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• HarveyW

  I love that you, Mari can always throw the positive spin on everything PT! And be well paid to do so. I love that for year after year you acquiesce in the discrimination against all visitors from near and far who believe posted 2 hour parking and go to great lengths to respect others. I wish you could meet them all, and those taking spaces all day regularly. I do.

  I wish you could explain who benefits from parking enforcement deconstruction. And many other damaging "PT" traditions.

  I love that you as Main Street worked with the questionable City Manager Mauro to close business access using the "open streets initiative" that is not a voted on initiative at all, and closes streets. Like Adams recently was up the hill. "Very Modern"

  Happy 30 years. This is my 25th year here. Honestly. Here is to 30 more years for you, cheerleading for the cheating and corrupted team. Of course the Chamber is equally cheery. And well paid. Here is a new buzz phrase. "Think shallow, think PT power core!!!". GRRRRREAT!!!

  Apologies to those from near and far being treated as fools. :)

  Saturday, February 13, 2021 Report this

• kjasta

  Several years ago, I saw a guy with a "will work for food" typ sign outside the qfc in PT. My policy is to go buy food for these folks and take it to them. I simply don't care if its a potential scam. I went into the qfc deli. The woman behind the counter approached me to ask what I wanted. I mumbled something about a sandwich for this guy. She turned around and called to a coworker that the guy in the parking lot was back. I thought, "oh, crap, they are calling the police." But I couldn't have been more wrong. She turned back to me. "This is his favorite sandwich, and he likes it toasted." Thats why I love PT, among the other wonderful things already mentioned.

  Monday, February 15, 2021 Report this

• HarveyW

  When people speak of the "soul" of Port Townsend, folks like you Kirsten and the attitude at Safeway you note embody that. Other aspects I often call to everyone's attention is a blight on the "soul". Main Street, the Chamber, the "new" City Manager, most City Council, and especially the 3 time appointed Mayor want the honor of representing the "soul" while taking from it.

  I was at the historic Post Office this morning. Looking at the worn floor tiles I am reminded how many of us are worn down and don't object to negativity wrapped in positive spin. Day to day we don't notice what is worn away... from what needs to be and even ourselves just to fit in.

  The ripple effects of the deconstruction and defunding of any kind of parking enforcement and education by long term special interests resulting in discrimination and favoritism have worn the positive "soul" now for 6 years or so. So long that to fix it some need to admit the long term problems created by some still in power.

  Tens of thousands of visitors from near and far are put through inconvenience. Hundreds of thousands of dollars lost due to less business access many days for years. That is reality. It is why there are laws to be followed by "the City" that "the City writes. The City ignores its laws. Cheerleaders cheer on.

  Cheerleaders don't make the soul. They use it for their own purposes. On the playing field there is mud and blood to get to the goal. I am on team soul. Time for all "public servants" to expect more from policy makers who cheat at the game, and themselves. Asking for respect for all is not negative. Disrespect is. Beneath the surface the soul is wounded by those entrusted to make it stronger.

  Thanks for all that contribute, and don't just give lip service to "soul" as a hollow career. Those who wish may resume cheering to drown out the problems on the playing field they contribute to with silence. Cheering is fun and easy.

  Negative? No, searching for a positive outcome for all.

  Tuesday, February 16, 2021 Report this

• ...

  Harvey-

  What are your ideas for where residents of downtown should park? If parking is enforced as it is, residents of downtown, many of whom are elderly, disabled, and many others who work from home, would have to move their cars every 2 hrs throughout the day. That is what you are demanding. Is that what you really want? There are about 200 souls who live downtown above the businesses. Surely after 25 years here, you are aware of that? You are really demanding that elderly and disabled people and residents who work from home should have to move their cars every 2 hrs, all day long, every day???

  Thursday, February 18, 2021 Report this

• HarveyW

  Anonymous friend-

  The situation you describe favoring residents evolved into being due to parking enforcement deconstruction by key players on City Council. Starting 6 years ago I started writing very polite emails to City Council describing many negative things their tolerance policy, which ignored municipal codes was allowing. I now mirror the disrespect with fact in communications. Are these folks this ignorant or this arrogant?

  Business access impacted

  Cheerleader groups Main Street and Chamber, police and others drawn into a very faulty foundation of community, soul, and neighborhood. Now what we get is spin with no soul. Real soul has a real foundation.

