http://www.southwhidbeyrecord.com/news/187941071.html
Island County Republicans are now the laughing stock of the State of Washington, all over Twitter and Facebook. We were led to believe we were electing a Republican to replace a Democrat on the Island County Board of County Commissioners and wound up with a fi-ass-co.
It’s our own fault. Many of us overlooked her reputation of being volatile and rude in her position with the OH Chamber of Commerce.
Now, with less than 30 days under her “belt”, she says to the people who elected her,“I’m disappointed in you, just like you’re disappointed in me. I’ve been on this job two and half weeks and you expected what, some kind of blind loyalty, some kind of no thought behind my decisions? That’s what you thought you were going to get? I don’t think you know who you voted for,” Johnson said. “I’m going to think it through and do what’s right. You have four years to vote for somebody else who will blindly follow your cause. I’m going to make good decisions for Island County.”
Well, how brilliant she is – following the lead of others who, after being elected, think they’re so smart that they know better than the people – and she will decide what’s best for us. Ms. Johnson now will make decisions without input from the citizens in Island county without regard for what they think or what.
Not everyone thinks she a dis-ass-ter. Marcia VanDyke is congratulating her – you know Marcia? The liberal publisher of the North Whidbey News-Times and South Whidbey Record. “Good job,” says Marcia to Jill on Facebook. Well, Jill helps sell newspapers, i guess.
Well, maybe this is a good thing. At least next time Jill runs, we won’t feel obligated to donate to her campaign.
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The public was forewarned. Unfortunately, they elected a little girl to do the job of a senior statesman (Jim Campbell), and a very knowledgeable and intelligent (Jeff Lauderdale.)
The BIG question to Island County Republicans is: When are you going to get your SH_T — together, and start vetting candidates YEARS before the NEXT election?
District ONE is dominated by Progressive Democratic Socialists, and they are continuing their campaign North! WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO!
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“District ONE is dominated by Progressive Democratic Socialists, and they are continuing their campaign North”
AND it all started with this…??REMEMBER?? …
“…2010 Washington state Progressive Majority,
Endorsed Candidate John Dean Island, County CommissionerJohn Dean is an Island County Commissioner running for re-election to the third district. We recruited John to run four years ago, based on his 25-year career in journalism and deep engagement in the Camano Island community.
*** We were instrumental in his victory in 2006 – part of a multi-year strategy to flip the Island County Commission, which was achieved in 2008 with the election of Commissioner Helen Price Johnson and Commissioner Angie Homola.***One of John’s proudest achievements over the past four years is the passage of a one-tenth of one percent sales tax to expand mental health services. John believes education must be a top priority and points to the mental health sales tax, as well as the creation of an Island County Children’s Commission, as examples of how he is bringing needed services to the county’s most disadvantaged kids
***He will soon be the new poster boy for the Northwest Progressive Democratic Alliance”
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Check PDC records to see who supported her – if you haven’t already.
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Been there, done that! Follow the money. DUH! Now let’s get down to the other important points made.
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I’ve been a businessman for the last 30 years or so and have experienced 4 different chambers of commerce. I have found them to be nothing more than a small click of progressive liberals trying to steer the communities to become what they think it should be; all intelligent input aside. I could site a few hairbrained and expensive projects they pushed through for their causes that might leave a sane person scratching their head.
The mere fact that Jill Johnson was the president of the OH chamber of commerce gave me a bad taste in my mouth right off the bat. I chose not to vote for her on that premise alone. Again I say, duped by another RINO.-
Jill said to the Old Goats group, “I don’t like bullying. I don’t like it, It doesn’t work well with me, it’s not effective.”
??another politician who says do as I say; not as I do??
It sounds like there are many others like Larry who would prove she has been a BULLY to them or their associates for many years
Several months ago IslandPolitics requested property owners whose rights have been violated by County Planning contact us
We ended up with a stack of complaints over 6 inches high
Maybe it’s time we request all who have been bullied by RINO Commissioner Jill Johnson contact us with their story
My bet is the stack of complaints will at least equal those of Planning Department
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You can very easily check the PDC website to see who supported Jill in the last election:
I would strongly suggest that those that are not happy with Jill look at the list of her monetary supporters and register your displeasure with them when given the chance.
