From Ted Baszak, of the Tekoa Trail and Trestle Association, who is pouring every ounce of his personal energy into this issue, and who has become a major voice in the dialogue. WORD . . .
Here's an OPED piece I wrote this week, it's very current to where we are at and tells the whole story. Please share it or get it on whatever blog or other media sources you can, thanks, Save The Trail!!
What will Representative Joe Schmick now do with Washington’s only state wide trail? Will he close it forever? Will he repair it for all? Or will he simply do nothing?
By Ted Blaszak, member of the Tekoa City Council and President of the Tekoa Trail and Trestle Association tekoatrailandtrestle@gmail.com on Face book at the Tekoa Trail & Trestle Association
“Schmick is noncommittal about whether he will try again to close the trail. “We’ll hear from everyone at the meetings,” Capital Press Nov 4th 2015.
During the final budget conferences of the 2015 legislative session, behind closed doors, Representative Schmick (9th Colfax) placed into the capitol budget a proviso that took 135 miles of the John Wayne Trail, 6,000 acres of park land, and gave it away, at no cost, to 200 adjacent property owners. It was a land grab done without any public announcement or input.
When asked later why he made such a definitive move as to close the state wide trail forever in the shadows of secrecy rather than the openness of democracy, he said he did not want to waste his fellow legislators’ time by having a hearing for such a trivial matter. And when asked why he did not bother to inform his own constituents, of which many are trail users, he said that we could go look it up on line if we wanted to. You may find it on line if you read the Capitol Budget very carefully, it is in section 3121(3) on page 118 of the 280 page document.
It is the fundamental basic duty of any legislator to both inform and listen their constituents; all of them not just a particular group of supporters. They are to be our ears and voice in Olympia. Rep. Schmick has failed to fulfil this basic duty of his office, but there may still be time to repair the damage.
Despite his best efforts to decimate the trail, Rep. Schmick met a road block, in the form of a simple typo. The proviso incorrectly named the points of the trail to be closed, thus nullifying the law enacted when the budget passed. For now, the trail remains open.
If you have never visited the John Wayne Trail, please do, you’ll enjoy it. It is the largest rail to trail conversion in the nation, one of only two cross state trails in America, it’s over 280 miles long. Starting just south east of Seattle, you can bike, ride a horse, or hike all the way to the Idaho border on an isolated path shut to motorized vehicles. It begins in thick wood lands rich with lakes and rivers, then through the dramatic and harsh terrain of the scab lands, and ends in some of the most peaceful pastoral settings our state has to offer. Every mile is solemnly tranquil and offers dramatic vistas.
It is used by thousands annually, including horse riders, hikers, cross country bicyclists, the Boy Scouts of America, The John Wayne Pioneer Trail Riders, and many more.
It is also one of the very few places where you can see the scab lands, a terrain so rare geologically it exist only by the John Wayne Trail and on the planet Mars. Young Washington geologists travel to the trail every year for their training. And rich with the cultural heritage of our state. Just this past weekend the Ralston Grange restored an old rail way station that is on the trail.
Most importantly to me, it ends in my small town of Tekoa WA (pop. 843). You pass a large sign as you enter Tekoa “Welcome to the End of the John Wayne Trail”. It’s important to our identity and our economy. Rep. Schmick must have past that sign on his way to be in our town parade this July.
It’s hard for a small town to stand up to a powerful state legislator but that’s what we did.
We learned about this tragedy in September. While attending the Palouse Empire Fair, where my daughter was showing her 4H sheep “Spot”, I stopped by Rep. Schmick’s booth and asked him if he got the trestle cookies my wife Debra baked and mailed him. I wanted to thank him for his support for our efforts to get funding for the Tekoa Trestle. He said he would support that end of the trail, but planned to reintroduce legislation to close the trail from the Columbia River to Malden. This of course was quite shocking news. Until this moment that information was known only to a handful of people.
Two days later, and after our Mayor John Jaeger spoke with Rep. Schmick, our city council passed a resolution asking that the trail be kept open and better funded instead. Since then there has been something of an uproar in the Palouse. Lots of news articles, emergency town meetings, and a supporting resolution from the City of Spokane.
