(We rejoin Ravyn, who asked to share her journey with us. In the first installment (click here), she and her nineteen-year old boyfriend decided to marry and do what it took to bring their child into the world. Pregnancy radically changed Ravyn, a “horrible person” as she has described herself, into a young woman finding strength and determination. But her teen husband has not been growing with her. In this installment she describes a very rough patch for anyone, let alone one so young and without resources or family support. And though this installment is filled with despair, we have a preview of what it is to come. The boy and girl who created a new life are becoming a man and woman building a family. Please return for Ravyn’s final trimester installment.)
How much pressure and disappointment and let-down can a person experience without falling to their knees in tears? How much can one fight for their love when there is so little love to fight for? I couldn’t keep going without my God to help me…I wouldn’t have been able to survive this second trimester without His guiding hand.
My baby is growing. Soon we would find out the gender and whether my child is healthy. Why was I so unhappy? I worked myself to the point of crying in pain most of the time; my feet, ankles, back, and head, seemed to be my enemies. At the end of the day, coming back from working to support us, who did I have waiting for me? No one…no one who wouldn’t frown and sigh when I asked for a back massage. This was when people started to tell me, “He won’t change.” “He isn’t gonna try.” “He isn’t ready for this”, “He’s just not gonna do it…” not even “For the baby.”
It kept hitting harder and harder with every word they spoke. They were right. The husband I loved wasn’t ever going to change. Not now when change in him was what I really needed. I prayed for help and watched for the slightest reason to be optimistic. I shouted at him like a fool when I got exasperated and I was too hurt to think. His actions were killing me.
Between the fighting and the silence there was nothing. There is nothing when the other person isn’t willing to fight. Not for himself. Not for us.
Twenty weeks “with child” and I got so excited. I had made it to the halfway point…and I got nothing out of him. I was truly alone in this. There was no excitement or real joy on his part. He was soaked in fear and rejection of the responsibility he wasn’t prepared to take on. We grew distant. I worked more, prayed more, I wished and hoped he would just see how much I needed him. I tried to have conversations, all the while feeling the child move inside me, feeling my baby grow stronger.
But no matter how many talks…there was no change, even after he said he would make an effort. The ultrasound for our baby’s gender rolled around, and he sat through the appointment on his phone playing games, and my heart turned cold. He got a job for two days a week and quit looking for anything more that could possibly help. He then lost his little job and I covered that month’s rent with help from our church. I talked to him about it, our uncle talked to him, his step-mom, friends, family…no one seemed to get through to him. It was about him, the games, not us. Not our family. I was watching the one person I really wanted fade away because of this child inside me.
School started and he did so well. He completed the courses on time and I got hopeful, I prayed as my child started to be able to be felt by others when they placed their hand on my belly. My miracle was really going to happen when this child was born. But thoughts circled me throughout everything. What if this baby was better with someone else? With no real help, I can’t possibly cover the costs of this new life and all it needs to thrive and be whole. I begged my Father to help me. To be softer and more loving so I could help my husband find the right path. Where is it all going? What lies ahead now frightens me when at the beginning, with the joyous news of the life inside me, all I felt was hope and excitement and confidence that we…we, the two of us together, helping each other…could be the kind of people our child needed us to be.
Just memories now. Only a few months have passed but those bright days seem so long ago.
All these emotions and feelings, the physical and mental realities that seem so much larger than me, a seventeen-year old without a high school diploma facing this blessing that is such a challenge, feeling so alone. I need calmness and there is only frenzy and worry. I need a sense of some sort of control and all I see is the world slipping away from me.
I keep trying to return to the arms of my God. I know he is the only one who can truly help me through this.
Jefferson County Commissioner-elect Greg Brotherton said Thursday, “our codes are standing in the way,” of economic growth and promised regulatory reform by reducing the size of the county’s Unified Development Code (UDC) upon taking his seat on the Board of County Commissioners at the end of the month.
“I want to find money in the budget to look at the UDC and the codes that we have. I think our codes are standing in the way. I think that’s the biggest thing,” Brotherton said following a December 6 meeting of the Port Ludlow Village Council Board of Directors.
Thursday’s meeting was the first time Brotherton appeared before the council since the campaign for District Three commissioner. Brotherton carried Port Ludlow in the November 6 election and told the council that he sees the election results as call to action.