Here were her top supporters let them know how you feel:
MICK OLSEN CORPORATION
MICK OLSEN CORPORATION / EXCAVATION DIVISION
OLSEN KIMBERLY
OLSEN LEROY
PFEIFFER NORMAN
SKAGIT ISLAND COUNTIES BUILDERS ASSOCIATION
SOUTH WHIDBEY REPUBLICAN WOMEN
WASHINGTON ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS POLITICAL ACCTION COMMITTEE
PFEIFFER NORMAN
BAKKE, PHILLIP
JONES ACCOUNTING ASSOCIATES
RODGERS JEFFREY
BONACCI RICHARD
DEBODE DONALD G
MC DOWELL W. L. III
MOSOLINO JOSEPH P
PFEIFFER PAUL
BARGE DEBORAH
MASSEY KATHLEEN
MASSEY WILLIAM
REPUBLICAN WOMEN OF NORTH WHIDBEY
CENTRAL WHIDBEY REPUBLICAN
P&L GENERAL CONTRACTORS INC
JONES BRIAN
MCFADYEN JASON
JONES ACCOUNTING ASSOCIATES
ALMBERG RICHARD-
Disasters like Jill Johnson’s election have their roots in low level interest and no investigation in candidate at early stages when there still are choices. Citizens used to select their candidates based on mutual integrity. Supporting Your candidate financially during the primary races the best way to ensure that you won’t be voting for the lesser of two evils in the general election. Had Angie been reelected Republicans would have, at least, a legitimate gripe.
Another unexpected casualty of the Jill fiasco is two or four more years of grief to be borne by Commissioner Kelly Emerson and county and budgets before reasonable possibility of help appears on the distant horizon. We’ll have seen a lot of progressive “progress” by then.
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Part of the problem is anyone can run as a Republican or use Prefers Republican on the ballot. There is no vetting of candidates and anyone can use the name. We need to go back to a closed primary even if we have to pay to do so. We need to take the name Republican back. First we had the Fortunes and now we have Jill Johnson. What these candidates have in common is they used the Repubilican name but but they do not have Republican values. This is why Jill Johnson feels she can insult half the Republicans on the Islands and get away with it with no ill effects. That is because she is not a Republican, she has zero allegiance to the party or the values although she used the name to further her political career.
Jill was not selected by Republicans to run as a Republican. She was selected by the “power brokers” or “good old boys” in Oak Harbor because they are *issed that the County fought Oak Harbor’s GMA expansion and that Oak Harbor lost the GMA expansion issue at the hearing board. She is bought and paid for by her supporters and the good old boys in Oak Harbor to do a job for them not us. There is money to be made by many in Oak Harbor by expanding the GMA and city limits. Her idiology is one of payback. She will pay them back for their assistance and donations and pay us back as Republicans for daring to question her. If you wonder if this is true just look at her doantions at the PDC website. It is a who’s who of those who will monetetarily benefit from her and her votes.
While Jill is proud to state that she does not give “Blind Loyalty” to her political supporters let’s see how much “blind loyalty” she gives the development community and her monetary supporters in her decisions. Here is a link to the PDC site, check out her donors:
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I believe it is expansion of the urban growth area (UGA).
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Cliff, I noticed in your list of her top supporters there was a conspicuous absence of contributions or endorsements “FOR” Jill from the Island County Farm Bureau or T. J. Lamont and Don Sherman, two of the ten board members of the 164 member Farm Bureau
Wonder if it had anything to do with her performance at their Island County Farm Bureau candidates meeting June 28, 2012, at the Monroe Landing Road Fire House.
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Nor did she get any support from Oak Harbor Mayor Dudley and the 42 business members of the Downtown Merchants Association because of her lack of communications skills, and obsession to do things her way in spite of the real needs of those she represented as witnessed in the following:
Jill Johnson,
We, the members of the Downtown Merchants Association, are writing in response to the recent change in direction for the “Fourth OH July” parade route. We received a notice in writing on June 19th that advised the Pioneer Way residents & merchants of this change, to direct the parade route down Bayshore Drive vs. the established tradition on Pioneer Way.
We, the Downtown Merchants would like to share with you our opinions and views on this change and the negative impact it has on our businesses, customers and morale.
