Letters: Nov. 2, 2017

Defending Jacobs

I would like to respond to the allegations about my husband, Ken Jacobs, against the trail in Rosalia. (Julie Griffin letter Oct. 26)

Did she have a recording of that meeting that she remembers it so well? What I remember and know about my husband, is that he was always in favor of having the John Wayne Trail. My recall of that time is the parks department was trying to put through making the trail head for Rosalia, up on the hill between lst and 7th, open it up for horse trailers and campers. That was a bad idea. That is a non-motorized trail.

I am upset that Julie is making derogatory remarks about my husband, and the father of my kids, when he is no longer here to defend himself. We had to deal with these people ten years ago, and now it's starting all over again? No! I will not stand for it. If they ever want to say something about my family again, they had better get their facts straight, first.

Jenna's (the city clerk) son David is doing his best to become independent, in spite of his autism. The city always provides part- time work for high school students in the summer, for the learning experience. I commend the city for providing this service to many students.

The post card utility bills have saved money for the city. I love the newsletter; it provides good information about what is going on around town, in the county, and what the plans are. If you think the job of mayor is so easy, why isn't your name on the ballot, Julie? I know from living with it for 18 years, just how hard it is to make a town into what we all want it to be.

Haven't you read any of the articles about the airport? You are quick to criticize everyone and what is not being done, but I don't see you volunteering anywhere. We have plenty of opportunities to help others, like the Giving Tree, the Christmas Baskets, and the food bank. Until you get out there and do your share, you had better thank the ones who do volunteer.

Ken Jacobs served with the best intentions. He loved his home town and wanted the best for it. Now, we have a mayor who is trying to do the same, and she gets this kind of criticism.

Charlene Jacobs,

Rosalia

Response to ‘deception’

The letter to the editor submitted by Julie Griffin in the Oct. 26 edition of this paper is an example of the very reason I am adamant about keeping records and documenting activities and conversations whenever possible. I do this, not only because I know I don’t have a perfect memory, but because I know no one else does either, and it helps to be able to go back and refresh my memory and clarify miscommunications.

Clarification: 1- I have alway been a proponent of the John Wayne Trail. What I was not in favor of (nor was former Mayor Jacobs) was to have the Rosalia trailhead be set between 1st Street and 7th Street, with cuts into the hillside to allow motorized vehicle parking and camping for the trail riders. This was a bad plan for several reasons, and both the Washington State Parks Department and The John Wayne Trail Riders abandoned the idea upon further investigation. I have all the notes and records of that in my file if anyone would care to see and examine them.

2- The current town newsletter is published by a local business that has volunteer and this service to the community because they are committed to a successful and viable future for Rosalia.

The newsletter is distributed mainly through email.

For those citizens who wish to receive the newsletter through the mail, we mail it.

Our publisher has committed to providing some hard copies for handing out through the businesses, as they are able to get enough advertising dollars to pay for the service.

The city paid for the stamps for first mailing.

That’s all.

This complaint is the first, and only, negative response we have received regarding the newsletter and its content.

The switch to a postcard for the utility bill saves the city approximately $650 a year in mailing costs.

3- The “debacle” of the Rosalia Airport has been the subject of several articles, both in the Gazette and in the Rosalia Newsletter over the last several years, discussing all the upgrades and repairs that the FAA entitlement dollars, WSDOT matching dollars, and the hangar fire insurance dollars will pay, are about to take place in the spring of 2018.

This has been in the engineering and planning stage until now.

The project went out to bid in September.

Council recently agreed on a contractor and the scope of work to be done, and the contractor will determine if the weather will allow for starting the job this fall, or whether they will wait until the spring to begin.

This “debacle” of an airport will very soon have all the amenities that will be inviting to small aircraft owners looking for a good spot to house their planes, making Rosalia’s airport one of the best small airports in the area.

Again, I have any and all the documentation.

Anyone is welcome to review, if interested.

4-And then we get to the nepotism.

