Archive for Featured
Fuzzy Math
Posted by: | CommentsThe Salary Commission’s final report was issued in time for the May 10, 2011 DuPont (WA) City Council Meeting but the results were less than satisfactory to some of our elected representatives. In particular Councilman Roger Westman seemed particularly flummoxed by the resulting $75 per month increase for council members.
I am afraid that Roger is so far into the weeds that he will have to take a drop or let others play through. I can fully understand his confusion that it appeared that the compensation increase did not account for the time required by each member of council and mayor had to provide in the fulfillment of the position. However, not all value is derived by the time spent working on something. When providing a service, value becomes even more difficult to quantify. The real question to ask is what is anyone’s time worth? You are apt to get boundless inputs and opinions on the matter.
While the average citizen probably does not realize how much time each individual council member puts into his or her duties it would be safe to say they also probably do not care. The majority of those on the periphery of city business only begin to care when something the city does or does not do impacts them directly. It is also safe to assume that what is important to Roger or any other council member isn’t as important to the average Joe. So when Roger makes the case for his time spent at AWC conferences and seminars he also needs to articulate the value back to the citizen resulting from that time. Good luck with that.
Further, Roger offered two very lame and non-applicable examples of his value proposition. The first was of a garage door repairman requesting $100/hr labor rate to come out and diagnose his problem and recommend, and presumably render, a solution. It was also the same rate the computer repair technician quoted in Roger’s second example (he should have went to DNA Repair on Wilmington). It is beyond a stretch for these examples to be applied to the rate a part-time city councilman or mayor of a small town can reasonably expect. First of all, in the two examples cited, the technicians provide a measureable service. If Roger called for his garage door to be fixed then it would be fixed by the end of the transaction. Same is true with the computer technician.
In the case of the garage door Roger’s choices are as follows: 1) Pay the $100/hr rate and get the garage door fixed, 2) Fix the garage door himself for the cost of parts and his sweat equity, or 3) leave the garage door in disrepair.
To have Roger suggest that his time on council is somehow worth $100/hr because that is the going rate is preposterous. First of all, the technicians actually fix things. There is a measureable result in the service that they provide. Can anyone holding elected office in DuPont honestly say that they routinely fix issues with every minute they are deliberating on city business? What skill is it exactly that they are providing?
Look at this very council meeting. Seven council and one mayor. It lasted one hour. At Roger’s rate they would have each gotten $100. Watch it (if you can bear) and ask yourself if we got $800 in value.
Let me offer another example in the same vein as Roger’s above two. A plumber. A plumber probably also gets $100/hr as mentioned. But at least the plumber is willing to clean up someone else’s shit for them; and at the end of the transaction you can flush confidently knowing you were able to keep your own hands clean. The problem with our council and mayor is that we still have some shit clogged in our pipes and the only thing we have seen from them in the last four years is ass crack, not much in the way of results. Let’s begin with that discussion on “value.”
Here is where the argument gets ugly. What is the value the council and the mayor are providing back to the taxpayers of DuPont? If Roger Westman is quick to keep a ledger of council and mayoral value then so will RealDuPont.
What council should acknowledge is all of our money that they waste and that the citizen’s see zero return on investment. A certain $25,000 phone (scientific) survey comes to mind. Can any council member show any actionable items that came from the exercise of the obvious? OK, how about the countless council “retreats” where a facilitator is hired to tell council just how dysfunctional they are. Any learnings from that that I can see in action or is our council still divided into cliques pushing their own agendas? What about the pencil whipping City Staff pay increases during a recession? The benefit to the citizens for that charade was to lay off employees and decrease our level of services so that the managers could all get a pay bump.
Should I go on?
I would like to remind our belly aching council that their bonehead decisions cost taxpayers money too. Did Roger vote to send a $1000 gift to Steilacoom High School even though we do not have an electronic reader board ourselves due to lack of funds and in spite of the fact that we all pay school taxes for such nonsense? What about the second, off season, failed levy election because the first tax proposal was botched? What was the cost on that, again? How much in CYA expenses has council authorized to work on the CalPortland Mine expansion and subsequent renegotiation of the legally binding (at one time) 1994 Settlement Agreement? Lawyer’s fees? Planning department time? That total is nowhere near being completely calculated. Is there a price tag on every dead-end, go nowhere town hall meeting?
The way I see it, Mr. Westman, perhaps some of you on council could pull out your own checkbooks and offer back a rebate as a matter of good faith.
But, things don’t work that way, nor are you to be judged on how many hours council puts in for their blunders and successes. Just be thankful you are not being paid by results (like your technician friends).
You are serving the public, not the other way around.
The Curious Case of Terry Sutton
Posted by: | CommentsYou see them every day. Emails pushing something that is too good to be true; whether it is deeply discounted Viagra, name brand prescriptions from Canada, or real Russian women seeking husbands. Most are boilerplate spam messages send from Middle Africa or Eastern Europe.