For over one year during the construction and revision of the Pioneer One Way Project, Mayor Jim Slowik and City Administration, assured the Downtown Merchants that parades and events would not be impacted or changed due to the street revision.We want to voice the concerns we have for the 42 businesses that will be impacted by this change in a negative way. The first impact is on our customers, who have enjoyed the parade from our store fronts since its inception. Our customers look forward to coming down to our store fronts and picking a spot for viewing.
The second impact is on our businesses themselves, with the parade along Pioneer our businesses can experience an increase in sales before, during and after the event. We can also participate in unique ways to promote our businesses and gain much needed exposure. With the parade route directed down Bayshore Drive we feel that some patrons may not come to Pioneer Way. They may observe the parade then head straight to the carnival and Windjammer Park. Since Pioneer Way will still have to be closed, and with two other parades executed down Pioneer in the past, we don’t fully understand the reason for the change. Because many of the businesses on Bayshore will be closed or are by appointment only we also don’t see that the change in the direction would benefit them in a positive way.
The third impact is the lowered morale of our Association, as we suffered through the construction project we continue to feel penalized by decisions such as these to which we have no control, input or consideration.
We can see that the decision has been made for this year; we ask that you will consider heavily the above mentioned items when making decisions in the future that have such a negative impact.
We also have concerns over the message and communication that is being sent. We have received confirmation from the City that they would be able to facilitate the parade on either street and we would like to know what led to the decision to take away such an integral event from the newly constructed Pioneer Way and its merchants.
Sincerely, Ron Apgar President Downtown Merchants Association-
Also another plea…
Throughout the construction the Chamber (Jill) said on numerous occasions to the Merchants and small groups of the Merchants that the 4th of July Parade will be on Pioneer Way, In conversations with the engineering dept we were told the street would be able to accommodate parades……and another:
the fact that the “4th of July Parade” will not be going down Pioneer …been a big plus for the merchants on Pioneer … club was anticipating seeing this route reinstated because of our fund raisers….”The Pan Cake Breakfast” that we hold in the Boys and Girls Club Building. In the past we have made in access of $1500. Last year we made $200. This was the result of parade attendees being no where near our venue. I can only imagine what impact this had on the merchants who must have realized the same lost revenue.The Oak Harbor Rotary Club has never endorsed any parade route, but we surely were excited when we thought it was going down Pioneer.
Past President, Oak Harbor Rotary Club
Kathy De Tuerk
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It is sad to see this issue and this discourse. But what it is is what it is.
Jill had a chance to be a Commissioner for all residents of the Islands and she chose to be devisive and directly attack those who are in her same party and those that supported her. She is doing so thinking she will gain the support of moderates on the Islands. I think she will find out that even the moderate conservatives do not like candidates that are untrue and especially those that will lie to get what they want politically.
From the comments of many others that I have heard, many people feel they have been lied to by Jill. I cannot verify if these others were actually lied to or not by not hearing both sides of the conversation.
What I do know for a fact and that happened to me myself that I can personally verify is that before the election during the time that Bill Strowbridge was publishing articles critical of Jill on our blog I had a meeting with Jill.
In that meeting one of the major items we discussed was Kelly Emerson and the situation our duly elected Commissioner was in. I asked Jill directly if she would respect Kelly Emerson and her position as our duly elected commissioner and treat her as an equal in the Commissioner chambers. Jill Johnson looked me in the eyes and promised she would do so with no reservations. Her first day in office she broke this promise.
SHE LOOKED ME RIGHT IN THE EYES AND LIED in an attempt to get me on her side and make an attempt to curtail Bill Strowbridges critical posts. I was USED by her and I was LIED to by her. I went out on a limb and fought with Bill in an attempt to control his negative posts about her and for this I am sorry. Mr Strowbridge now has my official apology.This did not have to happen this way but this is the path that Jill Johnson has chosen. She has taken the path of being devisive, she has taken the path of telling those that gave her support that what she said prior to the election means nothing today after the election. She has taken the path of ignoring the promises she made before the election and for this I guarantee that she will lose support.
Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.
I can guarantee you that this will never happen again. I do not condone lying for any purpose by anyone no matter what the cause especially by a political candidate.
