PETRI-DISH POLITICS IN SILVERTON MUST STOP!!!
Silverton is suffering from an inbred local government. A fish bowl government….not enough variety in its DNA government…too much incest…whatever you want to tag it as, you get the idea. I came to this conclusion by looking closely at the current Quikrete situation being shoved down our throats by our local officials.Let’s take a look and connect the dots:Ken Hector has been the mayor of Silverton for what? Nearly 16 years?! While I am sure he is a decent fellow, that is just plain UNHEALTHY! Having the same individual in that position for that length of time - there is a reason we only allow a president a maximum of 8 years. Hector himself should at least have rotated himself out just to keep the best interest of Silverton a priority. And no matter how well meaning your intentions are, if you stay the Mayor for 16 years the pond get’s increasingly smaller and more selective, and the Quikrete situation is a perfect example of this. I wondered WHY there was an alarming lack of concern from parents of Mark Twain Students over Quikrete wanting to take over the site next door to the school. I asked a few parents in my neighborhood and they said they had never been notified by the City or the School about Quikrete. I then went to Mark Twain’s web site wanting to get information on their PTA. What I found was that Mayor Hector’s wife works at Mark Twain Middle School. So we have the Mayor’s wife working at a school who neither the City nor the School has bothered to even inform the parents that a Quikrete Plant is planning to go in next door to their kids’ learning environment. A company that has hundreds of thousands of dollars of AIR QUALITY VIOLATIONS/ CIVIL VIOALTIONS /NOISE VIOLATIONS….issues that could absolutely impact the Health & Safety of Mark Twain students and “magically” the parents haven’t been notified by their City or the School administration. The new principal of Mark Twain “sees no problem” with Quikrete going in next door…how nice of him to make that decision for all the parents as well. I’m sure they really appreciate that. Then again, it would be tough when you’re new in town and have the Mayor’s wife on staff to go against the general flow of where local government wants to go with Quikrete.
More to dots to connect in next post....stay tuned...
Hopefully the existing pro
Hopefully the existing pro Quickrete city officals will have very red faces on Nov. 4th. It may well be that the city officials consider Silverton to be thier private fiefdom since they have been in power for so long. I was wondering when some one would start to follow the money. Has anything been done about the Givaudan noise violations? Isn't being on the city concil and being the head of the chamber of commerce a conflict of interest to begin with?
SILVERTON...CAST A VOTE FOR CHANGE THIS YEAR!!!!
The stagnation going on in our local government is unhealthy and down right appalling. Silverton residents need to keep this in mind when we casts our votes in a few short weeks! Let’s break up this tiny fish bowl our officials are operating from and get some representation that is not so disconnected from the citizen’s. It’s just unhealthy for Silverton to not have fresh perspectives and more awareness of the general Silverton population and their desires for this community. If you only ever gain your insight through your clubs and boards you like to list off at the end of your resume ….well that is a tiny field of vision, to be sure. No wonder they’re determined to get Quikrete in here no matter what…forget about considering the people…I guess when you’re this intertwined with each other you can use it to whatever advantage you want but this Quikrete situation is bordering dangerously on corruption. The people of Silverton are the ones who pay
NEW, FRESH, ENVIRONMENTAL CONCIOUS PEOPLE
I absolutely agree that the current group of people that are on our council, planning commission, chamber and city government as a whole needs to be overhauled. The "club" that has been forming for years and continues to shut out very concerned and frustrated citizens has to be stopped. NOW is the chance. In less than 30 days, we have the power to make a difference. Please vote for someone who has not been in office recently or ever. We really need to take a huge stand this time. If the same people are elected, then you can guarantee that Quikrete will be here within 6 months. So please, go door to door and tell people to vote for someone who will not let Quikrete come here. Get you kids involved. We really have the power to overrun the "re-elected" officials who want to keep on dishing out the same policies that are absollutey no good for our town.