According to the Cambridge dictionary, nepotism – is the activity of unfairly giving good jobs or advantages to members of your family.

My husband (Yosh), volunteers his time and his equipment for mowing and plowing when needed.

The town pays for his fuel when he is doing this.

I would estimate that he has billed the town for about $200 worth of gas in the last four years.

When it comes to employing family members, you need to remember that small towns have a much smaller pool of qualified workers to draw from.

Look at how many family members work together at our school.

I take particular exception to this complaint.

Right now, with this team, Rosalia has the most qualified and efficient group of employees this town has ever had.

Both public works employees, Eljay Sanders and Eric McDonald, have the required certifications to do their jobs safely and accurately. Keep in mind, this is your safe drinking water we are talking about. We take the safety of our community very seriously. By law, this is their #1 priority, in case you want to complain about weeds that need to be cut, and garbage that needs to be picked up. Not sure about that? Go with them on their morning rounds some time, and see just how serious they are about the running of your water and wastewater systems. They would welcome the opportunity to show you how it works, and why it’s so important to keep it running well.

Our city administrator, Jenna McDonald, is an award winning, risk management board serving, professional, who has brought our town’s financial status back from the “brink of disaster” that previous clerk/treasurers placed us in. You owe her a huge thank you for taking her job so seriously, and for so graciously putting up with some of the truly ridiculous comments and complaints that come to her desk every day

Jenna and Eric’s son, Davin, has autism. His therapist asked if there was a job he could do in town that would help him learn job skills he will need for the future. Davin’s goal after high school graduation is to work and support himself. This is not just a job to Davin: he is learning life and social skills. Davin works approximately an hour week, and this hour is teaching him the skills he needs for his adult life.

I consider having this team of employees my most successful and important accomplishment during my tenure as mayor.

Political signs? Here’s what Municipal Research Service Center has to say about political signs: Campaign signs are protected under the free speech provisions of the U.S. and Washington State constitutions, and local government regulatory authority varies depending on whether signs are placed on private or public property. Signs may cause public safety concerns if placed in or near roadways. They can become trash problems if they are not removed after the elections are over.

Rosalia has no additional regulations regarding placement of political signs on public property. I personally find political signs obnoxious and irritating, and will be glad when this is over, and we take them all down.

Nanette Konishi, Mayor of Rosalia

Reply to Wagner

To start with, I have never met Fred Wagner of Tekoa. I know who he is when I see him, but I don't know him. However, he thinks he knows a lot about me. I have lived next to the old Milwaukee Trestle for 32 years, and I have watched many dangerous things happen on that trestle concerning mostly kids climbing on it. I once helped a child that was frozen in fear get off that very dangerous catwalk that runs below the tracks.

Almost two years ago Ted Blaszak and some helpers were on the trestle putting lights up. I later approached Mr. Blaszak and asked that they please stay off the Trestle until it can be made safe. His response was “Well, we're not going to stay off.” My belief is, Mr. Wagner, that you people are setting a bad example for the kids in Tekoa. Why shouldn't they be allowed to break the rules when they see adults doing it? That Trestle has signs posted up to a block away to keep off without a permit. I guess rules no longer apply when you think your intentions are good.

I do have a lease on property that extends to where the tracks meet the Trestle.

As part of my lease agreement with Washington State Parks and Rec, I have to maintain homeowners insurance that also includes the leased property.

So, Mr. Wagner, who's insurance will cover an injury sustained on my leased property? Yours? Do you really believe that if a person is seriously injured on the trestle that their attorneys wouldn't name anyone that's remotely related to the trestle as a defendant? Especially if they knowingly allowed people to be on the property illegally.

I'm not a lawyer, but neither are you.

It's easy to have an opinion such as yours when you have no skin in the game.

In my years living here, this is the first time I have felt the need to install “no trespassing” signs.

As for the bike trail that will bypass Tekoa on the old Milwaukee, I tend to agree with Wendy Sienknecht (for Tekoa City Council) that the Union Pacific corridor would be a much better trail for Tekoa.

