Letters to the Editor August 5, 2009
Published on Mon, Aug 3, 2009Read More Letters to the Editor
Menzel Lake Road is unsafe for drivers, pedestrians
Dear Editor,
In response to Rob Hild’s letter about Menzel Lake Gravel --
I live down Menzel Lake Road and along with my husband and daughters, drive the “designated truck routes to and through the City of Granite Falls” daily as I go back and forth from town.
Mr. Hild thinks nothing of more than doubling the amount of trucks that will be traveling this route. The intersection of Menzel Lake Road and Alder St., which is part of this “designated truck route,” is not large enough to accommodate these big gravel trucks that pull trailers behind them, and as a result that intersection is extremely unsafe.
I cannot begin to count the number of times we have been run off the road at that intersection as these trucks try to maneuver through it, using both lanes on Menzel Lake Road and both lanes on Alder St. to make the turn.
This intersection is used by many kids walking to and from the middle school, but the city of Granite Falls would never be able to put sidewalks in because of these trucks which are all over the road and often run off the road to make the turn.
Menzel Lake Gravel should be required to fund a project that will make this intersection larger and safer for the gravel trucks that use it daily. Also, why are we spending millions of dollars to build an alternate route meant to keep the gravel trucks out of our town when it will have no impact on the trucks traveling to Menzel Lake Gravel?
It is obvious by the tone at the end of Mr. Hild’s letter that he does not care about our community or the people that have to deal with the results of his expansion.
I’d be happy to talk with Mr. Hild “face to face” -- just bring a lawn chair and meet me at the corner of Menzel Lake Road and Alder.
We don’t just work in Granite Falls -- we live here. I have teenagers that drive along the “designated truck route” to get to and from school, and the trucks he brings into our town make it unsafe for them.
Honey Spencer
Granite Falls
Return ballots by August 18 to continue EMS service
Dear Editor,
Snohomish County Fire Protection District 17 (also known as the Granite Falls Fire Department) is asking voters to renew the emergency medical services (EMS) levy during the August 18 primary election. Passing a levy is difficult, and we respect that.
EMS levies require a 60 percent supermajority to pass. In addition, 40 percent of the ballots cast in last November’s election must be returned to meet validation requirements. This means that 2,074 ballots from voters in Snohomish County Fire Protection District 17 must be mailed back by the August 18 election day. The most important thing you can do right now to continue emergency medical care is mail in your ballot by August 18.
The EMS levy is not a new tax. Our current EMS levy will expire at the end of this year. A yes vote simply continues the EMS care that you already have for another six years. The rate for the EMS levy can be no more than 50-cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation. This would mean the owner of a $250,000 home would pay a maximum of $10.42 per month to continue receiving the current level of emergency medical care.
Renewing the EMS levy also means that the Fire District can continue to staff the fire station at the current level. The fire department currently provides on-duty staffing that allows us to respond to two EMS alarms at the same time. In 2008, 188 alarms, or 13 percent of all emergency calls that came into the fire station happened while another emergency was taking place.
Since 1993, residents and businesses in the Fire District have had the current level of EMS care, which includes advance life support paramedics. The EMS levy pays for our paramedic contract with Lake Stevens Fire and the on-duty firefighter/EMTs. It also pays for medical supplies, training, and our First Aid/CPR program for the public.
For more information about the levy, please visit the Fire District’s web site at www.granitefallsfire.org, or contact me personally at 360-691-5553. We thank you for your past support and ask you to return your ballots by August 18.
Chief Rick Hjelle
Snohomish County Fire Protection District 17
County and state government need action not summits
Dear Editor,
I was reading the editorial from July 14, “Life without Boeing” and realized that there is a chance that Boeing’s existence in Snohomish County is in jeopardy.
Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon is organizing a summit, “Saving Washington Aerospace: Building a Competitive Platform” with Rep. Norm Dicks headlining the event.
I am puzzled why after all of the years of Boeing’s life that we still have to have summits and what will come of a summit? Boeing and the International Association of Machinists will be in attendance, but they aren’t in jeopardy. I mean Boeing has already moved it’s headquarters and the unions will still have union workers no matter where Boeing assembles aircraft.
I believe the citizens of Snohomish County need to hear what Boeing “really” wants and what is their end-game?
If the county leadership and state or federal representatives do not have enough respect from the company or a relationship with them, what is that saying about them.
