Barner Fire Relief Efforts Begin After Home Loss

Above: George Barner, Jr. is helped to the scene by Olympia Deputy Fire Chief Greg Wright while his home was on fire on January 29. Fire relief accounts to help Barner have been set up at TwinStar Credit Union and GoFundMe. There are other ways to donate clothes and small items to help Barner get reestablished.

By Janine Gates

Little Hollywood

http://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

“They called it Stormy Monday, but Tuesday’s just as bad…Wednesday’s even worse, and Thursday’s awful sad…” goes the old blues song, “Stormy Monday.”

“….The eagle flies on Friday, and Saturday, I go out to play…Sunday, I’m going to church, where I’ll kneel down and pray, ‘Lord, Have Mercy On Me….’”

Former port commissioner, local rock n’ roller, and beloved community member George Barner Jr., 75, lost everything he had in a house fire January 29, and has often sung those lyrics on stage.

Barner is doing well, but he’s tired, grieving the loss of irreplaceable family and personal photographs and papers, antiques, rock n’ roll records and memorabilia, his collection of leather jackets, and an astounding collection of items of significance to Olympia and Northwest history.

He is also dealing with the harsh realities of complying with a city ordinance to clear his property of the home’s remaining debris, completing insurance paperwork, and replacing personal records and information.

People have been stopping by his westside property on 5th Avenue SW to look at the remains and friends have been calling to extend their condolences.

Barner appreciates the calls and knows his voice mail box is full. He says he needs some time and privacy to readjust and greatly appreciates the community efforts now underway to help him restart his life.

Barner had been staying at a local hotel at the time of the fire due to an attempted burglary at his home a couple of weeks prior, and had few clothes and items with him. The hotel provides a small continental breakfast, and since the fire, he has been going out to eat for lunch and dinner.

The green coat he’s been wearing this week was donated by a friend.

Barner’s home and property was insured. So far, there have been no hiccups in getting the appropriate paperwork completed, but processing the forms will take several months. In the meantime, Barner is still on the hook for paying his monthly mortgage and outstanding household bills.

The cause of the fire has not been determined.

Ways to Help George Barner Jr.:

A fire relief account to help Barner has been set up at TwinStar Credit Union. The account number is 474453. Deposits can be made at any branch.  

A GoFundMe account has also been set up at https://www.gofundme.com/6at3a8-george-barner-fire-relief-fund.

Clean, new, or gently used donations for setting Barner up in an apartment are also being gathered.

Please do not contact Barner regarding these donations. For pick up/drop off arrangements, and for larger items such as a couple of bookcases, lamps, a microwave, and other items, please contact Janine Gates, Ja9gates@aol.com or (360) 791-7736. 

Above: A donation box for small household items for Barner is set up with a sign near the checkout stand at Olympia Supply. Thank you Jeff and Tom Bean!

For a short time only, community members may donate small household and personal items for Barner at Olympia Supply at 625 Columbia Street in downtown Olympia. Store hours are Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. – 6 p.m., Saturdays from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., and Sundays from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. 

Specific items that would be appreciated are kitchen items such as a coffee pot with an automatic turn off control, a whistling tea pot, aluminum foil and food storage containers, a cheese grater, an electric can opener, pots and pans, baking pans, a wok with a stove top ring, a cookie sheet, a blender, a colander and paper towels.

Other appreciated items include bedding sheets for a queen sized mattress, blankets, bed pillows, a large heating pad with an automatic turn off control, warm and waterproof coats, sweaters, warm shirts, socks, scarves, gloves, and hats.

Bathroom supplies may include a couple throw rugs, toilet paper, washcloths, and towels.

Other items include a flashlight, nightlights, a clock/radio, and cleaning supplies such as dish soap and laundry soap.

Any items received that cannot be used or don’t fit will be donated to a local homeless advocacy organization or shelters such as the Interfaith Works daytime warming shelter or Emergency Overnight Shelter.