  Discrimination against unknowing folk observing posted limits

  Neighbors not being neighborly and downright nasty

  Residents (young and old) parking all day in front of all businesses

  No plans for future growth or even current situations.

  Growing occupancy of upper floors with no parking consideration.

  Now we will hear of "recovery'. How will we recover with historic parking problems when visitors from near and far return. Idiots are managing my future and everyone's.

  And more. Who benefits? Has benefited?

  Who won't fix it?

  There was no answer or response for six years. Six years later we have a new illegal and damaging "normal" your are concerned about. You were manipulated ...---... (how do you put a period after that and not mess up your name?)

  Some rather aggressive folk have come after me for speaking up. So be it. That is more of the predictable down side managed into existence by our neighbors serving on Council. Some for 20 years. One industry benefits. Real Estate. The rude and self serving get free passes. I have documented it for years on end. No response. Denial by full City Council> What is up with that?

  For years I have reminded the Appointed Mayor, City Manager, City Attorney, Main Street, Chamber, Police and others including the public of growing negative impacts. Forgive me, but your perspective is one. No plan for growing and changing numbers of residents. Who profited with selling in the Historic District? You don't see that the situation is the City's purposeful creation. Six years in are residents (not all old) victims as you portray? Who is managing the City? What City just ignores all aspects of parking, especially one with limited space such as PT? How is it Main Street plays along when business and customers should be the focus? Main Street and Chamber do not represent me. Or many others.

  I will end this with this observation I have made time and time again. The newish City Manager knew of the parking situation when he accepted a job to fully fund all departments. Parking is ignored as it has been for years. What understanding did he have with Appointed Mayors Sandoval and Stinson going in?

  He is not fulfilling his job. He now is appointing a Police Chief who will be expected to ignore his oath and not enforce all laws and codes. This is seen by those who created this mess as acceptable.

  Those that created this mess that were regularly advised of negative impacts to "soul" and community cannot admit any error. They cannot and will not fix their created problem. 5 years ago I sent an email saying "he who does not mow lawn has forest to trim very soon".

  Now a nice person like you believes residents should have priority due to a manipulated reality that allowed them to park for years in spots reserved for all. ALL. EVERYONE. YOU. ME. ANYONE WHO READS THIS.

  That so many don't get it is frightening. Other manifestations of a City gone astray abound. Did you hear that?

  The sound of crickets.

  Thursday, February 18, 2021 Report this

• HarveyW

  Just a footnote-

  Many years ago I sent to Council photos of parking sings in Tillamook Ore. 2 HOUR PARKING NO RESIDENT OR EMPLOYEE PARKING. I would guess they don't have no term limits on City Council or 20 year members and Appointed Mayors who own major real estate franchises. Then as now.....sound of crickets amidst the backdrop of corruption, that spreads out like a virus. This really isn't about parking alone. Laws are to keep government within boundaries. In theory.

  Thursday, February 18, 2021 Report this

• ...

  Harvey

  You never actually answered my question.

  Once again, what you are suggesting is that people who actually live downtown and who have lived downtown for longer than you've been here and had a shop, should have to move their cars every two hours. If they happen to park in front of your store, why should they have to move? Downtown is a mixed use area. It is not just for shopping. It is also a neighborhood.

  So I will ask you again, very clearly. Is it your desire that residents of downtown should have to move their cars every two hours?

  Thursday, February 18, 2021 Report this

• ...

  Harvey wrote:

  >

  Since when is having somewhere to park at one's residence considered a "priority"? I'm not sure why you think it's a manipulated reality that people who live in apartments, need somewhere to park. No one is making these citizens up. We used to have a family member who lived downtown.

  I will tell you what her life was like when she lived there.

  She would get up early in morning and go to the grocery and try to get any other errands done, before 9 AM because that's when the tourists and employees began to arrive downtown. Unfortunately for her, many businesses in Port Townsend did not open until 10 AM. She did not feel comfortable running errands after 9 AM, because she would have to park so far from her home she was not physically able to walk from her car to her apartment with whatever goods she had purchased. Because she was elderly and dealing with physical disabilities, she would also often forget where she parked her car if she wasn't able to park near her home. We would have to come help her find her car while she was in great distress.

  Especially in the summertime and during festival season, she often felt trapped in her apartment because she could not leave, knowing that she would have to park blocks away when she got home. She began to go into mental decline from being isolated because she did not feel comfortable leaving her home because of the parking situation.

