Revenue shouldn’t force residents to live with Deluxe

Oh the outrage of it all!

Eron Berg, city attorney and supervisor, is in Deluxe Recycling and Disposal’s pocket. Mayor Mike Anderson and the Sedro-Woolley Council are Eron and Deluxe’s puppets. And the victims are Sedro-Woolley High School and the citizens of Sedro-Woolley.

Why did this happen? Because Sedro-Woolley needs money, and a wolf in sheep’s clothing (Deluxe) came into town with their version of snake oil. Berg and Deluxe fed on the gullibility of the city and sold the city the snake oil.

Nowhere in this process has the city listened to the citizens. Of course, when you are railroading a project, you don’t ask for input. Or even better, you chastise and degrade those that protest like the city officials did, when people spoke against the city resolution that welcomed Deluxe.

I have written e-mails to the city. Mike Anderson has responded with his defensive position. I have never heard from a city council member. I think that this is a travesty.

The city needs revenue. One of the costs that needs to be covered is Berg’s high salary. He doesn’t care about this community. He doesn’t even live here.
There was a 14-day period to appeal the mitigating document beginning March 12. Then lo and behold — the appeal fee, that was $200, was changed to $1,000 on March 12. Plus anybody that appeals needs to pay the Hearing Examiner fee if it exceeds $1,000.

Annie Janicki hired her own lawyer and wrote an excellent appeal. She submitted her appeal and paid her $1,000. Now she is getting bills from the Hearing Examiner because already the fees are exceeding the $1,000 because of preliminary meetings with Berg.

If any of this outrages you — we do have an opportunity, each one of us — to stand up and be counted. Support Annie and the appeal process. Attend the MDNS Appeal Hearing at the city of Sedro-Woolley on May 5 at 10 a.m. And keep your eyes and ears wide open. More opportunities will be coming your way.

Shelley Burgett
Sedro-Woolley

Veterans outreach events

The Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs will offer the following workshops April 22 at the Burlington Community/Senior Center, 1011 Greenleaf Ave.

Community Provider Networking: 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. — This is a luncheon designed to introduce active community organization members to veterans issues and provide them with information and resources on where to turn if a veteran contacts their organization for help. The typical attendee is going to be an organization member that is not already a member of our MOU Family and will vary from community to community. The goal is to expand our network into individual communities and to ensure those active community members know where to turn if a veteran or family member needs help. WDVA will be working with organizations such as chambers of commerce military/veterans committees, civic/fraternal groups, emergency management, county resource centers and other organizations that have an interest in helping veterans, but may not have current connections. If you know of active organizations in any communities on the list, please forward their contact information to Colleen Gilbert, .

Veteran/National Guard/Reserve Information and Assistance Fair: 1:30 to 6 p.m. — This is the traditional Family Activity Day or Veterans Information and Assistance Fair where providers will bring services to veterans and their families. In addition to veterans, we will also be serving National Guard and Reservists and their families who are being mobilized. Resources for these service members and their families will also be on-site. Tom Riggs will reach out to the MOU Partners to coordinate involvement in these events.

Veterans Town Hall: 6:30 to 8 p.m. — The town hall panel will include the First Gentleman, Mike Gregoire, the two districts’ two State Representatives, State Senator and WDVA Director. The town hall will focus on state veterans issues, but as other topics come up they will be directed to Federal and County Officials in attendance.

For more information, call 360-725-2154 or visit http://www.dva.wa.gov.

Heidi Audette
Communications Director / Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs

Job well done WSDOT

It’s easy to complain, but it pays even bigger dividends to let them know when they have done a great job.

On State Route 20 east, between Lyman and Hamilton our local Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) has installed a set of test rumble strips.
Unlike the old-type big bumps that jarred our car shocks, this experimental design is light, only as wide as the fog line, and spaced to give the driver a stronger message if he is crossing the center line than if they drift to the shoulder, without creating extreme vibration.

Knowing this is a major thoroughfare used heavily by both automobiles and bicycles. I think it is worth while to say thank you to the people whose thought and patience created it. It is this kind of imaginative planning that improves the world we live in.

Please send your thanks to John Pope () and Mark Semrau () from our local bike club who took the time to work with the DMV and to Dina Swires, Traffic Engineer (), Jay Drye, Engineering Manager () and Todd Harrison () of the DMV for their patience in listening, imagination and desire to improve our highways.

These are the kind of actions that create a better world!

Lanney Wixson
Burlington
Member, Active Community Task Force