Barner, who has diabetes and had all his toes on his right foot amputated in 2012, had several pairs of shoes and boots that contained specially made inserts that were designed for each pair. These will need to be replaced with the funds raised. He currently has one pair of shoes and no warm or waterproof clothing.

Barner has also set up a post office box address. It is P.O. Box 7157, Olympia, Washington 98507. Well-wishers may send him correspondence and gift cards and certificates to stores such as Fred Meyer, Target, Goodwill, or Value Village and local restaurants.

Besides his long careers in public service, which included work with the State of Washington and the Thurston County Commission, Barner has long contributed his musical talents for fun and worthy fundraisers to the community.

To watch George Barner Jr. belt out two of his favorite rock classics, “Lucille,” and “Louie, Louie,” go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHPZplaMGrg and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fqOX-x81-Q . Both tunes were recorded in October 2015 with the Lee Franklin Express Blues Band at Frankie’s Sports Bar in Olympia.

Editor’s Update, February 19: Thank you Olympia community members! It is difficult to express just how caring our community is, and how quickly we came together to support George. He now has pretty much everything he needs: warm clothes and coats, blankets and bed sheets, kitchen items, and household furniture. The quality of the donated items is simply heartwarming. All donations are much appreciated. Incredibly, there were few to no duplications and all are being used.

Due also to incoming financial donations to the TwinStar and GoFundMe accounts, George’s situation is stable and he has paid off some household bills. 

I’d especially like to thank Olympia Supply for providing a conveniently located space for folks to drop off their donations. It was a huge help. Not only that, Olympia Supply staff took a warm, personal interest in George’s situation and also provided donations. 

Again, thank you!

For more information about George Barner Jr. and his house fire on January 29, go to Little Hollywood, www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com and type key words into the search button.

Above: Olympia firefighters responded to the scene of George Barner's home within minutes, but were unable to save it due to interior obstructions and ammunition stored inside that was heard to be going off for quite some time. The home was a total loss.

Barner’s Home a Total Loss Due to Fire

Above: The home of beloved community member George Barner, Jr. was engulfed in flames Sunday morning. Barner, who has lived at the home for several decades, was not home at the time. Barner arrived at the scene during the fire and was greeted and assisted by many friends.

By Janine Gates

Little Hollywood

www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

The westside home of former port commissioner and beloved community member George Barner, Jr. is a total loss due to fire. 

The burning home, located in the 800 block of 5th Avenue SW, was first called into the Olympia Fire Department by a neighbor Sunday morning at 11:11 a.m. Barner was not home at the time.

Barner has been staying in a local hotel awaiting some repairs on the home, which was the scene of an attempted robbery two weeks ago. It took time to determine where Barner was located.

After that was determined, while the house was still on fire, Barner was brought to the scene and was greeted and assisted by many friends, who had also arrived and gathered on the street.  Barner said he had been home on Saturday and nothing was out of the ordinary.

According to a report by Olympia Fire Department Deputy Fire Chief Greg Wright, fire units reported seeing a smoke column at 11:14 a.m. before their arrival on the scene at 11:16 a.m. 

Several community members initially speculated that the nearby Capitol House Apartments, the former St. Peter’s Hospital on Sherman Street, was on fire.

Firefighters were unable to enter through the front door due to obstructions inside but did make access from a side door.  Smoke was down to the floor of the second story as firefighters tried to enter. Unable to make any progress due to the amount of items inside and the heavy fire, crews switched to a defensive mode from outside the house at 11:30 a.m.  

 

Ammunition for guns in the home that Barner kept for target practice was stored in the house and were heard going off for a significant amount of time, also keeping firefighters back. The fire continued to burn despite water being applied from a crane on the fire engine.

Above: Firefighters were unable to enter the home while the home burned. A considerable amount of ammunition stored in the home, heard going off for quite some time, also kept firefighters and the public back from the scene.

 

The brick walls of the 1920’s vintage home held the fire in and firefighters kept the fire from spreading to nearby trees and other buildings.  An attached lower level garage was relatively undamaged by fire.