  We did what we could to come and get her and take her to appointments and shopping, but unfortunately when she needed us most, we had to be at work. There were many days when she needed our assistance, and we drove around and around trying to find somewhere to park so we could go help her.

  Eventually, she became so weary and frightened of the parking situation, she asked us to sell her car, which we did, and then she began to go into serious mental decline from being stuck in her apartment day after day, week after week, year after year, because of the parking situation downtown. As she had began to decline she had gotten a handicapped license plate, and even then, there was nowhere for her to park. Downtown has a lot of elderly and disabled residences, and nary a handicap parking space for them near their homes.

  What we have observed through the years is that the city of Port Townsend whittles away parking space after parking space downtown, creating a tinderbox of bad feelings and frustration. We have observed elected representatives saying that they would like downtown to be a no car zone. Which will never work for the residents of downtown. Residents are never considered when these things are said or planned. You are correct that many decisions are being manipulated by the Main Street foundation and the Chamber of Commerce. The residents of downtown have no voice when decisions are being made that affect their lives profoundly. Neither the main street foundation nor the chamber of commerce seem to care about these citizens who pay their rent rain or shine, tourism or no tourism, Covid or no Covid.

  You may think it's all a big joke that residents need parking downtown, but not only do they need parking, their caretakers need somewhere they can park without having to worry about being ticketed or towed, as well. There are people living downtown who have lived downtown over 30 years. These people are not figment of anyone's imagination. They are human beings living with extreme conditions related to the cars they need to get to the doctor, and get food, and they come home and have to drive around in circles for half an hour before they can find somewhere to park. Can you imagine living with that every day? I'm sure if you really thought about it you would realize that these people are just as inconvenienced as you are if not moreso, because you get to go home at night.

  It seems clear there are plenty of people downtown who would love for there to be no residents living downtown, and who would love for residents downtown to have nowhere specific they can park without being ticketed or towed. It seems clear no one in Port Townsend is interested in coming up with some kind of system for a mixed-use neighborhood and yet exactly that kind of neighborhood has been suggested for the area up near Goodwill.

  If there are going to be mixed-use neighborhoods of retail stores mixed with residences, there needs to be parking for the residents. In your reply you seemed to suggest that areas above the retail shops are being turned into residences and they shouldn't be. What you don't seem to know is they always have been residences. No one is turning areas above retail stores into residences, for fun and profit. The residences have always been there. Please hear that. Please understand that you opened a business in a mixed-use neighborhood, and your attitude and your words right now are creating the very "us versus them" atmosphere you consistently say you are against.

  Thursday, February 18, 2021 Report this

• HarveyW

  ...---... or SOS-

  Your last comment says "Harvey wrote" and has nothing I wrote but has your perspective. Confusing. Your first comment spoke of old folks and people working from home as residents. I am fully aware of other folks not fitting those descriptions living fine lives downtown. You attempt to paint a flawed and slanted picture.

  First we have to speak of straw dogs. A position or argument meant to appear to answer but shift focus from the main point. Your story has nothing to do with how we were manipulated into the current parking anarchy situation. I know I advised year after year of problems that grow. One problem is the limited intellect of key self serving "leadership" expecting no rules at all will just work out fine, as some make money off development without parking consideration.

  You go into much detail of a result of the City abandoning all its citizens and visitors to live in anarchy. Nice personal story if true. You choose to be anonymous. Who knows what the truth is? You are definitely running interference for the corrupted No Term Limit Council/City Manager/Appointed Mayor status quo. They are the responsible parties that manipulated all into a confused haphazard daily reality. I live in it. I pay over a quarter million in expenses each year to do so. I have a stake in the game. So many are well paid no matter the results.

  As to years past there was a volunteer parking enforcement program. It worked. A letter to the Leader in comments last year by a Police parking volunteer laid all blame on City Council. It would seem he was the proxy voice for both Evans and Stuber. The person you note and all others were living under that volunteer system until about 2014, then came the purposeful deconstruction and defunding of the volunteer program. Then residents and workers made access to my business nearly impossible. Obviously other business was also negatively impacted.

  The system did not change and evolve over time with continuity to suit all users, residents and business, and all visitors (from near and far. Expensive studies were ignored. An email from the City Manager years ago to me acknowledged problems and promised a fix. He used Main Street to poll the public regarding parking.

