Deadly Intentions and Sociopathic Tendencies

As a Vietnam Veteran I, along with millions of other Veterans receive healthcare through the Veterans Hospital system. I have received very good care in both the Vancouver, Washington Campus of the Portland Veterans Hospital and at the Portland Veterans Hospital itself. But it seems not everybody has been as fortunate as I have been.

One Veteran, medically discharged from the U.S. Navy has alleged he is the victim of a staff member assigned to care for him while he was an inpatient at the Vancouver Campus. To say the least, this particular staff member has quite a peculiar background that leaves me questioning just how he was able to gain employment at the Veterans Hospital.

An inquiry submitted to Public Affairs Officer, Dan Herrigstad has not yet been responded to. But the history of this staff member, Patrick Henry is well documented as he was the subject of both a book titled Deadly Intentions and two subsequent made for TV movies on his conviction for attempted murder of his ex-wife in Tucson, Arizona in 1979 that led to his being stripped of his license to practice medicine as a Doctor and another on his “itching to exact revenge on those who put him away while at the same time working hard on destroying the sanity of his second wife.”

GVCC’s Kelly Parker Attempting An End Run Around Voters

Once again we witness efforts by the few in Southwest Washington to circumvent voters, ignore our votes and lobby funds the state does not have to forcibly ram Portland’s financially beleaguered light rail on us and into our community.

It is Kelly Parker, President/CEO Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce who has sent out an email soliciting signatures from selected business owners with the Greater Vancouver area to show support for the Columbia River Crossing Project and light rail, even though voters have clearly said we do not want it in proxy votes, such as the recent defeat of C-TRAN’s Proposition 1 to fund operations & maintenance by a sales tax increase.

Parker’s email bypassed numerous businesses, such as Acuity Group PLLC, a Forensic Accounting Firm in Vancouver hired to independently audit CRC’s books and that was met with foot dragging, a huge document dump, usually designed to confuse and overwhelm, lack of cooperation and even a lawsuit from a contractor to inhibit access to some documents that might show where some $160 Million of our tax dollars has gone, seemingly targeted to those few who may profit from the project or who would merely pass along any expense to taxpayers, already bearing the brunt of the multi-Billion expense.

Mayor Leavitt Takes Stand Against Private Sector Job Growth

Again we see so-called leaders of the city of Vancouver, Washington turning a blind eye to the plight of citizens not only in the city, but in nearby communities and the rest of the state as Vancouver’s Mayor, ‘Teflon’ Tim ‘the Liar’ Leavitt stood with enviro-wacko’s, speaking against the proposed coal export terminals being planned that will ship coal to Asia, providing much needed jobs to our state and even benefit the citizens he claims to represent.

Previously covered here, the terminals would accept coal shipped by rail and barge to be loaded onto ships and sold to countries in Asia that are building coal powered facilities to economically benefit regions in their countries that have until now been without electricity.

These countries will buy coal, if not America’s low sulfur coal, other countries coal with much higher concentrates of sulfur. But, they will buy the coal they desire.

Bedtime for Tim

Contributed by Professor Robert Dean

 

It was the night before Christmas. Tim tossed back his nightcap, blew out the candle, and snuggled into his pillow for what he hoped would be his first good night’s sleep in years. Visions of sugar daddies danced in his head. You see, Tim had just announced his resignation as Mayor of Vancouver, Washington and accepted a job as Vice President of Light Rail Promotion at the engineering firm, Government Contracts R Us.

Concert, Classic Car Show to Benefit Veterans Court

Our community remains very blessed in so many ways and one blessing we enjoy is taking care of and looking out for our Veterans, knowing the price they have paid for us. We have some of the strongest Veteran supporting communities in the United States and our citizens turn out in large numbers to support our Veterans, as seen every year on Memorial Day and the attendance at our Veterans Day Parade at Vancouver Barracks.

But Veterans are human too and occasionally, a small few may stray and run afoul of the legal system. As was outlined in a previous post, that is where our Veterans Court comes in, diverting minor infractions that might otherwise land someone in jail to Veterans support groups in an effort to help a struggling Veteran instead of just throwing them to the wolves.

The previous post announced a “Cruise-in” to raise needed funding for the Veterans Court and was not only well attended, offered everybody who could make it a great day of fun and enjoyment.

Another event is now planned to benefit our Veterans Court that promises to be even more fun and enjoyment for all ages, especially if you are a “Certified Car Nut.”

Garbage as Usual?

Okay, time for a little levity. I couldn’t help but note the humor in an email received this AM from the City of Vancouver, especially considering it is 5 days before election day.

Actually addressing the recent labor dispute of garbage collectors in the Puget Sound area, I can’t help but chuckle reading the headline this close to election day, even though no city officials are up for election.

