Cheers: To the Vancouver City Council. By extending a moratorium on facilities that would handle crude oil, councilors have demonstrated leadership that represents an appropriate vision for the future of Vancouver. After initially adopting a moratorium in September 2014, councilors now have extended it three times while working to develop more comprehensive rules governing such facilities.
The moratorium does not impact an agreement signed by the Port of Vancouver with Tesoro Corp. and Savage Cos. to build the nation’s largest rail-to-marine oil terminal. That project was proposed prior to the moratorium, as was a crude-oil project proposed by NuStar Energy. But in the long run, councilors’ attention to the issue will help define a modern city that is prepared for robust growth in the future.
Jeers: To the latest machinations from David Madore. The Clark County councilor in 2014 asked county staff to create a page on the county’s website on which he could post public documents of his choosing and link to them from his Facebook page.
Madore said his goal was transparency and a desire to provide information for the public that it otherwise would have to specifically request. Those are worthy goals, but Madore’s methods once again demonstrate that his desire is not transparency but subterfuge. Other councilors were not notified of the page’s existence, and links to it do not appear elsewhere on the county’s website. Council Chair Marc Boldt, who took office in December, this week criticized Madore: “You made the whole thing look like it was official,” and councilors voted to freeze the page.
Cheers: To John O’Rourke. After 22 years, 19 winning seasons, and nine league championships as Columbia River High School’s football coach, O’Rourke has announced his retirement at the age of 70.
O’Rourke’s teams compiled 154 wins against 77 losses during his tenure, and in 2002 his Chieftains reached the state Class 3A semifinals. Most important, he always has conducted himself with class and dignity in dealing with students and with the public. “The relationship with the players is the most important thing,” O’Rourke said. “We tell the kids when football ends, the relationships with the coaches don’t end.”
Jeers: To state legislators and to leaders of the Washington State Patrol. A recent survey of State Patrol employees indicates that inattention has allowed morale to devolve into a crisis, which has an inordinate number of troopers leaving for better pay at local law-enforcement agencies or opting for retirement. Patrol Chief John Batiste testified before the Legislature that WSP is losing an average of nine troopers a month.
This has led to several proposals from lawmakers, including one bill (Senate Bill 6547) that would provide an across-the-board pay raise of 7.5 percent. Yet money isn’t the only issue. The survey found that only 18 percent of troopers and sergeants believe they are valued in their department, and 37 percent believe they are somewhat valued. Less than 10 percent said their opinion is taken into account. To provide the best possible safety for residents, these issues should be addressed quickly.
Cheers: To progress in the renovation of barracks at the Fort Vancouver National Site. This week, the city of Vancouver awarded a contract for work on four wooden buildings at the site, converting the structures into areas for apartments, offices, retail space and hospitality space.
The bid process was convoluted, with the city needing to put out a request on three occasions, but now the project is moving forward. In the end, it will re-adapt a historic portion of Vancouver for 21st century purposes.
