NEVER NEVER TOWN

Ruston Town Council meeting November 7, 2011 7pm
Pretty routine:
Res 495 adopted Official Newspaper. Amid all the clatter I did not get the name of.
Ord 1344 Adopting Town of Ruston Annual Budget for fiscal year 2012 (first reading)
MAYORS TIME/COUNCIL TIME
This is where it got exciting!
Don't attend many council meetings but showed up on Nov. 7.
Cabal gone?
If you would of witnessed the arm waving and calls to shut it down (Point Ruston) you would soon realize they are not gone and still intend to inflict maximum damage and slow down tactics. Even threatening arrests and to ram the gate. The arch typical NIMBY Town.
Interesting the people on Stack Hill were not the ones complaining but one individual who lives about six blocks away and another three blocks away both on the Council.
The lights and noise are 90 feet down from the edge of Stack Hill and well away from the main part of Ruston.
This night work is rainy, cold and dangerous but hours are controlled and imposed by the EPA from midnite to 5am. This is still an EPA controlled site and Ruston has little say although you wouldn't know it by the caterwauling council.
And a funny point the rip rap restoration was all being done on the Tacoma side of the Point Ruston site.
For a fun night of entertainment and people making fools of themselves attend a Ruston town council meeting. A laugh a minute.
2011 budget deficit $306,000 Police budget $348,000 to $384,000 with support items. Makes sense to them I guess. For 100 years Ruston got along with one Town Marshall, yes ONE.
What is amazing is that half the meeting is counting on Point Ruston to save the town the other half how to close Point Ruston down.
Make sense to you?
Still to come on the budget deficit:
five law firms
mega lawsuits
jail costs - skyrocketing!
Total budget deficit they are not saying. But strategized delays forced Point Ruston to start building in Tacoma forestalling most taxes that will eventually be collected in Ruston.
Point Ruston - The Destination
A day late and a dollar short.
Get the picture they are dead broke and haven't got the message.
Time to bite the bullet and begin serious negotiations with the City of Tacoma and a bailout/take over. Recent improvements sewers/street light make a merger more promising possibility.

Previous council had the right idea but were not upfront with the Town's people conducting secret negotiations and back room deals. Remember we are bringing 12-15 people along? How could they have been so right and acted so wrong at the same time?
This was a grand old Town but in the last six years has taken a serious desultory wrong turn.
I never thought I would be on this side but the longer it remains the more serious damage it can cause meaning the Town of Ruston.
More on Ruston Home blog: Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Ruston School For Sale Again?
The proverbial white elephant soon to be mothballed. Remember they sold the lower parking lot for three or four million dollars to keep the Town afloat this long. But the aged school building may be beyond redemption. Wow a mega apartment site? That would rattle a lot of cages.
It can't go on much longer. Under paid and over worked Town employees pushed to the breaking point? Serious health disability problems waning.
Give up the ghost. There are no more ASARCO freebies. Welcome to the Ruston district of Tacoma! Let's get it on, full steam ahead, with Point Ruston the jewel on Commencement Bay.

Town of Ruston officials:
Mayor, Bruce Hopkins
Council, Bradley Huson, Jim Hedrick, Deborah Kristovich, Lyle Hardin, Jane Hunt
Attorney, Carol Morris
Planner, Rob White
Clerk/Treasurer, Myriah Mesa