“The mandate I really feel, especially from my District Three voters, is to remove the impediments of growth and development, for everyone from the homeowner to the small business owner like me to the larger developer,” said Brotherton. “I think we can work on our permit process in our critical areas to encourage development.”
Brotherton said he wants to, “make some significant cuts,” to the UDC, the voluminous and often arcane plan for property and land management within the county. The scope of the UDC states that, “no building, structure, or land use activity shall be engaged, erected, demolished, remodeled, reconstructed, altered, enlarged, or relocated, and no building, structure or premises shall be used in Jefferson County except in compliance with the provisions of this code and then only after securing all required permits and licenses,” and has been criticized for limiting growth and new development in the county.
Brotherton’s pledge to make cuts the UDC comes as Jefferson County commissioners grapple with the need for new revenues which have not always kept pace with spending. The new General Fund budget proposal is expected to run a 3.6% deficit for 2019 and is estimated to draw-down the county’s Unreserved Fund by approximately 10%.
According to county Central Services Director Mark McCauley, the 2019 deficit budget plan is estimated to slow the rate of decrease in the Unreserved Fund, draining is by 77% over the next five years. Last year, it was projected the fund would be reduced by about 87% over the same time frame.
The rate of new development was also an issue in the 2019 budget proposal. County Administrator Philip Morley noted in his December 3 budget memorandum to the BOCC that, “The value of new construction is added to the tax base, which, for the last eight years in Jefferson County has averaged 0.8% per year.”
When asked whether streamlining the UDC could effectively raise the value of new construction in the county and broaden the tax base in the process, Brotherton could not commit to a specific level of growth through regulatory reform but made clear, “That’s where I want to start.”
Given the statutory limits on how much government can raise property taxes in any given year, the issue of growing the tax base has become more critical in recent years. During the campaign, Brotherton expressed support for the Pleasant Harbor Master Planned Resort in Brinnon, which was approved by the county earlier this year only to face legal challenges by a group of people who are opposed to the development.
While no firm figures are available on how much the Brinnon resort would add to the county’s tax base, the project is reckoned to generate millions of dollars in property tax revenue once fully developed.
We are always delighted to share news from Port Townsend’s NW Discovery Lab. The educational and life enhancement this program offers…well, we wish we’d had them as kids. We are fortunate to have this program thriving here. Here’s the latest. Teaser: it involves long-duration space travel, robots, a high-tech treadmill and LEGOS. Click here for a cool video to give you a visual on what the kids are up to.
Lego robotics team goes INTO ORBIT with Infinadeck
NW Discovery Lab’s veteran FIRST LEGO League team, The Howling Chickens, will compete for its third time on Bainbridge Island this Saturday, December 8. The competition, a regional qualifying event put on by FIRST Washington, is part of the nationwide FIRST LEGO League challenge, an annual competition designed to inspire youth in science and technology.
Each year, FIRST issues a challenge: a problem for teams to solve. This year’s challenge name is “Into Orbit.” It consists of two parts: the Robot Game and the Project. The first part, the part that often draws kids into FLL in the first place, is the Robot Game. The team must build and program a robot that can complete a number of tasks (or missions) on a set field for points. The more missions the robot completes, the more points the team earns. The second part of the competition is the project. This year, teams must IDENTIFY a physical or social problem faced by humans during long-duration space travel, DESIGN a solution to that problem, and SHARE the problem and solution with others.
The two parts are of equal importance: a team cannot win a competition if it doesn’t perform well in both aspects of the competition. It must also embody and demonstrate the FIRST philosophies of Gracious Professionalism and Cooperation through its Core Values: Discovery, Innovation, Impact, Inclusion, Teamwork, and Fun.
This year, the Howling Chickens brainstormed several problems and their solutions before finally settling on the problem of astronauts’ physical and mental health during long-duration space travel. The team spent weeks researching the challenges that astronauts face, which include accelerated bone loss and muscle atrophy, and depression. After researching how NASA and other space agencies currently fight these challenges, the team decided that the most efficient solution would be for astronauts to use a VR headset to simulate earth’s environment while moving on an omnidirectional treadmill.