In addition to the run of the mill spam is the phishing (fishing) email scams looking for personal information to exploit. They run from the polite and deferential to the official and demanding. You may be corresponding with a prince or a government official or an esteemed business man; but, for whatever reason, he needs access to your bank account to help out a new friend from a tight squeeze. Your trust and kindness will be handsomely rewarded, or so it is promised.
These are my favorite because they most resemble the scams of old pulp fiction novels and detective shows. It takes some cunning, and more importantly, some investment of time to pull off such a caper. A spam email is just cyber lazy and exhibits all the skill of panhandling. Please help, send money, God bless. Now, pretending to be a prince or banker hiding money…that takes some real nuts to pull off successfully.
I like a caper that takes some real effort…and costumes.
All good scams rely on inherent human weakness (with a touch of dishonesty) and it is no wonder that when the economy is down the success of these schemes increase. Sure, you know it sounds too good to be true or it sounds not entirely legal, but you need the money. Besides, the bankers (government, businesses, or others) are screwing us anyway you will rationalize (why do you think John Dillinger was a folk hero in the 1930s?). Once you convince yourself it is right then you are fully hooked.
Recently, I got an email here at RealDuPont and the subject line caught my eye. It stated simply “CAN I TRUST YOU? {PARTNERSHIP PROPOSAL}.” All caps. Begging an emotional reaction that I may not be trustworthy. I had an idea!
Telemarketing Laid the Groundwork
I opened the email and read. It was typical in many ways but I appreciated some of the effort. Still, I knew it was completely bogus when I read the email but something inside of my head clicked. I remembered back to the glory days of telemarketing phone solicitation calls. I grew tired of them like everyone else but I decided a response was in order. First, I thought, “what kind of people would take such a job?” “What catastrophic set of circumstances would lead to someone selling light bulbs by telephone?” I also thought about their pay scale. It had to be commission based, so the more calls meant the more possible hits. You may dial for an hour and only get one or two leads. Over the course of a shift, you may only get a couple of sales. So, if you got someone on the hook, you had to let all of your other cast lines go unattended so you could reel in your big lunker.
I am that big lunker, I thought. I am not a runner, pulling out the line and soon tiring. I am a fighter. I wait to get near the net before I break the line.
I would employ two methods in the telephone solicitation. One, is I would engage the caller by asking them about themselves. “Was it drugs? Did drugs prevent you from getting a job other than calling people and disturbing them?” “Were you abused as a child? Why the low self-esteem?” The point to this was that the longer I could keep them engaged the more other possible suckers were getting away and the guy two phones away in their boiler room would get the sales commission.
You waste my time it is just annoying. I waste your time, it costs you money.
When I couldn’t bear the interchange between me and the caller I resorted to another arrow in the quiver. I interrupted the sales pitch at just the right moment and said, “Sorry to interrupt. This sounds exactly like what I need but I have to run and pull something out of the oven. Hang on a second.” At that point I would set down the phone and go about my day. The person on the other end could hear me milling about, but they were left to wonder when I was coming back. This left them with the dilemma of hanging up after I said I was really interested in what they are selling. One minute? Five minutes? How long would they wait?
Surprisingly long, as it turns out.
Eureka Moment
That gave me my eureka moment with my email scammer. I will begin a dialog and see how long it could move forward. I will provide you with the full email exchange so you can use it as a cautionary tale or as a template. Feel free to use it yourself. In fact, I implore you to use it yourself. Imagine if all of these email scammers had to make that same decision of whether to continue on or punt. Let them get their hopes dashed for a change.
Date: Fri, 6 May 2011 17:19:44 +0700 [05/06/2011 03:19:44 AM PDT]
From: TERRY SUTTON
Reply-To: sutton2t@live.com
Subject: CAN I TRUST YOU? {PARTNERSHIP PROPOSAL}
Attn: Sir/Madam,
I am the Finance Manager of a leading bank in Scotland seeking partnership for a pending business project I have at hand ready to be executed without hitches. I will give to you a detailed explanation of this project which I prefer to call a “DEAL” if I have your positive response. The business is 100% risk free because I have fashioned out means to give it an excellent outcome.
In an attempt to throw light on this business deal, a month ago a Kuwaiti multinational company opted an overdraft from our bank and was over invoiced with an amount of 12,000,000 GBP [Twelve Million Pounds]. I seek your partnership to enable me transfer this funds to your account for both of us and I am open to negotiate your percentage. Your utmost attention and sincerity is needed due to the nature of the business.
Please if you are interested; get back to me via my private email: sutton2t@live.com for further details.
Best Regards,
Terry Sutton.
Kudos for the Scottish sounding name. Probably plays midfielder on the Rangers FC. I also like the use of legalese “DEAL” as if henceforth that would be the way the long named project would be referred. Very official sounding! I responded to the email address provided.
Date: Thu, 05 May 2011 09:03:25 -0700 [05/05/2011 09:03:25 AM PDT]
From: admin
To: sutton2t@live.com
Subject: Re: CAN I TRUST YOU? {PARTNERSHIP PROPOSAL}
Dear Terry,
This sounds like a fantastic opportunity. I have an account at Chase that currently is being unused. It has a balance of $3.67 (USD).
