Letter: When they had the money, they didn't use it

Posted

When the county had money, they didn't do maintenance, painting or installing a sprinkler system.

When Port Townsend and the schools had money, they didn't help or pay reasonable rates for its usage.

Now everybody is whining, the elected commissioners are silent, and poor Philip Morley, county administrator, is the public face taking the heat.

Matt Tyler, county parks and recreation director, is right that there are safety issues surrounding county-owned Memorial Field that need money to address before it's used.

This was identified two years ago, and the consensus was the commissioners would find the funds. These are the same commissioners who were elected to save our parks and facilities, which the previous commissioners wanted to close.

Solution: Hire a civil engineer to assess what is required for repair and bring to standard and estimate costs.

Then get the planning done so the county can submit it to the federal government for grant or TARP money.

Then set the use-rates high enough to cover the site expenses. If the schools and other users balk, then let the businesses that are complaining donate the difference.

Ultimately, this property needs to be transfered to the schools or the city.

DAVIS STEELQUIST

Quilcene