Thanks to generous local sponsors, the team was able to purchase an Oculus Rift VR headset. They reached out to Infinadeck, creators of the world’s first true omnidirectional treadmill (similar to the one featured in the blockbuster “Ready Player One”). Infinadeck was enthusiastic about the Howling Chickens’ solution, as it is one they’ve been pursuing as well. Company CEO Benjamin Freeman and Infinadeck inventor George Burger were gracious enough to meet with the team via teleconference to introduce them to the Infinadeck treadmill and answer questions.
The Howling Chickens asked the gentlemen a series of questions about how they envisioned the omnidirectional treadmill working in space, and how they could design a system based on the treadmill. They confirmed that the kids were on the right track with their creative solution.
“It was really interesting talking with George Burger and Ben Freeman,” said Ike Banks, 13, a Howling Chickens team member. “I didn’t realize they were going to have the treadmills in gyms and arcades so soon.”
NW Discovery Lab hopes to team with Infinadeck again in the future, knowing that the “cool factor” of the omnidirectional treadmill is a perfect device to inspire kids in STEM education.
ABOUT NW DISCOVERY LAB:
The NWDL is a Port Townsend based non-profit dedicated to STEM education on the Olympic Peninsula. Find more information at www.nwdiscoverylab.org.
[Editor’s Note: Welcome new contributor Brett Nunn, a long-time Port Townsend resident, father and published author. He wants to write to about things that really work in our wonderful community, while other contributors shine a light on some things needing a critical eye. “What Really Works” could be an endless series as there is so much good in this wonderful place of wonderful people. Here is his take on a gem in Port Townsend. If you have your own story to share, please let us know at ptfreepress.org]
When identifying what really works in Jefferson County, I take notice of entities that aren’t beholden to a bureaucracy, move forward with their mission in a determined manner, and, ideally, help our citizens to solve their own problems.
That brings me around to the first fine day last spring when I dragged my bike out of the garage. My eleven-year old daughter wanted to ride out to North Beach, and I was more than happy to join her. Halfway down the block, I remembered that all was not well when I had put the bike away several months before. The shifters weren’t shifting. The brakes were less than ideal. If I wanted to use the lower chain ring, I had to use my right foot as a derailleur. We finished the ride. I spent more than a few days complaining about my bike problems, wondering how they could be fixed, and who would do the work.
I had some familiarity with a place called the Recyclery. It is a couple of blocks from my house, adjacent to the former Mountain View School. A few years previous, my oldest daughter had been a member of the middle school mountain bike team sponsored by the shop. On the next sunny afternoon, I rode my bike over to see if they could help.
Begun in 2007 by Chauncy Tudhope-Locklear and Todd Temres as a twice-a-month bike repair clinic adjacent to the Boiler Room on Washington Street, the Recyclery has evolved into a non-profit with three employees. In 2012 the Recyclery arrived, by bike, at its current location, 1925 Blaine Street. Embraced by the community from the start, hundreds of volunteers have helped build the operation to what it is today, with a roster of thirty-five active volunteers donating their time and energy on a regular basis.
When I arrived at the shop and asked their advice, one of the on-duty mechanics came from behind the counter, hung my bike on a stand, locked it into place, and listened to my tale of woe. He pointed out a couple of broken spokes on the rear wheel that I had missed. Fishing through the used parts—my bike is almost of legal drinking age—he came up with a matching rear rim without broken spokes. He then told me how to lube the shifters, and revive the brakes, and left me alone to make things better.
It helps if you like to wrench on things, and I do, but that is not a requirement. Everybody is in the same boat at this business, and the camaraderie is the best selling point. The open-air venue is always humming. It’s rare to find a workstation unoccupied. I quickly observed that it is an all ages, all genders, all levels of experience, gathering place that welcomes unskilled laborers like myself, as well as the old school cycling connoisseurs who love nothing better than to lose themselves in nostalgia over the latest vintage bike donation freshly unloaded from the back of someone’s car.
Trigger Warning: I got my hands dirty. I also did the repairs by myself. They didn’t hold my hand, but the unflappable staff got me back on track when I was unsure of the next step. I learned that maintaining a bike is not nearly as difficult as imagined, especially with the tools available here. After an hour or so of effort, plus the used rear wheel, new brake pads, new chain, and an individual membership, the total came to about $70. I rode away, the gears shifting smooth as silk, and my brakes doing their job again, amazed that my old bike could be brought back to life so easily.