You can trust me.
For the record, I do not bank at Chase. I am a credit union kind of guy, but I liked the fact that it sounded iconic. Nor can I be trusted. I awaited his response.
Date: Thu, 5 May 2011 16:52:02 +0000 [05/05/2011 09:52:02 AM PDT]
From: TERRY SUTTON
To: admin@realdupont.com
Subject: RE: PARTNERSHIP PROPOSAL
Hello Friend,
Thanks for the prompt response to my mail and enquiry on further details of this project. I want you to know that this is a 100% risk free business deal because all modalities have been mapped out already to make it a success. This type of business deal happens daily by the so called leaders of the world and since I have this opportunity on hand now I deemed it fit not to allow it pass me by because it may never come again. We can conclude it in the next few days if we work diligently and closely together.
Before we begin, it is important I educate you on the process carefully and please ensure to follow my advice step by step so that we will not have any problems at any stage as you know this is my field. The fund in question is ready for transfer and all I need from you now is your TOTAL COMMITMENT hence send me your Full Names, Address, Phone number, Age, Occupation and Company Name (if any). With these details I will retrieve the original information of the company and replace it with yours in our records. When the transfer is effected from my bank to your nominated bank account in your name I would destroy the records from our file then we can both share our percentage as we will agree upon.
I will share with you 70% for me and then 30% for you since I am the originator of this business and would also need to grease some hands in my office to make sure that we have a smooth transfer. A very important aspect we must take into consideration is that we must make use of an OFFSHORE BANK that has a very high levels of customer protection and secrecy in a country that has relaxed banking laws and financial regulations and also a bank that is a corresponding bank to my bank so that the transfer will be seen as an in-house transfer thus will not attract any financial regulatory body although I will advice you carefully on this.
With all these been said I would prefer to get your response and also build a relationship with you since we have not met before and you will agree with me that it is not easy to transact and entrust such magnitude of business in your hand without building a relationship. Please I would want you to handle this matter with utmost confidentiality due to the nature of my job since I am still in active service.
Regards,
Terry Sutton
A tad long winded, and there is emphasis with all caps again, but at least he called me friend (which was nice).
Date: Thu, 05 May 2011 11:55:54 -0700 [05/05/2011 11:55:54 AM PDT]
From: admin
To: TERRY SUTTON
Subject: RE: PARTNERSHIP PROPOSAL
Greetings. I am heartened by your prompt reply. The 30% you mention sounds like a fair amount to me. This money will be welcome because I have recently fallen into financial hardship at my business. I am facing the prospect of making redundant 10 positions or more but as it stands, I cannot even make payroll for next week. These employees have been loyal and many have families, so I do not want to disappoint them.
I assume that it is OK that we use my personal bank account rather than that of my business. As I mentioned, the business is having liquidity issues and I fear creditors may try to garnish any funds put into it. My personal account is safe from such issues.
However, I will need to ask what city in Scotland you are located. You do not have to provide street address, but I would like to know the city and district of your location before I proceed with personal information.
Kind regards.
Innocent request and I am sure that one he can easily Google an answer but it will show whether he is still paying attention.
Date: Fri, 6 May 2011 09:41:29 +0000 [05/06/2011 02:41:29 AM PDT]
From: TERRY SUTTON
To: admin@realdupont.com
Subject: RE: PARTNERSHIP PROPOSAL
I live in Aberdeen District, Aberdeen City. Send your information and avoid further delay.
Great, but this is still not what I need to gain trust. He must sense I am just being cautious and that I am just another dumb American being lured into his web of deceit. Still, I need to know some additional data.
Date: Fri, 06 May 2011 09:01:51 -0700 [05/06/2011 09:01:51 AM PDT]
From: admin
To: TERRY SUTTON
Subject: RE: PARTNERSHIP PROPOSAL
Part(s): 2 !banking Info.jpg 62 KB
Download All Attachments (in .zip file)
Terry,
Thank you, Aberdeen is a lovely place.
Before I commit I need assurances that this is a sincere endeavour. I will send all my pertinent information after you can verify your locale. I am requesting that you take a photograph exactly like the one attached with the inclusion of today’s Aberdeen’s Evening Express newspaper in the foreground.
Once this proof is provided we can look forward to doing business together.
Also, you will need to get two of your mates to help with this photograph.
Kind regards,
Email Attachment
Sure, it is a leap of faith to think that “Terry Sutton” will actually provide his own version of this photo, but if he did provide a similar picture it would be great! Sadly, I think this is the beginning of the end of our correspondence.
I try again.
Date: Tue, 10 May 2011 11:29:38 -0700 [05/10/2011 11:29:38 AM PDT]
From: admin
To: TERRY SUTTON
Subject: RE: PARTNERSHIP PROPOSAL
Mr. Sutton,
Please update me on the progress of this partnership. I am anxiously awaiting your photo verification with your mates so that we may proceed. Things are growing desperate here.