A tad late but better late than never.
-30-

POINT RUSTON AHOY

Ruston WA regular council meeting April 18, 2011 7pm.
STAFF REPORTS
Fire Chief Don Torbet-
.Have new jackets pretty spiffy.
.Addresses on Commercial street are out of order.
.Former Wingard property has 5300 numbers should be 5400 numbers.
.Example 5328 is across the street from 5401?
.Important to change numbers for emergency.
.Ambulances will have problems.
.Residents post two numbers inside mailbox for postal carriers.
.Causes real problems.
Bruce- Town staff is working problem.
Jane- How will post office handle problem?
Police Chief Jeremy Kunkel-
.Expresses gratitude to Kevin Mosier for redoing perimeter doors at station.
.Makes all feel a little bit safer.
.Raised $2,500 dollars for Special Olympics.
.Additional fundraiser at Tacoma Mall May 29, 30 and 31.
.Website is active to report minor thefts.
.Not to replace direct contact for serious emergencies.
.Tacoma Marathon May 1st.
.Runners starting 8:30am until 11:30am.
.Ruston tunnel and 51st street closed.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
Jim-on dangers in buying long term bonds.
BUSINESS
Agenda item 1. Point Ruston Update - Loren Cohen
.Permit activities much smoother.
.Water lines Tacoma Power finished in phase one.
.Second phase will include storm water and lighting.
.Will issue public bonds.
.Eight acres esplenade property line to Yacht Club on penninsula.
.In discussion with City of Tacoma.
.$16.5 million dollar bond sale.
.Leverage us with $5 million dollar LID.
.Reimburse with public funds..
Mayor-
.You are last one standing.
.Want to see property remediated and completed.
Jane- Any activity on commercial lease?
Lyle-
.Sweet spot for us.
.Best property in region.
.Silver Cloud and theatre.
JimH-
.Leverage for eight acres.
.Have asset at completion.
.Still don't see what City of Tacoma gets out of it.
Lyle-
.15 foot access across property.
.Impressive access to public.
Jane- Roundabout this summer. a:YES.
Deb- Road?
Loren-
.Late early July road.
.Ruston Power in phase two.
.Make formal proposal or not?
Note: If seems incomplete it is best I can do. Hearing is difficult.

Agenda item 2. Consideration of a "Call for Bids" for the USDA-RD Funded Sanitay Sewer Improvements for the Town of Ruston
Dan Osier in for Jerry Morrissette:
Bradley - authorize Town of Ruston to call for bids. Passes 4-0.
Agenda Item 3. Electric Utility Rates- Establishing date for public hearing on rate increases for 2011 and 2012.
Council- Study Session before next meeting May 2 at 6pm.
CLAIMS/PAYROLL passes 4-0
MAYOR'S TIME
Bruce-
.Latest on COMMENCEMENT:
.USBANK has asked for list of improvements to occupy building.
.Steps necessary for building permits.
.Parks may acquire building mark it down.
COUNCIL TIME
Bradley-
.Fire investigation in Pagoda fire suspicious circumstances.
.Redo Parks security agreement with Town of Ruston.
.Do not sign security agreement.
.Previous fire at Never Never land.
.One thing after another down there.
.Free coffee at Town hall read in Newsletter.
JimH-
.Large pothole.
.Citizen provided barricade.
.Need to fill in.
Loren- Use crushed rock asphalt.
JimH-
.Can't get new road in fast enough.
8:47 Adjourn
Town of Ruston officials:
Mayor, Bruce Hopkins
Council, Bradley Huson, Jim Hedrick, Deborah Kristovich, Lyle Hardin, Jane Hunt
Attorney, Carol Morris
Planner, Rob White
Clerk/Treasurer, Myriah Mesa
Fire Chief, Don Torbet
Police Chief, Jeremy Kunkel
Electrician, John Parker
Electricial Engineer, Mo Fesharaki
Engineer, Jerry Morrissette

CASINO v. RUSTON AMENDED COMPLAINT

Here we go again. So far Ruston has got by on the cheap but that maybe coming to an end with $9 million dollar claim filed plus lawsuit for damages.

Took a while but below is the Amended Complaint 16 pages:

Fabre et al. v. Town of Ruston
Pierce County Superior Court No. 10-2-15875-3

TARGET POINT RUSTON

Ruston, WA Town Council meeting October 5th, 2009 7pm:

Short and sweet with a negative diatribe on POINT RUSTON entitled ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IN THE TOWN OF RUSTON?

