Letters to the Editor: May 11, 2018

Rural representation needed

Yamhill County has more than 100,000 citizens, but many of them are not adequately represented by our countywide local government. That’s why I am urging folks to vote for Casey Kulla for county commissioner. Currently, our three sitting commissioners are all of traditional retirement age and hail from our two big cities. This leaves those of us out in unincorporated parts of the county and the county’s eight smaller towns without a fresh voice at the county level.

That’s more than 50 percent of the county. This has proven problematic for the county whenever a land-use issue comes up.

The farmland conflicts — quarries, the landfill and solar fields to name a few — have all been decided by city-centric commissioners. Current and previous sitting commissioners seem to misinterpret the farmland land-use rules, which result in endless legal battles favoring out-of-county business interests, especially those from the Portland Metro area.

The farmers usually prevail over the commissioners in the end, but only after needless amounts of money and time have been wasted. Casey Kulla is a farmer and a very successful businessperson with school-age kids.

He’s not running for commissioner as the capstone of a life well lived. He’s running because he has real skin in the game — a farm, a growing ag business that sells to the urban markets and school-age kids.

All this necessitates Casey be a tightwad — an essential trait for the commissioner job. Casey is motivated to use his science background for fiscally conservative stewardship of our resources in this fast-paced technological era. I hope you will join me in voting for Casey Kulla. Yamhill County government is already well-represented by urban interests — too well, in fact.

I believe Casey, should he be elected, would diversify the county commission representation to adequately serve all citizens of Yamhill County.

Ramsey McPhilips

McMinnville

 
Perspective too liberal

I would like to respond to Mr. Bladine’s commentary about President Trump being a liar. I didn’t see any examples, so I’ll have to take his word for it.

But how about President Obama? “If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor.” It was a lie.

How about Benghazi? “This was caused by a videotape,” we were told for a week. That was a lie, and several people died.

How about Fast and Furious, providing guns to the cartels and nobody would fess up? How about Bill Ayers, a convicted terrorist whom Obama lived with, helping him write his book? How about Reverend Wright, one of the most racist people in America? How about Louis Farrakhan, the most radical person in the U.S.?

I could go on, but I think you get the point. I suggest you get off your liberal soapbox and do some balanced reporting for a change.

Mike Freeborn

McMinnville

Tainted by landfill ties

I wonder if anyone noted the apparent conflict of interest with the “Primozich for Commissioner” sign west of the Riverbend Landfill?

The sign is at the entrance to the former Mulkey RV Park, which happens to be owned by Riverbend Landfill. The site is included in the 29-acre expansion approved by Commissioners Primozich and Starrett. It includes a road across a wetland and stream to the RV park site.

Our county lost 77 RV sites, 40 for vacation travelers and 37 for year-round affordable housing. And the site has been granted a permit by the state Department of Geology and Mineral Industries, so Riverbend can mine it all for landfill expansion.

Further, Commissioner Primozich, apparently without the knowledge or consent of his fellow commissioners, left a voicemail advocating that Metro continue shipping Portland garbage to Riverbend. Fortunately, Metro recognizes the problems at Riverbend, even though Primozich and Starrett don’t, and decided to start shipping its waste elsewhere.

We need commissioners without a conflict of interest -- ones who can not only recognize a problem, but do something about it. And “doing something” does not mean enlarging it or hiding it with campaign signs.

Leonard Rydell

Newberg

Wrong on Riverbend

With his huge “Elect Stan Primozich” sign on Waste Management property adjacent to the Riverbend Landfill, this candidate has made it very clear that “a vote for Stan” is a vote for the continued operation and proposed expansion of this riverfront landfill. If you want another 20 or more years of rotting, stinking, carbon dioxide- and methane-emitting waste leaking leachate into the groundwater and adjacent South Yamhill River, Stan’s your man.

Meanwhile, the proposed Riverbend expansion legal case is pending with the Oregon Supreme Court.

If the court rules in favor of expansion opponents, the case will be remanded to Yamhill County commissioners for another vote. With his sign on Waste Management land, Primozich has effectively already made public what his vote will be on this issue.

Yet another example of his support of Riverbend became public in May 2017, when the Portland Metro Council was considering an ordinance preventing future Metro waste going to any landfill that had to expand in order to accept it. Prior to the vote, Commissioner Primozich took it upon himself, without consulting his fellow commissioners, to actively lobby a Metro councilor in opposition. 

In a voicemail, he identified himself as a Yamhill County commissioner, establishing his intent to speak on the county’s behalf. He stated:

“Yamhill County is very anxious to continue the path we are on to expand Riverbend Landfill ... and would really appreciate you supporting Yamhill County and not stopping the flow of Metro trash going to our landfill.” He went on to state his hope, “You will be sensitive to the needs and desires of Yamhill County,” thus oppose the ordinance.

It didn’t work. Metro passed the ordinance, which means no Metro waste will be sent to Riverbend after Dec. 31, 2019.

Commissioner Primozich leaves no doubt where he stands on the Riverbend issue.

Susan Meredith

McMinnville

The art of bluff and bluster

On March 29, President Trump stated, “We’re knocking the hell out of ISIS. We’ll be coming out of Syria, like, very soon. Let the other people take care of it now. We got to get back to our country where we belong, where we want to be.”

Then, almost defying belief, Syrian leader Assad allegedly did the one thing virtually guaranteeing an American attack. It was something sure to embarrass his Russian benefactors as well. On April 7, Assad allegedly deployed chemical weapons on his own people.

Predictably, Trump tweeted in response, “Russia vows to shoot down any and all missiles fired at Syria. Get ready, Russia, because they will be coming — nice and new and smart! You shouldn’t be partners with a Gas Killing Animal who kills his people and enjoys it!”

There was a lot of whining about Trump touching off WWIII. Rumor has it that General “Mad Dog” Mattis had to restrain him from hitting the Russians too.
With Iran and North Korea watching, that made Trump even scarier than “Mad Dog.” But according to both Russia and Syria, Trump’s April 14 attack produced precisely zero casualties.

What a great deal — lots of persuasion with no casualties. Then Trump went full nuclear, flicking a spec of dandruff off French President Macron’s shoulder.
Was it real dandruff or fake dandruff? You’re probably thinking the same thing I am. It doesn’t matter. You can’t unsee something like that. Without harming a hair on his head, President Trump artfully reduced Macron to a spec of dandruff.

Daniel Katz

McMinnville

Carrier put off by parkers

There are two parking spots in front of our mailboxes, and the mail woman will not deliver if cars are parked there. As a result, we did not get our mail today.

All she has to do is park in front of our driveway and walk 5 feet to the mailbox. If she isn’t going to deliver mail due to cars parking in front of the boxes, then someone needs to come out and paint a yellow line.

Sandra Ponto

McMinnville