Downtown Olympia Winter Warming Center Permit Sought

Above: As snow fell on South Sound late Thursday afternoon, a daytime winter warming center can’t open soon enough for some of Olympia's most vulnerable residents. Interfaith Works is seeking a temporary use permit to use the historic Hyak Lumber Building, seen above, as a warming center with community social service resources, as soon as possible through March 2017.

By Janine Gates

http://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

An unanticipated delay due to funding setbacks in the opening of the Providence Community Care Center has caused the need for a full time winter warming center.

The Center was scheduled to open in early Fall at the corner of State Street and Franklin Street.

To fill the gap, Interfaith Works, a community non-profit, has requested a temporary use permit from the City of Olympia for the use of a building, the former location of Alpine Experience, as a daytime winter warming center. 

The historic Hyak Lumber Building is owned by Joe Hyer and his family, and is located at 408 Olympia Avenue NE, near the LOTT Clean Water Alliance and the Hands On Children's Museum. 

The warming center would provide relief for vulnerable people experiencing homelessness, physical or mental health challenges and substance use related challenges.

An informal meeting about the proposal was hosted by city staff at Olympia City Hall on Thursday evening. A handful of community members, some representing downtown businesses or organizations, were in attendance to hear more and ask questions. 

Interfaith Works executive director Danny Kadden and emergency overnight shelter manager Meg Martin answered those concerns and more. The informal setting allowed for a deeper conversation about local homelessness issues and current community efforts.

City of Olympia community planning and development director Keith Stahley said he expects to issue the permit with reasonable conditions next week. 

Stahley complimented Interfaith Works staff on the level of detail in their operations and staff training manuals and said he has heard some community concerns about issues such as people smoking or congregating around the outside of the building.

The building lease would be paid for through Thurston County, and City of Lacey, Olympia, and Tumwater housing funds. Martin said that the Hyer family is leasing the building for the cost of utilities.

Since early November, Interfaith Works has operated a warming center five days a week using two rotating downtown locations, The United Churches of Olympia, and First Christian Church. 

Due to scheduling issues, the warming center is closed on two days, Tuesdays and Sundays. 

At the new location, the group plans a full time operation as soon as possible through March 31, 2017. The hours of operation would be 7:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m. daily and replace the two church locations. Staff would also be on site just prior and just after open hours. 

As it does now, Interfaith Works would provide the necessary supplies, supervision and support services to conduct the operations of the warming center. At least two Interfaith Works emergency shelter staff would be on site daily, plus volunteer support. 

Community support services will be available on site and include the SeaMar Community Health Care Management Team, the PATH program through Capital Recovery Center, Behavioral Health Resources, Providence Health Services, Olympia Free Clinic providing acute medical care and first aid relief and SideWalk, providing access to rapid rehousing, coordinated entry and shelter diversion programs.

Martin said that the current warming centers see nearly 100 guests per day, but they are not all there at the same time. 

“Homeless people are busy. They have errands to run, with many health, medical, and food services located outside of the downtown core,” said Martin.

She described the space as a calm environment. Some stop by to get warmed up, sleep, visit friends, or dry their belongings. In the new location, when they are not meeting with social service providers, they will do the same, as well as watch movies or play games. They are also actively involved in the upkeep of the surrounding area. 

“They want to be good neighbors. They sweep and pick up trash. Their house is the sidewalk and they are interested in keeping it clean,” said Martin.

Martin said that at the end of the last year's warming center season, about 130 guests per day signed in. 

Olympia Police Department Lieutenant Sam Costello manages the downtown foot patrol and downtown safety programs. He was positive about Interfaith Works' management of the current warming centers and the emergency overnight shelter. 

“The interactions officers will have with street individuals will be more friendly if they have a place to tell them to go,” said Costello.  

Shelter staff managed last winter's warming center program, and trained in de-escalation and emergency intervention skills. Staff will manage an outdoor smoking space to minimize impact on immediate neighbors, and all guests will be expected to sign good neighbor guest agreement.

Above: Interfaith Works seeks to use a portion of the Hyak Lumber Building, about 7,000 square feet, in downtown Olympia to serve the community. The space was most recently leased by the Thurston County Democrats.