PUBLIC COMMENTS
Jim Wingard - noted almost automatic approval of items requiring budget revisions with the lone exception "raises for town employees".
Kevin Moser - commented on the glare from street lights on STACK HILL. Need to eliminate glare, not considerate of town. Likes street lights on 49th street better where light is downward directed. Used up his allotted two minutes.
Dan- motion to allow time to finish, Jane second. Passes 5-0.
Kevin continues -
Provided handout of four different types of street lights.
Wayne - You need to talk to me on this.
Bruce - street lights are out for bid now. Deciding between 100 watt bulbs or 70 watt bulbs, out for research. You have access to town electrician.
Jane - lights from Commencement light up my deck.
Dan - surprised neighbors have not complained?
Bruce - they (Point Ruston) paid for lights. See no need to change no homes affected.
Note: PROGRESS IS BAD, STOP IT OR SLOW IT DOWN WHEN POSSIBLE? Couldn't be could it?
JJ - Lights needed for security purposes.
Beth - follow through like Point Ruston.
Note: I thought SAFE STREETS encouraged outdoor lighting? Apparently Ruston hasn't got the word. Extra lighting deters burglars and vandalism elsewhere.
BUSINESS
Agenda item one - ORDINANCE 1297 BUDGET AMENDMENT
Wayne - budget why are we shifting.
Bruce - so money comes out of budget not electrical reserve fund
Wayne - why not $6 thousand dollars instead of $12 thousand dollars?
Karen - will be further expenditures
Wayne - would like to approve all expenditures individually
Jane - lining up items
Bruce - access ability there anyway. We cannot know exact dollars
Wayne - I am only one vote.
David - fund transfer requires public comment
Note: big brouhaha takes place whether it is one fund or two funds?
Jane - only one fund
Karen - Karen - budgeted out of 401, Electrical fund, paying out of 402 (Electrical reserve fund). Like checking and saving accounts.
David - excess funds
Bruce - not moving funds, just allocation source. Pay out of reserve fund.
Dan - just have public comment. Nobody will comment anyway.
Jane - need to cover
PUBLIC COMMENT ORDINANCE 1297
Kevin Moser - Saves money to have MO working hourly. More cost effective than bidding out.
First reading complete.
Agenda item two - Environmental issues in the town of Ruston (Albertson)
Dan - concerned about arsenic in Town.
.arsenic extremely toxic. Source of many cancers, names several.
.soil samples taken outside Point Ruston
.EPA standards 230 ppm
.testing shows, 300 ppm and 460 ppm
.Who in Ruston is monitoring?
.EPA fact sheet, in almost all cases, shows material leaving site below levels
.Shows picture of large dust cloud, cause for concern
.Gate is in Tacoma
.Why training for creating hazardous waste
.Nobody checking
.need EPA regulators to show up at council meeting
.Independent lab in Seattle did testing on readings from public street
.need explanation
.Why I put this on agenda Have not talked to Kevin Rochlin of EPA. Talked to Citizens for Healthy Bay.
.happy to have EPA and Citizens for Healthy Bay give 1/2 hour presentation to council
.am concerned about contamination off of Point Ruston
Wayne - We need Department of Ecology too.
Dan - forced to agree, regret it
Jane - called all government agencies. EPA, Federal Government, in charge.
Need this project to go forward.
Note: public comments not allowed on agenda items so here is my two cents for next meeting.
. sounds like another JOBS FOR JUSTICE hit job
. Ruston is not the right venue to vent your spleen.
. Public streets in Tacoma?
. Tacoma annexation duo has plenty of contacts in Tacoma
. Appears to be a last minute hatchet job by departing soon council member
. no documents provided
. no proof provided
. no witnesses identified
. In my Introduction to Law class it was made clear HEARSAY is inadmissible in a court of law
. But all Dan's comments appear to be HEARSAY!!
. I have yet to determine a reason for all this vitriol except to hamstring the town of Ruston leading to it's demise
Agenda item three - Meter Deposits (hopkins)
Bruce - Only one deposit required. Holding $11 thousand dollars in noncollectable utility bills from 2006. One utility deposit given back after ten years.
Note: Aren't unclaimed deposits required to be turned over to the state after three years?
Jane - change our laws. hold owner liable not tenant.
Wayne - why was meter not pulled?
Karen - not legal to pull meter November 15th to March 15th during winter.
All - on and on, landlord tenant, no pay no rental, make landlord responsible. do not accept deposit if overdue, etc., Note: It appears they don't have a clue!!!
Bradley - a voice of reason has had enough. Let's table this for a future study session.
Note: Wow, way to go or this could of went on all night in their now familiar chasing your tail routine or the circular firing squad. Thank you Brad from those of us who have another life.
MAYOR'S TIME - nothing
COUNCIL TIME
Wayne - worried about going above $40 dollar monthly sewer charge for residents
Bruce - BofA wants money in bank despite guarantee by Federal government and three percent interest.
Jane - need to spread our money around for safety
Bruce - Need to set investment policy. Remember Bof A owns Merrill Lynch holder of many suspect loans. need to address our own policy, self financing.
Jim, Bradley - nothing
Dan - three percent loan may be good years from now.
. Need to fund up front.
. When will Copperline condos be occupied?
. When is Point Ruston money coming in?
. If funding gap what happens?
. Need to see Point Ruston building plans
Bruce - need to focus on being able to get by on our own.
. facing services cuts nobody will like.
Dan - takes off on spiel on COMMENCEMENT
Bruce - They want temporary occupancy permit.
. I go down there two or three times a week.
. Dialog schedule meeting.
. reward at end of project.
. for now we need to survive seven to eight years on our own.
Jane - wants Point Ruston timetable. When is revenue coming in?
. need to know what is in front of us.
. thanks Kevin Moser and volunteers for work on Mary Joyce community center
. in talking to Kevin Commencement not completing anything in center
David - send Notice of Violation
Wayne - people moving furniture in. We need a stop work order.
David - violation of permits
Bruce - elevator is signed off.
Note: For God's sake don't try to help out getting things completed. Throw as many obstacles in their path as you can. It's not like Ruston needs the money or anything.
ADJOURN 8:07
Note: Another council meeting another step backwards!!!


