Since many of you call and ask who to vote for, I thought I would share how I voted  to stop the calls.

US Senator - Clint Didier

US Representative - Adam Smith   (If I were in the Third Congressional I would have voted for Jamie Herrera)

State Legislature District 22,  Position 1 - Judi Hoefling

State Legislature District 22,  Position 2 -  Justin Kovar

County Assessor - Jeff Gadman

County Auditor - Kim Wyman

County Sheriff - John Snaza

County Treasurer - Tom Nelson

State Supreme Court Justice  Position 1 - Jim Johnson

State Supreme Court Justice Position 6 - Richard Sanders

Intercity Transit Tax - NO

Lacey Fire District 3 increasing the board of commissioners - Yes

If you have any questions on WHY I voted this way, please give me a call.  I’ll feel free to hang up on you if it’s an harassment call.

It must be election season.   Senator Patty Murray is in town and spreading taxpayer money around to buy votes.

A newspaper article recently said that Senator Patty Murray has inserted an appropriation for $2 million into a bill now being considered in congress which will help the Port of Grays Harbor build a new railroad access to the port.

Then, I received a news release from the City of Lacey which said “Washington Senator Patty Murray has secured $500,000 in the Senate Transportation and Housing Appropriations bill for expansion of the Lacey Senior Center.

Those are just two promises of taxpayer money that I know of.  I’m certain the senator has spread the money to all parts of the state.

I’m not ready to call Patty Murray the “Queen of Pork”  yet, but she has become a political pro and knows how to spread taxpayer money around during election time to buy votes.

The US Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced, that beginning October 1, 2010, it will no longer accept cash at any of its domestic outlets.

This government agency says that by not accepting cash, it will reduce its operating costs.   It will however, accept checks and money orders provided they are made payable to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.   Credit cards are preferred.

When I heard that a US government agency would no longer accept cash, I pulled out one of my American dollar bills - - a one because that’s all I have anymore - - and here’s what it says on the bill:  “This note is legal tender for all debts public and private.”  And, it’s signed by the Treasurer of the United States and Secretary of the Treasury.

There’s something wrong when the US government won’t even accept its own currency.

The City of Lacey has begun the process of obtaining a 67-acre park in the Hawks Prairie area, the first city park north of Interstate Five.

The land, originally part of of the Rancho Sereno housing development of 314 single-family homes, is currently in foreclosure and available for purchase by the city.

It’s located in the 2600 block of Carpenter Road North and was once owned by Bob Blume who wanted to build a golf course on the property.   Its current owner, until foreclosure is Tri Vo.   The estimated value of the property is $1.8 to $2.6 million.

But, its a long way from a done deal.   Purchase of the property depends on grants from several different sources.

The city will apply for a $1 million grant from the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program.  The state grant requires a 50 percent local match.  LaceyParks Director Lori Flemm said the city’s grant is just one of 197 grants that will be evaluated to determine a ranked order.  “But don’t underestimate us,” she said.

Other possible sources of monies  include Parks and Open Spaces funds, Thurston County Conservation Futures fund, and $200,000 in Conservation Future Funds.

Flemm also said that if someone wanted to donate 50 percent of the cost of the park, the city might be willing to name it after them.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has awarded the
Port of Olympia four grants totaling over $2.4 million to increase safety
and security at the marine terminal. 

The Port applied for the funds through FEMA’s Round 10 Port Security Grant program, which requires no matching dollars from the Port.

“These grants will help keep employees and longshoremen safe and
operations secure on the marine terminal,” said George Barner, Commission President, “The community benefits with more efficient lighting and less light pollution.”

The grants cover the following items:
·       Security lighting and cameras will replace broken and inefficient
lights on the terminal and will purchase additional lights and security
cameras ($2.03 million).
·       A new telescopic material handler will give staff the ability to
replace and repair terminal lights ($206,000).
·       A new portable, generator-powered telescopic boom lighting unit
will direct light to locations where it is needed ($139,000).
·       A new security and emergency response vehicle will enable a quick resonse to emergencies ($43,000).

With the August Primary Election just a month away, it’s time to take a look at the candidates in the race for the 22nd Legislative District  and handicap their chances of making it into the General Election.