Interviewed today at the building, Joe Hyer said he is excited about the opportunity to lease a portion of the building to Interfaith Works. Hyer says the Thurston County Democrats leased a portion of the building and left November 15.

“I like Interfaith Works. They know what they’re doing. I like their attitude,” he said.

Hyer said the building, recently used as a former commercial space, is all up to code with fire sprinklers, modern wiring, and plenty of outlets. Hyer said he is leaving the Wi-Fi set up so guests and staff can use their phones in and around the building.

Hyer is also excited that the Thurston County Democrats left numerous room dividers, desks, and office equipment in the building, and are donating the supplies for the warming center's use. 

The building has two restrooms. Interfaith Works will also provide two outdoor port-a-potties to accommodate demand, which will be locked when the warming center is not open.

At the meeting, Connie Phegley, owner of Old School Pizza, said that she is not happy that the public bathrooms at East Bay Plaza are closed, and yet Interfaith Works has to pay for port-a-potties at the nearby warming center. 

“Not only that, the port-a-potties are being put up for a certain population. I'm not happy about that and I haven't been for quite some time,” she said. The bathrooms, located near the Hands On Children's Museum and the LOTT Clean Water Alliance, are closed due to ongoing vandalism and drug use.

Hands On Children's Museum executive director Patty Belmonte was in attendance, and said that despite best efforts, there will be some parents who will very concerned and many others who will not be concerned. 

“We will work to educate our families and ensure their safety. The reality is, we will hear from many families. Undoubtedly, some families will be unhappy. We will work with Interfaith Works to make it as smooth a transition as possible,” she said. 

Belmonte said she is developing a 'frequently asked questions' page to the children's museum website to help educate children's museum members about the warming center.

Interfaith Works has communicated diligently with nearby businesses, including Crawford Auctions, ACME Fuel, the Hands On Children’s Museum, and the LOTT Clean Water Alliance, and Martin agreed that open communication with families is key.

“We are also serving families. Families come to the warming centers everyday. There's not enough beds at Pear Blossom Place or Rosie's Place at Community Youth Services. We're a mixed population. Some stay up all night and just need a place to sleep or if they are sick....”

Stahley brought up the question of possible sex offenders at the center. Martin explained that Level 2 or 3 sex offenders are not allowed.

“All I can comment on is our experience. We have had zero incidents and zero threats related to sexual offenses. We've served 700 unique individuals in two years and all are screened. Many we will serve in the new location have already been screened. As a behavioral based shelter, we know that when people do not have access to services, they are more likely to reoffend. Whatever criminal behavior they may have, when basic needs are met, our entire community is safer,” said Martin.

“Our day to day experience builds a tremendous amount of skills and that's reflected in our relationships,” said Kadden. 

“A lot of thought goes into contingency planning. Challenging episodes happen rarely but when they do, we're prepared....This will be a dress rehearsal for when the Providence Community Care Center opens. Connecting people with services will help us make that a success and professionalize our homeless services....We're trying to bring the community together in the long term. We're going to do everything we can to be mindful in response to calls and interactions,” added Kadden.

Eastside neighborhood parent Whitney Bowerman is the parent of two small children, and said she is a member of the children's museum. 

Bowerman said she first met Martin when she opposed an Eastside neighborhood location once considered for a warming center. She has come a long way in her personal education about homelessness issues and credited that knowledge to Martin's work and patience. 

“Knowledge is power, and there are preconceived notions. When you clear that up, it's magic,” she said. 

Now, she and her children deliver meals to the shelters, and have gotten to know the guests and the names of their dogs. 

“It's been a good experience for my children, to talk about compassion, to help them see the big picture. I started way far from where I am now. I was afraid of these people (the homeless), but I'm impressed with the program. They do a great job,” she said. 

Her friend Joellen Wilhelm agreed. She and her young family are also Eastside residents and members of the children's museum and the YMCA.

“A warming center is a basic human right. There's space for all of us,” she said. 

Current warming shelter information:

Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays at United Churches, Social Hall, lower level at 110 11th Ave. SE; entrance is in the rear parking lot on Washington St. between Union and 11th Ave. Open for guests from 7:00 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. 