Town of Ruston officials:
Mayor, Bruce Hopkins
Council, Bradley Huson, Jim Hedrick, Wayne Stebner, Dan Albertson, Jane Hunt
Attorney, David Britton
Planner, Rob White
Clerk/Treasurer, Karen Carlisle
Fire Chief. Don Torbet
Police Chief, Jeremy Kunkel
Electrician, Mo Fesharaki

OLD RUSTON HIDEOUS HOTEL

Copied this from EXIT133 commenting on "Will Ruston survive":

There is old Ruston with millions of dollars of infrastructure needed, many millions. Then there is Point Ruston a brand new state of the art commercial/residential development.

Separating them is a 105 foot bluff, one will not change the other physically but Point Ruston will definitely be beneficial to Old Ruston taxwise.

The Point Ruston land mass (100 acres) was split off from Tacoma to save the W.R. Rust Smelter operations from being taxed by Tacoma. The Smelter was responsible for RUSTon, get it, and now may again save the town from bankruptcy resurrecting itself as Point Ruston.

Given the choice Tacoma will welcome Point Ruston (boundary review commission) but they could not afford Old Ruston.

Old Ruston is living in a dream world where the RUST, later ASARCO, smelter paid all of the bills. Without them the higher taxes, assessments and LIDs will force most of old Ruston to sell out and move. At the present rate of squandering the Commencement trust fund it won’t be long.

Posted by Ruston34 Jan 9, 01:27 PM

Did anyone notice the "hideous building" comment referring to the Silver Cloud Hotel was deleted from the mintues of the Dec. 15th Ruston town council meeting? It will be an uphill, constant struggle for Point Ruston with that attitude residing on the town council.
Refer to: RUSTON UNBALANCED 12/15/08 and BUDGETLOO 12/16/08.

