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‘Wizard’ worth it 
I would like to thank everyone that had anything to do with the production of the “Wizard of Oz” operetta. It was fabulous, outstanding performances — the sets were great, the costumes — it was absolutely the best entertainment. If you have never attended an operetta at Sequim High School, I highly recommend it, you will be dazzled and amazed by the performances of these children. Thanks again to everyone involved; it was fantastic.
Liz Parks
Sequim

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‘Wizard’ wows audience
A huge thanks to the audience of this weekend’s productions of “The Wizard of Oz.”

I came out of my backstage corner last night to join the audience in a standing ovation to this amazing cast. The house was full, everyone was on their feet clapping and cheering and it brought tears to my eyes. Thank you everyone, a responsive and appreciative audience brings out the best on stage, and the best on this stage is incredible. For those who have not yet gone to see this show, this coming weekend is the end of it and you won’t want to miss it. 
Ginna Bentley
Sequim

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Be careful what you dream
This letter is in response to the letter to the editor “Port Angeles Needs to Dream,” printed April 30. My husband and I moved to Sequim the first of this year. We moved from Juneau, Alaska, because the place we called home for over 30 years also “had a dream’’ that envisioned cruise ships and the wealth they would bring to our town.

The last four years saw the number of tourists climb, some days there were over 10,000 tourists. The local people were run out of all our favorite places by helicopters, a never-ending line of smelly diesel buses and guided tour vans. It was so bad that most of the people who live in Juneau never set foot in town during the tourist season. All the small grocery, clothing shops and restaurants that were once open year-round were bought up by big companies like Diamonds International. When the tourist season was over, the shops were closed down and remained empty from September through the next May.

It was really a sad sight; a once vital part of the community was gone because a few “had a dream.”

So please, Mr. Abbott, be careful what you dream.
Susie and Ron Chapman
Sequim

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Breathing in fresh air
I attended the hearing two weeks ago and spoke my piece and concerns about the crematorium. When Mr. Linde referred to the petitions and that some people (who had signed) were not even residents of this county, it got me thinking. These people come to our town, eat at my restaurant, pay our local sales tax and breathe the same air I do while they are here. He referred to one from Ferndale, who happens to be my mother who comes and stays with me a month or more at a time. She also happens to have bronchial problems and loves it here because of our nice fresh air. I’m sure there must be some out of the way place to put such a facility besides our neighborhood.

And I don’t have a “fear of death” phobia as Mr. Linde seemed to think about all the people that spoke against his crematorium.
Val Culp
Owner, Old Mill Cafe
Sequim

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Trail solutions  
I am writing with a new solution to the city’s Olympic Discovery Trail dilemma. I have watched this problem evolve and create major anguish in our city and community over several years now and I have what I believe to be the very best solution. I also strongly agree with every adversely affected resident of Fir and Spruce streets and the Zwicker Trail folks in that this trail section does not belong in their front or backyards.

These property owners and residents already have been punished enough with outrageous increases in taxes and fees and have long earned the right to live in peace and tranquility rather than having this unnecessary initiative forced upon them.

I recommend that the city finally take ownership and responsibility for the issue and survey your tax-paying constituents, and perhaps the community at large as well, asking for preferences and invite comments. Maybe your new Citizens Advisory Committee and the trails coalition could accomplish this.

Considering your invitation from the recent town hall meeting for new ideas and solutions on this and other key issues, I submit this recommendation. I ask that the Sequim City Council, the county commissioners and the trails coalition find a way to make this solution work like they have with other difficult sections of this trail, such as with the segment east of Whitefeather Way. I have personally spoken with numerous concerned residents and trail’s members on this issue. I was quite surprised to learn that my idea, though not at all new, was scrapped some time ago because of perceived unfavorable difficulties. Since the public wants this trail and that there is no stopping this train at this point, then all options should be (and remain) on the table.
So I ask with this letter that you folks reopen the options and make this one top priority. It is the most sensible and viable in many opinions and does indeed solve almost every current concern. I have no doubt however, that new objections will follow this one.

The Solution: Extend the Olympic Discovery Trail from west Sequim directly and exclusively along Hendrickson Road east to Rhodefer Road then south past Carrie Blake Park to Washington Street where it once again turns east toward Highway 101 and
Sequim Bay. Completely abandon the highly troublesome jaunt from Hendrickson onto Sequim Avenue and south to any of the other three Fir, Spruce and Zwicker options.