Thursdays and Saturdays at First Christian Church, Koinonia Hall (upstairs), 701 Franklin St. SE; open for guests from 7:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. 

Donation Requests: Coffee, sugar, creamer, herbal tea, socks, gloves, hats and hand warmers for use after guests leave shelter. Round tables are also being sought for use in the new location.

For more information about Interfaith Works and its programs and projects, go to interfaith-works.org. 

For more information about the Emergency Overnight Shelter and how to donate supplies, go to www.iwshelter.org.

For more information about the lack of 24 hour public restrooms, including the ones at East Bay Plaza, the LOTT Clean Water Alliance, Interfaith Works, homeslessness issues, the emergency overnight shelter, and Meg Martin, go to Little Hollywood, http://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com, and type key words in the search button.

Above: The Hyak Lumber Building on Olympia Avenue was also home to the Olympia Shingle Company and may have been built as early as 1946.

Olympia Port Exec Galligan Addresses Council, Protesters Disrupt Meeting

Above: Protesters disrupted the City of Olympia council meeting Tuesday evening. One person, above, spoke for nearly seven minutes, without a council or television audience. The meeting reconvened in another room. Protesters wanted Mayor Cheryl Selby to continue the public comment period beyond the 30 minute limit, instead of waiting for another public comment period near the end of the agenda. 

The chamber was packed with those who wished to speak about the recent rail blockade of a Union Pacific train from leaving the Port of Olympia with a load of ceramic proppants. Others wanted to speak against the Olympia Police Department, and for the city to take a stronger stance against the Port's shipments of ceramic proppants, as well as a range of other viewpoints and issues.

By Janine Gates

http://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

City of Olympia Mayor Cheryl Selby’s opening remarks at Tuesday night's council meeting, combined with Port of Olympia executive director Ed Galligan’s public comments, set off what was just the beginning of yet another wild public meeting.

The council chamber was packed, with an overflow crowd in the lobby watching the meeting on television monitors. 

It's a dysfunctional relationship, and the lack of communication between the Port of Olympia, City of Olympia, Olympia Police Department, and the community continued into yet another week. 

There's enough blame to go around, said one protester who took over the City of Olympia council chamber podium during a disruption of the meeting. 

It’s been rough, especially since the Union Pacific train was blocked on November 11 by protesters taking direct action to prevent it from leaving the Port of Olympia with 15 cars of ceramic proppants, a product used in hydraulic fracking.

The raid by law enforcement on the encampment in the early morning hours of November 18 has left many asking questions, and wondering about future shipments, resulting in packed meetings for both public entities.

Olympia Police Chief Ronnie Roberts denounced the Port of Olympia and its acceptance of ceramic proppants during a council meeting on November 22.

Olympia city council was off last week, but in the meantime, last Monday’s Port of Olympia meeting resulted in port commissioners tabling meeting discussions with the city. Commissioner Downing said he was open to a meeting with the city through established channels, which would be between Olympia city manager Steve Hall and port executive director Ed Galligan.

If anyone thought that Galligan had signed up first to speak at Tuesday evening’s council meeting to extend an olive branch to the city, suggest a joint session to discuss mutual issues, or begin dispute resolution, forget it. He didn't.

Then, shortly before 8:00 p.m., after Galligan and other members of the public spoke during public comment, Galligan, Port Commissioner Joe Downing, and an entourage of port staff and supporters left the chambers, along with some members of the public.

Some community members who had been in the audience re-entered the chambers, loudly stating that they wanted Mayor Selby to continue the public comment period. She refused. Business had already continued onto the next item on the agenda, but they persisted, repeatedly shouting, “Can’t drink oil, keep it in the soil!”

Mayor Selby made a motion to recess and reconvene in a few minutes. Television cameras were cut off. As one protester continued to speak at the podium with a hot mic, Mayor Selby, councilmembers and staff reconvened and quickly voted to continue the meeting upstairs in Room 207.

Councilmembers, staff, representatives of The Olympian and Little Hollywood, as well as those scheduled to speak to agenda items, were ushered to the room where business on the agenda continued. The room was already set up for a council meeting just in case it was needed.