Mayor Leavitt Declines Open and Transparent Discussion With CRC Skeptics

Ask any conservative in Southwest Washington about the reliability of the newspaper of record in Clark County, the Columbian, when it comes to political coverage and you will likely be met with laughter. The blatant left lean of the paper has many of us dubbing it the unofficial daily newsletter of the Democrat Party.

Nowhere is this better seen than the papers continued promotion of the largest and most expensive boondoggle to ever hit Southwest Washington, the Columbia River Crossing being shoved down citizens’ throats to force acceptance of Portland, Oregon’s financially troubled light rail into our community.

In spite of 3 past votes in the county declining light rail, once directly in 1995 and twice indirectly in 2002 and 2004, it came out in a recent Oregon Supreme Court ruling that the sole reason for project is to force their light rail into our community along with the desire that Clark County residents pay for operations and maintenance of the new line all the way from Oregon’s Expo Center, across the state line and into our community.

In spite of costing so far nearly $150 Million in studies, several deficiencies continue to crop up that even though reported in the pages of the Columbian, are marginalized along with any who speak out questioning the validity of such an undertaking, skeptics often dubbed with such pejorative descriptions as “the Hounds of Whinerville” and “ankle biters” by Editorial Page Editor, John Laird.

“Call Me A Cab.” Here’s Another Fine Mess We’re Getting Into

The 1930 Laurel & Hardy film, “Another Fine Mess” contains a funny scene where Oliver Hardy, posing as the Lord of the Manor of a mansion they have entered illegally calls to a slightly tipsy Stan Laurel, dressed in drag as the manor’s maid and says to Stan, “Call me a cab.” Stan looks him square in the eye and says, “Okay, you’re a cab.”

One of many funny moments in the film, but also shows how we have long taken for granted that if we need transportation somewhere, we just pick up the phone, call the local Taxi Cab company and very soon, a Taxi is waiting at our door to take us where requested for a small fee.

Those days are in danger of ending soon, if some in our city and the bully to our south, Portland, Oregon get their way. On June 19, 2012 I was copied the following email to some of our elected officials,

City of Vancouver Rejects Most Signatures On Anti-Light Rail Petition

It comes a no surprise, in the ongoing melodrama from the city of Vancouver, Washington, that we now read Anti-light rail petitioners fall short of signatures, to include “Review costs city $31,000,” all in the effort to further denigrate citizens opposed to dragging Portland’s financially troubled light rail across the Columbia River into our community.

That a petition had to even be circulated in an effort to let taxpayers who will see generations into the future stuck paying for the bloated Columbia River Crossing Project is sad in itself. But, as we have seen explained on this blog and others like Clark County Politics, the powers that be, mostly under the direction of Vancouver’s Mayor Tim Leavitt, voters true input is not wanted, just our paychecks.

We read that some two-thirds of signatures on the petition were “invalid.” Further down in the article, we see that what makes them “invalid” is duplication or that some lived just outside the actual city limits.

Missed in this latest effort to deny taxpayers a voice in this boondoggle, is the taxpayer opposition to light rail, shown in how many people who felt they were within the city limits signed the petition.

Much is made of the claimed “$31,000 cost” to verify signatures, but I have to question the veracity of that being an actual cost. Since there were just over 9,000 signatures turned in, how does it cost nearly $3.50 per signature to verify? And, since it is City/County employees doing the verification, aren’t they on the clock doing what we already pay them for?

Vancouver Closes Slocum House Theater, While Calling for Creation of a Performing Arts Center (Updated)

It was just this past March 16, 2012 that Vancouver, Washington Mayor, Tim Leavitt, stood before an audience in the recently restored Kiggin’s Theater and said, “Only because owner Bill Leigh pursued his dream to restore this landmark, are we today able to enjoy Mayor Kiggins vision for the performing arts” in his 2012 State of the City speech.

Also in that speech, the Mayor stated, “I pledged we would work toward redevelopment of the empty Block 10, here near the heart of downtown. In this economy, that has been difficult. But we know that reuse of this property could enhance downtown. So, I’ll soon be working with a group of stakeholders to re-energize the block. And, we will continue to explore new ideas, like a performing arts center.”

Towards the end of the speech, speaking of future possibilities for the city he listed “Establishment of an arts and entertainment district downtown, building even greater vibrancy in our historic heart.”

There is little doubt that “performing arts” is a vital core of Vancouver, especially in revitalizing the downtown district. And knowing how vital the “performing arts” are to downtown, how contradictory it is to see the city pressuring the existing and long standing “performing arts” Slocum House Theater Company out of the home they have had for decades, painstakingly moved to and restored at its decades long location by an all volunteer group of citizens in the southwest corner of Esther Short Park specifically to host the “performing arts.”

The public furor over the city’s plan to raise the Theaters rent, use fees by nearly 400% died down as the city “granted” the theater a 90 day extension on their lease early in January 2012.