Jill has made her own bed of her own accord. Now she will have to live with it.
How sad…
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I delineated on Island Politics a conversation I had with Jill Johnson during last year’s Holland Happening: a conversation in which BOICC candidate Jill made it perfectly clear that she was “all in” with WHATEVER property tax increase the Oak Harbor School District would want to levy upon the voters. Ballots for that DOUBLING of the school M&O levy is being voted as we speak.
Her duplicitous nature was obvious to me, some time ago.
“Jill Johnson earns early endorsement”
http://www.islandpolitics.org/?p=5069
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Y’all have made the case very well. So, what’s the remedy? Consider this: as leader of the Republican Party in Island County, Pastor Tim Geist would probably be the person to spearhead a discussion with Commissioner Johnson-Pfeiffer. He should contact community leaders – those cited above who donated to her campaign – and then arrange a meeting for discussion, allowing Jill to explain where she’s coming from. This should not be a melee, and not a Bash Jill Johnson party. That’s why I suggest Pastor Geist to lead the effort. I, for one, don’t relish looking forward to more than 3 years of Jill’s fuming and spouting and shooting from the hip. It’s unconscionable that the new Republican commissioner should receive kudos and “atta girl, sock it to ‘em,” from the likes of Marcia Van Dyke during the commissioner’s first two weeks in office. Jill needs to temper her impulses with common sense and re-evaluate her rationale for running against Jim Campbell. Was it strictly a power-grab? Did she really think she would serve better than Jim would? (By the way, Jim has a reputation of listening to those he serves and acting accordingly.) Some say that Jill was close to being fired from the OH Chamber for insulting and working against business owners; she needed a new job and, as commissioner, she would be secure for the next 4 years. That’s why I think it would be a good idea for Jill to sit down and talk with the ICRP and those in the business community who invested in her. The next move should be from the Chairman of the Island County Republican Party.
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“I don’t think you know who you voted for,” is pretty clear statement. I don’t know how that can be reconciled even with the intervention of her supposed party leader.
Jill thinks we expect “some kind of blind loyalty” and that could not be further from the truth. What we DID expect is to not be lied to by one of OUR candidates to gain our support and then be told “That’s what you thought you were going to get?”. We only expected Jill to be true to her own words. She has not.
Jill is the one who ran as a Republican, Jill is the one who lied to those that gave their efforts to support her.
Never have I seen a politician turn against those who gave support so quickly and do so in such a public manner. I don’t know what you expect Pastor Tim Geist would do as Jill will more than likely give him the same hollow words she gave many of us before she won the election.
I really don’t know the words to use in a case like this. What I do know is it will take a lot for Jill to ever make up for her traitorous, duplicitous behavior and she will have a heck of a hard time in the future convincing others that her words have any truth in them at all.
That to me is a death knell for a politician. Hopefully this will be Jill’s last attempt at a political career. The only thing Jill or any politicaian has is the trust of her constituents and she has certainly thrown that out the window in a very public fashion with her current attitude and demeanor.
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I think there were some trying to warn us about Jill Johnson last year down here in the comment threads…
That said, no Save NAS Whidbey Task Force member needed another 4 years of a county commissioner who said this:
“I fear more emphasis will be placed on increasing the Growler platform which clearly has greater noise impacts on our residents and particularly school children,” wrote Island County Commissioner Angie Homola
SOURCEOne of the reasons why the progressive agitation is finally dying down is because of the election of an Independent Republican quashing the hopes and fantasies of some of the more, er, excited. I do know very soon HPJ has to write Garrett Newkirk a response to his, er, ramblings & rantings so I’ll make sure to get that online.
That said, this is a tough situation. On one hand is a county commissioner with a matter before the courts, on the other hand is a county commissioner who doesn’t have much if any policy accomplishments except keeping HPJ as chairwoman. In the end, as a good friend and professional pundit taught me – it’s about policy.
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“On one hand is a county commissioner with a matter before the courts,”
Really? Can you show any documentation where a court has levied a fine? Or a court has made a decision in the issue of any fines or leins against the Emersons?
You cannot because there is none. This is not a tough decision for anyone to make including Jill Johnson.