After the meeting, Mayor Selby was asked about what happened earlier, and what rule she used to move the meeting. She said that she followed protocol to be used in the event of disruptions to business meetings, developed by city attorneys last spring.

During the time council was not present and television cameras were off, one person spoke for nearly seven minutes: 

“...I would like to respond to Chief Ronnie Roberts' statement...it was a nicely crafted message and I can tell you put a lot of work into it. First, I do want to thank you for calling out the port, but that's about it. I don't appreciate sly words...the way you finagled your language makes it sound like you're actually with us when you're not. The way you come up with fluffy ways to hide the fact that you were directing OPD...to hide the fact that your police officers were there brutalizing folks....

I've seen Ronnie Roberts blame the port, the port blame Ronnie Roberts, the city council blame the public. There's blame everywhere. And lastly, where's OPD and city council standing up and taking responsibility for their role in all of this?

I don't appreciate your words about protesters' confrontational behavior, Ronnie Roberts, when your police force was initiating confrontational behavior. How about the cops in riot gear confronting peaceful protesters? It was obviously done in the shadow of the morning when people waking up in Olympia couldn't witness this shit....

People are still coughing because of the unknown chemicals used....Your statements about people being injured is completely false...so your actions do not align with your words.

You want to talk about community values...People have bruises and wounds and are still healing, not to mention healing from the trauma they faced from being brutalized in the middle of the street in their town, in their city, at 4 o'clock in the morning....If you didn't want to be a part of this, why were you there?

....The police here is part of the city government - we have every right to be critical about what they do and they need to be accountable for their actions.” 

Above: Port of Olympia executive director Ed Galligan addresses City of Olympia councilmembers on Tuesday night.

Port of Olympia executive director Ed Galligan’s comments are as follows:

The Executive Director is the highest level staff position at the Port. With that position, comes personnel responsibilities I take very seriously. Those responsibilities include maintaining a positive and safe working environment. This is a duty that I know you take very seriously within your organization, as well.

While the intention may not have been there, and I believe Chief Roberts to be an honorable man that was sharing genuine frustration after an exhausting and stressful event, his comments two weeks ago have had significant negative consequences which have reverberated through the Port of Olympia.

When Chief Roberts said, “It angers me to have to put our officers in combat gear to face off with members of our community over something I don’t believe in myself,” my staff heard that statement as blaming them for the criminal activity that required police intervention.

I am here to voice my concerns and those of my 50 hardworking Port of Olympia colleagues, 31 members of the Local 47 Long Shore, port customers, and local law enforcement. None are to be blamed for the acts of vandalism, trespassing, and harassing behavior of others in this community.

The port has had rocks thrown through our office windows, graffiti spray painted on the walls, lit flares thrown over marine terminal fences, threatening phone calls, and most recently, a port maintenance employee was accosted by protesters while driving a port vehicle through downtown Olympia to purchase supplies at a local merchant. Employees at the Port do not feel safe in their current work environment. They question whether or not they will be protected by the City of Olympia police for the next incident after the remarks made by Chief Roberts. My staff does not deserve this treatment. I hope you agree with that sentiment – and that this treatment is not a tenant of Olympia’s community values.

My desire is to work together towards understanding the roles, constraints, and intent of our actions.

I am committed to fulfilling my role as the executive director of the Port of Olympia. I cannot stand idly by as it is implied, or expressly stated, that those who are doing their job at the Port of Olympia are to be blamed for the criminal actions of others.

In my 11 years of service to the Port of Olympia, port and city staffs have served Olympia by working well together, finding mutually agreeable and positive solutions to many challenges over the decade. We’ve worked together in a professional, collegial and enjoyable manner. 

What changed?”

Speakers during public comment addressed a variety of issues, but several spoke to the Port of Olympia’s contract with Rainbow Ceramics and participation in the fossil fuel industry.

Former port citizen advisory committee member Clydia Cuykendall said she supports hydraulic fracking and would like to know the council’s opinion on Chief Roberts’ statement. 

Others supported the protesters who blocked the train, such as Bourtai Hargrove, who strongly suggested that, lacking federal direction, the responsibility for climate progress may well fall to municipalities like the City of Olympia and Thurston County.