Yours in commerce,
Now imagine if you’re waiting for millions of dollars to be deposited into your bank account. You might just be getting a little agitated at any delay, as I hope to convey with my next email to Mr. Sutton; besides, he needs consequences if he is dragging his feet.
Date: Wed, 11 May 2011 22:54:19 -0700 [05/11/2011 10:54:19 PM PDT]
From: admin
To: TERRY SUTTON
Subject: RE: PARTNERSHIP PROPOSAL
Terry,
I have not heard from you in several days. What is the delay in this transaction?
Attached is a photo to inspire you to respond. Please do so promptly or the next photo will be of her nude!
Regards,
Email Attachment
Of course, there is no nude photo available, that I am aware of, but pondering the mere thought of one arriving in his inbox should elicit some sort of response, or you would think. At this point I am sure I know he knows that I know. He has moved onto his next mark from his computer located in Africa or the Ukraine. I hedge my bets and guess that this is a Nigeria scam, but there is an outside chance it is originating in Ghana. I hedge my bets and give him something to think about.
Date: Thu, 12 May 2011 10:42:39 -0700 [10:42:39 AM PDT]
From: admin
To: TERRY SUTTON
Subject: RE: PARTNERSHIP PROPOSAL
Your tardiness is truly unacceptable. I am afraid that you leave me no choice but to seek out a juju curse on you if you do not comply with an immediate response!
Expect to see these two fellows shortly if you continue your manner of doing business.
Good day, sir!
Email Attachment
OK, I admit I lifted the sign off to the last email from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, but Gene Wilder is just so pissed off when he tells Charlie to get the hell out of his office. It is a righteous indignation. A juju curse has just been threatened and a visit from the Insane Clown Posse was now in his future.
However, just like in the movie, I relent and soften my stance (even though no candy was returned to me). I somehow have to mend this fence between me and this scam artist. It will take the mystical healing powers of something greater than the both of us so I was left with no other choice but to summon the restorative powers of a late, great diminutive rock legend. Rock on Unicorns, Rainbows, and dudes with scepters.
Date: Thu, 12 May 2011 11:52:56 -0700 [11:52:56 AM PDT]
From: admin
To: TERRY SUTTON
Subject: RE: PARTNERSHIP PROPOSAL
OK, OK. I realize that the last email was a little harsh, but perhaps you can understand the stress I am experiencing right now. Things are difficult here, there have been many changes lately. I guess I what I am saying is that I really need a friend.
I like to golf, go out to eat, and sit at coffee shops complaining about the government. Will you be my friend, Mr. Sutton?
XOXO
P.S. I removed the juju curse on you from the last email.
May the power of Ronnie James Dio be with you!
Email Attachment
(Monday, May 16, 2011 will mark the one year anniversary of the death of Heavy Metal giant, Ronnie James Dio.)
Aw, I couldn’t stay mad for that long. Just about an hour. What is interesting is that I finally got a reply, albeit it was just not the reply I expected. In the course of the hour between the last two emails I received this notification.
Date: 12 May 2011 17:51:08 -0000 [10:51:08 AM PDT]
From: MAILER-DAEMON@gateway09.websitewelcome.com
To: admin@realdupont.com
Subject: failure notice
Hi. This is the qmail-send program at gateway09.websitewelcome.com.
I’m afraid I wasn’t able to deliver your message to the following addresses.
This is a permanent error; I’ve given up. Sorry it didn’t work out.
65.55.37.88 does not like recipient.
Remote host said: 550 Requested action not taken: mailbox unavailable
Giving up on 65.55.37.88.
Oh well, that is how it goes. Net sum zero. I did not get my share of £12,000,000 but I did not lose any money either. I can’t help but think that perhaps “Terry Sutton” actually believed I was going to cast a juju curse, which you can see from the following movie is a real possibility. Mere minutes after the mention of this bad juju I get the message back from the MAILER-DAEMON. The email address provided to me was no longer valid and thus ends my odyssey with Terry.
So my experiment worked. Even email scammers do not like to have their time wasted. I am just working toward the world where everyone responds to these phishing emails and wastes some more time of these guys. It will be for their own good.
My only disappointment is I did not get back a photo involving milk, fish, loaves of bread, cucumbers, and three guys wearing skirts. For that kind of surreal nonsense I will have to rely on watching the rebroadcast of DuPont City Council meetings.
Documentary on internet scams based in Ghana.
Feliz Cinco de Mayo
Posted by: | CommentsFeliz Cinco de Mayo.
El banco de la comunidad en DuPont Washington celebra el cinco de mayo diario.
Estas vacaciones, como el día de San Patricio, ha sido usurpado y parece más importante y más célebre en Estados Unidos que su nación de origen.
Muy similar a víspera de Todos los Santos, el quinto de mayo es un bonaza de marketing para fabricantes de cerveza y compañías de tentempiés. Los salas de fiestas, las barras, y los restaurantes todo ve el valor a promover una vacaciones que las personas mexicanas que sí mismos consideran son secundarios.
