County to Promote Fundamentalist Muslim Summer School?

I'm not sure if that is on the horizon - but we DO know that the County is promoting some kind of Christian bible school this summer, by means of the fancy new Hansville sign at the corner of Eglon Road.

Uhh . . . did anyone stop to think about those possible pesky First Amendment issues? Of course not, because the GHAAC (which, according to its "Operations Manager", Linda Redling, is in charge of the sign) has never bothered to stop and think about how things are different when you are a group cloaked with authority as an arm of County government, as opposed to when you are just a group of people acting in a purely private capacity to try to get goodies from the County.

This will likely turn out to be another "learning experience" for the GHAAC, as they respond with blank stares when somebody asks "Hey, didn't you think about this???" . . . . If you have an opinion on this one way or the other, Linda Redling is your contact, at 638-0007 or email at LR6025@att.com.

Meantime, I will be preparing the sign for my own institution of higher religious learning, Wiegenstein's North Kitsap Madrassa and its upcoming summer school program - free burkahs provided to all girls who attend! Look for the sign coming soon to the Hansville sign location - I'm sure Linda Redling and the GHAAC will gladly agree to put it up, just like they put up the one for the Bible school, right? Of course, people will then have to figure out whether some crazy Jewish guy really is running a Muslim school (how's that for diversity and cross-pollenization?), or if it is merely a long-lapsed Catholic just joking about one. :-)

RURAL REDNECKS

I was shocked and dismayed to read the transcript from the GHAAC meeting held on July 8, 2008. The GHAAC discussed the perception of the community that a poor job has been done in letting residents know who they are, what neighborhood they represent, and how to contact them. The group talks about their concerns in letting the residents of the neighborhoods they represent know who they are and how to contact them. The discussion begins on page 22 of the transcript. On page 24, a GHAAC representative stated, "I vote to associate our names with our representative areas". Another GHAAC representative stated, "I have rural rednecks and I'm not sure". RURAL REDNECKS?! What's really shocking is that not one of the other members of the GHAAC, or the County Representative, Jim Bolger, responded to the use of this "label". These are the leaders of our community that want to speak for the residents of the area? I'm sorry, but the person that made that comment should be removed from the board and an apology should be given to the entire community. We should never condone this type of behavior.

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Speed Bumps . . . But Were Afraid to Ask!

One thing is for sure, you won't get an accurate picture from Hansville's "mainstream media", such as it is. Your best reference source for the whole Hansville speed bump fiasco is the Beep4Bumps site, run by Hansville resident John Hostvedt. Beep4Bumps.com was the original rallying point for Hansville residents who first objected to the bumps and the way they came about, and since those early days John has done a Herculean job of obtaining, posting, and discussing the facts and evidence regarding the bumps. The site has grown with lots of content over time, so it can be a little hard to find just what you're looking for, but in all likelihood it IS there. Does John have an opinion? Sure, and you will definitely see that come through - but even if you don't agree with everything John says, there is a treasure trove of source data and information that puts the pro-bumpers' propaganda to shame.

If you've not yet checked out Beep4Bumps.com, take a look - but be prepared for your blood pressure to go up a little as you unravel the facts behind an (all too typical) example of small-town special interest groups getting cozy with their pals in County government . . .

GHAAC: Sid Knutson Resigns Position

The Greater Hansville Area Advisory Council ("GHAAC") continues to struggle with the problems resulting from the County's decision to make GHAAC the voice of Hansville, and to give it preferred, formal status with the County. I recently posed some questions to Sid Knutson, the GHAAC representative from my neighborhood, and he was not too thrilled with that - or with some other aspects of GHAAC membership. So, on July 10, 2008 he resigned, providing notice to GHAAC chairperson Judith Foritano via email. He attributes his resignation to various causes, but one that he comes through prominently is his irritation with me and others who ask unpleasant questions and/or are critical of GHAAC. Apparently, those of us who are living "outside the Beltway" are supposed to just keep quiet, genuflect, and thank the County and GHAAC for acting on our behalf and making decisions for us.

I have not figured a way yet to post PDF documents on this blog - and perhaps it simply cannot be done - but I can share the correspondence between me and Mr. Knutson if requested by email. Click on my profile (over on the right side of this page) for the address.

A Statement of Basic Principles

Why This Blog Exists: I want to see a more open, thoughtful, and balanced debate and discussion within the community regarding issues affecting the governance and future of Hansville. I do not think I am alone in this desire; indeed, events during the past year make it clear that many people in Hansville have the same desire.

What I Want For Hansville: At the most fundamental level, my goal for Hansville would be to "let Hansville be Hansville." I believe that the great majority of Hansville residents, especially those who have lived here for many years, live in Hansville and treasure the area for what it is and has been, not for what some people like to re-make it to be. The Hansville that I know has always been a quiet, easygoing community where people tend to mind their own business, not impose their views or desires on others, and where the Kitsap County government has generally operated with a modest, unobtrusive presence, and a light touch.