Most of my solution involves property already annexed into the city, is in the city’s UGA or will likely be at some near-future time. These properties are indeed already sandwiched in many respects by encroaching city limits and appear to impact the least number of residences. This proposed new route makes much better sense, provides the best and most accessible existing open space available, while still providing easy access for all users, is the least disruptive to build and likely less expensive and problematic to acquire. 
Dave Munro
Sequim

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Is there even an elephant?
Did I miss the memo? Did we sign away our right to groundwater in the Sequim area and I missed the vote? My family has history in Sequim dating back to 100 years. I have been a real estate appraiser for 16 years having seen almost every property in the county. I say this because I know my community and I am confused about something.

I used to think this was the elephant in the room, however, I now think nobody even notices the elephant. As we celebrate our Irrigation Festival we need to ask ourselves what we are celebrating. Here is a hint, irrigation! This valley did not have irrigation prior to ditches. Irrigation ditches then leached water into the aquifer to allow us to drill wells for our properties. Have you seen all the irrigation being piped? We are paying for this and it is drying up our wells. As our friends to the east build a gas station and future hotel near tidelands and wetlands, we are asked to not have drinking water for our homes to supposedly save river water.

I speak to those of us in the county surrounding Sequim. We “will” wake up one day with a mandate to hook up to public water at our expense if we don’t at least ask the questions now. Well meters are already being used in some counties. The reason we have a shortage of water is we are cutting off the natural supply. Don’t just take statistics for truth, question their validity. We had record snowfall this year, if gravity does its job that water should come to us and supply water only if it is allowed to recharge our aquifer.
Get active. Ask the questions. Do we really have a water shortage? Don’t we need unpiped irrigation? Who will pay for a public water system? Are there groups currently working an agenda against this right? Hello, am I missing something?
Nathan Funston
Sequim

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Initiate performance reviews
I completely support the council’s termination of city manager Mr. Elliott. I believe this is the kind of change over 70 percent of the voting public wanted when they replaced a majority of the council last fall.

I applaud Councilor Erichsen for having the courage to initiate real consequences for Mr. Elliott’s performance.

Hopefully council continues to review the performance and professionalism of all city staff and have the courage to make changes where needed. The fact Mr. Elliott’s hiring practice has been shown to be less than professional warrants such continued and careful review.

I have always felt that Mr. Elliott’s hiring of Mr. Spinks to the position of chief of police was a perfect example of cronyism. With all due respect to the professional ability of Mr. Spinks, it is too much of a coincidence that the best possible candidate in what should have been a national search just happened to be the chief of police from the town Mr. Elliott managed before coming to Sequim.

I am hopeful council will implement regular performance reviews for every city staff position, just like those that all the rest of us receive at our respective work places. I believe Mr. Elliott has created a city government where there are no repercussions for poor customer service.

As an example, our company felt stonewalled when requesting public information and is still waiting for information the planning director said he would provide us back in January of this year. Because of this experience, it’s tough to agree with interim city manager Mr. Spinks when he tells staff “the goal now is to continue to run the city in the customer-friendly manner you have all been doing.”

Initiating regular performance reviews will allow us to retain and reward the many great people we have on staff and replace those that should be replaced.

Last, I ask council to direct the city attorney not to spend any time reviewing if the termination “had just cause.” Not only does this seem like the city attorney would be working on behalf of Mr. Elliott in such a review, but most importantly Washington is a “right to work” state and as such any of us can be terminated “with or without cause” so long as discrimination is not involved. It would be strange if Mr. Elliott’s contract didn’t support the state’s right to work laws. 
Jeffrey Bruton
Sequim

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Polishing up resumés
So our new city council has fired the city manager. Rashly, peremptorily, arrogantly, ignoring the need for continuity in government, ignoring the needs and concerns of subordinate staff, ignoring our citizens’ needs for effective government, ignoring everything but their own egos.

These people talk a great game but seem clueless about democratic process. Their actions since they took over indicate it’s their way or the highway, and for them the past is irrelevant, especially the experience and opinions of elected council members who were there before their cabal took over.

Now they’ve given us a chief of police wearing three hats: his own, acting city manager and interim public works director. He’s quoted as saying, “I will be forthright and at times blunt,” and “Many of you know that I can be a bull-in-a-china-shop.” These sound like the words of a man whose management style is to get behind and kick ass, not a man who gets out in front and leads. That kind of management has destroyed more than one organization. I pray that his actions will belie his words.

In any event, I advise Chief Spinks to polish up his resumé. Trying to do three jobs, it’s likely he, too, will be unable to comprehend and comply with vague performance requirements the council is unable to express succinctly. And he better write those job descriptions right now. They’re more important than new city halls or anything else.

We elected these people to improve our city government, not destroy it, but so far they’re only succeeding at the latter. Rashly firing the city manager is not a rational approach to improving government. It demonstrates incompetence and devotion to their egos.
Roy F. Wilson
Sequim

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