Well, our sleepy little Harbor District is stealing all the attention in the upcoming November election. As a First District resident, I didn’t even get a ballot since the two doofuses who were supposed to run and were too incompetent to turn in their signatures left the field to Larry Doss who gets the job unopposed. Disgraceful!
So the action is all in the Second and Fifth Districts, and might be summarized as Higgins and Dale vs. Rotwein and Angeloff. There have been many strange issues and red herrings brought up in these races and very little clarity. Greg Dale either DOES or DOES NOT have a conflict of interest. The Harbor District DOES or DOES NOT owe millions of dollars to the EPA. It IS binary!
Leo/Hank: One of the mini-issues has been Leo Sears’ shyness about being named a rail supporter by Hank Sims of LOCO. Hank, of course, is famous for having labelled rail supporters “morons” in a discussion about restoring the North/South, or Eel River route. I remain proudly one of those “morons” and I believe that restoring rail traffic to Marin would be a reasonable investment in our infrastructure, considering it could be done for half a billion and would result in a world-class tourist attraction if done right and properly integrated with trails. On the other hand, the East-West rail line being promoted by Angeloff is lunacy. It would cost at least a billion, have no tourist potential and have nothing to haul that doesn’t already have more efficient ways to get to market.
I cannot stress too strongly the difference between the two rail routes. East-West is a joke; North-South a noble endeavor. No one who has ever personally ridden the train through the Eel River Valley is opposed to opening it up again. No one. Yes, it will be expensive and will require more environmental safeguards than before but we would end up with a world -class tourist attraction which would attract folks who don’t necessarily enjoy backpacking.
I was for several years a member of an amorphous group called the Committee for Port/Rail Development. At least I think that’s what they were called. I have no written records of them although I must have attended several dozen of their monthly lunches at the Cookhouse. Kaye Strickland was the wonderful lady who ran those lunches. I’m almost positive that’s where I met Leo. The group was not only amorphous-it was pretty much chaotic. I don’t think they kept any attendance figures nor was any money collected. Every once in a while Charles Ollivier would stand up and give an impassioned oration. There was a lot of discussion but nothing ever HAPPENED. Out of frustration, Mark Matteoli and some other guys started a committee called RAPIT but it was pretty short-lived. If you stroll into one of the monthly lunches being held by the “Humboldt Bay Harbor Working Group” that evolved out of the 2012 Prosperity campaign, you might think you’re in a time warp. About 80% of the HBHWG were also involved in the CPD. More disclosure: I bailed from the Prosperity effort when we got to the point of recommending a full study of the East-West rail option. I didn’t think East/West would fly and I thought that would be the end of it. Silly me! The CPR-backed Rotwein and Angeloff campaigns are pushing East/West as a route for moving their chesnuts or cherries or something. If I’m a moron, these guys are lunatics.
A delicious complication appears to be on the horizon: Leo has taken out a Fictitious Business Name Statement in the Mad River Union announcing the establishment of something called “Economic Growth and Stability” located at TWO addresses in Eureka, which seems like a typo. The nicer house is located in the heart of Henderson Center and sports a huge Rex Bohn poster in the hedge. All roads led to Rex, apparently. So what’s Leo up to? We could call and ask but what would be the fun in that? Stay tuned.
When I get around to having my “MORON AND PROUD” t-shirts printed up, I’ll let you know. Meanwhile, the Times-Standard ran my letter the other day in which I advocate voting for Greg Dale and Pat Higgins. Wish I could vote!I
Letter to the Times-Standard, “Vote for Greg Dale and Pat Higgins”
The current Harbor Commission has, by and large, done a fine job in getting the District’s finances under control and setting a new course in the post-pulp mill era. The incumbents who are running for re-election, Greg Dale and Pat Higgins, deserve your vote. They bring experience and dedication. Their challengers bring flimflam and half-truths. The choice is clear. Vote for Pat Higgins and Greg Dale on November 3!
END