If we do not speak up we will soon have no voice at all

[Chief]

http://www.westerndredging.org/cgi-bin/mail.cgi/archive/Local/20080529185440/



Date: May 29th, 2008


“WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON. Just heard from the Grapevine several startling and what appear to be underhanded political moves aimed at thwarting the voice of the people.

On the heels of the Columbian’s announcement that a Metro resolution could imperil Light Rail The Gravy Train Boondoggle, our local Dictators have swung into action.

C-Tran has moved up a number of weeks, a scheduled workshop, regarding the preferred Light Rail Alternative. They have also changed that workshop into a regular voting session to be held at 1:00 pm tomorrow. At this accelerated “we will show the voter’s their voice does not count session", the C-Tran Board will vote, some probably as directed by HIZ Honor, on the locally preferred light rail alternative that will drive most of the small business along the “Gravy Train’s Route” out of business.

The Irony of this FIASCO is that the ink is not even dry on the criticism voiced during Last nights Columbian River Crossing Meeting, nor is the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) comment period over until June 30th 2008.

And as if to rub our noses in it, Hiz honor has changed the Monday Night (June 2) work shop into a work session, where they too will show the Voters whose the Boss, and vote for the same preferred alternative that C-Tran did.

NO PUBLIC COMMENT WILL BE ALLOWED AT EITHER MEETING.

For some reason I do not think what C-Tran and the Vancouver City Council is doing is legal and I have sent a copy of this Email to the Washington State Attorney General.”

L. M. Patella
CDR USN (ret).



Just to acknowledge what is percolating about on this subject right now...

I cannot speak for the accuracy of any of this. I do know that if this is a workshop for C-Tran or City Council, I doubt if there will be a vote on any subject having to do with the Locally Preferred Alternative.

I will seek to get some input from a few reliable sources on this.

Developing...

cewl

[Chief]

I pinged Tim Leavitt this morning, and he replied promptly with the correct information about this...

Yet another Patella Tempest in a Teapot...

WB and I will keep an eye on Tim's blog as well...


Good morning Bob -

Of course, Patella's remarks are inaccurate. These meetings were scheduled many weeks ago.

Today, we have a CTRAN Board Retreat to discuss the LPA. On Monday, a Council workshop where it's anticipated the Council will identify a preference (much like we already did for any HCT routing in downtown Vancouver). On June 30, Council will hold a 3 hour public hearing regarding the CRC and LPA, before taking formal action at the July 7 Council meeting.

As usual, the public can submit comments/testimony to the Council (and CRC) at ANY time.

Have a great day Bob! Good to see you at the CRC public hearing. I stayed for all the testimony (only councilmember there), and will be blogging about that event over this weekend....

Thanks

tim

[Waterbuffalo]

Since I had attended several of the C-tran board meetings over the six months except for last months meeting, I can attest and feel that Larry is a little off the Rocker.

Usually they take public comment at the very start of the meeting on any topic that is not direct before them at a public comment session.

[Chief]

Since I had attended several of the C-tran board meetings over the six months except for last months meeting, I can attest and feel that Larry is a little off the Rocker.

Usually they take public comment at the very start of the meeting on any topic that is not direct before them at a public comment session.

That's what I thought. I cannot imagine C-Tran doing anything without public comment. I'll bet you a Buffalo Nickel that Larry Patella wasn't at that C-Tran meeting today either...

Much ado about nothing. Larry is more interested in raising hell than he is in solving problems. I thought this one needed rebuttal fast...

[Waterbuffalo]

I have attended many, many c-tran and rtc meetings of various types and situations over the past six months to get a sense of what was going on in transportation of our community and clark county.

(Yeah, I blame you for getting me interested. :-)

Never once during any of those events have I heard or seen a representative or Larry come to speak on the issue or any issue related to transportation.

So tim and chief, this guy is just blowing as much hot air right now as the portland glowing warming stream that's hitting the columbia river crossing project.

On edit: If one wants or desires, there are minutes of each meeting. If anyone has commented on any subject, that would be proof that they said some thing.

[Chief]

So much for Kommander Kneekap...::)


From: Even, Jeff (ATG)
Sent: Friday, May 30, 2008 4:33 PM
To: 'lmpatella@comcast.net'
Subject: C-tran and city of Vancouver light rail meetings


Mr. Patella:

I am responding on behalf of Attorney General McKenna to your email message, which is copied below. Your message concerns a public vote on a light rail project.

Your message concerns a local proposal for the construction of a light rail line. It appears that you are asking for an opinion from our office as to whether this proposal is legal. I am in no position to comment on that question. The Attorney General’s Office is authorized to provide advisory opinions for certain state officials, but we are not generally authorized to offer private legal advice.

I might suggest raising any questions you may have with local officials.

Jeff Even

Deputy Solicitor General

Office of the Attorney General

PO Box 40100

Olympia, WA 98504-0100

voice: (360) 586-0728

fax: (360) 664-2963

jeffe@atg.wa.gov

To save paper, please do not print this message unless necessary.

CCTN 123226

[Waterbuffalo]

Do I dare ask what his response will be? Another added rail-to-the-Amtrak long complaint as it heads towards Olympia?

Ahh yes, I failed to go look until now. Here is his rant and some other stuff you did not post.. 8-D


"Attached are a couple of copies of emails I received from the Attorney General's Office. There is something wrong with our Government when Attorney's at the City, County, State and Federal, who are paid with our tax dollars will not or can not provide those of who pay them with advise.

In any event I have as suggested by the Attorney General's Office sent my question to the Department of Transportation. It is also strange there has not been any information published on the Special Friday C-Tran meeting to select their preferred Light Light Rail Route.

And so it goes.

L. M. Patella
CDR USN (ret)


-----Original Message-----
From: Even, Jeff (ATG) [mailto:JeffE@ATG.WA.GOV]
Sent: Saturday, May 31, 2008 1:14 PM
To: lmpatella@comcast.net
Subject: FW: C-tran and city of Vancouver light rail meetings


One additional thought regarding the message below. It is possible that there is either some state money involved in this project, or that the state Department of Transportation might otherwise have some involvement in it. I might therefore suggest asking the Department of Transportation if they have any information regarding your concerns. They can be found online at http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/. "

[Chief]

yah. If anyone in the Government or an Elected Official dares disagree with Larry, then that indicates a problem with the Government, and some Grand Conspiracy to get him.

There's a word for people who think like that...

::)

On Edit: How many times does Patella have to be proven to be wrong before so many people stop listening to him??

So it goes...

[Waterbuffalo]

As many times as he can get new leachers or suckers to his wise way of thinking? About 1,000 per week that move in and out of Clark County?

On Edit: Larry is just the local newspaper's whipping boy.. Its sad he does not realize it.