In all fairness, during my conversation with Rep. Schmick, he made some very good points regarding his motivations for closing the trail. Adjacent land owners have had to endure some real problems. For example, the State has neglected fence lines, noxious weed control, and have recently imposed upon farmers a fee for using the trail to transport equipment.
Recently we met with Rep. Schmick and he agreed to hold with the Tekoa Trail and Trestle Association three meetings along the trail to solicit public comment. The meetings will all take place in November so that at their conclusion there is time available for Rep. Schmick to introduce legislation for the 2016 session to address the needs of the trail.
Public Comment Meetings for the John Wayne Trail
Rosalia Tuesday November 10th 12pm
Community Center (7th St. and Whitman Ave.)
Lind Monday November 16th 12pm
Union Elevator Conference Room (201 S street)
Ellensburg Monday November 23rd 6pm
Hal Holmes Center (209 N Ruby St.)
Those unable to attend may email in their concerns to JWTcomments@gmail.com
At these meeting the TTTA will be advocating for 11 key points as the basis for a bill to solve the problems of the John Wayne trail for landowners and trail users alike:
1. improve spraying for noxious weeds
2. reinstate ranger service
3. repair the cow creek trestle
4. remove permit requirements for recreationalists
5. remove fees for farmers moving equipment on the trail
6. restore the Tekoa trestle
7. start a citizen litter patrol “adopt the trail program”
8. repair the Columbia River Crossing
9. improve rock slide removal and gravel grading
10. proper fences installed and maintained
11. additional trail heads, water stations and bathrooms installed
We hope that at the conclusion of these meetings Rep Schmcik will not introduce legislation to close the trail but will instead seek the sufficient funding necessary to repair it and protect land owners.
To close the trail would be a tragic permanent loss to our state and our small town. To do nothing at all will only exasperate the sufferings of adjacent landowners. The best path forward is to repair the trail.
There are many who will object to the expenditure of any money spent on such projects. I ask they not allow their well-placed conservative values to relegate Eastern WA to second class citizenry. West of the Columbia River the trail is in pristine condition, trail heads, weeds sprayed, maintained fences, finished trestles and ranger patrols. There are no complaints from nearby landowners there. It is only here in Eastern WA that the trail needs to be refurbished. We seek no new taxes but the same type of support for our end of the state wide trail.
The future of our state’s trail is now in the hands of one man. What will our Representive do? I don’t have any idea. But I wish our town was not so dependent upon the good will of one man who has not demonstrated a history of support for the trail.
If you are a Washington citizen in support of our trail please come to our meetings, we need you. If you are a city councilor please help us by passing a similar resolution to Tekoa and Spokane’s. And if you are member of the Washington State legislature please do whatever you can to help us save the trail.
Saturday, November 7, 2015
Thursday, November 5, 2015
Tuesday Next
From the Tekoa Trail and Trestle Association FB Page:
The Tekoa Trail and Trestle Association has been in conversations with Representative Schmick and together we have found a possible path to a solution.
Three public meetings have been scheduled for the month of November.
These meetings will be listening conversations along the trail scheduled to conclude before the deadline for legislators to submit a proposed bill for the next legislative session.
Rep. Schmick has said he will consider introducing a bill at the end of these meetings.
Tuesday November 10th 12pm Rosalia, Community Center (7th St. and Whitman Ave.)
Monday November 16th 12pm Lind, Union Elevator Conference room (201 S street)
Monday November 23rd 6pm Ellensburg, Hal Holmes Center (209 N Ruby St.)
Those not able to attend may email comments to: jwtcomments@gmail.com
******************
At this point in time I am heavily invested in this issue and here's what I have to say:
The tactic of scheduling midday meetings is so advantageous to Schmick and his merry band. This meeting time characterizes the issue, and its resolution, as a purely rural topic, which it is not. An evening meeting schedule would facilitate greater participation from Spokane and other larger population centers who have a legitimate interest and right to participate in this dialogue.
It's not possible for me, as a regular concerned citizen who wants to engage in this political process, to "get away" from my job in the Spokane Valley and drive out to Rosalia in the middle of the day, and attend a noon meeting of whatever length and then drive back to my job in the Spokane Valley, without just calling it a day. If I wasn't already so desensitized to the insulting tactics of Schmick and Dye, I would be super pissed, but this is what I have come to expect in the form of cooperation/collaboration from this group, which essentially, is nil.
