No sense of urgency. More discussion of plastic bags and Earth Day than doing anything to alleviate the economic crisis already devastating our community, destroying lives and sowing despair and anger.
That sums up the Port Townsend City Council’s weekly meeting on April 20, 2020. Before it was convened, councilors, each on camera from home or an office, talked about books they had been reading. When it was convened the people who are supposed to be leading our city through these dark days turned first to an Earth Day proclamation.
Then they corrected a bookkeeping oversight that showed $316,000 remaining unspent in the account for the vacant, rat infested Cherry Street Project. (We know of the rats after interviewing a neighbor to that derelict “affordable housing” project).
Then they took the sad action of ratifying temporary furloughs of some City Hall employees.
Then they took up whether a temporary reprieve from the city’s plastic bag ban should be approved as restaurants were running out of paper bags and reporting they could not obtain more from suppliers. Several councilors were upset that one of the city’s “larger grocery stores” had been using plastic bags without asking permission. Deputy Mayor David Faber stated “it stuck in my craw” that a bagger had encouraged him to accept a plastic bag when he could see some paper bags that might be available. Another councilor pondered whether grocery stores might also be running out of paper bags. Concern was expressed about upholding “the City’s values” as they wrestled with the “expediency” of the situation. City Councilor Pam Adams saved the day when, unlike anyone else on Council, including its two members who are lawyers, she bothered to read the words of the city ordinance. It already permits use of plastic bags for take-out food and in the event of shortages of paper bags.
Then Mayor Michelle Sandoval gave her report, mostly dealing with wanting people to wear masks outside.
Then they heard a report from the City Manager, which did not discuss how to help any of the cratering businesses, unemployed workers and struggling households in Port Townsend, but did ask for understanding from the public who might be unsettled seeing public works crews doing their jobs. He stated that at a future meeting an effort would be made to assess the city’s declining tax revenues.
Then City Councilor Ariel Speser raised a suggestion of helping downtown retail businesses by finding a way they could resume limited operations. She floated the idea of outdoor sales, which, though she didn’t draw the analogy, would be similar to the Farmer’s Market that is opening in coming days. Mayor Sandoval said maybe discussion of that idea could begin at a future meeting, say the next regular Council meeting on May 4.
And then they adjourned with an admonition from Mayor Sandoval to “stay safe.”
The video from last night’s brief meeting can be viewed at this link.
Jim Scarantino was the editor and founder of Port Townsend Free Press. He is happy in his new role as just a contributor writing on topics of concern to him. He spent the first 25 years of his professional life as a trial attorney, then launched an online investigative news website that broke several national stories. He is also the author of three crime novels. He resides in Jefferson County. See our "About" page for more information.
Keep up the good journalism Jim. We have all been sufficiently educated on the Covid -19 Virus and how to protect ourselves so it is time to get back to work. It is time for the mature among us to take responsibility for ourselves!