Until a court renders a ruling that there is a fine against the Emersons there is no fine. There is no “matter before the courts” for Jill, or you, to hang your hat on now is there?
Kelly Emerson is our duly elected Commissioner for District 3 and needs to be treated as such until there is a fine and she refuses to pay and that should be the end of the story.
However if this continues with no resolution as it has for the last 2 1/2 years there will be a court involved and it will end up costing the county dearly…none of us can afford that to happen.
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As you can tell Cliff, I am quite confused about this issue.
It’s time for a decision point here by several parties involved.
Serious question from a serious person: Considering this, er, matter has been before the public for quite some time, did Commish Johnson ever commit publicly to making Commish Emerson chair? If so, when.
Time to put the pressure on and make a true decision. Not making a decision or delaying IS making a decision and as such costs money – please see: http://smartblogs.com/leadership/2011/12/19/whats-your-personal-leadership-maxim/
Let’s hope against hope Commish Rookie can make the nonexpensive decision. Because behind door B is more legal action over nonsense and door C is an expensive special election due to an Emerson resignation.
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I don’t think Jill ever committed publically to do anything. And as far as I know no one asked her to.
I did ask Jill directly and in person when she asked me to give her my support if she would promise to treat Kelly Emerson as an equal elected Commissioner if she was elected, if she would treat her as any other duly elected Commissioner. Jill promised me that she would. At that time we did not discuss the issue of the wetlands or issues, but she was very clear that she would treat Kelly with the respect she deserved as another equal on the board of Commissioners. I feel she let me down by not following through with this promise. She did not treat Kelly as an equal, she treated Kelly like someone that is not an equal to the other two commissioners, she followed the path of Helen Price Johnson in undermining a duly elected and serving Commissioner and one that is a member of her own political party.
I can understand that Jill needs to make her own decisions, as far as I know no one has asked her, at least from any of us, to make any decision any particular way. But when you do make a direct promise to a constituent and then break that promise for whatever reason it tells you that this person was not being truthful.
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Door D might be an expensive special election due to a Jill Johnson resignation, and it might be worth it in the long run, unless she changes direction.
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Quick Jill, they’re on to you, get the roads fixed up and the speed limits reduced around your house. Talk to Angie, maybe she’ll let you use her flashing solar-powered speed and OTTER crossing signs. Do it now, they’ll all forget about it before the next election.
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Oh, those otter-crossing signs…I’ve never seen an otter actually in Bos/Swan Lake – not once since moving here just up the hill from that water hole some 30 years ago.
I do, however, know of exactly one otter that tried to cross West Beach Road on a dark night a number of years ago. It made it…about halfway.
Shortly afterwards, the two “Otter Crossing” signs went up.
If anyone ever spies even a single otter IN Bos / Swan Lake and can provide a video or photo proving itself to be such documentation, I would be more than happy to post it here. I won’t hold my breath waiting.
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Red Dot, “…might be an expensive special election due to a Jill Johnson resignation, and it might be worth it in the long run, unless she changes direction.”
No special election is required
If we could be fortunate enuff to have RINO Jill Johnson resign, then, …
… the Republican party will designate her replacement vetted to be assured it’s not a RINO per Washington law which states:
“If a vacancy occurs in any legislative office or in any partisan county office after the general election in a year that the position appears on the ballot and before the start of the next term, the term of the successor who is of the same party as the incumbent may commence once he or she has qualified as defined in RCW 29A.04.133 and shall continue through the term for which he or she was elected.”
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That would be the easiest road to take. However, I don’t think Jill would resign – because she thinks she’s right. She has tunnel vision, focused on her own opinion, too used to having her own way. Someone described her as a spoiled child of doting parents who wouldn’t say “no”. We don’t want someone who is easily led … we do want people who are able to get to the heart of the issue and act accordingly. Nobody wants to “bully” Jill but, in turn, we don’t deserve one who bullies us and that’s what we’re getting. Frankly, I’m mad as Hell and I ain’t gonna take it anymore! We’ll see what goes on over the next couple of months.
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I think it’s refreshing to see Commissioner Johnson put partisan politics aside and put the issues facing Island County and it’s citizens first.