Jason Hearn - 2-1 - Hearn is the only Republican candidate running and should manage to pull at least 25 percent of the vote, which should be enough to get him into the next heat.

Judi Hoefling - 4-1 -  As the only woman, one with at least a little background in business and well-known in the community, this Tumwater Councilmember has a good chance of gaining entrance into the big one.

Chris Reykdal - 5-1 -  Another of the favorites to make it onto the general election ballot, he has garnered more than two dozen endorsements from various unions and raised a whole pot full of money.

Stew Henderson - 6-1 -  The candidate with the endorsement of the Democratic party, he’s a longshot, but not entirely out of the race.  We’ll see if the party can pull it off for him.

Steve Robinson - 8-1 -  He’s the candidate the environmental community loves.  He has endorsements from George Barner Jr. and Billy Franks.  He may pull off a few Democratic votes which might have gone to Henderson or Reykdal.

Fred Jensen - 20-1 - This pro-life Democrat is spending money on radio advertising but is running in the wrong party if he really expects to get enough votes to make it to the next round.

Jeremy Miller - 100-1 -  Every race has a longshot and this one is about as long as you can get.  If all the other candidates withdraw, he still can’t win.

(All of the views expressed are mine and mine alone.  There’s no one else to blame.)

           Time was when The Olympian was a major player in this community.  It had a circulation approaching 50,000 and its many pages were filled with local news.

            More than two dozen reporters scoured the countryside, keeping an eye on local government and reporting any misuse of public funds and abuse of public trust.

            That was long ago.  No one believes the paper is a player  anymore.  Well almost no one, except  George Le Masurier, the publisher of The Olympian.  Apparently he’s still living in the dream world of newspaper power.

            He writes a weekly column that appears in the paper on Sunday.  For the most part it is the only local news in the paper.  Some 90 percent of the news content comes from Pierce County.

            I look forward to his piece every week because it gives me a view into his mind and how he’s adjusting to life in Thurston County.

            However, his May 30 article veered to the fantasy side.  He said, and I’ll try to quote accurately, “the printed version of The Olympian reaches 132,840 people every day in our whole distribution area, which includes parts of the counties that surround Thurston County.”

            You heard that right.  He said the paper reaches 132,840 people.

            Now note.  He didn’t say that 132,840 people read the paper, he just said it reaches 132,840.   If he meant to say that many read the paper each day, then he’s using faulty math and logic.

            The last official circulation figure for The Olympian  was 29,210.   We know that’s the number of paid circulation because the newspaper is required by postal law to state the figure every year.  That was the 2009 figure given to the feds.

            Le Masurier may be talking about the fact that many people read a newspaper who don’t subscribe.  We know that a newspaper passes through more than one set of hands.

            But even if three different people read each paper every day, the number is still below 90,000.

            In his column he also states that The Olympian’s web page gets 400,000 unique visitors every month and that they view 3.2 million pages.

            I have no way of knowing if this is accurate or not. However  I suspect not.

            There’s no doubt that many people now get their news from the internet and that some of them probably access the paper’s web page.  I doubt however that they get 400,000 unique visitors every month.

            I can only go by my experience.   As you know, I have a web page that can be accessed at kenbalsley.com.

            I get between 4000 and 5000 unique visitors every month.  I have to ask myself this question.  Does The Olympian get 100 times more viewers every month?  I doubt it.

            I’m perfectly willing to open my web stats to anyone with a serious need to look at them.  (Call them advertisers.)

            I suspect that Le Masurier will be unwilling to allow any outsider to look at his stats.

            If his circulation figures are any indication, he uses faulty logic in his web stats as well.

            It’s nice to live in a dream world once in a while.   But the publisher of our only daily newspaper needs to be a little more honest when talking about the paper and its impact.

 (This story appeared in the June 2010 edition of “Ken’s Corner & The Real News.)

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Lacey Fire District Commissioners have rejected a contract extension with its fire fighters, citing uncontrolled costs.

By a vote of 2-1, with commissioners Skip Houser and Gene Dobry voting to reject the extension and John  Christiansen voting for the extension, the board turned aside the recommendation from the fire fighter’s union.

