7-18-12 Mason Co. Commissioner Candidates Forum @ Shelton

The following clips, snaps, and political analysis are offered to aid voters in selecting who should fill the important office of Mason County Commissioner–as upload speeds and time allows:

Remarkably, all 3 positions for Mason County Commissioner are up for election. The level of earnest interest on the part of the candidates was uniformly high, but judging the voters’ reciprocal feelings by the level of attendance–not so much. It’s possible voter ennui was inspired by the dearth of competent well informed candidates in this field of 12 who arrived ready to have their depths plumbed.

Applicants in attendance vying for votes to secure these well paid political offices were:

MASON COUNTY COMMISSIONER
District 1:
Randy Neatherlin, Denny Hamilton, Travis Couture

District 2:
Frank Benevente, Randy Churchill, Mark Core, Roslynne Reed, Tim Sheldon

District 3:
Darrel Andrews, Curt Bennett, Ross Gallagher, Terri Jeffreys

Incumbent & Defendant Tim Sheldon gripes about Mark Core’s lawsuit (341)

@ 7:41 in this particular clip, incumbent Tim Sheldon can be heard losing it over being named as a defendant in a lawsuit brought against him (et ux) by plaintiff Mark Core, a candidate for Tim’s position as County Commissioner. Heidi (chairing the forum) didn’t literally have to wrestle the microphone out of Tim’s hands, but he yielded it grudgingly after a couple of requests, relying on his position and long political experience to do so. Tim clearly hoped to embarrass Mr. Core in front of the residents for having the temerity to sue him and other elected officials. It was a rare performance revealing Sheldon being less than at the top of his game.

Still, after obtaining the documents (complaint against the County and claim with its Risk Managment dept.) this looks to be a personnel/employment dispute. Mr. Mark Core asserts in his complaint his termination was retaliatory but offers no proof to this end in the court documents. For his part, Commissioner Sheldon claims Core’s termination was part of a general cutback in staff to meet budget considerations. If Mr. Lingle actually expressed an intent to ‘punish’ Mr. Core, he’s no longer around to defend himself as County residents are well aware. They’re also informed Commissioner Bloomfield named as a defendant, was nowhere in the picture despite assertions to the contrary in the complaint.

Mike Hanbey, esq. could easily have researched the actual names of the ‘doe’ spouses named as defendants. The lawsuit has the look and feel of having been generated by a paper mill.

CLICK to see:

Mark Core lawsuit against Mason County

Mark Core claim to Mason County Risk Management dept.

It’s not clear, despite Mr. Core’s disavowal he’d harbor any ill will, how he’d treat certain existing County employees (e.g. Barbara Adkins) if he were elected. Ms. Adkins was the county official who found the Adage proposal would not be in compliance with laws prohibiting the burning of “solid waste”.  Mike Dorcy, the County Prosecutor, subsequently rendered a legal opinion concurring with her conclusion. Adkins was instrumental in courageously protecting the quality of life in Mason County…in the face of Adage’s supporters, including her own boss, Tim Sheldon. If retaliatory firings were the order of the day at the County level, it would seem Adkins would have been among the 1st to go! Mr. Core’s allegations to the contrary have not been substantiated. It’s unlikely this lawsuit will survive a motion for  summary judgment.

7-18-12 Mason County Commissioner Candidates Forum @ Shelton (334)

Jeffreys’ Take On The Environment:
Possibly the most dangerous candidate (besides Sheldon) running for County Commissioner was Terri Jeffreys, previously an intern of Tim’s and reportedly his protege (though she denies this). Politically, telling them apart turns out to be a distinction without a difference. Were both to be elected, the downward spiral of Mason County’s environment would become a fait accompli.

When candidates were asked if they believed the County was adequately protecting our environmental resources, all but Roslynne Reed gave effusively glowing opinions of its performance. Reed knew better and said so.

Jeffreys is transparently in the camp of special interests. A cursory glance at the Washington Public Disclosure Commission’s data base of campaign contributors makes this fact, with respect to Ms. Jeffreys, obvious. i.e. FOLLOW THE MONEY! (CLICK on the following link to find Jeffreys’ list of contributors.)

Terri Jeffreys’ List of Campaign Donors

Note the names John Dobson, Jay Hupp, and Tom Wallitner–all Pork of Shelton and EDC supporters who rallied behind Adage and elected officials intent on raping Mason County for a buck. Jeffreys may be obtusely and stubbornly ill informed about the local environment, but she knows where her bread is buttered. She also wants a bigger slice of the loaf.

Jeffreys demonstrated a disturbing tendency to react in a hostile manner to citizen efforts to enlighten her. When informed Simpson had polluted our bays and estuary with Dioxin, making them among the most toxic in the Puget Sound, by flushing its poisons down Shelton’s sewers (thus into Oakland Bay) in the 80’s, she retorted, “Well, are they doing that NOW?” She argued the State’s regulations are tracking this threat today, but seemed nonplussed when informed not only was the State NOT tracking the Dioxin emissions, it had no equipment nor schedule to do so. She also ignorantly opined the Dioxin in Oakland Bay was being cleaned up. At one point, she argued that shell fish (in the bay) were good for water quality, but the need for the flip side of that coin (water quality for shellfish) seemed lost on her or incidental. This is a woman on a ‘mission’, but the quality of life/health for County residents doesn’t seem to be included.

Her biggest donor ($900) is yet another non-local special interest (Olympia), the WASHINGTON ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE. Having saturated the Lacey/Olympia/Tumwater area with development, such groups are looking for greener pastures and lax regulations. Mason County comes to mind and lies in the path of that planned development–it’s currently the path of least resistance. Jeffreys hopes to ride that money train sharing a seat in the same boxcar as Tim Sheldon. Together, they can ensure Shelton remains the gateway to industrial blight and suitors like Adage continue to call.

Jeffreys guffawed at the notion Washington’s air quality might be suffering. Her argument in favor of allowing the continued permitting of the privatization of the air we breathe fell into the 2nd camp of the following ‘rationale’ for it:

Adage and its robber baron partners argued they should set up shop in our neighborhood because Washington’s environment was so much more pristine than California’s (where they intended to market their ill gotten gains extracted from our own community/region). Essentially they were arguing they should be allowed to sleep with our underage daughter because she’s a ‘virgin’. As obnoxious as that argument was, Jeffreys’ is worse.

Jeffreys responded to concern about air quality dismissively, asking how much automobiles contributed to the problem. (over half, in general) Her thinking can be characterized as industrial polluters should be allowed to sleep with our underage daughter because she is NOT a ‘virgin’! Clearly, Jeffreys does not have the best interest of our ‘daughter’ at heart.

7-18-12 Mason County Commissioner Candidates Forum @ Shelton (335)

7-18-12 Mason County Commissioner Candidates Forum @ Shelton (336)

7-18-12 Mason County Commissioner Candidates Forum @ Shelton (337)

7-18-12 Mason County Commissioner Candidates Forum @ Shelton (339)

7-18-12 Mason County Commissioner Candidates Forum @ Shelton (340)

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Opposed to politicians who equivocate about air quality & BioMassacre
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