BUDGETLOO

Ruston town council regular meeting Monday Dec. 15th, 2008 page three:

Ordinance No. 1277 - An ordinance adopting the 2009 budget:

Jim H - Makes motion to approve Ordinance 1277, Bradley second.
Dan - Revenues $572 thousand, $721 thousand for employees, $1.2 million expenses. We are approaching a cliff, transfer $500 thousand out of property fund. (Here we go again, is there anything he likes or agrees with)?
Jim H - to be revenue neutral we would have to close police, garbage, parks assuming agreement with city of Tacoma. Not feasible. Budgeting, give up utilities or Police Department. We have a choice. Not exactly.
Dan - our checks will bounce. Not covering 60 percent of expenditures.
Jane - slew of utility taxes we do not pay. We need to tax ourselves. Tacoma will have no qualms.
Attorney - We had meeting on taxes, specific on taxes.
Mayor - My budget, embarrassing but necessary. All laugh.
Wayne - utilities tax would be $1,500 per year per household. Dan previously, $1,600 per year per household.
Jane - not anywhere near $1,500 maybe $300 per year per household. We are limited on increases, need every tax revenue we have. Need to be comfortable with 2009 budget then need long term plan. Revisit in first quarter 2009.
Mayor - hard decisions. There is hope.

At 8:24 first reading accepted Ordinance 1277 Budget 2009. Final vote next council meeting Dec. 22nd, 2008.

Along the way, Interlocal Datasharing Agreement - Washington Department of Licensing approved 5-0.
Ordinance 1274 - B & O taxes approved on a 5-0 vote. No discussion, no public input.
Under REVENUES - TAXES Local retail sales, use tax -
2007 actual was 117,445,
2008 budgeted was 90,000,
2008 to date 235,199 (Commencement),
2009 proposed 100,000.
Funny how the much maligned Commencement keeps coming through for the town. Much the same as the Silver Cloud hotel will do in 2011. There are those on the council still looking to deny the occupancy permit for the Commencement. The same ones trying to stop the Silver Cloud hotel from ever being built. Remember those phantom views much like the view corridor in Stack Hill. The town has plenty of money to tide it over until Point Ruston is developed if we stick together and move forward defying the Tacoma crowd. Remember one of their planks in 2006 was ridding the town of all businesses. Apparently that includes stopping all new businesses in their tracks. Keep a stiff upper lip and we will survive well into the future.

Claims and Payroll -
Bradley - can we use funds for planning?
Attorney - not an easy question to answer. Harbor fund needs to be water related.
Approved 4-0. Wayne abstain. Remember the good old days when Wayne and Bob routinely abstained, once almost shutting the town down when they didn't show up for a vote.

PUBLIC COMMENTS -
Connie - are Reinhold lawsuit costs in budget? Yes. Need to look at Fire Chief's salary and increase.
Sherrie - rebuking Dan. Hideous buildings supported town, provided well paying jobs, supported families. We need to support Hotel as it will also provide jobs.

COUNCIL TIME -
Bradley - stick around for carrot cake.
Clerk - instant correction chocolate cake.
Bradley - food bank - huge amount of food and toys, really proud of residents.
Jim H - Thanks Police chief candidates. Refers in jest to HOPKIN'S BUDGET.
Jane - thanks Chief Reese, accomplished more in less time, wonderful communicator.

Chief Reese - commentators, public and council, of all stripes and persuasions, were unanimous in their praise and acclaim for our outgoing Police Chief whose last day will be December 23rd. Her greatest achievement, in a town divided, unanimity, in their praises and well wishes. Godspeed onto your next success.

Meeting adjourned.
Stay tuned for December 22nd council meeting blog. Will Dan and Wayne agree to pay a single penny increase in their utility taxes to support the Town? Call them to find out early and comment to the rest of us.