¿En cuanto al cajero automático en la Comunidad Primero? Bien, acaba de esperar que unos pocos segundos y la pantalla salpicarán atrás a su inglés más familiar.
¡Viva RealDuPont!
Gracias a Google Translate para la conversión de prueba Inglés al Español.
Et tu, Billy Jack?
Posted by: | CommentsCould it be that folk hero of early 1970s cinema, Billy Jack, has come to town to help with the re-negotiation of the 1994 Agreement? If so, he may need to know that he left his hat in the parking lot of America’s Credit Union.
Imagine if we had this sort of righteous indignation in town, willing to put his right foot upside the head of those in charge. It could change the course of the conversations about yellow curb parking, cracking sidewalks, the sign code, and of course, punching a hole in the Vashon aquifer in order to harvest gravel.
Back to reality, we simply don’t settle things in this fashion any more. It would be compromise and working toward consensus. Everyone would have to feel good about the outcome and no foot prints would be left on anyone’s cheek. There would be no bad theme song to inspire us nor would there be a sequel. Nope, what we see is what we get.
If Billy Jack were to come to DuPont Washington today he would be seeking to side with the guys in the ice cream shop or city park in the name of salmon recovery.
Fears of Insanity Drive DuPont WA Council Vote
Posted by: | CommentsSome topics are like Haley’s comet in this town. They just seem to spring up from time to time.
At the last televised council meeting the elected leaders of DuPont Washington discussed approving some funds for an electronic reader board. Sure, I wrote about that at length here in April, 2008! But the reader board funded at the last meeting isn’t here in town, it will actually be in Lakewood, but with an easement to call it Steilacoom, and before you get your panties in a bunch, it is actually for Steilacoom High School.
Confused? Let’s see if I can explain. It seems that the high school would like an electronic reader board. The solution they devised, with presumably adult supervision, was to raise money by doing what most teenagers do: they take the path of least resistance and ask those who have money to make a contribution. And also like teenagers, they don’t just ask one source, they play the whole field and work both ends of the room. I have seen this before, I have a teenaged high school kid living in the house.
It should come as no surprise to you that the first to have their hearts melted by this request would be grandma and grandpa, or in the case of the city council, Penny and Larry. They bought into it full stop about how it would be money well spent because of the *sniff* safety concerns. Penny is convinced that the intersection of Farwest, er, I mean Sentinel Drive and Steilacoom Boulevard is “very, very busy.”
(Note that both Penny and Larry sniff and snivel during their lame justifications? Could it be a tell masking a lie?)
That is correct. Your elected representative thinks that the high school is in danger of someone who is criminally insane, from you know–the asylum, and will somehow hassle the kid changing the message on the reader board. Suspend reality for a minute and pretend that there hasn’t been a manual reader board at this intersection for over 20 years. No, now it is a concern because the high school class of 2011 presented a solution in search of a problem.
The point that I find much more interesting is one that may require some action. Did Councilman Wilcox say he is going to vote to give city funds to the school project in exchange for school board support of an upcoming EMS levy? Named in Wilcox’s scheme is school board member Mike Winkler (Position 2). Just how Mr. Winkler is going to repay this Don Corelonesque favor is yet to be seen. It should be noted, however, that Steilacoom Historical School District superintendant, William Fritz, was in attendance when Wilcox made his pledge of support. No objection or refutation was raised at any time after councilman Wilcox made his statement.
It is one thing to offer support but quite another to hatch a backroom deal. Of course, if pressed, the parties will say that they are not in bed together and that the school board doesn’t know how that $1000 ended up on the dresser.
Thankfully, for the sake of some fiscal sanity, and deference to our strategic plan, Kathleen Trotter courageously voiced her dissent.
Jim Hills also spoke in dissent with an interesting perspective since he is the only person with a vote on this matter who served on both the council and the Steilacoom Historical School District board.
Others also had their say but it came down to a vote. The council was to decide whether to give the students of Steilacoom High School a brand new BMW of a reader board when all we have is less than a KIA budget. The outcome was sadly predictable but the execution suggested that the matter was far from straightforward.
The council ultimately voted to approve giving the school $1000 for their project, making the grand total of monies collected $31,000 dollars without a single car wash, bake sale, or other fundraiser activity. The students, with their adult mentors, successfully lobbied to get the reader board money from the exact same people who would have funded it if it was added to the recent school renovation three years ago; the Steilacoom and DuPont tax payers ended up paying the school, property tax, levy, or general fund is immaterial. However, this time they did so without the benefit of a vote. Pretty clever. I guess it is like finding a $10 bill in the washing machine after someone else does the laundry.
The last five minutes of the video served as a chilling reminder that these same people, those who enjoy playing Santa Claus and who could not figure out what they were voting for, or whose job it was to call roll, are the same people we elected to negotiate, on our behalf, with developers and corporations like CalPortland.
When is the next election?
There is one silver lining, though. At least DuPont screwed Steilacoom by only giving a grand. Our neighbor and partner in schools is on the hook for four thousand more!