For the sake of our county’s economy and future, we need action and not summits.
Todd Welch
Everett
Dear Editor,
In response to Rob Hild’s letter about Menzel Lake Gravel --
I live down Menzel Lake Road and along with my husband and daughters, drive the “designated truck routes to and through the City of Granite Falls” daily as I go back and forth from town.
Mr. Hild thinks nothing of more than doubling the amount of trucks that will be traveling this route. The intersection of Menzel Lake Road and Alder St., which is part of this “designated truck route,” is not large enough to accommodate these big gravel trucks that pull trailers behind them, and as a result that intersection is extremely unsafe.
I cannot begin to count the number of times we have been run off the road at that intersection as these trucks try to maneuver through it, using both lanes on Menzel Lake Road and both lanes on Alder St. to make the turn.
This intersection is used by many kids walking to and from the middle school, but the city of Granite Falls would never be able to put sidewalks in because of these trucks which are all over the road and often run off the road to make the turn.
Menzel Lake Gravel should be required to fund a project that will make this intersection larger and safer for the gravel trucks that use it daily. Also, why are we spending millions of dollars to build an alternate route meant to keep the gravel trucks out of our town when it will have no impact on the trucks traveling to Menzel Lake Gravel?
It is obvious by the tone at the end of Mr. Hild’s letter that he does not care about our community or the people that have to deal with the results of his expansion.
I’d be happy to talk with Mr. Hild “face to face” -- just bring a lawn chair and meet me at the corner of Menzel Lake Road and Alder.
We don’t just work in Granite Falls -- we live here. I have teenagers that drive along the “designated truck route” to get to and from school, and the trucks he brings into our town make it unsafe for them.
Honey Spencer
Granite Falls
Return ballots by August 18 to continue EMS service
Dear Editor,
Snohomish County Fire Protection District 17 (also known as the Granite Falls Fire Department) is asking voters to renew the emergency medical services (EMS) levy during the August 18 primary election. Passing a levy is difficult, and we respect that.
EMS levies require a 60 percent supermajority to pass. In addition, 40 percent of the ballots cast in last November’s election must be returned to meet validation requirements. This means that 2,074 ballots from voters in Snohomish County Fire Protection District 17 must be mailed back by the August 18 election day. The most important thing you can do right now to continue emergency medical care is mail in your ballot by August 18.
The EMS levy is not a new tax. Our current EMS levy will expire at the end of this year. A yes vote simply continues the EMS care that you already have for another six years. The rate for the EMS levy can be no more than 50-cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation. This would mean the owner of a $250,000 home would pay a maximum of $10.42 per month to continue receiving the current level of emergency medical care.
Renewing the EMS levy also means that the Fire District can continue to staff the fire station at the current level. The fire department currently provides on-duty staffing that allows us to respond to two EMS alarms at the same time. In 2008, 188 alarms, or 13 percent of all emergency calls that came into the fire station happened while another emergency was taking place.
Since 1993, residents and businesses in the Fire District have had the current level of EMS care, which includes advance life support paramedics. The EMS levy pays for our paramedic contract with Lake Stevens Fire and the on-duty firefighter/EMTs. It also pays for medical supplies, training, and our First Aid/CPR program for the public.
For more information about the levy, please visit the Fire District’s web site at www.granitefallsfire.org, or contact me personally at 360-691-5553. We thank you for your past support and ask you to return your ballots by August 18.
Chief Rick Hjelle
Snohomish County Fire Protection District 17
County and state government need action not summits
Dear Editor,
I was reading the editorial from July 14, “Life without Boeing” and realized that there is a chance that Boeing’s existence in Snohomish County is in jeopardy.
Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon is organizing a summit, “Saving Washington Aerospace: Building a Competitive Platform” with Rep. Norm Dicks headlining the event.
I am puzzled why after all of the years of Boeing’s life that we still have to have summits and what will come of a summit? Boeing and the International Association of Machinists will be in attendance, but they aren’t in jeopardy. I mean Boeing has already moved it’s headquarters and the unions will still have union workers no matter where Boeing assembles aircraft.
I believe the citizens of Snohomish County need to hear what Boeing “really” wants and what is their end-game?
If the county leadership and state or federal representatives do not have enough respect from the company or a relationship with them, what is that saying about them.
For the sake of our county’s economy and future, we need action and not summits.
Todd Welch
Everett
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