It could connect our little town with Oakesdale to the South and Latah to the North.

We have a perfect spot near the Iron Horse Arena for an RV Park, plus we would not have the expense of developing the trestle to make it safe.

People could enjoy and appreciate the trestle from the trail that passes underneath.

This would also give people better access to downtown Tekoa on their way through.

I would live across the street from this trail also.

I'm not against a having a trail, I just think Wendy's idea makes more sense as it will be a lot less expensive to develop.

After all, grant money is not free money.

It's all taxpayer money.

Wendy Sienknecht is not just running for a seat on the city council, she is running against Ted Blaszak, who was temporarily appointed to fill a vacancy. Mr. Blaszak is totally fixated on getting the trail through Tekoa. He would use his position on the council to promote his agenda. The sad thing is, the atmosphere in Tekoa is if you don't agree with the yay-sayers, you get trashed in public. Mr. Blaszak called me “a community pariah” recently as he stood on the trestle cursing me as I stood in my yard. Now that I think about it, this toxic atmosphere started about two years ago. I guess we'll see where the silent majority in Tekoa stands on November 7.

Also, I want to give a shout out to Art Swannack for endorsing Wendy for Tekoa City Council. Thank you, Sir.

Gary Raines, Tekoa

Konishi support

A decade ago, while we were preparing for our move across the state to Rosalia, we became acquainted with Nan and Yosh Konishi. In our initial conversations we shared our common interests and learned that Nan had been serving on City Council for about a year. We were impressed with her enthusiasm for the potential she saw in the town, the inclusive attitudes she expressed, her personal integrity, and her dedication to community service.

During our transition year in which we lived in the area but had not become full time residents of Rosalia, Nan informed us of upcoming events and invited us to participate in community organizations. After we were settled in our home, Nan became our go-to person on City Council when we had questions about city government. We are now in our 8th year as citizens; and when we look back over Nan’s four years as mayor, we see the positive impact of her leadership skills and tireless work on behalf of the town and her vision for Rosalia’s future as a sustainable rural community.

Accountability and transparency are two key components of Nan Konishi’s leadership that contribute to what she believes is her biggest success – to be serving with the great team of employees and council we now have in place.

It is in the spirit of team building that Nan often seeks assistance and advice from citizens who are willing to volunteer and share their expertise.

She readily invites people who have questions about discussions and decisions to ask to see the public record.

In addition, Nan insists that the recordings of after hours complaint calls be kept and made available to those who request to hear them.

In a twist of a popular adage, Nan believes that what is said and done at City Hall is meant to be shared with the entire community.

Nan’s vision for Rosalia’s future begins with her holistic approach and goes beyond what would be imagined as small town mayor’s job description. We believe that it is safe to say that Nan will listen with sincere interest to anyone or organization that proposes an idea which will benefit the town or enrich the lives of its citizens and will follow through as she deems appropriate. In addition, because she knows that the needs of small rural communities can be easily overlooked, she regularly attends conferences and meetings across the state and works with legislative committees in Olympia as an advocate for Rosalia and other towns in the area.

Turning our attention to the lengthy letter written by Julie Griffin and published in last week’s paper, we consider it to be a malicious attack on Mayor Nan Konishi who is dedicated to serving Rosalia with dignity and integrity.

Kenneth and Kathleen Wilkes,

Rosalia

Notes trail

support

In response to the letter to the editor on 10/26/17 from Julie Griffin I would like to offer the following.

I live in Spokane but for the past 18 months have had several occasions where I have traveled to Rosalia, Malden and Tekoa to view and ride the John Wayne Pioneer Trail. On these occasions, I have had the need to contact the mayor of Rosalia, Nan Konishi, and her staff about the Trail and available services in the Rosalia area.

I have always found the mayor and her staff to be welcoming, informative and highly supportive of the Rosalia community and businesses. I also know that the mayor has made a strong stance of support with the Washington State Park and Legislature on the importance of the trail and its benefits to the rural communities of eastern Washington.

Jim O'Hare,

Spokane