The Wahkiakum County Eagle - Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891

To The Eagle:

Boy, oh boy, are we ever in the big time now! Just think of it - our very own commissioners and sheriff negotiating behind closed doors on a matter of national security. Heady stuff, but it gets a little complicated for some of us simple country folk to sort out. Here's a stab at it:

Kristin Lee writes a letter warning us that all these secret security negotiations may not be a perfectly wonderful idea; in fact, could be a financial and environmental disaster. Then the sheriff and commissioners come out of their secret session and disclose that it does indeed appear to be a financial disaster, but only a "small" one: 70 or 80,000 dollars per year. And then the former director of the EDC, Mr. Erickson, takes Kristen to task for being on her own agenda and having an exclusionary "I got mine" attitude while he simultaneously denies that the secret meetings were secret and refers to our elected officials as "business leaders." He mentions opportunities we missed such as a state prison (which we missed on purpose) without reference to economic development projects we did pour big bucks into like the Sewer to Nowhere and the Broadway Art District.

To Ms. Lee, thanks for the heads up. To Mr. Erickson: It's considered impolite to shoot the messenger.

Howard Brawn

Puget Island