Hot button for this now retired electrical subcontractor who struggled in the public works arena, having the misfortune of being both male and Caucasian in today's DEI society. The odds of Weneha tendering the most competitive proposal in all the examples demonstrated is slim to none. This is a manifestation of feel good DEI policy using discrimination to address discrimination. The practitioners are blindly, naively and altruistically so driven that they cannot see they are waging war to end war. The school district is rewarding businesses for their ethnicity, gender and skin tone first with competence and competitiveness as secondary considerations. When you fly would you prefer a darker skin toned female, pleasantly plump and sexually deviant or would you prefer the best available pilot ? If the best available pilot has those features, viola. The cream rises to the top, regardless of the cows parents. I see these charity like, altruistic gifts as convincing the recipients they are inferior and they need charity to compete or survive. All this to teach the best pilot available that he/she is undeserving of the job because of non-compliant race, gender and/or sexual preference. The quid pro quo in Weneha teaching school districts how to win levies only worsens the matter. Whomever in the school district is responsible for awarding contracts must be fired. We have the worst educational results for the most money, so we give them more money ! ?
Your statement is very important. No corporation wishes to be sued for discrimination so if it hires "quota" employees it will suffer from less EEOC litigation. These mid level managers are frequently transferred to different departments in order to conceal ineptitude. LOL
Wa state govt is not helping wa state economy by allowing out of state contractors to bid on multi million $$$ contracts 'Change the law only Legal residents can bid'.The big timber sale just outside of P.A. with trouble making tree swinging timber activist was awarded to a oregon company and will take our timber to oregon for profit.We have been making outsiders rich by elected ignorance for many years.
Someone filed a "grievance" with an election board about the Sequim City Council and their role/involvement in the school levy bond passage. Is every question raised, always answered by the "sound of silence"?
That was me! And another concerned citizen. They promised to review it in 90 days and it took an extra month almost beyond that. No findings of wrongdoing. Apparently the Sequim City council can make and break rules and there are no repercussions. This is the culture of Washington state.
PRA (public records act) Agencies that violate the PRA by improperly withholding records can be ordered to pay penalties of up to $100 per record, per day, plus the requester's reasonable attorney's fees and costs. Agencies must clearly state the specific exemption used to deny a record request and explain how it applies.
The Washington Supreme Court set new requirements for closing letters in 2024, requiring agencies to explain how the PRA request was fulfilled and why the agency is closing the request.
Good news... The WA State Attorney General's office has an Open Government Ombuds to assist citizens and agencies with PRA compliance. The most common violation: agency fails to provide a written explanation for withholding records or fails to provide an adequate closing letter.
Watching with interest the case unfold out of Tumwater, Darby Kikkonen versus Chris Reykdal. The issue: Trans Athletes. What does the Sequim City Council and Sequim School District and Chris Reykdal have in common? We rule our fiefdom, our way or the highway! The last governor of Washington ruled the fiefdom the same way, "You don't like my rules concerning Covid restrictions - well, Washington State employees -"there's the state border- TaTa!" Can you spell LAWSUIT! Some lawyers win big settlements but Washington taxpayers always find a way to lose!