Suckers.
A Daisy (Troop) in Springtime
Posted by: | CommentsDuPont’s Daisy Troop 40176 led the DuPont City Council meeting in the reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance.
The girls of DuPont did just fine, although in an odd twist of events Mayor Jenkins appears to cast a curse over the kids by stating that they could one day serve their community by sitting on the DuPont City Council.
Shouldn’t we set higher goals for the children of today?
Besides, the mayor is muscling in on my long time gig of poking a stick at the city council. Why not say that the girls could serve as mayor? It is an election year, after all. Maybe then something other than pencil whipping permits for Quadrant and CalPortland could take place within the city limits. Or, better yet, maybe a former Daisy could do something about the sign code (this meeting marks the one year anniversary since the sign code was added to DuPont City Administrator’s action items). If one of these Daisies lands the City Administrator job after completing her four year degree, her salary (sans benefits) would be approximately $366,000 based on the last five years of annual growth and current pay schedule.
Come on, Tamara. Sitting on Council is for chumps. Aim for the skies. Being a City Administrator is where it is at!
Blind Faith; Jenkins Remains Loyal to Her Staff
Posted by: | CommentsI haven’t given much of a damn lately, and frankly, I am not sure that I do now. But, I did take the time to watch the latest televised DuPont city council meeting.
I had low expectations when watching the council meeting. So little ever really happens and the script repeats itself like syndicated reruns of old sitcoms. What once seemed important and relevant actually jumped the shark long ago.
One staple of the comedy in DuPont is the tired gag of watching Mayor Tamara Jenkins endlessly protect her staff from any criticism, warranted or not. Like a bizarro helicopter mom, Jenkins ceaselessly defends her staff with borderline obsessive tendencies. They are not different, they are special, and we are reminded; masking their obvious handicaps and dysfunction.
This charade has gone on long enough. There is plenty to be critical of, just like they is plenty to be praise worthy. The point is that just let them stand on their own. When someone is so defensive of someone or something, it tends to suggest to me that maybe there is something being hidden from view. For 2011, I would like to suggest a neutral stance on city staff. We promise not to criticize their work so long as you, Mayor Jenkins, promise not to offer any praise for them either. After all, they work for the city, they don’t actually live here. They do not have to live with their decisions — we do.
You can see that a nerve was struck when it comes to the subject of “Land Use” was raised. There is good reason for that. The current process is cumbersome and doesn’t exactly favor the citizens. We are told, yet again, that perhaps the code needs to be revised. A familiar refrain since all our code seems to need revision. Look no further than the sign ordinance that is approaching its one year anniversary of being addressed. One year and now with a hired gun to help change it because our supercalifragilisticexpialidocious staff has done such an efficient job of getting it fixed so far.
But remember, this is not a criticism, just an observation. Staff is fantastic, really, they are.
This is a sucker bet because I know that Mayor Jenkins cannot hold up her end of the bargain, the praise of her emotionally fragile staff will continue. The mayor has to be liked. In fact, her need to be liked is greater than her need to be perceived as a leader.
There is too much riding on the future land use issues to continue mindlessly defending her staff. The First Industrial development is pivotal to the future of DuPont because it will determine our tax base for decades to come and we only have one opportunity to get it right. One opportunity to determine if the tax burden will continue to be shouldered by the home owners or if sane development will prevail.
My advice to the mayor is to take a step back and ask herself why her staff may have this perception where they are being questioned. Could it be their crappy communication? Could it be their lack of outwardly apparent accomplishments (sign code, anyone?). Or, will all of this debate regarding our land use codes and the conduct of her staff be decided in a forum the mayor will hold little sway and influence?
It shouldn’t have to come to that but it might.
SEPA Determination of Nonsignificance is Significant
Posted by: | CommentsQuietly buried in the back of a local paper, but fully compliant with the law, is a notice that has raised some eyebrows and sounded some alarm bells.
You may remember a while back that a developer was seeking to build two additional houses in the Bell Hill development. The problem for the developer, or so it would seem, is that their plan would encroach into Edmond Marsh, a recognized protected wetland.
The concern to citizens seeking to protect Edmond Marsh is that such a request isn’t typically a problem in this town. The city of DuPont has an uncanny knack of moving forward with developer requests, even if they may violate city code. A wetland setback in DuPont is just another negotiable point. Words on paper.
Here is a copy of the determination as published in the Tacoma News Tribune:
City of DuPont
SEPA Determination of Nonsignificance
Bell Hill Lots 1 & 2
DuPont File No. SEPA 09-03
Proposal: Prepare two abutting single family lots for construction of one home per lot. The proposal includes reduction of wetland setback from 200 to 100 feet, reduction of a steep slope setback from 50 to 25 feet, construction of a sewer connection in a steep slope, and filling and grading.
Proponent: Fred Brown, ESM Engineering, 181 South 333rd Street, Building C, Suite 210, Federal Way, WA 98003, agent for PulteGroup.