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CAB “…Commissioner Johnson put the issues facing Island County and it’s citizens first”
What has she done to make you think that?Before last Monday’s meeting she only voted on two significant issues facing Island County and it’s citizens
“…Commissioner Johnson voted yes on a land acquisition … and voted with HPJ to prevent Emerson from being elected Board Chair.
She did vote on insignificant items approving expenditures of previoiusly approved items, budget vs spending adjustments, etc
I don’t know what she did at last Monday’s meeting???
I and many others posting here have never said we expect her to vote the Republican party line
Emerson has not done that and I doubt Jill would ever do it
We want her to listen to the citizens of Island county and represent them; not vote responding to the vocal special interest groups as HPJ and Homola historically did, aka. Clean Water PUD, Freeland Sewer fiasco, Swan Lake, OLF use, Navy golf course water use, etc, etc,etc
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Bill, Commissioner Emerson and the County need to bring closure to years long wetlands/permit/fines issues. Commisioner Johnson realizes this and is facilitating an opportunity to bring that closure.
I personally believe that no elected official regardless of party should be seated in the midst of legal action against their employer and we, the citizens of Island County are infact the employers of all elected and non-elected individuals who receive a paycheck from Island County. I am an employer and I can assure you if an employee was suing my company and it dragged on for 2.5 years, it WOULD affect productivity and erode the positive and creative energy we need to be successful.
This situation must cause a very uncomfortable work environment. It is obvious by reading through the posts and comments on this site that it has created deep animosity throughout the community. When people use the words freak, spew, anti, jackass, regurgitate, vomit, fi ass co and lied to describe their neighbors, something is wrong. If you’re not a Tea Party Republican, you’re a RINO. If you’re a Democrat, now you’re a Progressive Democratic Socialist. I am an independent so I’m not sure what names I may be called.
Perhaps if we had to give our real name, address and phone number before we could post or comment, civility and respect could return to community discourse.
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There is no legal reason for Emerson not to continue to hold office. Wishful thinking isn’t how our laws work.
I’m not sure what I think about Emerson. There is so much controversy, that is is difficult to see what kind of leadership skills she’s got. With Homola gone, I think we’ll see more sensibility reign in this county, and that’s good.
Helen has a learning curve now – called how to work with Kelly and Jill, neither of whom she is going to be able to control. It will be an interesting few months.Listening to the commissioner meeting tapes, it is clear that the brand new commissioner has a lot of learning to do. With her history of being a bit volatile in public situations, I am concerned about Ms. Jill.
As to the Republicans and Democrats – I’m done with these labels. For too many years, trying to find a good candidate for any office from either party is much too difficult.
Evidentally the poison of holding office is so great that the best of the best simply will not run.
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CAB..If you had an employee that was suing your company you may be right. This is not the case with the Emersons. The Emersons, Kelly in particular as a sitting IC Commissioner is being prosecuted in the court of public opinion not because of some wrongdoing they are being prosecuted because of politics. It has already been proven that the county does not have a case against them. There are no legally enforceable fines and their is no lien on thier property. Yes the Emersons did bring a lawsuit 2 1/2 years ago and it was resolved then. That lawsuit is not an issue in this ongoing saga. There is not a lawsuit against Island County by the Emersons.
So…
There is no lawsuit
There is no fine.
There is no lein.
We have one page of scribbled documentation that the county can produce as evidence of a wetlands on the Emersons property.
The Emersons have produced several hundred pages of documentation produced by a licensed certified hydrogeologist that a wetlands or streams do not exist on their property.
They have done everything the county has asked them to do including spending many thousands of dollars on hydrogeologists but still there is no resolution. Why?
If you look at the facts of this issue it is clear this was 100% politically motivated and not based on anything but the political motivations of deligitimizing a duly elected Island County Commissioner by other county commissioners and their underling in the planning department..
Please read a few of our previous stories on this subject, it may shed some light on the subject for you.
Here is a recap from a year ago:
http://www.islandpolitics.org/?p=918
And there are probably 10 additional stories here at Island Politics with more information.