The Olympia Fire Department responded with four engines, one ladder truck, two medic units, and a command unit.  There were no reported injuries.

Fire crews worked the fire until about 3:00 pm. One fire engine and crew will remain on the scene to watch for hotspots and secure some vehicles that were in the garage and driveway. 

An investigation into the cause of the fire will begin on Monday.  

Above: George Barner, Jr. speaks with Olympia fire fighters Sunday afternoon. Barner's house, with the roof collapsed, is a total loss. Little Hollywood told Barner that he is loved and the community will help him with whatever he needs. 

Port of Olympia Commissioner Sue Gunn Resigns for Health Reasons; Petition for Replacement Begins

Above: Aerial of the Port of Olympia marine property and the Olympia Farmer's Market, which sits on Port property, as seen here in December 2014. Under the blue tarps is a shipment of ceramic proppants, used in hydraulic fracturing operations in the North Dakota Bakken Oil Formation. This is just one issue that greets an incoming port commissioner who will replace Commissioner Sue Gunn. Last March, Gunn cast the lone dissenting vote against seeking bids for construction of a warehouse for the shipments.

By Janine Unsoeld

www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

In a letter to the community on March 13, Port of Olympia Commissioner Sue Gunn resigned for health reasons. Her full letter is reprinted, below, in its entirety.

Little Hollywood reached out to Commissioner Gunn twice since late February and wishes her a full recovery.

Questions from Little Hollywood to Port of Olympia staff on February 18 about Gunn’s absence such as, “Should a replacement be appointed until she (Gunn) comes back?” and “What would be the process for this?” never received a response.

Paul Pickett, 58, Olympia, an environmental engineer who works for the State of Washington and teaches classes at The Evergreen State College, was considering a run for the Port against Commissioner George Barner, but recently decided against it, due to the recent, unexpected resignation of Commissioner Sue Gunn.

“Members of the community had approached me about running for the Port against George Barner and now Joe Downing. Their goal was to have another Commissioner with a vision of the Port similar to Sue Gunn’s.  I saw this potential race as a contest between “business as usual” and a different vision of a Port planning for a 21st century where our community and world is rapidly changing.

“Unfortunately, Sue’s health forced her resignation. That leaves our community in limbo regarding what happens next. Without the certainty that I would be working with Sue should I be so fortunate as to win the seat, I’ve decided to end my planning for a possible campaign.

“The community should monitor the next steps closely. Many questions remain. Who will step up to apply for the vacant position? Will George Barner and Bill McGregor agree on the candidate to fill the seat? If they don’t, who would the County Commissioners pick? And who will file in May to run for election to fill the final two years of that position?

“There are discussions roaring through community networks about this situation. We shall see how it shakes out,” says Pickett.

Petition to Port

One person who decided to make her voice known is Sherri Goulet, who is circulating an informal petition requesting that Port Commissioners George Barner and Bill McGregor appoint someone who shares the values and vision of Gunn and her supporters. 

“We have about 10 days to gather as many signers as possible. I am beyond sad to lose Commissioner Gunn at the Port,” says petition organizer Sherri Goulet, Olympia.

“Since we don’t have a Move On type petition vehicle online and since we have a very short time frame, we’re doing it the old fashioned way.  If people email me that they wish to be included on the list of signatories, then they are included.  It’s not a formal petition that will be used in a legal fashion; it’s a statement of the facts, expressing support for Commissioner Gunn with a request that voters be included in the selection process for her replacement. The petition was created with a group process.  We did our best to convey the facts with perhaps a little editorializing included. Signatures will be solicited through Friday, March 20, and will be presented at the Port meeting on March 23,” says Goulet.

Those who would like to be added to the petition can email her at shardon@comcast.net.  

“Send me an email saying that you wish your name to be on the petition and pass this petition on to those you know who care about the environment, transparency in government and judicious use of taxpayer funds, and be thinking about a replacement for Sue—someone in District 3 who would be willing to run for her position,” says Goulet.