Commissioner Dobry said “I want to remind the board that our current financial situation is just limping along; we are nowhere near being in a financially comfortable position.

“It’s time to set a clear vision for our district,” Dobry said.  “I believe approving this contract will do the opposite; it will cloud our vision and limit our opportunities.”

Dobry pointed out that prior to the current labor contract, personnel costs were 83 percent of the district’s budget.   “Since 2007 our personnel costs have exceeded 90 percent of our budget.”

Dobry said that personnel costs for a fire district should be about 80 percent.  “It’s was 94 percent last year,” he said.

He also pointed out that the budget problem wasn’t a lack of revenue.  “Our revenue has been increasing,” Dobry said.  “The problem lies in our failure to control costs.   At 90 percent of our budget, contractual labor costs are the culprit.”

He also pointed out that the State Auditor has slapped the district for running the district’s general fund in the red.

It was high labor costs that caused the City of Lacey concerns last year when it looked at leaving the district and forming its own fire agency.  Since then, city residents have voted to annex into the district and now have some say in the district’s operations.

Commissioners and the fire fighter’s bargaining unit will soon begin negotiations on a new labor contract.

You should receive your Thurston County Primary Election Voter’s Pamphlet in the mail shortly - - but be aware - - there’s a major error in the pamphlet.

Intercity Transit is going to the voters requesting a 2/10th of a percent increase in the local sales tax.  While this is a significant increase, and totally unnecessary, the pamphlet says “No one could be found to write a statement against the Intercity Transit Authority Proposition No. 1.”

That’s not true.   I offered to write the statement against and told Intercity Transit and the Thurston County Auditor’s Office, that I would write the statement against - - if they couldn’t find anyone else.

A few days later I was informed that they had found someone to write the opposition and that I wasn’t needed.   When I returned, ten days later, from attending the Rotary International Convention in Montreal, a recording on my telephone said that the person who was going to write the statement backed out - - and if I still wanted to do so - - I had to have the statement into the auditor’s office - - the next day.

The message was received three days after the deadline.

First the real reason for this article.  Intercity Transit does not need the increased sales tax.   It has a surplus of $11 million dollars, it is currently undergoing a multi-million dollar expansion of its facility and it over pays its unionized drivers, mechanics and other staff, by significant amounts.

Intercity Transit is currently in negotiations with its unions and an increase in the sales tax will give them more money to meet union demands.

The bottom line - - the money isn’t needed and will be wasted on increases in salaries.

NOW - lets talk about the voter’s pamphlet.

This government funded document is nothing more than a promotion piece for government tax increases and support of incumbent office holders.  Nothing in the pamphlet can be construed as TRUE.  The courts have ruled that the information can’t be censored - - and besides - - who wants the government to be the censor.  The pamphlet is worthless.

But, significantly, the taxing authorty decides on the text of the tax measure.  It also appoints a committee to write a Pro and a committee to write a Con.

Too often the Con never gets written because the authority doesn’t really want a Con statement.   And, sometimes, a person is picked to write a Con statement, who actually supports the new tax.

One time a fire district going out for a tax increase, appointed a person to write the Con statement.  His statement said he was against the tax increase because it “wasn’t enough”.  That was the Con statement.

Here’s what needs to be done.  We should stop funding the voter’s pamphlet.  If we continue to do so, then we should put the responsibility of finding the Con portion onto the office of the county auditor - and away from the taxing agency.

And, if no one could be found to write a statement in opposition, then no statement in support of the measure should be allowed.

Those all seem to be straight forward and appropriate.

The bottom line - - VOTE NO on the Intercity Transit tax increase.

Mathematically anyway.

That’s the assessment of the Thurston County Republican party which states statistics, trends and the economy are their friends, and will help them to victory in the 22nd Legislative District.

The 22nd District hasn’t elected a Republican to the legislature in 30 years and even Bill Garson, from the south county, the last Republican to serve in the 22nd District, has his doubts.

But, during the kickoff breakfast for Jason Hearn, the Republican candidate for the 22nd Legislative District, supporters made the effort seem less than impossible.