  Another straw dog. A Main Street poll does not ask hard questions. A Main Street poll is designed for specific results. Then as now. Dead wood. Perky dead wood abounds in PT.

  You asking me how to fix it and what I would do has been covered in countless emails to City Council and Appointed Mayor, and much writing in this paper. You basically ask me how to fix a purposeful wreck that is years in the making and continues. Your lack of understanding of cumulative effect and cause and effect illustrates the problem now with any fix. Those that broke it very purposefully to this day avoid any mention of the problems. Stealing a car and wrecking it does not make you the repair shop. It makes you a thief. There is no repair in sight. Only the sound of crickets.

  The No Term Limit City Council, Appointed Mayors Stinson and Sandoval, and 20 year city manager Timmons now at Fort Worden manipulating things there are responsible. Mauro is a willing addition. Don't rock the boat. He knew what he signed up for. His qualification issues make him a perfect compromised tool. There is no explanation of his qualification problems or word of his shelved review. ...---...

  Your touching story of your relative is a result of years of manipulation. Your relative was apparently willfully breaking posted law. Its ok. Everyone does it. Stinson Sandoval Timmons manipulated that reality. Fixing it? There is officially no problem as City Manager Mauro's "engage PT" stunt side steps parking totally. Again, what is his understanding with Sandoval?

  So, what I would do to fix things is next election go hard and heavy to get all members of the No Term Limit Council replaced that rubber stamped this manufactured problem. I am trying to point out that currently the City Manager is not fulfilling his job and will appoint a Police Chief who will be expected to fall in the corrupted line.

  It is so deep that a person like you who seems to be able to write and speak claims not to see a terminal root cause. Extrapolate for me the future. There is no plan allowed. Government is a 4 year old testing limits. Parking is not the only limit pushed and ignored. You seem to have no sense of anarchy and put up a straw man story to avoid where all roads lead. No Term Limit City Council and Appointed Mayor with City Manager and City Attorney playing along.

  One fix is changing the municipal code to reflect reality. Signs might read. NO RULES PARKING...YOU FIRST

  Corrupted, arrogant, damaging "leaders" are part of a perfect storm of complicity. Main Street. Chamber. Police Chief. City Manager. Full Council. 3 time Real Estate focused appointed Mayor and 20 year Council Member Sandoval. These comments have been moved from main page online to a less seen position. The Leader is infamous for keeping lids on except for a brief moment under Dean Miller and Lloyd Mullen. That didn't last and left many unanswered questions. The new "Leader Lite" won't cause and ripples.

  Manipulations don't end at parking or begin there. The City controlled FWPDA and non compliant "partners" were a manipulation. The closing of Adams up hill a manipulation. Cloaking the 1.2 million dollar visitor center park around a sculpture with no public input was a manipulation.

  It is a formula. You ...---... are taken in. All I can do to 'fix" things is point things out repeatedly. No straw men.

  Parking here is similar to the CHOP ZONE in Seattle. Folks park for years contrary to posted signage reflecting a municipal code. In your eyes they are now officially and should be officially allowed to do so. A limited resource was mis managed. New additions have no parking worries, whenever and wherever you want. Anarchy. Damage. Development without parking consideration eating at the core, pitting in your take on things residents need against business. The players are known to those that don't look to straw men. I have been her playing by the rules for 25 years. The rules are the same officially. City Government is a law breaker.

  I just set a match to your straw man. Can you or anyone see off point arguments for what they are? Here are a couple of Orwell quotes, we are far past 1984

  In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act.

  The most effective way to destroy people is to deny and obliterate their own understanding of their history.

  A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves and traitors are not victims, but accomplices.

  Start using your real name. You come from a position of shame. You may well be the City Manager. "Modern" politics use all avenues.

  Friday, February 19, 2021 Report this

• HarveyW

  A coincidence SOS !!!! I am transferring email accounts today to a new host and opened one from the parking@forestgems.com folder. This was it. Note the date, and problem is still exactly the same and has been for 5 years since this email. Some still play wounded victim that are not, you went there with your story. The wounded victims referred to in this email were Leader owners then who used public parking all day.

  Why didn't you move your relative to better conditions that suited her? When her place sold the value was with all day parking included sponsored by the city if after 2014. Who brokers sales? Who makes money with increased value not reflecting actual cost to provide parking?