Shortly after, the Theater Company issued a press release announcing the March 11, 2012 closing.

Even though the city claims ownership of the property, I am told that prior to 2002, “the only thing the city did was to paint the outside, fix a few plumbing problems and for some reason pay the water bill.”

Mayor Leavitt’s Thin Smoke Screen on a Tax Vote

Clark County voters resoundingly rejected extending Portland’s light rail line to Vancouver in 1995 by a 2 to 1 margin. Twice more, in 2002 and 2004, voters in Clark County defeated measures perceived to be a back door for extending light rail to Vancouver, Resolution 51 being a statewide measure in 2002 defeated statewide and a C-Tran Proposition 1 defeated in 2004.

In spite of that, a small handful of elected officials decided amongst themselves to give the go ahead for extending light rail with their “locally preferred alternative,” ignoring and bypassing voters’ intent in 2008.

Then city council member, Tim Leavitt spoke of the need of “consideration should be given when it comes to looking at the cost of this project for that economic value that we provide to the state of Oregon and businesses in Oregon. So, that’s kind of the line in the sand I am drawing when it comes to high capacity transit.”

Since becoming Mayor, though, just as with his stance on strongly opposing tolling Clark County citizens for the bridge, he seems to not really desire giving consideration to what this is going to cost us in Clark County. Instead, after several promises from more than one candidate that would receive a vote on operations & maintenance of light rail, he has supported slapping yet another sales tax increase on us for some time now to pay for it.

Ever the one for political expediency, Mayor Leavitt has erected a smoke screen masking his desire to stick citizens with paying for something they do not want.

Vancouver Mayor Timothy D. Leavitt’s Cyber “Town Hall” (Sort Of)

Mayor Leavitt’s comment left in an earlier thread here. NOTE: For sake of brevity, I have not included the full length copy of the 2012 State of the City Address that he did, but provide a link to it on the City of Vancouver website instead.

Hey Lew — Thanks much for the offer to post here. As time allows, I’ll do so.

Let me start here by addressing the responsibilities of the the position as Mayor of Vancouver….because it’s painfully clear in my conversations around the Community….and given some remarks here, that most simply don’t understand or care ot understand the realities of both Mayor and City Council duties. For the Mayor job in particular, it is a 24/7 job…without commensurate compensation. My “business” hours are roughly 7am to 10pm…nearly each and every day of the week. But, by the time I get home from a long day of both city and engineering business….typically around 10pm….the last thing I want to do is hang out on the blogs. So, while I appreciate you offerring that I can blog in the comfort of my own home…when I’m home, I’m trying to enjoy some personal time.

Next, let me just say…in response to the 2:51 post by KJ Hinton….that such comments are neither productive, or mature. Can’t you think of something more intelligent to post, KJ? Get a grip on yourself, please.

Lastly, here Lew is a copy of my recent State of the City Address, for consumption by your followers:

Click here to read the address. Click here to view the address on CVTV.

You may also read citizens reactions to the 2012 State of the City Speech here and here.

An Open Invitation to Vancouver Wa. Mayor Timothy D. Leavitt

In a reply to me on the Columbian article about Tim’s pending Live Chat event, the mayor commented;

My reply back,

“Why Timothy D Leavitt, if I didn’t know better, your words seem to indicate that you don’t feel you should be held accountable by those who voted you into office.

BTW, video excerpts of actual and relevant words spoken by elected officials is not “doctoring.”

As far as town halls go, you have been and are most welcome to comment openly on my blog any time you please. There are only two people currently restricted on it and you aren’t one.

In fact, if you desire, you may write out your thoughts on me and those you consider as part of your “fan club,” email it to me and I will post it verbatim as received (I would recommend copying it to anyone you desire at the Columbian to ensure it is not altered in any way) and it will be open to anybody wishing to read or comment.

I would even be willing to un-restrict the one in this locality to allow him to continue defending you, even though he too doesn’t live in Vancouver.

And, it won’t cost the city a dime.

No limit on how many words or censorship in your words or public comments. Perhaps too, since you said I should be “emcee” I will not comment at all and will just allow the public to freely comment as they feel.

You won’t have to worry about video and the press will be free to continue monitoring it as they see fit.

Just email it to me at lewwaters@gmailcom whenever you feel like it.”

UPDATE: Leavitt seems to now wish to weasel out

My offer stands.

My offer still stands.

Kim Wyman – Jim Kastama Secretary of State Debate

The first debate, held on March 29, 2012 between two of the 4 candidates for Washington State Secretary of State in Vancouver, Washington. Candidates Kim Wyman and Jim Kastama attended while Greg Nickles and Kathleen Drew declined to debate.