Former Lacey City Council Deputy Mayor John Darby showed that statistically, a Republican can win.   He pointed out than in 2004, Ann  Burgman pulled 40 percent of the vote as a Republican.

The poor economy, the trend of voters to defeat incumbent candidates (although there’s no incumbent in the 22nd District) and hard work , effort and money will pull Hearn to victory, Darby said. 

Hearn said he would work to honor the state’s commitments to state workers and retirees and would seek to bring a new spirit to the legislature.

Some 50 people were on hand at the kickoff breakfast, including Lacey’s current Deputy Mayor Virgil Clarkson, who has endorsed Hearn.

Washington State Democrats, meeting in Vancouver on June 26, adopted the party’s platform for this coming election cycle.  All Democrats, running for office, should embrace the entire platform.

Here are the platform planks:

Stop Washington’s Attorney General from participating in the lawsuit against Obama Care.

Stop the governor and the legislature from cutting any state programs.

Support I-1098, the new state income tax.

Urge the legislature to draft new rules encouraging meat processing in small facilities.

Establish a Bank of Washington State to act as a central bank to community banks.

Support the full-funding of education to establish a “World Class Public Education System” in Washington.

Slap the Texas Board of Education for rewriting history in its history books.

Support programs which create green jobs.

Encourage the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission to enact regulations requiring local utilities to purchase up to 10 percent of their energy from alternative energy sources.

Eliminate the Top Two Primary system and establish a system to require registration by party.

Pay hospitals and doctors for the cost of providing emergency care to the uninsured.

Make Senior Rights - Human Rights.

Prohibit professional guardians from taking any money from Burial Funds.

Extend Unemployment Benefits and created more public funded green jobs.

Replace the I-5 bridge over the Columbia River.

Stop feedlots in the Yakima Valley.

 (It would seem to me that every candidate on the Democratic ticket should be asked if she supports the party’s platform.)

Members of the Lacey City Council, Thursday night, approved the city’s new Six-Year Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) which gives some insight into the city’s transportation priorities.

Top on the list of nearly 30 projects, is improvement to Carpenter Road at a cost of $13.4 million.   Improvement to Hogum Bay Road is second with a cost of $12.3 million.

The city is required to prepare an annual TIP and submit it to the state and the Thurston Regional Planning Council prior to July 31 of each year.  In order for a city transportation project to get federal, state or regional money, the project must be on the city’s Six-Year Street Plan.

Depending on circumstances, only a handful of city projects get funded, usually no more than four or five.

A new roundabout at College Street and 22nd Avenue is listed at number 7 on the list.  The estimated cost is $2.5 million.

It’s July 3, the day before Independence Day and there’s something missing.  

NOISE

In my Lacey neighborhood, there’s not a sound except that made by whirling traffic and lawnmowers.

There’s no whizzes, no bells, no pops, no whines no booms of any kind.   Is it really the Fourth of July weekend?   If so, where are the celebrations that for more than 230 years marked the joy of the country’s birthday.

Old men and old women, who voted for the fireworks ban, have taken away some of the joy of the holiday.

Growing up in Thurston County, the Fourth of July was the second most awaited holiday next to Christmas.  It was the time to gather your pennies and head for the fireworks stand, where a whole display of joy was waiting to be purchased.

For days before the Fourth, the air was awash with the sounds of celebration.   That was the way our Founding Fathers wanted it to be.   John Adams declared that this day should be celebrated with fireworks, with rockets, with bonfires from border to border.

But now its gone.  There is no joy in Lacey and for much of Washington State for that matter.

The old women and the old men in particular, have forgotten the joys of the holiday.   And now I sit, surrounded by - - silence.

Plans by the Port of Olympia to develop six and a half aces of port property on East Bay, have been dealt a blow by the economy.

The port’s partner Tarragon from Seattle, has pulled out of the project citing the poor economic climate and the bad economy.   By mutual agreement, the port agreed to the split.

There are no plans at this time to go out for proposals for other partners, according to Olympia Port Commissioner Bill McGregor.  “Our vision for East Bay is still a good vision,” McGregor said.  “But we’ll have to wait until the market improves.”

Until then, McGregor said, the port will continue work on cleanup and wait for better market conditions.  “The value of the property will continue to escalate and the taxpayers will be the beneficiaries,” he said.

