DANCE OF THE BAGATELLES

Such animosity the BAGATELLES aim at Point Ruston is beyond any reason. Reduced to (3-2) in the Town Council flim flam is their last respite and thinly veiled snippets at the defenseless Town Clerk. Knowing if they can harass her into resigning the Town of Ruston would descend into chaos. The urgency of the moment was a small comment by a News Tribune reporter that he could not receive a document immediately and had to wait his turn. Besmirched again they lamented.

A simple inquiry would have told them the Town is inundated with PRRs (see last blog, KING OF RUSTON) and the two town clerks spent 70 of 80 hours the previous week just answering PRRs most of which require approval from the Town Attorney before releasing. Their beloved Tacoma has two full time clerks just for PRRs! It doesn't take a lot of bravery when your opponent is a hard working town servant unable to defend herself. You have done all you can to hamstring the Mayor(s) and the Town operations.

Dan and Wayne, Wayne and Dan, the dynamic duo of annexation and bankruptcy. Unceasing in the micro managing of the town's finances and harassment of anyone who disagrees with them or runs against them in an election. Now that it appears the Ruston cabal is disestablished they have been anointed as the Tacoma cabal. You would think men of such stature would realize the jig is up and retire in a ceremony of opprobrium. To go out as BAGATELLES in total ignominy and defeat seems unreasonable.

Tacoma will not annex Ruston and its myriad of bigtime problems and gigantic self imposed lawsuits. It is very clear if you read between the lines of the interviews with Tacoma Mayor Bill Baarsma and City Manager Eric Andersen they only have eyes for Point Ruston, the jewel of the Pacific Northwest. Else, they parse their words answering "sometime in the future." Look up NO in the dictionary or are you deaf to anything contrary to your contrary goals.

They loudly proclaim their only interest is protecting the town's liabilities for the future at the same time working to eliminate that future through annexation, bankruptcy or frivolous lawsuits and putting out of business the town's largest taxpayer through a going out of business tax increase. Private lawsuits financed on the town's dime, they are all for it.

Start with Wayne and the so called "ballet lawsuit" where against all advice they could not win, instigated a lawsuit to terminate the 500 year lease a local condominium builder had on the Ruston school auditorium. The judge remonstrated harshly with the town for this waste of court time and upheld the perfectly legal lease ordering the town to pay court costs for both sides, total cost about $100 thousand dollars. Not sure how much Association of Washington Cities paid on this one (PRR anyone?). Rest assured Wayne and his followers didn't contribute a single red cent.

Not to be outdone Dan and his cohorts decided they didn't like the sign in front of the Point Defiance Cafe and Casino and asked for the sign (still not paid for) be removed. As Dan at the time was running for the Town council the request carried the threat of official intimidation. The sign didn't come down and worse the owner of the Point Defiance Cafe and Casino won an out of court settlement from the local Connection and the wife of a town council person who later became mayor of Ruston. Intrigue abounds in a small town divided against itself.

Months later Dan was appointed (we need him now!) as a council person bypassing all former procedures as an emergency appointment. Soon rumblings of a 16 percent tax increase were floated and months later an emergency tax increase of 20 percent was proposed reduced to 12 percent from 2-4 percent floating was enacted bypassing second reading. Ostensibly the town needed the income to stay afloat but the end result was foreordained. The Point Defiance Cafe and Casino closed down its gambling operation throwing 35 employees out of work before the holidays. Oh yes, that was the town's largest taxpayer the town losing $30 thousand dollars annually. Sound like a sound and wise decision if you are following your oath of office to uphold and support the town you represent on the council?

The resulting lawsuit, still pending, to be heard in an August jury trial the town spurning a settlement on very favorable terms (another PRR opportunity?). It is unknown who makes these decisions as the town does not have an organization chart!!! Stay tuned to RUSTON INSIDER for the lowdown on that one. One PRR request had the CLIENT blacked out even though the client of record is the Town of Ruston. Very puzzling and maybe a cover-up. Without an organization chart only the shadow knows.

Give it up! Bon voyage. Tacoma really does need you!