Olympia Voter-Owned Elections
Informational/Organizing Meeting
7pm, Wednesday July 2
Traditions Cafe
300 5th Ave SW Olympia

Adopting a system of "Voter-Owned Elections" will:

• Eliminate financial barriers to running for local office for persons demonstrating community support
• Expand voters' choice of candidates
• Allow candidates to focus on public issues instead of fundraising
• Discourage excessive campaign spending

With the recent passage of the "Local Option" bill, public financing of local elections is possible once again in Washington State! Talk has started in the Olympia area of bringing "Voter-Owned Elections" here.

Join Volunteers from all over Olympia Saturday, June 28 from 10am – 1 pm, to help rid Decatur Woods Park of English Ivy. This will be a fun work party that is suitable for all ages. Tools, gloves and refreshments will be provided. Decatur Woods Park is at 1015 Decatur Street SW in Olympia. Volunteers are asked to park via 11th Avenue because of construction on Decatur street. Walk, bike or carpool if possible.

All are welcome, but those 17 and under must have signed parental permission, 14 and under must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. No need to RSVP, just show up! Contact Olympia Volunteers in Parks (VIP) Coordinator Todd Smith at 753-8365.

Here you can find articles about the Triway Enterprises proposal to rezone building height limits on the isthmus (to allow for high rise structures). You can also find articles about the opposition to the proposal.

If you have something that should be added to the book, Isthmus 2008, feel free to leave a comment.

I noticed that those who supported the rezone proposal were allowed to speak both first and last at last night's meeting. Is that fair?

The full hearing will be aired on TCTV, at 12 noon on Friday and 7 pm on July 8th, local channel 3 (citation).

Here's a video from theolympian.com:

link to theolympian.com video by Matt McVay

Oly2012 presents its self a citizen's group offering moderate, well-reasoned suggestions for the future of Olympia when in fact nothing is further from the truth. Oy2012 is a tiny group non-downtown residents who are getting much more press than their recycled and discreditied fantasies deserve. I apologies for quoting the enterty of their missive but I think the document must be taken in whole.

Introduction

When OLY 2012 formed, the members of the steering committee pledged to conduct independent reviews of the issues impacting the revitalization of downtown Olympia.

Over the past several months the steering committee has met with and talked to dozens of individuals and groups interested in improving Olympia’s downtown. We have confirmed that the majority of our area’s residents (Magically accomplished without talking or polling the majority of residents) love downtown and most are passionate about wanting it to be even better. (Don’t presume for me. I want to make downtown it worse!) Our community places a high value on access to the waterfront, including substantial view corridors between Budd Inlet and Capitol Lake. There is a clear desire for a “walkable” downtown with continuous streets of small retail shops, trees and flowers, good lighting and signage, adequate parking, nightclubs, and sidewalk cafes. Creating downtown housing for all ages and income levels will significantly increase the downtown economy and reduce the need for automobiles to get us to where we work, shop, and dine out.

Near the beginning was the Police Department's presentation: "Telling our story." The Chief of Police, Gary Michel, told of some of the recent accomplishments of the department, including the city's very low statistics for certain crimes, like burglary for example. I couldn't find information about the presentation in the council meeting packet (I didn't take notes, sorry.). The Chief's presentation made the police department sound very good. If all I had to base my understanding on was the presentation, I might think that there were very few to no problems with the police department's operations.

Usually not my thing, but I found this today while looking for something else:

The City of Olympia will commission one local artist to design a suite of five visually or conceptually related vertical tree guards at the intersection of Black Lake Boulevard and Harrison venue, for the functional purpose of protecting trees and supporting locked bikes as well as adding an aesthetic amenity to West Olympia. Fabrication of the tree guards will be undertaken by the South Puget Sound Community College Welding Program, with consultation from the artist.

...

Eligibility:
Practicing artists, dedicated to producing artwork on a regular basis, who reside, own a business or are actively engaged in the Olympia area arts community may apply. This project is intended to be a learning opportunity for established artists who do not have previous experience in the field of public art.

Scope of Work:
• Design 5 tree guards that have a visual relationship to each other and the viewer, as they walk, bike or drive past.
• Be sensitive to the history, environment, and current feeling of the neighborhood where the work is to be located while developing design.
• Work creatively within the general tree guard design that has been approved by the City’s Urban Forester.
• Work with South Puget Sound Community College Welding Program for fabrication of the work.
• Work with City crews to install work.

Here's the entire call for artists in pdf.

This is interesting given the recent discussion regarding the search for artists for Olympia City Hall. Whether this sort of announcement is new, I don't really know. But, if it is new, its nice to see the city changing the way it does things because of discussion in the community.

They also have consistently done this without contacting direct service providers. Organizations like the one I work for, Bread & Roses, and our close partner EGYHOP, can at the very least provide harm reduction services to campers who are forced to move. I feel justified in saying that I don't trust the City of Olympia to effectively advocate for individuals transitioning from one campsite to another. It's not their job to be advocates, which is why they should seek out advice and help from those whose job that is. I should be very clear, however, that this is not a role I'm willing to fill over and over for years to come. I simply will not be a part of people being pushed around from one unsafe environ to the next. I think that viewpoint reflects the overall view of the homeless advocate community.

Being that there is going to come a point, likely sooner than later, where advocates are going to start refusing to aid the City in this capacity, the City should think long and hard on one question. 'Where can people go and be left alone?'

If Steve Hall, the Council, or Staff can quickly answer that question, then a lot of time can be saved on providing people with stability, which we've learned from Camp Quixote is therapeutic and empowering.

Read More

NO IVY DAY AT PRIEST POINT PARK

Olympia Volunteers in Parks is sponsoring an English Ivy removal party at Priest Point Park on Saturday, April 26 from 10am till 1 pm. Join us for this fun, pre-Procession of the Species event and help preserve and restore the forest and shoreline of beautiful Priest Point Park. Meet at Shelter #2 on the Westside of Priest Point Park. Parking is in designated spots only. Bring your favorite gloves and dress for the Weather. Snacks and tools will be provided. No need to RSVP. Contact Volunteer Coordinator Todd Smith (753-8365) with any questions.