The Means and Process of Political Dialogue Within the Hansville Community Must Expand and Improve: For decades, what little local governance Hansville required was typically worked out through evening meetings at somebody's home or a community center, publicized (if that is the right word) to the Hansville citizenry at large by means of sandwich board signs on a street corner, or perhaps a mention in the once monthly Hansville Log. Sometimes a flyer posted on the bulletin board of Hansville Grocery, or a rumor exchanged over a cup of coffee while waiting in line at the post office, served to help inform Hansville residents of activities and issues in their community.

I submit that those mechanisms are no longer adequate, if indeed they ever were. It is one thing to entrust to such mechanisms decisions such as which flowers ought to be planted at the Hansville Cemetery this spring; the menu for the annual Pancake Breakfast at Hansville Community Center; the drop off dates for the Rummage Sale at Hansville Community Center; or even, perhaps, discussions about development and improvement of the Greenway Trail network. But those mechanisms and means of dialogue are no longer adequate, and cannot be adequate, for meaningful debate and dialogue about more fundamental, and potentially divisive, issues pertaining to Hansville's governance.

Decisions relating to traffic and road network policy, development of public parks in the area, zoning and infrastructure changes, and coordinated efforts at developing a more vibrant business district within "downtown" Hansville all require a more open, accessible, and inclusive dialogue process. They also demand that involved and concerned citizens be afforded easy, open access to source information and documents, so that political dialogue and decisions can be driven by facts and objectively verifiable information, rather than second or third-hand hearsay from somebody who happened to be at a meeting at somebody's garage last week, or the sketchy, incomplete, and probably inaccurate minutes of a meeting held by one committee or another.

Transparency and accountability are everything - and I hope that this blog will be a force, however modest, for significantly advancing the level of both within Hansville.

The Greater Hansville Area Advisory Council - Friend or Foe? One of my primary concerns is that the County has abdicated, and will continue to abdicate, its responsibility to listen to all of the citizens of the Hansville area, and to make decisions of political governance based on a fair and comprehensive assessment of those competing viewpoints. Our current un-elected commissioner, Steve Bauer, and his predecessor Chris Endresen, are the two people primarily responsible for this dangerous trend.

The primary example of the County's action in this regard is its June 2007 decision to "officially recognize" a body known as the Greater Hansville Area Advisory Council (GHAAC), as constituting the "primary voice" of the Hansville community, and the primary - and perhaps, if truth be known, sole - source of input to the County for political decision making affecting the Hansville area. The governing documents of the GHAAC, and its conduct in purporting to speak for the residents of the Hansville area, clearly establish that it is a non-democratic organization, providing superior and disproportionate representation to specific, self-selecting individuals and groups, while disregarding the voices and needs of a majority of the citizens of the Hansville area.

The Bedrock Principles -- Consent by the Governed, and One Person, One Vote: Should governance of Hansville remain at the Kitsap County level? Or, should local government be formed for the Hansville area, to afford greater responsiveness and effectiveness in meeting the future needs of Hansville and its citizens? I do not profess to know the right answer to this question. But, regardless of where Hansville's government is located, I stand by the bedrock principles on which the political system of our state, and indeed our nation, were founded: that those who shall be governed by a government must consent to be governed by that government, and that within that governance structure, the rule of "one person, one vote" must control. There is no other way to create and maintain over the long term an involved, democratic, representative governmental structure.

What I Hope to See from People Who Post on This Blog: Again, this blog is not intended to adhere to any specific political creed, nor is it meant to support any particular substantive political objective for the Hansville area and its citizens. In the course of future dialogue and discussion hereI simply ask that persons involved in that debate adhere to the following basic principles, which I believe will benefit everyone in the Hansville area.

1. I ask that you speak with attribution. If it is important enough for you to say it to your fellow citizens in the Hansville area and government representatives, it is important enough for you to put your name to it. BUT - I also understand that some people may feel uncomfortable, for whatever reasons, with giving their names out in connection with a particular comment or issue.
2. Be respectful, and understanding of the fact that in virtually every topic of debate, reasonable persons can have differing opinions. You can disagree, quite forcefully if you wish, but still maintain a professional tone.
3. Whenever and wherever possible, supply verifiable factual information, from primary sources if at all possible, so that others interested in your thoughts can look for themselves at the factual information on which you rely.
4. No commercial content, advertising, etc. -- this blog is a forum for political dialogue and discussion, not for people to plug their own commercial or financial interests.
   

Thanks for reading - I look forward to hearing from you.

Welcome to the Hansville Blog!

Welcome! This is my first attempt at "blogging" so I expect it to be a learning process.

This blog is intended to be a means to disseminate information, analysis, and commentary on the goings-on in Hansville, Washington - a nice little community in the north end of Kitsap County that has been experiencing growing pains and, more significant, some real problems with governance at both the County level and in the way that small special interest groups affect things at the local level.

My hope is that Hansville area residents will take the opportunity to gather information here, consider the commentary and analysis, and offer their own thoughts and analysis as to the issues affecting Hansville today. I am confident that Hansville will benefit from a vigorous debate on issues of current interest, and from a forum where true exchange of information and ideas takes place, even if people disagree on issues or are occasionally aggravated - or even offended - by someone else's viewpoint.