As an old real estate analyst, a glorified real estate appraiser, I would not be in keeping with good practice coming to any conclusions about school properties without personally inspecting them. That said, I also know that the school buildings in our community that I regularly drive past do appear to be in good solid & safe condition. I have had many projects where I have remodeled & renovated older buildings into wonderful projects for pennies on the dollar, which also preserved some history, so I would be personally disinclined to tear down existing structures just to build new ones unless there was an overriding need for some specific material reason. As one of the many grossly abused taxpayers in our community I have to be deeply concerned about any company whose business model is to come up with slick words and deceptive techniques to sway, and in practice likely deceive voters, the trusting general public, into funding future projects that said company was also to greatly profit from. To say that this highly questionable practice, business model, was very intentionally engaged in a blatant conflict of interest would be a terribly gross understatement. In fact, I am wondering if this "Weneha" enterprise has been engaged in Federal RICO Act violations and/or a variety of other criminal acts because "we" (local folks) sure have seen those red lines challenged by the local government management along with others in our community over the past years~! 145 million dollars is an obscene amount of money for this small community to "borrow against itself" (especially on top of the other debts that are mounting) and I dare say that many of the local currently young students will be well into adulthood before that debt is actually paid off~! I am deeply concerned about the cumulative debt that the questionable people in our local government management are piling on for the future generations to pay, especially when they will be long gone when this all blows up in our face's years from now, and I know that many good folks in this community also feel the same way. I do remember that this "Weneha" enterprise along with the usual suspects in our local government & school management engaged in nothing short of a disgusting public "terrorism campaign" to fear monger the folks in our community into voting for this dubious debt. Or did "we"~? Those of us who are paying attention to the horrific vote rigging matrix that has been uncovered all across the US and well beyond, have to suspect that "we" (residents) right here in this community are also victims of criminal election rigging~! Did "we" really vote for these shifty characters in our local and state governments~? There is enormous power and endless profit for those who would rig elections to their favor~! Ha~! I sure wish that I could find some "suckers" to take that bet~! Sincerely, Mike
Be aware no school district is required to build X building even if it is listed on the voter pamplet. They only need to use the bond monies for capital projects. You can promise in a voter pamplet to build X school, or X upgrade. But as soon as the bond passes, the school district can just say "the conditions changed" and any bond monies can be used for capital projects.
In California, the standard practice was to scream "We need to help the CHIL-DRUN", and pass this $4B school bond. Naive voters passed it. Only a fraction of the money was spent before the next election when they screamed, "We need to help the CHIL-DRUN", and passed another $4B school bond. Again, naive voters assumed that the previous $4B was not enough, and more was necessary. BUT, the unspent PREVIOUS $4B was now free to be used by the politicians for whatever they wanted, and knowing what we know today, a large part of it likely went into their pockets.
"Lets us help you through the process"... Collusion plainly in site. I have a grudging respect for the playbook. Its a long grift of epic proportions. Reminds me of a bad 90's movie where a couple of major players in a small county gain control and get a piece of every tax dollar spent. Here's to hoping CCWD is our Chuck Norris or Arnold Schwarzenegger to help right the wrongs at the ballot box.
It does list the things that give them preferred treatment: SBA 8(a) | OR MBE/DBE: #8606 | WA DBE: #D1M0024097 | OR CCB: 196085 | WA CCB: WENAHGI880JW | UEI: DL7YZ The string of alphabet letters and numbers -- that means THEIR bid will take preferential treatment over, all others, who don't qualify for an SBE certified business.
Basic rules: Firm is for-profit; doesn't $30.4million in gross receipts over a 3-year period; Owner must be "economically disadvantaged" personal net worth of less that $1.32 million, not including person's primary residents, or applicant's business. Adjusted gross income over the last three years is over $350k. (Then this catch-all "other evidence that income is not indicative of lack of economic disadvantage". A general disclaimer, loophole?) These are all called "self-certification" meaning... ???? that they go by your word? I'm confused.
In Washington State, while NOT ALL government bids require SBE certification, many do. Especially for projects funded with state and federal dollars. MBE is "minority business enterprise" checks off even more boxes, and some governments -- while not given an explicit preference (state law doesn't permit outright preference based on ethnicity or gender) can benefit from "programs or initiatives". So, it's our state policy to "mitigate the effects of PAST discrimination, and promote increased participation of these businesses at all levels of state government".
This is the E that represents "Equity".
The trick here, is that a business Native American Tribe owned (if a Federally recognized tribe) is not subject to Federal Income taxes, only required to pay employment wages for employees. If it is a business owned by an individual (of a federally recognized tribe) then, they are subject to federal income and employment tax, but, may be eligible for specific tax exemptions. State tax laws may or may not apply. (IRS tax code is always confusing: https://www.irs.gov/government-entities/indian-tribal-governments/faqs-for-indian-tribal-governments-regarding-individuals-filing-requirements)
Where’s the carbon foot print hippies when you need them? Where’s the recycle , restore , reuse , revitalize Hippies ? I think that they are now gluttonous lazy I can’t fix anything anymore con- summer hippies !