“It’s a big responsibility,” she said.

Zoltan Grossman, a faculty member at The Evergreen State College said, “The world is watching Olympia....”  

Editor's Note, 12/10/2016: Little Hollywood has been informed that the person at the mic who spoke for nearly seven minutes is a non binary trans person. Little Hollywood has made the appropriate changes in referencing the person, regrets the error, and apologizes for misgendering them. 

For more photos and information about the Port of Olympia, ceramic proppants, the rail blockade, and last week's port meeting, go to Little Hollywood, https://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com, and type key words into the search button.

To read Olympia Police Chief Ronnie Roberts' statement, go to http://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com/2016/11/olympia-police-chief-denounces-port-of.html

To read the blow by blow of last week's contentious Port of Olympia meeting, go to http://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com/2016/11/risky-business-olympia-port-commission.html

Risky Business: Olympia Port Commission vs City of Olympia

Above: Part meeting, part trial, the Port of Olympia Commission met on Monday night with a capacity crowd present. The tenuous relationship between the City of Olympia and the Port of Olympia and county-wide community members involves risky business, and no dispute resolution seems to be in sight.

By Janine Gates

http://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

- Port tables discussion of City of Olympia’s hydraulic fracking, Standing Rock resolutions, meeting discussions with City

- 2017 Budget Passes, Downing sought to censure Zita for her role, conduct in rail blockade citing Little Hollywood, The Olympian news sources; McGregor refuses to vote for censure

- McGregor gives statement about Port's Role in Rail Blockade Raid, City of Olympia’s Chief Roberts’ statement 

Like a Thanksgiving family gathering gone bad, it was a Port of Olympia meeting that finally ended, after four hours and fifteen minutes of contentious, downright cringe-worthy, bickering behavior.

Much like the City of Olympia's council meeting last Tuesday night, the meeting room was nearly filled to capacity, and many wanted to speak or at least hear more information about the rail blockade of a Union Pacific train that ended November 18. 

The train, filled with ceramic proppants, was set to leave the Port of Olympia under contract with Rainbow Ceramics on November 11, but was forced to return to the port when protesters blocked the tracks. 

It was the first Port of Olympia meeting held after the multi-jurisdictional law enforcement raid on the camp, and like the council meeting, specific details were absent.

The 48 page agenda dramatically shape-shifted at the outset, with Commissioner Joe Downing dispensing with a discussion of the City of Olympia’s 2014 resolution concerning the oil-by-rail industry, hydraulic fracturing, and oil exports, and its October 2016 resolution in support of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe’s opposition to construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline. 

Commissioners were also scheduled to discuss the details of a possible meeting with the city.

“(We need) to determine, what the city does, if anything, about Chief Roberts' statement. We need to know where the city stands on protecting individual's private property rights and businesses that operate within the city's jurisdiction before we meet with them. It may also make sense that the city initiate a meeting with the port since they mentioned the port in their 2014 anti-fracking oil-by-rail resolution, and one of their employees spoke publicly and negatively about the Port,” said Downing. 

The motion to change the agenda was seconded by Commissioner Bill McGregor.

Downing said he was open to a meeting with the city through established channels, which would be between Olympia city manager Steve Hall and port executive director Ed Galligan.

“So far, we have not heard that from the city or conditions for that meeting,” said Downing. 

Commissioner E. J. Zita said that no decisions were to be made that evening about the cargo shipments, and discussion should proceed. 

McGregor suggested waiting until a work session in January to discuss it again. That suggestion was met with some snickers from the audience. 

Zita wanted to extend public comment to the amount of time it would have taken to have that discussion.

“The Washington Public Ports Association...encourages us to allow as much public comment as the people ask for....We clearly have some damage control to do…by taking the Washington Public Ports' advice, we would be taking a step in the right direction....I think they are giving good advice,” said Zita.

Downing responded that he took exception to the phrase “damage control,” saying, “The port is hurting as well...both sides have taken hits.”

Extending public comment to accommodate speakers was denied, but speakers were given more chances to speak that evening. 