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Commissioner Emerson is not an “employee” of Island County. She is an elected administrative official. Referring to Commissioner Emerson as an “employee” is a liberal put down tactic. Further Kelly and Ken Emerson. as citizens likely have been continuing victims of a put-up “wetland” controversy which has been used by Commissioners Price-Johnson and Homola in petty hate tactics to discredit Commissioner Emerson. For the most part, Republican mouthpieces have ignored Commissioner Emerson’s plight and shamefully some have joined with her political enemies speaking out against her.
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Helen and Angie both have treated Commissioner Emerson as a subservient employee instead of a duly elected equal county commissioner. Jill Johnson has started down the same path even though promising not to so do before the election
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All elected officials are the employee of the people they represent. We the citizen’s of Island County are infact their employers. We hire them with our vote, we fire them with our vote. I wish all elected officials local, state and federal would remember this.
How this is reduced to “a liberal put down tactic” is beyond me.
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County employees work for elected county officers. Those officers serve in the stead all the county citizens, hopefully fairly and honestly and not for the special interests they belong to and receive funds from. I won’t judge the implication of your statement, that we hire them and fire them. I don’t think you meant to imply that a candidate was sworn to only serve those who voted for him.
The liberal put-down, is referring to an elected official as a county employee who simply has little authority, no authority from the citizen and may be terminated between elections, regardless of elections, for a number of causes. Employees are not elected by the citizens to represent their interests and concerns, nor are they answerable to citizens. Not stated very well, but the best I have today.
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Going back to Ken Wolf’s comment January 25: “The public was forewarned. Unfortunately, they elected a little girl to do the job of a senior statesman (Jim Campbell), and a very knowledgeable and intelligent (Jeff Lauderdale.)”
We, the public, did not elect Jill to do the job of a senior statesman … Jeff Lauderdale. We failed to garner enough votes to elect Jeff to replace HPJ – herein lies the tragedy.
But … as MMHaugen mistakenly thought she owned the chair she sat in, neither does HPJ. I think that soon Jill will get her feet on the ground and feel less intimidated (or bullied) by HPJ. Maybe then we’ll begin to see some common sense decisions by this BOICC.
CAB, you also raised the question asking what names you might be called as an “Independent”. Some could call you “indecisive,” some might say “fickle,” but my Grandmother would probably call you a “mugwump”. That’s a bird that sits on the fence with his mug on one side and his wump on the other. You really never know which way he’ll fly so he’s inconsistent and undependable. Does that help? That could also describe Commissioner Johnson Pfeiffer. Never hitch your wagon to a mugwump.-
I think Jill will soon learn that all is not as it appears to be. As time goes on and she learns of the previous manipulations of county resources by Angie and Helen as we have documented her repeatedly she will soon realize that she is playing against hardball politicians that will do and say anything to destroy their opposition.
Hopefully she learns quickly…
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While I never like to be called names, this one is interesting.
Mugwumps comes from the Algonquian word mugumquomp which means war leader or important person, kingpin. The first political mugwumps were Republican political activists in the 1884 presidential election of Grover Cleveland. They abandoned their candidate James Blaine, crossed party lines and voted for Cleveland, who as we all know won. The mugwumps found Blaine to be untrustworthy and fraudulent. Politicians have not evolved much in 129 years, have they? Mugwumps tended to come from wealth, identified with the emerging business and professional elite and felt threatened by rise of machine politics and the rising power of immigrants.
I suppose I am a mugwump based on the fact I find both political parties to be untrustworthy, fraudulent and self-serving. I focus on the individual candidate, their party affiliation is secondary. I pay particular attention to where their money comes from and who they call friend. It is rare to find me sitting on a fence. I’m not a spectator. Mark Twain and Louis Brandeis were mugwumps so perhaps there’s hope for me.
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C A B It isn’t the candidate that you’d vote for it’s the candidate you are.Twentieth and Twenty-first Century candidates are by your definition are not Mugwumps – fence sitters; they are active liars, turncoats, traitors, snakes and exploiters of those foolish enough to believe them and they operate in both parties. The U.S. Supreme Court has indirectly endorsed this behavior with a simple caveat emptor, “voter” beware a few years ago which was furthered in its 2012 obamacare ruling. Lesson to voter: You are responsible for who you vote for and for position/actions they take in spite of any lying promises. Good luck with your new-found identity sitting with the birds.
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Hopefully I will have a birds eye view of both sides of the fence.
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