Adventist Church, Medsker, 5th Avenue north to Evans, Evans Road, I could point out almost every road in this County should be labeled as unsafe according to Ozias. REALLY????? I have not heard one word about how unsafe those roads must be according to his parameters that he places as justification for not voting to pave Towne Road, have you? The TAC wants signs, will there be signs for other County roads in case there is an accident, no of course not. Then we heard about how important trash pick up will be from Stoffer, well he can get a picker upper stick and volunteer to pick up trash if he’s so concerned like other groups do in other parts of the County. I really can’t believe the hypocrisy of people especially one elected to manage our tax money! Can’t we be happy there is a beautiful trail and French and Johnson are instrumental in making it happen. Be happy, be kind & be thankful everyday for a trail.
Jeff, A thought occurred to me after we talked yesterday. I think somewhere back in an old article or perhaps a conversation, a question was asked as to how the JST got permits so fast for their ELJ's. I vaguely recall someone saying that JST had a Liaison within the ACOE. Might be worth watching.
You're right, I had forgotten that. Thanks for the reminder. This is why I read all the comments because it takes all eyes and ears on this issue to keep track of things. I appreciate it!
😲😳😬. It never ends.
I will throw out wonderful second hand but trusted knowledge about Scarsella. My friend who is a heavy equipment operator who lives here and has worked for them and other very large companies and massive projects here in Sequim, this State and Alaska has nothing good to say about their work. The work they performed in the recent past on 101, and work over in Seattle....
So my confidence toward them is low.... but then who am I ... and the lowest bidder, I’d want to know what they sacrifice.
Holy moley! For real? Wow!!!!
FYI - DLTA is planning to "protest" outside the courthouse this week. I'm sharing the information here in case they didn't post their call to action on ND or you didn't get the propoganda in your inbox. More on this in a moment.
HERE'S THE BLOG:
Join us in protesting the paving of the Lower Dungeness Levee
Now is the time to join us in collective action to prevent the imminent paving of the lower Dungeness Levee.
When: Monday May 13th. 7:45 - 10:00 AM
Where: Clallam County Courthouse - 4th Street entrance
For those who are unaware, four bids for the Lower Dungeness Levee paving have been received and were opened on May 7th. All were below the bid limit and were approved by Commissioners French and Johnson with Commissioner Ozias voting no. The bids were sent to the Roads Department for evaluation and a recommended winner. There has still been no permit approval from the US Army Corps of Engineers for the amended plans that were bid on. This is just the beginning of a process that can still be interrupted and delayed by various appeals which are already being undertaken! However at this point the most effective pressure that can be brought to bear is through a protest by as many concerned citizens as possible on the morning of Monday May 13th prior to the BoCC Work Session. We plan to gather starting at 7:45am in front of the courthouse. Please join us anytime between 7:45am and 9:00am. We will go inside at 9:00am to sit down and listen to the work session. We encourage you to bring signs that you can hold up and pass to the commissioners before or after their meeting. If you can't make it Monday, or are available both days, please consider going on Tuesday (5/14) to the BoCC meeting as well, as you will then have an opportunity to speak and tell Commissioners Johnson and French what you think about their decision to pave the levee. It would be reckless and costly to award a bid to pave the levee without proper permitting and further environmental and traffic studies. We are looking forward to showing all three commissioners that we still care greatly about this issue. If you are able to wear blue in any way for the protest that would be helpful to show unity. But if you are not we are just happy to have your participation and support! Thank you all, your efforts have tremendous influence!
I'll continue to support French and Johnson to stand firm on this decision and the process. Get those bids processed and approved. Permits processed and approved. I want to freely drive across Towne Road again this fall.
Not sure if the DLTA supporters think they're being clever when they're sadly being manipulated by a few who do not believe in free speech and who do not support legitimate processes. I might not agree with everything that is said in these comments and I'm sure I've said things not everyone has agreed with. Regardless, I've never been concerned about my post getting deleted by anyone except me.
Meanwhile He-who-shall-not-be-named-private-land-owning-vocal-critic-of-6PPD-q-when-it-suits-him...you know, to have a private $20M tax funded driveway, was out running his tractor along/over(?) Meadowbrook Creek yesterday. He's the biggest polluter of all for the salmon supporting waterways. Heavy farm equipment, older tires, braking, turning, accelerating.... especially that close to tributaries, is the worst.
Very likely the mowing was in preparation for the event they're hosting at the barn-that-doesn't-host-events this weekend. I'm hoping to be on the levee when that event begins and ends. I want to see how they mitigate the traffic against us poor, disabled, dog walking, deaf pedestrians who are walking on a closed-to-the-public road. Hyphen-happy today..
Why does the DLTA imply that proper permitting is not going to happen? They treat the CDC organization and a few of our commissioners as if they're all idiots. The DLTA is condescending, bullying, aggressive, and offensive. If I had to put money on it, I'm betting that Oziass (sic again) is feeding them information that they shouldn't have.
How are they justifying the JST (Inc)'s bid on the road/trail hybrid? Are they hoping the JST will win the award and bypass legitimate process (breached levee anyone?) and then the work can be canceled or delayed? The reality is that we've already had a few years to see what a closed Towne Road looks like. Done. Met that criteria. Now let's get it chipsealed and navigatable (sp?) for the rest of us. Many of us miss this vital and historic connector for our daily commutes and, yes, our scenic shortcuts to businesses on the other side of the blockage.
Pure gossip here but....The farmer doesn't realize the reputation he and his wife have amassed countywide (spoiler alert, it's not a good one) with everyday citizens, businesses and his closest neighbors. The DLTA followers simply share a goal. The reasons behind that support are different (NIMBY - "less traffic in my neighborhood", "private road for me!", "nature is the best!"). I wonder how the last group feels about their leadership polluting the heck out of the salmon supporting waterways.
If you're out there tomorrow, A.J., I'd love photos and a car count. Also, a breakdown of how many of the tires are made of rubber and how many are made of reclaimed wood or hemp.
If I can get out there, I'll definitely see what I can send along.
Help me out here, I recall CDC Joe saying the road could be done cheaper using their road maintenance crew do chip and seal? Does anyone recall? My understanding is no other const firms do Chip and Seal only the County on the Peninsula. Is Towne Road going to be paved and or chip and sealed?
I think the bids are for the curb, water filtration (CAVFS), some grading, and a little earth work on the north and south ends. I believe the County does the rest. So those bids probably weren't the whole budget.
County will do 2 Chip Seals this year and 1 next year. Still cheaper than paving.