This place offers community building at its best. And it works. Tools are available even after hours. My favorite benefit, of the many they offer, if a local kid volunteers enough time at the shop, they can build their own bike, at little or no cost, from the treasure trove of used parts stashed away about the place. On top of all that, the Recyclery is turning what would usually become trash, forgotten and ill-used bikes, into treasures for those of us that need to fix our rides at a reasonable price or buy a new/used one.
They aren’t beholden to a bureaucracy. They are moving forward with their mission, “Promoting Bicycling Use For A Healthier And More Sustainable Community”. They are open Tuesdays through Saturdays, 12 to 5 p.m. in the winter, 12 to 6 p.m. in the summer. Most importantly, with their expert advice and the right tools for the job, they gave me the satisfaction of solving my own problems at an affordable price.
The Jefferson County General Fund budget is projected to operate at a deficit in 2019, with spending to be 3.6% greater than revenue, according to the draft budget proposal from County Administrator Philip Morley’s office.
The 2019 budget blueprint earmarks $20.37 million for spending, which is about 1.4% higher than 2018. However, projected revenues for next year are $19.66 million, a figure that is nearly five percent below projected 2018 revenues, accounting for much of the deficit.
Under the new plan, proposed spending for 2019 will have risen nearly 10% since 2016, while revenues are projected to rise just 1.9% over the same period. The deficit in the proposal is also expected to burn through 10% of the county’s Unreserved Fund, reflecting a warning from last year’s budget presentation which estimated that continued deficit spending would drain 87% of the county’s Unreserved Fund by early next decade.
Central Services Director Mark McCauley said the 2019 deficit budget plan would slow the rate of decrease in the Unreserved Fund so that only 77% would be taken away over the next five years. When asked if spending increases of 9.7% over three years coupled with revenue growth of 1.9% over the same period is sustainable, McCauley said, “No it’s not,” but noted that over the past decade, half of the county budgets ran a deficit while the others produced surpluses. McCauley also stressed that county planners tend to be conservative in estimating revenues for the coming year.
County Administrator Philip Morley’s November 29 memorandum to the Board of County Commissioners bemoans various problems in raising revenue.Morley singled out the state’s Democrat-controlled legislature for criticism writing, “Washington State’s funding model for county government, especially for rural counties like ours, remains broken.”
Morley also described as “arbitrary,” the state law that prohibits counties from raising property taxes by more than one percent per year without voters having a say. “In 2007, the State Legislature reinstated Tim Eyman’s I-747, which had been ruled invalid by the state Supreme Court. State law arbitrarily constrains revenue growth in property taxes to an arbitrary 1 percent limit annually (excluding new construction) without a vote of the people,” wrote Morley.
Aside from limits on government raising property taxes, Morley also noted that the value of new construction in Jefferson County has averaged less than one percent per year for the past eight years. The Morley memorandum promotes planned improvements in computer technology to speed the permitting process and mentions efforts to, “make our regulations more understandable and efficient for citizens to comply with,” but did not address any changes to regulations or ordinances that might encourage more new development.
Morley’s memorandum explained how principal and interest payments on the county’s $6.29 million in debt are decreasing and are expected to decline in the coming years. However, Morley cautioned that the county would not be able to assume new debt through, “additional capital bonding capacity,” until 2022.
Revenues from property tax, sales taxes and other tax-based revenue sources in 2019 are projected to be 9.2% higher than three years ago, but funds from other sources are not keeping pace. Revenue from fees and other sources including PUD taxes, the marijuana tax, investment income, the liquor excise tax and other sources, is estimated at $3 million for 2019, down nearly 28% from last year.
The projected deficit for 2019 isn’t stopping the county from hiring more people. The budget proposal for next year calls for an increase in Full Time Equivalent (FTE) hiring of 6.91 persons, the largest year-over-year hiring increase in nearly a decade. While FTEs are spread across 39 different county departments and offices, the largest hiring increases are planned for the county assessor, the prosecutor’s office, public health and community development.
McCauley said some of the new hires are temporary or short-term jobs. “The increase in the Assessors Office is to handle a workload surge,” said McCauley. Additional staffing for the prosecutor’s office is also expected to be short term, McCauley said.
Funding for the Board of County Commissioners, which has been flat for the past two budget cycles, is proposed to rise 2.9% compared with last year. However, proposed 2019 spending for the commissioners this year is nearly 21% higher than three years ago.
The BOCC has scheduled a public hearing on the budget for Monday, December 3 at 10:00 am.