You gotta love Randy Dorn, don’t ya?  

Our Superintendent of Public Instruction is just a good old boy.   He sometimes drinks to excess, he listens to sports radio and he complains about his job and how much money he makes.

He seems like someone you might want to tip a beer with on occasion, provided you take his keys.

It would be comfortable listening to his complaints, if he wasn’t the state school czar, responsible for the education of our kids.

Dorn made news a little while back while getting arrested for driving under the influence.  Most recently he made news complaining that his salary as the director of SPI was a lot less than that of Seattle Mariner pitcher Cliff Lee.

Dorn’s recent complaint about his salary (which is $121,000) isn’t the first time he’s complained about what he gets paid.  Testifying last year before the state salary commission he said that he got paid less than many of the school superintendents in the state.

He said he had to take a pay cut when he got elected to the state school superintendent’s job.

Of course, before he bamboozled his way on the ballot and into office, he served as the head of a government union making, it appears, about $150,000 a year trying to get the taxpayers to cough up more money for government workers.

Now, he’s trying to get more money for his own job.  

I guess the work of a union boss never stops, particularly when it’s only taxpayer money at stake.

But, I think he’s still a good old boy and I’d like to take him out for a drink.  I’ll even buy.

I just finished a 10 day trip to Canada, particularly the Montreal area.  From that trip I’ve realized a significant impact of the future of the United States.

Montreal is in the province of Quebec.  Quebec is a French speaking area of Canada and all of its personality and reason for being circulates around its “frenchness.”

Some 80 percent of the residents of Quebec speak French and all signs, posters, magazines , radio and tv shows, food products and anything you can name is in French.

Canada’s history revolves around the conflicts between the French and the English with the English eventually coming out on top.  French settlers were discriminated against, their lands confiscated and many of them forced to flee to other French colonies including Louisiana.

But the American revolution made the remaining French settlers in Canada important allies to the British and to keep their loyalty the protestant British allow the catholic French to keep their religion to keep their language and to keep their own laws.

And it remained so until the 1970’s, when a small group of revolutionaries tried to separate Quebec from the rest of Canada, through violence.  That brought about changes in Canadian law which not only gave Quebec the right to secede if it could generate a majority in favor, but also put into law that Canada was a bi-lingual country and that all official documents be in both languages.

A few years ago 48 percent of Quebec voters voted to seceed from Canada, not enough, but encouraging enough to keep a separtist party in control of Quebec’s politics.  It’s anticipated that another referendum to separate will soon be before the voters again.

As far as I can tell, its the language issue which keeps Quebec from truly embracing national identity.  And, that gives all Americans pause.

A bi-lingual country cannot survive long.  Having two national languages creates two separate groups and over time, one or another of those groups will begin to feel threatened.

The United States should take a warning.  We cannot exist as a bi-lingual country.  English should be the only official language.   Quebec’s history with the French language in an English speaking country - gives us adequate warning.

Funeral Service for Ann Burgman will be on Wednesday, June 23 beginning at 11 a.m. at Sacred Heart Church in Lacey.

 (Editors note:  The following story appeared in the June 2010 edition of Ken’s Corner & The Real News.  Ann died on June 12.)

            In the early 60’s, Ann Burgman moved to Lacey with her young children and her husband Tim to engage in Tim’s family business funeral management.

            She and Tim entered into the business with the Woodlawn Funeral Home and the Ruddell Road Pioneer Cemetery.

            Lacey wasn’t a city but had aspirations of being a city.  As a business owner, the advantages of a city were obvious and the Burgman’s joined in the infant movement to incorporate the area known as Lacey, into the city of Lacey.

            Tim and Ann raised money, stuffed envelopes and knocked on doors in the effort to gain incorporation, and on the second try Lacey became an incorporated city by a vote of its people.

            For a short time, Tim worked as the city clerk, but he and Ann settled down to raise a family and make their business a success.

            Over the years the business expanded and over the years the Burgman’s encountered problems with city rules and regulations.

            The city wanted part of the cemetery for road expansion, but because cemeteries can’t be taken by condemnation, the Burgman’s had the city over a barrel, or over a roadway project.