Location: The two abutting lots are located east of the City of DuPont Bell Hill Reservoir at 1101 Bell Hill Place, and north of Bell Hill Place, Pierce County Parcel No’s 3000060021 and 3000060011.
Lead Agency: City of DuPont.
SEPA Responsible Official: Dawn Masko, City Administrator, phone 253-912-5215, 1700 Civic Drive, DuPont, WA 98327
Conclusion: The lead agency for this proposal has determined that it does not have a probable significant adverse impact on the environment. An environmental impact statement (EIS) is not required under RCW 43.21C.030(2)(c). This decision was made after review of a completed environmental checklist and other information on file with the lead agency. This information is available to the public on request. The file may be examined during regular business hours at DuPont City Hall, 1700 Civic Drive, DuPont WA, 98327. The SEPA decision can be viewed on the City website at: http://www.ci.dupont.wa.us/development/planning-department/index.html
This decision is issued under WAC 197-11-340(2); the lead agency will not act on this proposal for 14 days from the date below. Comments must be submitted by 5:00 pm, December 17, 2010. Appeals must be filed with the DuPont Hearing Examiner between 8:00 a.m., December 18, 2010 and no later than 5:00 p.m., January 3, 2011 in the manner more specifically set forth in DMC 25.175.060. You should be prepared to make specific factual objections.
Date Issued: December 3, 2010
Photo by Patrick Sherman. Note homes from Bell Hill development visible in the background.
As you can imagine, this did not sit well with some of our citizens who are sensitive to our sensitive areas. They seek enforcement of city and state law to prevent any further alteration to our protected areas. Now, the next step for any concerned citizens is to appeal utilizing the cumbersome and uphill Hearing Examiner process. Comments on the matter can be made to City Hall until December 17, 2010.
That is not the end of it, and in a way it is the beginning. A flurry of emails began to circulate once the determination was discovered. Now citizens are contemplating what their possible next steps may be. Steps outside of the established, and until this point, fruitless process.
While this may on the surface appear to be another environmental issue, it is more specifically about the city of DuPont’s inability or unwillingness to enforce its city codes. The frustration for this point has been a consistent theme throughout 2010. A simple search of the televised council meeting archive will illustrate this point; whether it is dog crap, sidewalk repair, or the sign code, the problem with DuPont’s lack of code enforcement is systemic and significant. As a result, the clarion call of the previously unspeakable, seeking to initiate a lawsuit, is gaining momentum.
Will the citizens of DuPont really sue their cash strapped city? That has yet to be the case but the possibility is increasing, along with the collective frustration. One thing that the last year has shown those connected in DuPont is that speaking at a city council meeting during your allotted three minutes has evolved from being a complete waste of time to being a potential hazard; stating your name and address and then have a bulls eye on your forehead.
If you have nut allergies then you may want to stay away from the peanut gallery.
I am probably not the best spokesman for the creek and marsh causes. There are people far more passionate and versed in the matter than me. Below is part of an email that I feel summarizes the importance in the matter quite well. Well enough to motivate me to write this post. It was written by Don Russell and cuts to the bone.
This subject is a really BIG issue that deserves the attention of all citizens of and property owners in the City of DuPont. Why? Consider the following:
A developer has proposed construction that will encroach into a City/GMA designated buffer designed to protect a critical and sensitive area that probably lies within a FEMA designated floodway. The developer completes an environmental check list and submits it along with his arguments as to why the construction in this designated buffer should be allowed. The City Planner reviews the developer prepared documents and renders the decision that a SEIS in not required. Why? Because in his judgment the documents submitted suggest that he can reach a decision of non-significance, thereby waiving the requirement on the part of the developer to have to conduct a thorough, costly and time consuming SEIS study of the likely significant environmental impacts that his construction will have in the buffer, a consideration of alternative actions, including a no development option, and the mitigation offered to offset any environmental impacts that the recommended action will have.
Now consider the motivation of the parties involved. The developer wants to avoid the cost and delays of having to conduct the requisite SEIS study and carries the “I’ll sue the City if my proposed development is denied.” big stick. The City Planner is overworked and overwhelmed and doesn’t want to be responsible for the City incurring a lawsuit so he says to himself, “I’ll find that what is proposed has no significant impact on the buffer or critical area that it is designed to protect and let the Hearing Examiner make the final determination.” At the Hearing Examiner stage the developer, City Planner and City Attorney will present the developers claim of non-significance and City’s rational in support of the City Planner’s non-significance determination. Sitting across the table will be concerned citizens, with or without legal council, citing reasons why the Hearing Examiner should not find in favor of the developer and the City, but rather should find in favor of the citizens who advocate that the City/GMA designated buffer involved not be encroached upon by development.
Should the developer be given the green light by the Hearing Examiner to encroach into a City/GMA designated buffer, the result will be that new buffers will have been establish throughout the entire City by a process (Hearing Examiner) that usurps the advisory and legislative process that is the sole prerogative of the Planning Agency and City Council.