You do what you have to do, and I have decided to trade a vacation day that I'd scheduled a long time ago around the Christmas holiday to spend time with my family, for a vacation day this next Tuesday.
Vacation days are precious in my world, and I'm determined to make this one count.
I am so totally interested in participating in a discussion about how to make the trail work for both the adjacent landowners and the users, but I am not sensing any such sentiment from either the words or actions of the Schmick group. Super discouraging.
Trust is the missing component. If it were in place, this whole deal would not be that hard to get through. But without it, it's almost impossible.
Stay tuned. Or better yet, get involved.
Here's what's at stake:
The Tekoa Trail and Trestle Association has been in conversations with Representative Schmick and together we have found a possible path to a solution.
Three public meetings have been scheduled for the month of November.
These meetings will be listening conversations along the trail scheduled to conclude before the deadline for legislators to submit a proposed bill for the next legislative session.
Rep. Schmick has said he will consider introducing a bill at the end of these meetings.
Tuesday November 10th 12pm Rosalia, Community Center (7th St. and Whitman Ave.)
Monday November 16th 12pm Lind, Union Elevator Conference room (201 S street)
Monday November 23rd 6pm Ellensburg, Hal Holmes Center (209 N Ruby St.)
Those not able to attend may email comments to: jwtcomments@gmail.com
******************
At this point in time I am heavily invested in this issue and here's what I have to say:
The tactic of scheduling midday meetings is so advantageous to Schmick and his merry band. This meeting time characterizes the issue, and its resolution, as a purely rural topic, which it is not. An evening meeting schedule would facilitate greater participation from Spokane and other larger population centers who have a legitimate interest and right to participate in this dialogue.
It's not possible for me, as a regular concerned citizen who wants to engage in this political process, to "get away" from my job in the Spokane Valley and drive out to Rosalia in the middle of the day, and attend a noon meeting of whatever length and then drive back to my job in the Spokane Valley, without just calling it a day. If I wasn't already so desensitized to the insulting tactics of Schmick and Dye, I would be super pissed, but this is what I have come to expect in the form of cooperation/collaboration from this group, which essentially, is nil.
You do what you have to do, and I have decided to trade a vacation day that I'd scheduled a long time ago around the Christmas holiday to spend time with my family, for a vacation day this next Tuesday.
Vacation days are precious in my world, and I'm determined to make this one count.
I am so totally interested in participating in a discussion about how to make the trail work for both the adjacent landowners and the users, but I am not sensing any such sentiment from either the words or actions of the Schmick group. Super discouraging.
Trust is the missing component. If it were in place, this whole deal would not be that hard to get through. But without it, it's almost impossible.
Stay tuned. Or better yet, get involved.
Here's what's at stake:
Thursday, October 29, 2015
JWPT Skirmish: One Way You Can Help
It doesn't require much of your time, but it's one of those things that could make a bit of a difference in the long haul.
If you could go check out this article and then either like or dislike any or all of the comments, in accordance with your true feelings and conscience, that would be awesome.
Thanks is advance.
If you could go check out this article and then either like or dislike any or all of the comments, in accordance with your true feelings and conscience, that would be awesome.
Thanks is advance.
Monday, October 19, 2015
JWPT Situation Update
Nothing will be resolved immediately. That much is for sure.
But the issue, and the polarity, are now out in the open, and that's a good thing, as opposed to the bullshit stealth land grab tactics that 9th District Reps Schmick and Dye tried to employ. I shudder to think where we could be, if they had gotten their wording right, in a provision to the state budget. The land could already be into private hands and we would be fighting the impossible, uphill battle of prying it away and back into the public domain.
Although I will never know it, there is some back-story there as to how this language got botched. I would be surprised if it was sheer ineptitude; my preferred guess is that the trail has an angel somewhere in the political system that exercised a cunning move to get this morally sickening, back-handed effort aborted and exposed and into the public light. If that is indeed the case, I would love to buy that individual a very expensive steak dinner. Or some vegan extravagance, if that was the preference. Or whatever. You get my drift.