            The problem was eventually settled in favor of the Burgman’s.

            Then they had problems with the local air pollution authorities over smoke from the crematorium.   Again the problem was settled, but not before the Burgman’s had to make expensive changes to their operation.

            Over the years the city made significant decisions that negatively impacted business.  New rules and regulations, a restrictive sign ordinance and a temporary utility tax to make repairs to Sleater Kinney, which became a permanent tax.

            All of that was too much for the family and it was decided that someone would have to seek elective office - - and for various reasons, that duty fell upon Ann.

            In 1992, Ann Burgman decided she was going to run for a seat on the Lacey City Council, and she was going to run against Kay Boyd, who was serving the city as mayor at that time.  

            “Why are you running against the mayor,” I asked her. 

            “Because I can beat her,” Ann said.  “I can beat anyone currently on the council.”

            That was a bravado that most people never saw.  Ann had a good sense of herself and of her place in society.  She knew her strengths and that always served her well..

            It was her strengths that brought her victory.  It was the first time in city history that an incumbent mayor was defeated.   It wouldn’t happen again until last year.

            Ann took her seat on the council, one dominated by public sector employees and retirees.  As the lone business person on the council, Ann had a long way to go to make inroads into the city’s destructive policies towards business.

            But she worked hard, did her homework and showed she had the ability to get along with everyone.

            She was a big supporter of the Hawk’s Prairie Gateway project and saw that as the future of Lacey.

            She had many successes.  She eventually went on to head the air control authority, the agency which once had caused her problems.  She also went on to serve as the city’s representative on many boards and commissions including the Intercity Transit Board.

            She was a long time member of the Lacey Chamber of Commerce and attended almost all of the meetings. She was often the only elected official at those chamber meetings.  Ann used to introduce herself, not as a member of the Lacey City Council, but as “your friendly undertaker.”

            She was well-liked and well-respected by all of those who worked with her.  That should have been enough.  But it wasn’t.

            One goal Ann wanted badly escaped her.  She wanted to be the mayor of the City of Lacey.

            Because the people didn’t elect the mayor, Ann couldn’t get the job that way.   “If the mayor was an elected position, I could win,” she often said.

            But the mayor’s job wasn’t up to a vote of the people.  It was up to a vote of the council, and Ann could never round up enough votes to get the mayor’s appointment.

            Part of it was because of Ann’s weaknesses.

            She was not a good public speaker and in public she often appeared shy.

            It was that lack of public accommodation that held her back from being selected as mayor.

            But, she did achieve a measure of success in city government and served as the city’s deputy mayor.

            She never had an easy campaign.  While other members of the council often ran unopposed, Ann always had an opponent. 

            Because of her conservative viewpoint, local liberals were always trying to unseat her - - and they always lost.

            She was right.  She could beat anyone - -  for a Lacey council seat, that is.  An attempt to run for the state legislature as  a Republican tripped her up and was the only race she ever lost.

`           Parts of her private life have been made public, including problems she had with family members and the business.

            But her biggest struggle was with cancer.   She fought off a bout of cancer a decade ago, but the cancer came back.

            In late 2008, she called me and asked me to inform the Lacey Rotary Club that she was fighting brain cancer.

            That’s a battle she waged for more than 18 months.   It confined her to a wheelchair, but up until recently she used her cell phone to keep in contact and to keep her hands in local politics.

            Along with two other councilmembers, she was defeated for re-election in 2009.

            Her last public appearance was at the annual Memorial Day celebration. Held annually at Woodlawn.

            Lacey, as a city and as a community is better off because Ann Burgman chose to get involved in her community. 

            Business has never had a better city representative than Ann.

The City of Lacey has taken the final steps to get out of the fire protection business.

At its Thursday meeting, the council authorized the city to transfer all fire stations, fire equipment and other fire material to Fire District 3.  Thus ending any city involvement in fire protection.

In 2001, the City of Lacey passed a fire protection measure of $9.9 million.  With it the city helped purchase a ladder truck and two fire engines and paid for 50 percent of the construction of three fire stations and an equipment maintenance station.

At the same time, the Fire District also passed a similar measure and both the district and the city became joint owners of the stations and equipment.