It is a damned shame that the City does not protect the interest of its citizens and existing property owner, but rather acquiesces to the demands of the likes of Weyerhaeuser, its subsidiaries and CalPortland.
It concluded the email thread but the matter still remains.
Photo by Patrick Sherman
Beverage of Choice at DuPont City Hall – The UnCOLA
Posted by: | CommentsIt is budget season again. The time of year where we hear a lot of chest thumping out of the civic center about controlling costs and sacrifice, fiscal responsibility and preserving core services. Most of the debate is off camera but when it comes down to the vote, any council members with misgivings usually cave in like a house of cards on a wobbly table.
There is no doubt that the economy has thrown a monkey wrench into development around town. Like it or not, this is a town built on borrowed money, so the revenues collected by the city of DuPont have been skimmed off the top for years of these development dollars. You will see the census data show that we have grown from just over 2400 residents ten years ago to around 7500 residents today. Such growth would suggest an expansion of a tax base but with the growth has a claim of a stressing of our infrastructure. Well, that is the claim, at least.
What is a fact is that there have been some levels of reduction in service in the past five years due to the long running issues of financing the fire department. The economic downturn did not help matters and DuPont had to deal with two levy losses. The mayor has taken a shine to parroting the phrase “the great recession” when describing the overall financial situation. Hollow words to people who have lived through other economic strife. In reality, we have gotten off easy in Western Washington compared to other regions; and home values in DuPont are laughably stable compared to elsewhere in the U.S.
But, declaring a crisis is the first step in absolving yourself from responsibility.
I would like to challenge this notion of DuPont’s great recession. Trust me; I am not implying that the economic picture is rosy; at least for your average citizen of DuPont, Washington. However, there is one group within the city limits that found itself impervious to this so dubbed “Great Recession.” A group that actually saw their income rise in some cases up to 50% since 2006. What is their financial secret?
They work for the city of DuPont.
During this last national election, much was made about how the salaries of the public sector now out-earn similar jobs in the private sector. So much of this was political grandstanding it was hard to verify from one side’s histrionics versus the other side’s histrionics. That aside, I wondered for a while what that situation looked like here in DuPont.
Earlier this year, I requested the salaries of the exempt employees. I never got around to writing about it but this budget season reignited my interest. In part, because the budget gives us a snap shot of what the city is paying staff today but it hardly provides the perspective of what we have paid in years past.
The city did not provide me with specific salaries, as requested, but rather I got a salary range. Additionally, I also was sent the “Employee Classification Salary Schedule” based on a survey of AWC member cities. This survey appears to be a justification of the amount we pay our city staff. Never mind that there isn’t an apples to apples comparison. Take for example, the city of Fife, which is about the same population as DuPont and also doesn’t have a supermarket. But what Fife does have over DuPont is the revenue generated from the sales tax on automobile sales. For a town of 7000, that isn’t exactly chump change.
But you get the point, a population to population, or an area to area comparison doesn’t tell you much. All we really know is what Fife is willing to pay their employees.
Below is a chart of an estimation of what DuPont is willing to pay its employees. The amount listed for 2011 is based on the proposed budget. The preceding amounts are based on the information provided by the city.
Since 2006 the city of DuPont staff salaries have shown a definite upward trend, despite the recession and our revenue issues.
Range was provided by the City of DuPont and is shown in hourly rate. The figures provided represent the mean of the range. Percent change is over period from 2006 to 2011.
Now consider that the median household income in DuPont is $65,236, it appears that those employed to service the citizens are handsomely compensated in comparison. Is this fair? It is hard to say.
The argument made to the citizens in the past was that we need to offer competitive compensation in order to attract the talent necessary to oversee the day to day operations of a city. Plus, we have been told how poorly run the city was prior to this parity was implemented.
Bear in mind, this is a look at only four salaries in City Hall. The only people who saw a pay decrease were the employees who were laid off by Mayor Jenkins.
Perhaps. But, how can you justify the continuous pay increases; increases that included COLA prior to this year? Part of this justification was at the expense of the level of service in town. Also, part of the justification in these pay increases were at the expense of other full time employees, employees who were shown the door in the past year because of budget cuts.
The council needs to consider how it can justify this blind pay increase while the mayor out of the other side of her mouth declares the city enduring a great recession. The council needs to consider how even without the contentious COLA increase the city miraculous 4% across the board pay increase for the already highest paid employees in town. Council needs to consider how it can enter contract negociations with the city unions while handing over the bargining leverage of hard times yet increasing the pay of the exempt staff every year. And finally, council needs to be sensitive that while most citizens have not seen much in the way of pay increases in the past five years, our city servants have seen their pay increase on average 35% since 2006.
If council votes for the pay increases then I will have to live with it. I just would like to hear their justification.
Tree Crushes House in Edmond Village; One Injured
Posted by: | CommentsA large tree fell into a house on Hudson Street. A 30 year old man was taken to the hospital as a result of injuries sustained in the collapse. Check the Home Town Clipper for updates.
Photos courtesy of Patrick Sherman