As it is now, the two sides are establishing their positions and foundations. I am sure there are more proper military terms. But the laying of the political groundwork to fight this battle, in short.
I am not super involved in the fight, because I am not that capable, but I am not un-involved, either, because I care. I am figuring out who my friends are and who my friends are not.
First, the nots:
Now, for the Friends:
Some great SR stuff is here and here and here.
Outcome TBD, obviously. This is what's at stake, though . . .
But the issue, and the polarity, are now out in the open, and that's a good thing, as opposed to the bullshit stealth land grab tactics that 9th District Reps Schmick and Dye tried to employ. I shudder to think where we could be, if they had gotten their wording right, in a provision to the state budget. The land could already be into private hands and we would be fighting the impossible, uphill battle of prying it away and back into the public domain.
Although I will never know it, there is some back-story there as to how this language got botched. I would be surprised if it was sheer ineptitude; my preferred guess is that the trail has an angel somewhere in the political system that exercised a cunning move to get this morally sickening, back-handed effort aborted and exposed and into the public light. If that is indeed the case, I would love to buy that individual a very expensive steak dinner. Or some vegan extravagance, if that was the preference. Or whatever. You get my drift.
As it is now, the two sides are establishing their positions and foundations. I am sure there are more proper military terms. But the laying of the political groundwork to fight this battle, in short.
I am not super involved in the fight, because I am not that capable, but I am not un-involved, either, because I care. I am figuring out who my friends are and who my friends are not.
First, the nots:
- Schmick and Dye, obviously. And all the dirty-handed folks that embraced their scheme.
- My 6th district state reps Kevin Parker and Jeff Holy. Neither responded to a very pointed email I sent regarding the issue, asking them where they stand. I understand that politicians get a shit-ton of email, but also, a response of some sort to a well-written and respectful inquiry is a reasonable expectation. I can only read between the lines.
Now, for the Friends:
- City Councilman Jon Snyder. The dude is so incredibly rad and efficient. He drafted a resolution in support of preserving the trail and moved it forward for consideration by the City Council tonight and it passed by a vote of 7-0. Yeah, tell me about it. Badass.
- The Spokesman Review. They have totally stepped up and defined their position. I know that I am old school, but I dig my local rag and can't wait for that feel of paper in my hands every morning. Sometimes I get the bits online, but it is especially satisfying to get my news via hard copy. At any rate, they have it right on this issue.
- Rich Landers, in particular, at the SR. He's just super in-tune with outdoor issues and a pretty influential guy at the newspaper, and I know he must have to manage a lot of pressure from various angles, but he has been super supportive through all this, in terms of just stating the damned FACTS.
- Scott Arbuckle, a buddy who came to the city council meeting tonight, to support me as I bumbled my way through my testimony.
- And many others. You know who you are.
Some great SR stuff is here and here and here.
Outcome TBD, obviously. This is what's at stake, though . . .
Monday, October 12, 2015
Refusing The Fail
Early this year, I made the decision to invest in a new mirrorless camera, along with some lenses specific to it. The decision was driven by a desire, primarily, to reduce the bulk and weight of a full-on DSLR, while still being able to take high quality photos during bike trips.
I chose the Sony A6000 due to super-positive reviews and wide availability. What none of my research ever uncovered though, was what a total piece of shit the user's manual for this camera is. (And that description is overly kind, believe me. Feel free to ask me how I really feel sometime.) It lacks any kind of perceivable organization and offers a generally shallow treatment of a complex piece of equipment. The illustrations are simplistic and the index is a joke. It exists online only, and is an online-only document. It can be printed, but it is even more worthless in printed form, because it is full of links within the text that send you haphazardly to other pages of the document that are located in obscure places within the structure of the document.
As someone who likes to sit down with a paper manual (even if I have to print it myself) and work my way in a somewhat linear and organized fashion through the various features and functions of a camera, as I was used to doing with my solid Canon manuals, the Sony offering was insanely frustrating.
At the time, I looked for online learning options, as well as third-party books. There were some online bits and pieces, if I had a million free hours to peruse them and somehow synthesize some sort of understanding. The solitary book available at the time received poor reviews, and I mean really poor.