They work for Non-profits that have a slave labor communist sourcing exemption these days. Nothing takes the air out of them wackomentailists faster than that world real time shipping map. All the places they chased agriculture and manufacturing to on display. We are getting hammered by bunker fuel emissions as a direct result of their work. The kicker is its usually a World Economy non-profit or LLC paying for them. Paying big too. $158,000 a year to head an organization to intercept local government. Then thousands for staff. That's the base of the Democrat party now. Non-Profit and LLC elites deciding everything our local government does.
Oh, like HFH. I’m sorry they are not accepting used item or building material that is brand new from excess at a project. No I think they only accept cash. Like the 800,000$ that I believe is on hold.
I adored the philosophy if the Hippie movement especially the part about free-love. Yet somebody inside the commune was required to produce income. That individual eventually became weary of supporting the other members of the group. Because he or she produced income their power increased within the group. This is why the divorce rate is so high.
"...divorce rate..."? I am not sure how this relates to the commune system of living. Did they have married couples? Or... what does that refer to? I'm not trying to be argumentative, I really don't get it. I'm dumb, I guess. lol
I would love to know how much of that $145 million really went toward rebuilding the schools, and how much of it went to consultants, the Tribe, and to Politicians. Since there are about 28,500 homes in Clallam County, the above figure adds $5088 to each of our property tax bills over the life of the bond. That's not chump change, folks!
I finally understand how retired people with their houses paid off, could get in a jam because of real estate taxes. I never even see school aged children/teens in Sequim! I’m surprised they even need schools. Bet the teachers Union is behind it! Maybe not but they have much to be blamed for .
This is another example of trying to legislate non-discriminatory practices in contracting. Actually, the opposite results are achieved. It’s like lowering the bar to accommodate those that, for whatever reason, don’t reach it. The school board didn’t present a compelling case for a school tax levy, then hired a consulting firm to wordsmith a proposal more appealing to the voter. The firm hired has an advantage, because it is being classified as a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE), over non-DBE firms. Wenaha may indeed be the best firm to accomplish the goals of the Sequim school board, if so, why should it need a legislated advantage?
What was that number of students that couldn’t pass basic tests? How about the ones that chose to not graduate from high school? Why not put $ to changing that instead of the buildings.? Oh geez, there I go, acting like Clallam County has rational
What a bunch of LAZY people on the Sequim City Council. That's the first thing that comes to mind about this situation. Accepting a "Playbook" from their 'consultants' reflects complacent, lazy, decision-makers, with no interest in the taxpayers that they serve. What a ruse this is going on in this blindfolded community.
Sorry, but this is what private enterprise does, makes money. Project management is big and all the PR from start to finish have made many wealthy. DJT included. Governments write these laws to allow DBE/MBE certification and it’s nothing new. These are not always the lowest bidders, the most scrupulous groups or “fairest” management of projects but they know what they are doing. From bond to a ribbon cutting ceremonies, that’s their “monkey in the circus”. The side show is the acts of elected and government workers on “the take”, steering bids, contract change orders and “favors” on the inside. I would have faith in the Wenaha Group. What I question is the government’s role.
Hot button for this now retired electrical subcontractor who struggled in the public works arena, having the misfortune of being both male and Caucasian in today's DEI society. The odds of Weneha tendering the most competitive proposal in all the examples demonstrated is slim to none. This is a manifestation of feel good DEI policy using discrimination to address discrimination. The practitioners are blindly, naively and altruistically so driven that they cannot see they are waging war to end war. The school district is rewarding businesses for their ethnicity, gender and skin tone first with competence and competitiveness as secondary considerations. When you fly would you prefer a darker skin toned female, pleasantly plump and sexually deviant or would you prefer the best available pilot ? If the best available pilot has those features, viola. The cream rises to the top, regardless of the cows parents. I see these charity like, altruistic gifts as convincing the recipients they are inferior and they need charity to compete or survive. All this to teach the best pilot available that he/she is undeserving of the job because of non-compliant race, gender and/or sexual preference. The quid pro quo in Weneha teaching school districts how to win levies only worsens the matter. Whomever in the school district is responsible for awarding contracts must be fired. We have the worst educational results for the most money, so we give them more money ! ?
