In response to the Leader Food Bank article last week, I would say the Quilcene Food Bank Project has been DE-energized by the Executive Director Patricia Hennesey and Executive Board halting the project and removing a competent, trustworthy, local contractor six months ago. This with NO notice to the contractor, crew, non Exec. Board members and the supportive community.

Septic, foundation, walls, sheathing, are completed and the roof is waiting to be done. When they stopped the project we, project supporters, asked that the windows and roof underlayment be installed so that the building would be protected. A generous donor offered to pay for the roof and siding but the ED and Exec. board turned it down.

The ED and the board have overseen this project since the groundbreaking Dec. ‘23 so they are accountable for this “mismanagement” they accuse others of. The project was fully supported by the previous board and WAS fully funded when Hennessey became ED in Nov. 23.

Due diligence and documentation was given to Hennessey and the new board for the project by the previous treasurer and accountant, and numerous meetings with the previous President, Treasurer and board to confirm this. At that time the estimated quote for a conventional building was around $800,000. The $250,000 they erroneously continue to quote was for a pole barn four years ago which was rejected.

Now due to the delay and having an out of county contractor, the estimate to complete the building will cost “well over $1M “ per Hennesey. The building does not need to “start from scratch”. The capital campaign Hennesey has talked about for 10 months is unnecessary unless they have spent the money that was available.

False accusations /slander do not “create supportive relationships” per her job description. Please stop.

Kit Kittredge

Quilcene