Many thanks are extended to the Freedom Foundation, Couv.com and Fort Vancouver High School for the debate as well as to the two candidates willing to speak before our community.

Couv.com video & article here

Port of Vancouver Executive Director Larry Paulson, Light Rail Is Coming “Like It Or Not”

The Executive Director of the Port of Vancouver (Washington), who makes over $170,000 a year, plus $500 a month “car allowance,” giving public testimony before the Vancouver, Washington City Council, March 26, 2012 telling citizens in their 4th year of double digit unemployment with a median income of $58,000 that they are getting light rail from Portland, Oregon “like it or not” and they will pay for it “like it or not.”

Play Ball!

This morning saw the opening ceremony of the 2012 Salmon Creek Little League Season at the brand new Luke Jensen Sports Park on 78th Street in Hazel Dell. Below are highlights of the event.

Luke Jensen, if you recall, was the 9 year-old who succumbed to leukemia a couple years ago.

How fitting that shortly after his death, the community chose to name the new field in honor of this brave little boy.

I encourage you all, when you have a chance to stop by the field and see this state of the art facility.

How Much Will This Cost Taxpayers?

Footage from the March 5, 2012 Vancouver, Washington City Council meeting pertaining to the outcome of an unfair labor practice suit brought by the International Association of Fire Fighters local 452.

“CVTV footage, obtained pursuant to the Public Disclosure Act, in no way is intended by CVTV, the City of Vancouver, or Clark County to either promote or oppose any candidate for public office or any ballot proposition.”

Didn’t the city recently have to beg for and received a federal grant in order to reopen and rehire Fire Fighters for Fire Station 6?

And this notice now being read includes the city will “restore the status quo ante by reinstating the wages, hours and working conditions which existed for the employees in the affected bargaining unit prior to the unilateral change in the shift trade policy found unlawful in this order.”

Also, the city will “pay any and all back pay and/or benefits associated with the employer’s adoption of the shift trade policy found unlawful in this order.”

See decision here

UPDATE: A reporter with the Columbian says of their not covering this, “I didn’t write about this because after researching the issue behind it, I found the back pay issue was a negligible amount of money, and the shift change issue was so insider baseball that it wasn’t worth it”

2011 Performance Evaluations

By Professor Robert Dean

Eric H: Mr., Mayor, Council, as 2011 draws to a close I thought this might be an opportune time to present you with the 2011 Performance Evaluations for each of our key staff – along with a request for a modest 3.5% pay raise for each of them. Time constraints prevent me from detailing each one and so I’ve condensed everyone’s evaluation into the one – City Consigliere. As you know, the Consigliere is ultimately responsible for all advice, from all departments that reaches the desks of the Mayor and Council.

The Consigliere’s duties are codified in Washington State Court Rules relating to the Rules of Professional Conduct for lawyers.

RPC RULE 2.1
ADVISOR
In representing a client, a lawyer shall exercise independent professional judgment and render candid advice. In rendering advice, a lawyer may refer not only to law but to other considerations such as moral, economic, social and political factors that may be relevant to the client’s situation.

Vancouver, Washington City Council Bids Pat Campbell Farewell

Pat Campbell, who lost his bid for reelection to the Vancouver, Washington city council in the 2011 election, is given due honors and thanks for his term on city council.

Pat and I have exchanged words more than once and our emails often contained snarky comments to each other, but he did what few others are willing to do. Run for public office and sit in the line of fire from citizens.

Regardless of differences, Pat thoroughly investigated positions he took and more than once, cast votes we could not disagree with and many times brought laughter to council meetings with his “stories.”

Bill Turlay will be replacing Pat and has been very helpful in preparing Bill to take over his seat.

I don’t know what is in Pat’s future, but I hope he sticks around and remains involved.

City of Vancouver To Slocum House Theater, “Bah Humbug”

For the past 45 years, Slocum House Theater has been performing community plays in the renovated Italianate villa style home since it was saved from the wrecking ball and moved to its current location in Esther Short Park by volunteers of the Old Slocum House Company in 1966. Volunteers of the Old Slocum House Theater Company with cooperation from the Fort Vancouver Historical Society accomplished the renovation of the then century old home in 1972.

Money was raised for the project by presenting plays and manning an automobile license station. Currently, the Theater shares the building with the Farmers Market, who maintains an office upstairs.

The Non-Profit Theater Company leases the home from the City of Vancouver, paying $635 a month with the City responsible for repairs to the building, an arrangement that has been beneficial to the community for many years and charges a general admission price of $13 for a play, $11 for seniors and children 12 and under.

We also know that the city, struggling during this continuing “Great Recession” is experiencing budgetary problems. Some are of their own making many feel and some due to the depressed economy. Everywhere we seem to look, taxes and fees are being raised to cover the expenses of the city and to continue pursuing expensive projects many citizens feel are unnecessary.