So the camera sat. For over 6 months. Yeah, I could take a basic photo, but to have no control over the awesome, advanced functionality of such a highly-regarded machine was just too sour of a taste in my mouth.
Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago, and a whim of a google search turned up a very positively reviewed third-party book on the A6000, by David Busch, who has a shit-ton of experience shooting, and writing, and writing about shooting, and shooting to support his writing. The book is freaking GOLD. I am partway through Chapter 1, and I am already feeling like I have some sense of control over the functionality.
The way I am going to use the book is to go slowly through it, while taking gobs of photos to understand and reinforce what I am reading.
So that in the event I do actually ever ride a bike again, I will have a high-quality way to prove it.
Some A6000 practice photos from the last coupla days. I'm starting to really dig this camera . . .
The low-light capabilities of this camera are phenomenal . . .
I chose the Sony A6000 due to super-positive reviews and wide availability. What none of my research ever uncovered though, was what a total piece of shit the user's manual for this camera is. (And that description is overly kind, believe me. Feel free to ask me how I really feel sometime.) It lacks any kind of perceivable organization and offers a generally shallow treatment of a complex piece of equipment. The illustrations are simplistic and the index is a joke. It exists online only, and is an online-only document. It can be printed, but it is even more worthless in printed form, because it is full of links within the text that send you haphazardly to other pages of the document that are located in obscure places within the structure of the document.
As someone who likes to sit down with a paper manual (even if I have to print it myself) and work my way in a somewhat linear and organized fashion through the various features and functions of a camera, as I was used to doing with my solid Canon manuals, the Sony offering was insanely frustrating.
At the time, I looked for online learning options, as well as third-party books. There were some online bits and pieces, if I had a million free hours to peruse them and somehow synthesize some sort of understanding. The solitary book available at the time received poor reviews, and I mean really poor.
So the camera sat. For over 6 months. Yeah, I could take a basic photo, but to have no control over the awesome, advanced functionality of such a highly-regarded machine was just too sour of a taste in my mouth.
Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago, and a whim of a google search turned up a very positively reviewed third-party book on the A6000, by David Busch, who has a shit-ton of experience shooting, and writing, and writing about shooting, and shooting to support his writing. The book is freaking GOLD. I am partway through Chapter 1, and I am already feeling like I have some sense of control over the functionality.
The way I am going to use the book is to go slowly through it, while taking gobs of photos to understand and reinforce what I am reading.
So that in the event I do actually ever ride a bike again, I will have a high-quality way to prove it.
Some A6000 practice photos from the last coupla days. I'm starting to really dig this camera . . .
The low-light capabilities of this camera are phenomenal . . .
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Progress
Rep Schmick's agenda and tactics to close a major portion of the JWPT have been pretty well exposed over the last few days. Personally, I cannot interpret his actions as anything other than corrupt, and I cannot stand by and just watch.
I have been clumsily getting my feet wet. At first, I felt like I was spinning my wheels. Then, recently, I feel like I have been gaining some traction. But it could also go backwards.
There is a public plan taking shape, though. It will be a battle, and an uphill one, at that. But I am so encouraged by the roster of highly capable and influential people that are getting involved.
I wouldn't be throwing down, if I didn't think we could win this.
I have been clumsily getting my feet wet. At first, I felt like I was spinning my wheels. Then, recently, I feel like I have been gaining some traction. But it could also go backwards.
There is a public plan taking shape, though. It will be a battle, and an uphill one, at that. But I am so encouraged by the roster of highly capable and influential people that are getting involved.
I wouldn't be throwing down, if I didn't think we could win this.
Wednesday, September 23, 2015
Ugliness
Here.
I don't know, I just read a couple of articles, but if this is what it appears to be, it is incredibly appalling. Holy living hell.
No way I can stand by and just watch. I am stupid dumb when it comes to knowing if and how I can influence something like this in any way, as a common citizen. Guess I'm about to find out.
I don't know, I just read a couple of articles, but if this is what it appears to be, it is incredibly appalling. Holy living hell.
No way I can stand by and just watch. I am stupid dumb when it comes to knowing if and how I can influence something like this in any way, as a common citizen. Guess I'm about to find out.
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