Your statement is very important. No corporation wishes to be sued for discrimination so if it hires "quota" employees it will suffer from less EEOC litigation. These mid level managers are frequently transferred to different departments in order to conceal ineptitude. LOL
Is there no end to ……… no transparency, no accountability, no truths and that in such a small community, I say shameful!
Go figure. A native American owned buisness. I smell a rat.
Wa state govt is not helping wa state economy by allowing out of state contractors to bid on multi million $$$ contracts 'Change the law only Legal residents can bid'.The big timber sale just outside of P.A. with trouble making tree swinging timber activist was awarded to a oregon company and will take our timber to oregon for profit.We have been making outsiders rich by elected ignorance for many years.
Someone filed a "grievance" with an election board about the Sequim City Council and their role/involvement in the school levy bond passage. Is every question raised, always answered by the "sound of silence"?
That was me! And another concerned citizen. They promised to review it in 90 days and it took an extra month almost beyond that. No findings of wrongdoing. Apparently the Sequim City council can make and break rules and there are no repercussions. This is the culture of Washington state.
Did they use city resources (emails texts IM) to aid/promote the bond election?
PRA (public records act) Agencies that violate the PRA by improperly withholding records can be ordered to pay penalties of up to $100 per record, per day, plus the requester's reasonable attorney's fees and costs. Agencies must clearly state the specific exemption used to deny a record request and explain how it applies.
The Washington Supreme Court set new requirements for closing letters in 2024, requiring agencies to explain how the PRA request was fulfilled and why the agency is closing the request.
https://www.foster.com/newsroom-alerts-washington-supreme-court-new-criteria-closing-public-records
Good news... The WA State Attorney General's office has an Open Government Ombuds to assist citizens and agencies with PRA compliance. The most common violation: agency fails to provide a written explanation for withholding records or fails to provide an adequate closing letter.
No wrongdoing. The answer was baked long before the pie went into the oven.
Watching with interest the case unfold out of Tumwater, Darby Kikkonen versus Chris Reykdal. The issue: Trans Athletes. What does the Sequim City Council and Sequim School District and Chris Reykdal have in common? We rule our fiefdom, our way or the highway! The last governor of Washington ruled the fiefdom the same way, "You don't like my rules concerning Covid restrictions - well, Washington State employees -"there's the state border- TaTa!" Can you spell LAWSUIT! Some lawyers win big settlements but Washington taxpayers always find a way to lose!
I smell graft in the form of campaign contributions
As an old real estate analyst, a glorified real estate appraiser, I would not be in keeping with good practice coming to any conclusions about school properties without personally inspecting them. That said, I also know that the school buildings in our community that I regularly drive past do appear to be in good solid & safe condition. I have had many projects where I have remodeled & renovated older buildings into wonderful projects for pennies on the dollar, which also preserved some history, so I would be personally disinclined to tear down existing structures just to build new ones unless there was an overriding need for some specific material reason. As one of the many grossly abused taxpayers in our community I have to be deeply concerned about any company whose business model is to come up with slick words and deceptive techniques to sway, and in practice likely deceive voters, the trusting general public, into funding future projects that said company was also to greatly profit from. To say that this highly questionable practice, business model, was very intentionally engaged in a blatant conflict of interest would be a terribly gross understatement. In fact, I am wondering if this "Weneha" enterprise has been engaged in Federal RICO Act violations and/or a variety of other criminal acts because "we" (local folks) sure have seen those red lines challenged by the local government management along with others in our community over the past years~! 145 million dollars is an obscene amount of money for this small community to "borrow against itself" (especially on top of the other debts that are mounting) and I dare say that many of the local currently young students will be well into adulthood before that debt is actually paid off~! I am deeply concerned about the cumulative debt that the questionable people in our local government management are piling on for the future generations to pay, especially when they will be long gone when this all blows up in our face's years from now, and I know that many good folks in this community also feel the same way. I do remember that this "Weneha" enterprise along with the usual suspects in our local government & school management engaged in nothing short of a disgusting public "terrorism campaign" to fear monger the folks in our community into voting for this dubious debt. Or did "we"~? Those of us who are paying attention to the horrific vote rigging matrix that has been uncovered all across the US and well beyond, have to suspect that "we" (residents) right here in this community are also victims of criminal election rigging~! Did "we" really vote for these shifty characters in our local and state governments~? There is enormous power and endless profit for those who would rig elections to their favor~! Ha~! I sure wish that I could find some "suckers" to take that bet~! Sincerely, Mike
...and the CHILDREN will not get any smarter in plush quarters... But isn't that always the formula... Throw money at it, it will fix everything.