  Subject: [Fwd: RE: Parking Problems in Historic District]

  From: harvey@forestgems.com

  Date: Tue, September 13, 2016 11:27 am

  To: jspieckerman@cityofpt.us

  --------------------------------------------------------------------------

  ---------------------------- Original Message ----------------------------

  Subject: RE: Parking Problems in Historic District

  From: harvey@forestgems.com

  Date: Tue, September 13, 2016 11:16 am

  To: "David Timmons"

  Mr Timmons- City Council

  This is not personal. I have always seen failed management as simply a bad

  part that needs to be repaired or replaced. Management rarely self repairs

  or self replaces, it requires admission of fault. If you accept the job

  that has the responsibility you must take on the responsibility.

  After re reading your reply I need to make a few points. You have managed

  the current situation into existence that you admit "is lacking and

  always has been fairly ineffective and random." There were for years

  volunteers doing parking enforcement which I observed as not nearly as

  random. I knew, everyone knew, not to park on the street illegally or odds

  were you would get a ticket. There may have been a problem or two. That's

  life. That effective system changed under your management. You have sent a

  clear message to those most likely to put self before common good that

  there is no price to pay for, yes, Hogging Parking. My writing the leader

  and the wounded victim response illustrates reality. Wounded victims

  abound and should not dictate policy. I forwarded to the City Council to

  put faces on the problem and define attitudes. That also was not personal

  but was specific. Allegedly responsible polite faces which are role models

  for the rest of the less polite had the underlying attitude revealed. At

  some point there develops a looting mentality where "everyone else does

  it". With careless and even sociopathic people among us all, government's

  job is to control the least responsible for the benefit of the majority.

  You have failed in epic easily seen and demonstrated ways with parking

  management and enforcement. I see these people and related problems every

  day as you do not. The problem grows under your management. Self assessing

  your work provides little real responsibility. Your total lack of

  meaningful action this summer speaks volumes. Every problem I have had is

  your responsibility, the individual players are cultivated by your

  inaction. Self serving individuals are not in short supply. Parking and

  access to business seems to me, without doing a study, to be a most

  important component of city management, Main Street, and the Chamber. Why

  did I just hear in my head that 70's tune "Don't Rock The Boat"?

  You say "We have a unique situation here and the conventional parking

  enforcement is not going to work and meet all the expectations people

  have." I do not believe the situation is that unique. I believe the system

  I referred to above worked fairly well. Of course many will complain when

  ticketed. Trained enforcement minimizes loose cannon problems. I could

  point out countless municipalities where 2 hour parking is enforced and

  respected, as thoughtful people understand the larger picture of fair use

  and access. Park and ride signage in conjunction seems reasonable. You

  have managed something quite different into existence. I say what

  countless others know, but will not say in public or to you.

  Main Streets questionnaire was poorly written and distributed. I

  understand it is the method of choice. I understand it creates jobs

  without directly criticizing others in the City Management Social Network.

  The technology (expensive) you refer to exists today in the form of chalk

  on a stick, a person, and a ticket book. Seems the person would be paid

  for with the ticket book. Seems to work elsewhere and did here once.

  Studies create jobs, time wasted creates problems.

  I will be contacting the city regarding some simple things which I believe

  will eliminate my specific problems with blockages to my access. I thank

  again the Port Townsend Police which I try not to bother and the people

  who have helped me to the extent they can in city government and services.

  Extrapolate is a great word. "Parking Hogs" cannot extrapolate what would

  happen if everyone acted like them. Some government employees cannot

  extrapolate what would happen if every Government employee did half assed

  jobs they believe themselves to be doing adequately by self assessing. We

  all hope for better from public servants.

  Please make meaningful changes now. Many months of parking problems for me

  lie in the future and in your control. Please do stop by and explain in

  person why you have let things deteriorate to where they are, off the

  record.

  Harvey Windle

  Forest Gems Gallery

  Friday, February 19, 2021 Report this

• HarveyW

  ......and the real word on the street is that Timmons who lied and set up with Sandoval inequity and discrimination breaking municipal codes was given the plumb of interim (how long) director at the malfeasance corrupted FWPDA. The Leader gives minimal updates. The FWPDA promising more openness is pretty silent and hides who gave $200k to keep it afloat in the short term. Who is responsible for that. Sandoval as appointed Mayor signed the FWPDA into existence. Parking is just another manifestation of the disease.

  Word on the street according to timeless Orwell?

  A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves and traitors are not victims, but accomplices.

  Saturday, February 20, 2021 Report this