BILL CUMMINS & THE CHAMBER
BILL CUMMINS: Bill Cummins is a City Councilor, he is also the President of the Chamber of Commerce AND he’s some big wig over at Givaudan Food Processing in the same Industrial Park as Quikrete wants to go into. This is where the Petri-dish gets really disturbing...The Chamber /(AKA: BILL CUMMINS & Stacey Palmer)are the ones who invited Quikrete to Silverton in the first place. Even though it was well known that Salem businesses and citizens were opposed to Quikrete. What were Bill and the Chamber thinking?! That somehow the Garden City would welcome them with open arms when "SALEM" didn't want them?) Bill Cummins said at the Quikrete reception “QUIKRETE IS A PERFECT FIT FOR SILVERTON”(FYI: This reception was conveniently held in the middle of the afternoon so that most of those in the 500' notification area who work for a living could not attend as it was wrapped up by 5pm)Then we find Cummins again being asked by Clay Flowers and other Planning Commissioners at the August 19th meeting about Quikrete (which was s’pose to be closed for public input) as to how Givaudan (his food processing plant in the Industrial Park) deals with night trucks etc. Cummins with very obvious PRO-Quikrete leanings said …no difference, we have trucks going in and out all night. Anybody who lives near Givaudan knows that there is a MASSIVE difference between the work that his Food Processing plant does and what Quikrete plants to do! Also, Givauden doesn't have dump trucks with raw materials coming and going and do a lot of their work outside of their building! Even Cummins food plant was recently tested at higher noise decibels then are allowed by law! How much more noise will a heavy industrial outfit like QUIKRETE produce! Lastly, at the Sept 8th City Council Meeting, Stacey Palmer - Executive Director of SILVERTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE and Bill Cummin’s right hand gal at the Chamber goes up at the beginning of the meeting about to state hers and the Chambers FULL SUPPORT of Quikrete, before the City Atty. informs her that she might jeopardize the appeal by doing so. HOW in the world is this NOT a conflict of interest for Bill Cummins…Ken Hector…and even Kyle Palmer??? KYLE PALMER is also a City Councilor who is up for re-election in a few weeks. His Sister-in-law is Stacey Palmer who runs the CHAMBER! WHERE does the incest(politically speaking) end in our local government?! Are we actually s'pose to believe with all these ties that half of our City Council is going to be un-biased at the Quikrete Appeal hearing on Oct 6th? It will be something to watch...who recuses themselves and who doesn't. Bill Cummins said in 2004 when he was running for City Council that “ I BELIEVE THAT ONE OF THE PRIMARY MISSIONS OF OUR CITY GOVERNMENT IS TO ENHANCE AND MAINTAIN THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN OUR GREAT TOWN” You also said, “A CRUCIAL ASPECT OF SUCCESSFUL CITY GOVERNMENT IS TO ENCOURAGE CITIZEN INPUT. THESE FACTORS ARE ESSENTIAL IN PROTECTING THE UNIQUE AND ENJOYABLE ENVIORNMENT WE HAVE HERE IN SILVERTON” Bill….how is it that you bringing Quikrete to Silverton and doing all you can to shove it down our throats…how in the heck is this ENHANCING & MAINTAING THE QUALITY OF LIFE for the kids going to Mark Twain and for all the surrounding residential neighbors who will absolutely LOSE THEIR “QUALITY OF LIFE” once this toxic polluter goes in! Also, you seem most disgusted & disturbed to see protesters out against Quikrete so how is this honoring and “encouraging citizen input” ??? Other then the recent unarmed shooting of an Irish citizen, when was the last time you ever saw 40 or more people turn out on Monday evening @ 6pm to protest anything in Silverton? Not to mention the extreme numbers you have seen at the August Planning Commission meetings. Yet instead of respecting and taking note of this you look beet red with anger as you walk through the protest line and seem to be blowing the opposition off. Quite a different approach then your promises from 2004. So you made a wrong call thinking Quikrete was the “PERFECT FIT” for Silverton when it absolutely isn‘t! Why work so hard to cover your backside by FORCING this thing just so you don‘t have to be “wrong“ and look like a fool? Why not just say…wow…I made a bad call there…didn’t think that one through far enough…the people don’t want this here….I can lay down my pride and ego and humbly accept that I blew it on this one and got it wrong. I’ll stop trying to make something wrong, right and move on to do better in the future...Now that response would be vastly more respectable and honorable then the kind of crap we’re seeing as the City tries to railroad Quikrete through with a thousand conflicts of interest & ego involved.
Cummins/Chamber Reply
While I applaud your forum to discuss issues that face Silverton, I wish to set the record straight or to provide some facts that are seriously lacking in a few postings on your site.
FACT #1 – Although Economic Development and business recruitment are part of what we do at the Silverton Chamber, we did not have a hand in recruiting Quikrete to town. We were notified of Quikrete’s interest when we met with them, after they had made an offer on the Champion Homes property. Several members of our board and a representative from the School District met with management of Quikrete to discuss their interests in town.
