Letters to the Editor
SeaTac mayor comments on election
The City of SeaTac is having an election to select a form of government; to elect three Council members; but most important, to determine whether the city continues to move forward or steps backwards.
Don't you just love election season. People will say anything if they think it will garner them votes. They all gripe and complain about every issue that has come up in the past, preach change, but never offer solutions.
Instead they spend countless hours filling up their blogs and Web sites with malicious, slanderous and vitriolic comments directed at their opponents. Do they think that enamors them to the voters?
One blogger who signs his name Mike, served briefly on the SeaTac City Council. He was never elected; he was appointed and served four months before being soundly defeated by a newcomer.
During his four months the only time he participated was to oppose the new Highline YMCA. After that he served briefly on the City's Planning Commission but missed so many meetings he had to be replaced.
He complains about the location of a sidewalk but forgets he approved it six years ago. He also complains about where people live in the city.
This and past Councils have never shown bias towards any part of the city.
Having a highly educated City Manager following the policy set by seven Council members has served SeaTac well for twenty years, a system that works equally well for our neighbor cities.
If Mike and his slate of candidates are concerned about where people live, where were they two years ago when four Council members ran unopposed?
Another of his complaints concerns the recent Council action condemning a surface parking lot. Surely, he's aware that the number one citizen complaint is that SeaTac is a city of surface parking lots.
Oh, and he forgot to mention that his slate of candidates all received major campaign donations from the owner of that parking lot. I wonder what kind of agenda they would bring with them if elected.
Thankfully, it will soon be over. I just hope that people will make the effort to be an informed voter and not just determine a winner based on the number of signs out there.
Ralph Shape
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Comments
Mayor's Comments on Election
Thanks, Ralph, for providing one more stellar example of why we want an ELECTED Mayor!
Mayor's Comments on Election
Thanks, Ralph, for providing one more stellar example of why we want an ELECTED Mayor!
FixSeatac.com
I have addressed Mr. Shape's comment about me on my Blog, www.FixSeaTac.com. I will cut and paste them here.
Out of Shape
Mr. Shape may need to go to the dentist to remove his foot from his mouth this time. He wrote a letter to the Highline Times – and Rami Belson’s old adage came to mind. “It’s better to keep your mouth shut and give the impression that you’re stupid than to open it and remove all doubt.” Thank you Mr. Shape, for removing all doubt.
I call him Mr. Shape “Mr.” instead of Mayor for a reason. In a weak mayor form of government, the mayor is good for little but numerous silly photo-ops. (Yeah, Ralph, it sure looked like you were climbing that YMCA rock wall!)
I want to note that I am a private citizen, not a public figure. I am not running for office, nor have I asked anyone to run for office, or donated as much as a penny to a candidate, or cause this election. And, as great of an idea as it is, I have never been involved in Proposition 1.
This summer, I decided to become involved again with the City. Not as a candidate, or member of a committee or commission, but simply as an impartial observer looking at how the city has done over the last four years.
What I found was both sad and disappointing. That is why I started FixSeaTac.com. As I looked closer at the City I love, I found incompetence, ignorance and scandal on the City Council. I have found waste, poor leadership and preferential treatment. Basically, I have found what you would expect to find when a City Council is completely unaccountable for their actions to the voters.
As you look through FixSeaTac.com you can see that the items are backed up by evidence, unlike the personal attacks by Mr. Shape towards me. Mr. Shape’s entire letter comes off like a three year old that just had his favorite toy taken away from him. True leaders react to unpleasant truths by addressing the issues. Poor leaders react by attacking the messenger. Mr. Shape is a poor leader.
Not only am I exposing some very poor decisions by the City Council, I am also proposing a solution. Because that is what leaders do. Here it is. Vote the current SeaTac City Council out of office.
Under their oversight, there has been a scandal involving the City spending time and taxpayer money campaigning to SeaTac voters on an issue. One in which the City was found culpable. A scandal having to do with the new fire station being at least a million dollars over budget. A decided preference in budgetary matters for the Angle Lake area, because 5 of the 7 council members live there. A decision to take a business’ property, and waste our money fighting to do it, in order to build a . . . get this . . . parking garage. A council member running for re-election that has had some prior issues (Anderson). A decision to fire the City Manager without taking public comment directly on that decision. And plenty more to come.
So here is what you do, start with voting for Kovacs, Forschler, Fernald and Proposition #1. And then in two years, we’ll do it again. Mr. Shape’s solution to problems? Ignore that they exist and simply attack the messenger.
Mike
Comments regarding Mr. Shape's Letter
Outstanding comments, Mike! As one citizen not running for office to another, you were on the mark with everything you said! Sadly, this is not the first time Mr. Shape has gotten his whining comments published! The City's future depends on the success of Proposition #1, a strong Mayor who CARES about our city, saying goodbye to Mr. Shape as our figurehead Mayor and his jesters Anderson, Ladenburg, and Wythe, and "Hello! It's about time, Pam Fernald, Rick Forschler, and Michael Kovacs!"
All citizens should read your informative comments on FixSeaTac.com!
Mr. Shape-Thank you for the comic relief
Earl Gipson
Mr. Shape is right we shouldn’t gripe and complain because no matter the issue it will fall on his deaf and condescending ears. This will not change until we have a real ELECTED Mayor and some council members replaced.