Former Olympia city councilmember T.J. Johnson was one of the first to speak at public comment. Now a farmer, Johnson said that Downing's previous comments that protesters should 'move on to the next issue' was ridiculous. 

In response to McGregor's desire to wait until January to speak with the city about future shipments of ceramic proppants, Johnson said, “...Climate change is the issue. Fossil fuel extraction is the issue. The Arctic is 30 degrees warmer than has ever been recorded in history...scientists this week talk about 19 critical tipping points that were just exceeded in terms of climate change. The idea that people are protesting because they just need an issue to protest, no, this is the issue today, tomorrow, and in January, when you get around to your tabled resolutions, and for the next 100 years....” 

Susan McRae also spoke passionately about the shipments.

“The Nuremberg Trials were clear: when facing a great wrong, each individual is responsible for doing the right thing and working to prevent the injustice.  This is why I am here this evening. I consider the Port’s complicity with the fossil fuel industry a form of genocide. Our earth as we know it is being destroyed by global climate disruption....

“The available evidence overwhelmingly indicates that fracking is incredibly harmful. The citizens of Olympia know this.  The citizens of Olympia do not want the Port to be facilitating fracking in any form.”

Several longshoremen spoke: Dwayne Napolean commented that everything on the docks is controversial by somebody's standards, Michael Blocker said that his wages come from the cargo, not the taxpayers, and Richard Korn said he moved here in the late 80s as a young Evergreen State College student against logging. 

“The Port has given me a great standard of living, benefits, my children are happy and healthy and have healthcare...I owe that to the port....The port makes it a much nicer place to live in Thurston County....” said Korn.

Above:  Protesters who participated in the blockade, and bystanders who came downtown to help, assist with cleaning up the aftermath of the blockade, while law enforcement continued to guard the tracks on Friday afternoon, November 18.

Downing Seeks To Censure Zita

Yes, the port passed their 2017 budget and capital investment plan with substantial public comment, with the marine terminal revenue and operations still being the most unstable. 

The port continues to operate at a loss in the millions while taxing homeowners nearly $40 on a $230,000 home. Commissioner McGregor said that while he too hopes the port would be off the tax rolls, that it won't happen in his lifetime. 

Then, accusations of misconduct were leveled by Port Commissioner Joe Downing against Port Commissioner E.J. Zita in what amounted to a spontaneous trial.

Downing sought to formally censure Zita on three alleged infractions: talking to the press or public about information learned in executive session, speaking poorly of port staff, and misrepresenting herself as a port liaison in the rail blockade situation without authority.

Downing said Zita violated the port’s 2008 resolution regarding ethical standards, and two articles of its 2015 code of conduct, on integrity and respect. He also added an alleged violation to RCW 42.23.070 under Prohibited Acts, which states that no municipal officer may disclose confidential information gained by reason of the officer’s position.

To support the merits of his case, Downing used excerpts of stories from Little Hollywood and The Olympian, dated November 15, 16 and 17, which were placed on the viewing screen for the public. He proceeded to pummel her for well over an hour.

Zita capably defended herself, pro se, on each point, saying that the information she learned about a possible raid on the camp was not learned in executive session, that port executive director Ed Galligan had, in fact, called her and told her that the camp may be broken up on Thursday. She said she did not know that this was confidential information.

“We should all share concern for public peace and safety. Your way is to keep secrets. My way is to…not keep secrets,” Zita responded to Downing.

Downing continued with his charges, citing a paragraph in a story posted by Little Hollywood on November 15, “Olympia Rail Protesters Given Notice to Vacate, Port Commissioners Respond,” to accuse Zita of speaking poorly of Galligan.

The paragraph he cited, quoting Zita, states, “Port commissioners are responsible for setting port policy, and the executive director is responsible for carrying out the policy. While the executive director may have played a key role in securing the Rainbow Ceramics contract to move fracking proppants through the Port, future decisions on this matter rest with commissioners.”

Zita responded that the statement was neither accusatory nor inflammatory toward Galligan.

“What are our policies on accepting cargo? We haven’t finished that conversation…This is part of a conversation that we have yet to finish…and it’s our job to do that….” she said.