FACT #2 – The new Mark Twain Principal Les Keele was not the only school representative to know about Quikrete – Mrs. Hector is a librarian at the school and they do not have the authority to make decisions for the school. Craig Roessler, the Superintendent for the Silver Falls School District was in on initial meetings with Quikrete prior to their Open House and Mr. Keele attended the Open House. Andy Bellando, past principal of Mark Twain attended the open house and spoke at the original Public Hearing as to the fact that the proposed use “Quikrete” would be better than the past use “Champion Homes”.
FACT #3 – The Silverton Chamber of Commerce is not Bill Cummins and Stacy Palmer. The Chamber Board of Directors is made up of 12 local business people, whose interests represent banks, retail establishments, real estate, Silver Falls State Park, The Oregon Garden, Silverton Hospital, Silver Falls School District and the service industry along with a representative from the City and an At-large member who is able to step in should a voting member be unable to finish his/her term. The Chamber also has 3 paid staff members, one of whom is Stacy Palmer, the Executive Director. The Chamber Board directs the operation and direction of the Chamber – not one individual.
FACT #4 – Regarding testimony at the September 8 Council Meeting – The Chamber is in FULL SUPPORT of an appeal. We were at the Council Meeting in our capacity as business advocates, a prime mission of the Chamber of Commerce. While the Chamber supports Quikrete’s intention to locate in the Industrial Park – we were at the Council Meeting specifically to request that the Council review specific conditions placed on Quikrete – restrictions the Chamber feels are detrimental to any business that may wish to locate in the Industrial Park, therefore limiting the Industrial Parks’ ability to recruit or retain member businesses and thus reducing the tax base in Silverton and putting an undue financial burden on the residents of the community.
Stacy Palmer, Executive Director
Silverton Chamber of Commerce
REPLY TO STACY PALMER - CHAMBER of COMMERCE
Stacy Palmer, Executive Director of Silverton's Chamber of Commerce
It's good to know you guys are reading our site and thank you for your posting.
I would like to respond to some of you “ Facts” …
Fact 1) I was relieved to read the Chamber did not actually invite Quikrete here as we were told, but by the time I got to your #4 point I thought you might as well have.
Fact 2) Many of us attended the August 12th Planning Commission meeting where Mr. Bellando - former Mark Twain principal spoke. But I feel I must ask….Did you? Because if you had, then you would remember that his testimony was neutral at best and not a very positive reflection on the City. In fact what you failed to report was that he actually said Quikrete would be better then Champion Homes "BECAUSE THEY COULD'T BE ANY WORSE" ....He was commenting on the fact that Champion got away with murder over there and the City never did anything about it...never monitored their activities...Champion was building their homes out in the parking lot and nothing was ever done about it, demonstrating that Silverton does not have the commitment to regulate, monitor or enforce the activities that goes on in that IP.
Fact 3) Of course the Chamber has a Board...but expecting us to buy the fact that Bill Cummins isn't any more influential then any other member is like trying to say Ken Hector's just a City Councilor and doesn't pull any additional weight as the MAYOR. Yes, we are aware of the Chambers paid staff - one of whom is your mother. We also heard the Chamber lost some wonderful volunteers over your support of Quikrete and that there are folks considering boycotting chamber businesses and getting their services from Salem and Mt.Angel instead. I doubt your expressed concern in #4 over the 'restrictions' imposed on Quikrete will heal any of these folks feelings. Silverton is a wonderful town but if anyone from the Chamber to our Elected officials thinks dismissing the citizens who are your members bread and butter is a smart move, I think you should carefully reconsider. In this economy when dollars are tight our local business depends heavily on every sale. To take a position that pit’s the Chamber against the people is foolish and it's not in the best interest of your members or our town! Locals taking their dollars outside of our community makes me incredibly sad and concerned, and you should feel the same Ms. Palmer.