Be aware no school district is required to build X building even if it is listed on the voter pamplet. They only need to use the bond monies for capital projects. You can promise in a voter pamplet to build X school, or X upgrade. But as soon as the bond passes, the school district can just say "the conditions changed" and any bond monies can be used for capital projects.
In California, the standard practice was to scream "We need to help the CHIL-DRUN", and pass this $4B school bond. Naive voters passed it. Only a fraction of the money was spent before the next election when they screamed, "We need to help the CHIL-DRUN", and passed another $4B school bond. Again, naive voters assumed that the previous $4B was not enough, and more was necessary. BUT, the unspent PREVIOUS $4B was now free to be used by the politicians for whatever they wanted, and knowing what we know today, a large part of it likely went into their pockets.
"Lets us help you through the process"... Collusion plainly in site. I have a grudging respect for the playbook. Its a long grift of epic proportions. Reminds me of a bad 90's movie where a couple of major players in a small county gain control and get a piece of every tax dollar spent. Here's to hoping CCWD is our Chuck Norris or Arnold Schwarzenegger to help right the wrongs at the ballot box.
American Indian Owned. Disadvantaged Business Enterprise. Minority Owned Business. Corporate entity not tax exempt. (source: https://www.highergov.com/awardee/wenaha-group-inc-10085471/) Not located in the Business search for Washington (https://ccfs.sos.wa.gov/#/) or as a corporation in Oregon (https://sos.oregon.gov/business/Pages/find.aspx)
It does list the things that give them preferred treatment: SBA 8(a) | OR MBE/DBE: #8606 | WA DBE: #D1M0024097 | OR CCB: 196085 | WA CCB: WENAHGI880JW | UEI: DL7YZ The string of alphabet letters and numbers -- that means THEIR bid will take preferential treatment over, all others, who don't qualify for an SBE certified business.
SBE certified (small business enterprise). But the more important one is MBE (minority business enterprise). How to become one: https://washingtonapex.org/does-my-firm-qualify-for-omwbe-small-business-enterprise-sbe-certification/
Basic rules: Firm is for-profit; doesn't $30.4million in gross receipts over a 3-year period; Owner must be "economically disadvantaged" personal net worth of less that $1.32 million, not including person's primary residents, or applicant's business. Adjusted gross income over the last three years is over $350k. (Then this catch-all "other evidence that income is not indicative of lack of economic disadvantage". A general disclaimer, loophole?) These are all called "self-certification" meaning... ???? that they go by your word? I'm confused.
In Washington State, while NOT ALL government bids require SBE certification, many do. Especially for projects funded with state and federal dollars. MBE is "minority business enterprise" checks off even more boxes, and some governments -- while not given an explicit preference (state law doesn't permit outright preference based on ethnicity or gender) can benefit from "programs or initiatives". So, it's our state policy to "mitigate the effects of PAST discrimination, and promote increased participation of these businesses at all levels of state government".
This is the E that represents "Equity".