Downing said he sees it as a pattern of belittling the executive director. Zita denied the charge.

Finally, Downing accused Zita of misrepresenting her authority as a liaison of the port in speaking with the protesters. In response, she presented a string of emails dated November 16 – 23 between her and Galligan.

The emails explain the roles she and City of Olympia Mayor Pro Tem Nathaniel Jones played as liaisons in order to seek a peaceful resolution to the situation.

Her email to Galligan dated November 17 clearly states, “All involved understand that none of the participants are authorized to make decisions on behalf of their groups – Olympia Stand, the City, or the Port.” (Bolded and underlines are in the original email.)

Commissioner McGregor seconded the motion, “so we can get to public comment.” His second required the public comment, as the censure would be an action item. Weigh in they did - nearly 20 speakers. More than one said that Downing’s accusations were a “witch hunt,” and “embarrassing,” and demonstrated a lack of civility.

Many longshoremen spoke in support of Downing and congratulated him for protecting the marine terminal interests and their jobs.

Kelly Atkinson, senior vice president of Talon Marine Services of Seattle, said he represents the ships and vessels and in all his 20 years of coming to Olympia for business, has never seen a meeting like this. He questioned Commissioner Zita and whether she supported the marina division of the Port, saying she spoke in “political doublespeak.”

Earlier in the evening, Atkinson complimented the port, saying that crews felt safe and welcome in Olympia. He said that 25 vessels came to port, and crew members spent between $10,000 - $12,000 per port of call, dispersed through various channels, including food provisions and Capital Mall, generating about $300,000 a year into the community.

In Zita's defense, Franz Kilmer-Shoultz said that he was one of the protesters at the camp for nine hours a day, and said it was not Commissioner Zita who alerted protesters that a raid was imminent, but that it was, in fact, a city councilmember who told him.

The evening was so dramatic that Downing’s wife, Myra, felt compelled to step up to defend her husband.

Finally, McGregor said that while this has been a difficult discussion, he commended Downing for bringing up his frustration that the port has not been operating as a body of unity.

Instead of voting to censure Zita, McGregor recused himself, and suggested that all three of them be given a verbal warning.

“Let the healing begin,” he said, in part.

Downing said he felt he got his message across, and that the port needs to run more smoothly.

More public comment by a healthy mix of witnesses to the rail blockade raid, community members, longshoremen, and local economic development representatives ensued. For some, it was their first time at a port meeting, and they used a wide range of adjectives to describe the evening.

McGregor Clarifies Port Role in Rail Blockade

Capping off the evening, McGregor had a few words of his own about City of Olympia Police Chief Ronnie Roberts' comments to city council last Tuesday, and clarified the Port's role in the raid on the blockade.

Roberts’ statement was transcribed by Little Hollywood and published in a November 23 article here: http://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com/2016/11/olympia-police-chief-denounces-port-of.html

McGregor said that Roberts took an oath of office on the responsibility of police chief and has a legal obligation to respond to those who violate the law. He said he was not going to second guess the appropriateness of the response, and commended officers for enduring taunts and intimidation tactics used by the protesters.

“...While we were involved early on in the planning of the removal (of the protesters), the planning changed dramatically due to sensitive information being disclosed to the newspaper earlier in that week by Commissioner Zita. In a follow up meeting, Port staff and/or commissioners were then excluded and were not part of nor privy to the planned action, date, time, etc. of law enforcement plans that were put into motion....”

An email from Commissioner Zita to Galligan on November 23 and copied to City of Olympia Mayor Cheryl Selby and city manager Steve Hall indicates that when Zita walked in on the multi-jurisdictional law enforcement meeting held at port offices on Thursday, November 17, the port's security lead was at the center of the head table. 

Zita says that after she noted the presence of the port security lead, he was then also escorted out.

For more photos and information about the Port of Olympia, the rail blockade of a Union Pacific train, the City of Olympia, Police Chief Ronnie Roberts' statement about the Port of Olympia and ceramic proppants, go to Little Hollywood, https://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com, and use the search button to type in key words.

Above: There are more ceramic proppants at the Port of Olympia. Photo taken of the Port of Olympia on November 22, 2016.