Fact 4) Maybe somebody more articulate then myself can respond to your #4 because I about choked when I read the Chambers “CONCERN” for the restrictions being placed on Quikrete. Seriously...I am nearly beside myself as to where to start in what is WRONG with this! The restrictions placed on Quikrete are minimal in comparison to the damage they have the potential to inflict on our community. I can't help but wonder if you personally have even read ANYTHING they are about or done a stitch of research into Fly Ash, Silica, their air quality & noise violations…. Your concern that the minimal restrictions the PC has placed on them is overbearing and will turn other business away from Silverton is INSANE! We are the GARDEN CITY not the CEMENT TOXIC POLLUTION HEAVY INDUSTRIAL WELCOME TO CANCER CLUSTER City! Are you kidding? That Industrial Park is next door to a SCHOOL...soon to be PARK...and surrounded by RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS! You're concerned for Quikrete having to enclose 70' silos and not being allowed to operate between the hours of 10PM & 6AM so the folks that live there can actually SLEEP? Or keeping the noise levels down at the school property line?! They don't comply with the IP to begin with. That's why they applied for a Conditional Use...and you're worried for poor helpless TOXIC POLLUTING Quikrete! While I am glad you posted your concerns for all to read, I’m very concerned for what type of fallout that will have on our City. You are seriously disconnected from the people who keep Silverton businesses running...namely the Citizens, if your intention is to express your concern on behalf of the Chamber for the restrictions imposed on Quikrete! Absolutely Nuts!
An Added Point On The Time Restrictions!
Oh, I can't believe I didn't think to mention this. The 1.6 tons of PM is per year per shift, (assuming all safety measures are in order and working well...which I believe is just that, AN ASSUMPTION!). So, if Quikrete operates ONE 8 hour shift, we get to breath in a minimum of 1.6 tons of DANGEROUS PM, (as we are told the filters are 100% effective on the larger particulate), which in and of itself is not acceptable, especially considering it's next a school, a soon to be park and surrounded by residential homes and "protected" (yeah right!) wetlands...if TWO 8 hour shifts that goes up to, (IN CASE THE CHAMBER, CITY COUNCIL AND PLANNING COMMISSION ARE UNABLE TO DO THE MATH), 3.2 tons per year...but that is NOT ENOUGH for Stacy Palmer I guess....She and her "group" want 24 hour operations?????? They want us to breath in a minimum 4.8 TONS PER YEAR???? Somehow the 1.6 tons didn't seem toxic enough for them???? NOT EVEN 3.2 TONS IS ENOUGH FOR THEM????? NO, THEY WANT US TO BE EXPOSED TO 4.8 TONS PER YEAR?????????
I THINK THEY SHOULD HANG YOUR SORRY HEADS IN SHAME!!!!!
To the Planning Commission, City Council, The Mayor, and The Chamber: You really should consider and VALUE the opinions of the CITIZENS. If you think "most" people are NOT against this, I HIGHLY recommend you get out and go door to door and TALK TO THE PEOPLE YOU SHOULD BE REPRESENTING, I think you will be quite surprised at the number of CITIZENS that are absolutely against this, and how few are not. Oh, and when you run into one of those CITIZENS that you didn't bother to notify, and still has no idea that any of this is even going on, give them a TRUTHFUL account of what Quikrete is, and let them make an INFORMED choice. Don't leave out the fact that NONE of their other operations are located this close to homes, schools etc. Don't leave out the complaints and violations their other plants have had.
Reply to Cummins/Chamber Reply
Wow, I always thought the Chamber was supposed to be there to represent the citizens as well, and the city as a WHOLE. Thank you for pointing out that they do not.
As far as the "banks, retail establishments, real estate" etc. you represent, how do you think they will like how this will effect them? Houses being forclosed on because people refuse to live next to the toxic waste, and are unable to sell their homes for the same reason. People NOT shopping at the retail stores, because they no longer live in Silverton. Real estate NOT being sold, because people do not want to buy houses where the small toxic dust coats everything, (read the post from the person that works close to the Tacoma site if you don't know what I'm talking about).
It was "so nice" of the Chamber to back Quikrete, instead of the company that wanted to go in at the same site, that WOULD NOT pose the health risk, and would employ about 200 people, instead of the 20 - 50 that Quikrete will. Seems to me that would have been the better fit for Silverton, our health, welfare, economy and environment. Then, to have you want the conditions removed, it's absolutely UNFORGIVABLE!!
I also feel it was a GRAVE error in judgement, on the part of Mr. Roesller, (AND OTHERS), to NOT notify every parent that has children attending Mark Twain, and the lower grade schools. Parents have the RIGHT to know and the RIGHT to protect their kids. If you've never been up against parents with a passion to protect their children, I think your about to see it first hand.
If Quikrete is allowed to go in, against the wishes of the majority of Silvereton residents, (yes, you know, those of us that actually LIVE in Silverton!), I believe it will be the beginning of the end for Silverton, which is a shame with the Oregon Garden, the falls, and reputation Silverton has had until this point, for all that to go to waste because of one toxic company being allowed to come in.
I highly recommend that EVERY member of the Planning Commission, the City Council & the Chamber better take a hard look at conflict of interest before offering any input.