The trick here, is that a business Native American Tribe owned (if a Federally recognized tribe) is not subject to Federal Income taxes, only required to pay employment wages for employees. If it is a business owned by an individual (of a federally recognized tribe) then, they are subject to federal income and employment tax, but, may be eligible for specific tax exemptions. State tax laws may or may not apply. (IRS tax code is always confusing: https://www.irs.gov/government-entities/indian-tribal-governments/faqs-for-indian-tribal-governments-regarding-individuals-filing-requirements)
Where’s the carbon foot print hippies when you need them? Where’s the recycle , restore , reuse , revitalize Hippies ? I think that they are now gluttonous lazy I can’t fix anything anymore con- summer hippies !
Absolutely! Esp. Consumer Hippies. My goodness, how they all flock to Costco!
They work for Non-profits that have a slave labor communist sourcing exemption these days. Nothing takes the air out of them wackomentailists faster than that world real time shipping map. All the places they chased agriculture and manufacturing to on display. We are getting hammered by bunker fuel emissions as a direct result of their work. The kicker is its usually a World Economy non-profit or LLC paying for them. Paying big too. $158,000 a year to head an organization to intercept local government. Then thousands for staff. That's the base of the Democrat party now. Non-Profit and LLC elites deciding everything our local government does.
I don't understand why cheap labor is important when so many functions can be automated.
We can get machines too.
Oh, like HFH. I’m sorry they are not accepting used item or building material that is brand new from excess at a project. No I think they only accept cash. Like the 800,000$ that I believe is on hold.
What a sham of a non-profit they have become!
I adored the philosophy if the Hippie movement especially the part about free-love. Yet somebody inside the commune was required to produce income. That individual eventually became weary of supporting the other members of the group. Because he or she produced income their power increased within the group. This is why the divorce rate is so high.
"...divorce rate..."? I am not sure how this relates to the commune system of living. Did they have married couples? Or... what does that refer to? I'm not trying to be argumentative, I really don't get it. I'm dumb, I guess. lol
Hippie females did not shave their legs or arm pits.
Steve O thank you for calling out why the hippie movement really failed.
lol
I would love to know how much of that $145 million really went toward rebuilding the schools, and how much of it went to consultants, the Tribe, and to Politicians. Since there are about 28,500 homes in Clallam County, the above figure adds $5088 to each of our property tax bills over the life of the bond. That's not chump change, folks!
I finally understand how retired people with their houses paid off, could get in a jam because of real estate taxes. I never even see school aged children/teens in Sequim! I’m surprised they even need schools. Bet the teachers Union is behind it! Maybe not but they have much to be blamed for .
This is another example of trying to legislate non-discriminatory practices in contracting. Actually, the opposite results are achieved. It’s like lowering the bar to accommodate those that, for whatever reason, don’t reach it. The school board didn’t present a compelling case for a school tax levy, then hired a consulting firm to wordsmith a proposal more appealing to the voter. The firm hired has an advantage, because it is being classified as a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE), over non-DBE firms. Wenaha may indeed be the best firm to accomplish the goals of the Sequim school board, if so, why should it need a legislated advantage?
What was that number of students that couldn’t pass basic tests? How about the ones that chose to not graduate from high school? Why not put $ to changing that instead of the buildings.? Oh geez, there I go, acting like Clallam County has rational
accountability ! My bad😕
So we can't explore local companies and give them a fair shot. Wait and see who they sub this out to? I've got my chips on JKT.
What a bunch of LAZY people on the Sequim City Council. That's the first thing that comes to mind about this situation. Accepting a "Playbook" from their 'consultants' reflects complacent, lazy, decision-makers, with no interest in the taxpayers that they serve. What a ruse this is going on in this blindfolded community.
yet no one ran against the incumbents.....
What self respecting person would want to join that slime pit?
there is that... but, things can't change unless things change.
Sorry, but this is what private enterprise does, makes money. Project management is big and all the PR from start to finish have made many wealthy. DJT included. Governments write these laws to allow DBE/MBE certification and it’s nothing new. These are not always the lowest bidders, the most scrupulous groups or “fairest” management of projects but they know what they are doing. From bond to a ribbon cutting ceremonies, that’s their “monkey in the circus”. The side show is the acts of elected and government workers on “the take”, steering bids, contract change orders and “favors” on the inside. I would have faith in the Wenaha Group. What I question is the government’s role.