With its move Thursday, the city transferred all property to the fire district and no longer has any interest in fire protection.

According to Lacey City Manager Greg Cuoio, the move is just a formality.  “Those stations and that equipment always belonged to the people,” Cuoio said.  “We’re just transferring the rights to where the people have gone.”

The Lacey Rotary Club has released the list of winners at the 2010 DesChutes Duck Dash.  The winners are:

1. Half carat round diamond ring from Kluh Jewelers - Earl Tower

2.  $2,500 cash from Ken Fialkowski at Edwards Jones - Steve McNelly

3.  $2000 cash from O Bee Credit Union - Laura Kipp

4.  Raymond Weil Men’s Watch from Ben Bridge Jewelers - Justin Looker

5.  $1000 Savings Bond from South Sound Bank - Steve Cole

6.  Steelhead Fishing Trip for two by Riverman Guide Service - Liza Seth

7.  One Night stay for family of Four at Great Wolf Lodge - Ashley Disken

8.  $500 cash from West Coast Bank - Bob Leech

9.  $300 gift certificate at the Guardsman - Junell Vellines

10.  $300 gift certificate to O’Blarney’s Irish Pub - Jim Cooper

11.  $200 gift certificate to O’Blarney’s Irish Pub - Hilton Jarvis

12.  Gift certificate to the Valley Athletic Club - George Burgman

13.  $100 gift certificate to Brewery City Pizza - Angie Ahlf

14.  $100 gift certificate to Shipwreck Beads - Carol Hiner

15.  $100 gift certificate to ITunes from Outback Steakhouse - Adam Jackson

There are two things that school districts hate to do.  That is changing school boundaries and closing schools.

Parents come out in droves and school board members almost always feel the impact on election day.

That must be the reason the Olympia School District doesn’t want to face the fact that many of its elementary schools are under enrolled and that adjusting school boundaries and/or closing some schools is far past due.

The district has 11 elementary schools.  Because of shifting patterns and other demographic elements, nine of those 11 schools are under enrolled.  They house fewer students than their designed capacity.

Two schools - - Centennial and Hansen - - have far more students than the school was designed to handle.  The district has moved portable classrooms onto those school sites to house the overage.

The nine schools with fewer students than capacity are:  Boston Harbor, designed for 197 has 191.  (All figures are from March 2010)

L.P. Brown was designed for 370 students and now has 299.  Garfield was designed for 396 and has 353.  Lincoln at 345 has 283.

McKenney 421 designed has 401.  McLane 322 has 281.  Pioneer designed for 371  has 363.  Roosevelt at  420  has  413.

And then there’s the case of Madison Elementary.  It was designed for 247 and has only 149 students.

Madison is a special case.  It has a reputation of being the “homeless” school.  Because of that, some parents living in the school’s boundaries send their children to another school.

The principal at Madison is only a part time principal and works in the district office part time.  Boston Harbor also has a part time principal.

Altogether the Olympia district has excess capacity of 356 students at its nine elementary schools.  Yet, the district is putting in portable buildings to house students at the two schools with more students.

The most prudent thing to do and one that would cost the district the least amount of money is redraw the school district boundary lines to even out the enrollment.

That of course causes heartache for parents and heart burn for administrators.

The other alternative is to close one of the elementary schools.  It would appear that Madison would be the first on the chopping block since it’s under enrolled by nearly 100 students.

But Madison is one of the newer schools and it does house many homeless students.  At some times 30 percent of its small enrollment is in that category.  (Editors note:  Since this article was first written, the school district has decided to keep Madison open for another year.)

Olympia School District spokesman Peter Rex told me that while some of the schools appear to be significantly under capacity, “there are often extra classrooms as we house special programs  that serve students with exceptionable needs or use those rooms for things like orchestra practice.”

Olympia enjoys great support from its parents and from the community.  The district has very little trouble passing school  levies or bond issues.

Part of that is due to the great school system, but part of it is also due to the fact that district refuses to make tough decisions which might upset some parents.

That’s not leadership. 

(Editors note:  This story ran first in the April 2010  newsletter edition of Kens’ Corner and The Real News.  For subscription information call 456-8964.)