The petition reads:

Port Commissioner Sue Gunn was elected by the voters of Thurston County in November, 2013, beginning her term in January, 2014.  She’s been a strong advocate for an environmentally responsible port and has worked diligently to improve the Port’s relationship with the public, increase transparency, make the budget more comprehensible to all, apply Port funds more equitably across the county, support the Farmers Market and agriculture in Thurston County and see that a thorough analysis accompanies any decisions.  These are the issues she campaigned and won on, and she has been doing what she promised.

Currently Commissioner Gunn is recovering from open heart surgery.  In what appeared to many to be an effort to remove Sue Gunn from the Port Commission, Commissioner McGregor refused to excuse her from the February 27, 2015 Port meeting, saying she’d been absent “long enough.”  The failure to excuse a Commissioner from a meeting is a procedural maneuver that started a clock on a presumed 60-day deadline for Sue Gunn to return or be eliminated from the Commission.

Commissioner McGregor’s action was surprising, as there had been no direct communication with her from the Port.  In addition, this procedure was not invoked with the extended absence of Commissioner Barner several years ago.  This unprecedented maneuver occurred just when Commissioner Gunn had begun to recover from a series of health events following her surgery.  We denounce this act as not only lacking compassion, but also as undoubtedly causing increased stress to Commissioner Gunn.

The idea that one Commissioner attempted to undo the results of a democratic election is appalling.  Commissioner McGregor’s action undermines the voters’ will.  Although Commissioner Gunn has now announced her resignation, a personal choice driven by her health, Commissioner McGregor’s action remains unacceptable to us.

We strongly request that Commissioners Barner and McGregor involve the supporters of Sue Gunn in choosing an appointee who represents the views and values of the voters who put Commissioner Gunn in office.

Gunn’s Letter to the Community

Port Commissioner Gunn’s full statement, in her open letter to the voters of Thurston County distributed on Friday, March 13, is as follows:

Thank you for electing me over a year ago to the Commission of the Port of Olympia.  During that time, I have tried to serve your interests by working to make the Port an economic engine for all of Thurston County and to improve the transparency of Port operations and finances.

I have also worked to uncover faulty logic that has supported fiscally unwise decisions that would require taxpayers to subsidize expensive projects.  One example is the proposed construction of a fuel dock that would negatively impact existing local businesses that sell fuel, such as Boston Harbor Marina and Zittles without a return on investment for the taxpayers.

Environmental sustainability has been a high priority for me.  Importing fracking sand headed for the infamous Bakken oil field has been a primary concern.  With your help, we were able to force the Port to do the appropriate environmental studies prior to attempting to expand that operation and run more rail cars through Olympia.

In an effort to have your voices heard, I have been a strong proponent of strategic planning with extensive outreach into the community.  This type of outreach has not been done since 1996 and is long overdue at this public institution.  Strategic planning is the path to new economic development endeavors by the Port, such as supporting agriculture.  I have also endeavored to create new oversight committees, one for the Marine Terminal and one for the Airport, to improve relationships between these enterprises and the community.

I regret to inform you that I have decided to resign from my position on the Commission effective April 1, 2015, to allow myself the time I need to heal from recent heart surgery and associated complications.  There has been considerable pressure on me from the Port, and from one of the Commissioners, to return rapidly, which is not conducive to the extensive healing needed.  It’s necessary to take the time required to recover from this complex medical event.

If these ideas resonate with you, my hope is that you, the voters, will continue to articulate these priorities to the Port and insist that thorough analysis and accurate reporting accompany all Port decisions and that the Port find new, sustainable economic opportunities in the county.

Thank you for your past support and for all the good wishes I have received since undergoing my surgery.

Sincerely,

Sue Gunn

For more information about the Port of Olympia and the absence of Commissioner Gunn, go to Little Hollywood, www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com and view Port of Olympia meetings, particularly March 9, at: http://portofolympia.tctv.net/