Mr. Shape, you are not up for re-election and you are free to condescend to your heart’s content. Others and I have no problem ignoring you as you do the rest of us but I could not pass up this opportunity to say in writing what I have said to your face and in Council meetings. Keep in mind “ceremonial” Mayor Shape that a stately posture and a gavel does not automatically make you a leader. You have been selected by the majority of the Council members to serve at that position and NOT by the vote of SeaTac Citizens and it is a sure bet you would not survive THAT vote.
When Proposition #1 passes you are free to actually run for being a REAL Mayor. Good luck with that, should you make the attempt.
As far a highly educated City Manager, why do Citizens such as myself (and the State Auditor) have to remind him of the laws he is to comply with and the ones he’s broken? Never mind, you don’t know them either.
Oh and lets talk about the parking lot. There is a Development Agreement where the owner was going to build a hotel and parking garage. The City has decided (conspired as it looks) to break that agreement and take his property to serve other private interests. I doubt you understand “bargaining in good faith” either. Nice little box you must live in.
Concerning Council members running unopposed. Not anymore. We woke up and became informed voters just like you claim you want. Surprise!
Earl
Impartial
FixSeaTac.com written by an "impartial observer?" That may be the most dishonest comment made in the entire campaign.
Campaign signs
I spent alot of money on my campaign signs and I think they are great signs! I feel bad that Ralph Shape is bad mouthing campaign signs. Be nice, Ralph. SeaTac hasn’t had this vigorous of an election before, so he’s probably not used to seeing our system at work. Also, I am not running on anyone’s ‘slate..' Thank you.
Too Many Angle Lake Council Members
I watched the SeaTac City Council Meeting of 10/13/09 from the video posted on the SeaTac website. The majority of the time was spent on a newly proposed Shoreline Management Plan that the state is requiring the city to adopt. It was fascinating to watch how interested the council members were on the issues regarding the limitations that this legislation would place on docks at Angle Lake. The council members asked many questions and follow up questions. There was actual debate between the mayor and the city hired consultant. The council had obviously done their homework. In years I have never witnessed so many questions by the mayor at a council meeting. He even expressed interest in making sure that the property owners who will be affected by these changes be mailed a summary of the change to their property rights prior to this being adopted by the council.
Contrast this with the many other issues over the years that have affected property owners or businesses in other neighborhoods. The council had little interest in protecting the rights of citizens, asked one or two superficial questions and seemed annoyed that there were citizens in the audience who had concerns. When the city manager and staff ignored comments from the citizens the council shared in the indifference. To inform the public of proposed changes an obscure notice was printed in the Seattle Times which has been proven to be ineffective at notifying citizens.
If you are one of the few who own property on or near Angle Lake, you can be assured that your interests are represented on the SeaTac City Council. The strong voices opposing Proposition #1 come from Angle Lake as well.
However, the majority of us do not live on Angle Lake and we need council members who are as concerned about other issues as the current council is about their docks on the lake.
Vote YES for Proposition #1 and for the council members running for office that are not part of the Angle Lake Club. Angle Lake is well represented, we need other neighborhoods to have a voice as well.
SeaTac mayor comments on election
Ralph Shape wrote:
“Oh, and he forgot to mention that his slate of candidates all received major campaign donations from the owner of that parking lot. I wonder what kind of agenda they would bring with them if elected.”
Pam Fernald writes:
Oh, and I see from the PDC website that in August Ralph Shape contributed $500 to the campaign AGAINST Prop 1.
So what was your point about campaign contributions, Ralph?
city manager....un american.
Citizens:
I do not live in your city but I do live to your south and in a city called edgewood, I served on the city council there 1998 & 1999 I had a two year term and our form of government had a city manager.
1. I feel that having a city manager is un-American, it takes the power away from citizens, if I have a issue on how I am being treated by the city, I cannot go and tell the mayor that I will vote against him because it does not good…the city manager is the one with power and as a ordinary citizen I have no direct say in how my city is being run…I have lost some of my voice.
2. having a city manger is the lazy way of doing things, elected officials can point their fingers to the city manger instead of taking responsibility of the issues…….
3. the city manager only needs to kiss up to the council to keep his/her job a mayor needs to actually work for the public.
So please get back your right to vote for who is running your city, and hold people accountable for their actions.
Lance
City Manager ... Un-American
Lance~
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience as an "insider" in this form of government. Obviously you have no vested interest in our situation and no "ax to grind" ... yours is truly an objective opinion founded on experience. Hopefully others are listening!
SeaTac mayor comments on election
I received a robo call from "SeaTac mayor Ralph Shape" on Friday urging voters to vote NO on prop 1. "Paid for by Ralph Shape."
Letters to the Editor, blogging in the newspaper, and using his own resources to conduct robo calls to voters--that's alot of 'NO' energy.
He feels very strongly against Prop 1. That's how I felt about the 2 years of wasted time and taxpayer money on Tree Retention and our property rights. Just ONE of the reasons I say YES for Prop 1.
Another reason is the city manager's neglect in ensuring equal enforciment SeaTac codes in my neighborhood--even after a group met with him. Email me or call me and I'll tell you the whole stinky story.
YES on Prop 1 for an elected mayor. SeaTac needs a positive change for our future.