Commissioners Must Rise to the Occasion on Unmarked Vehicles
Now is the time for the Lewis County commissioners to rise to the occasion. April 6 will be the third part of the hearing on Title 10 of the County Code Enumerating Excepting to Marking County Vehicles. We are witnessing is the balance of powers at work. This is very refreshing to see.
Sheriff Rob Snaza and the Lewis County Prosecutor’s Office have requested that the Lewis County commissioners pass Ordinance 1257 to enhance the state RCW.
Snaza states that due to a court case heard in Chelan County, he wants to make sure that Lewis County is legally covered by law to operate unmarked vehicles.
The first two parts of the hearing were very revealing, as there were questions that were left unresolved partly because the sheriff was dealing with the flood we were having on the day of the hearing. For the other part of the equation, the people showed up to hold their feet to the fire.
For the second part of the hearing, the people returned in greater numbers. Approximately a dozen of us asked questions and gave testimony. In both sessions there was only one who spoke in favor of passage.
The people of Lewis County have reason to be concerned if the commissioners grant passage to Ordinance 1257. The state RCW 46.08.065 already addresses all of the concerns that the sheriff has verbally expressed at the hearing.
Lewis County has been for some time now using unmarked vehicles for undercover work. The two items that are different between the state RCW and the proposed ordinance is this: sheriff vehicles used for traffic control and the ability to assign unmarked vehicles to the county jail, the county prosecuting attorney’s office and the county juvenile court service.
On Feb. 9, the sheriff’s department was authorized to purchase five new patrol cars. Under the writing of this proposed ordinance they could be assigned to the department, listed above, unmarked.
Do you know the faces of all employees in Lewis County? How would we know they are using these vehicles for official business or personal use at our expense?
The citizens of Lewis County want our peace officers to be just that, peace officers.
We want them to be approachable, we want them to be definable, we want them to be our friends and we want them to serve and protect us and stay within the bounds of the Constitution.
I think all employees of Lewis County should be pleased to drive a vehicle with the Lewis County logo on them. After all, they work and live in the best county of state as far as I am concerned.
Please go to http://lewiscountywa.gov/ and view part 1 and part 2 of the hearing dated Jan. 5 and Feb. 9. Also email BOCC@lewiscountywa.gov or call (360) 740-1102 and let them know your thoughts.
I encourage our commissioners to do the right thing on April 6 in exercising their balance of powers with a no vote.
Bob Bozarth
Chehalis
Support Urged for Napavine Bond on April Ballot
I am writing in support of the Napavine School District bond election on April 28. As a grandparent of three grandchildren in Napavine schools, I am proud of the accomplishments that the students of Napavine schools have accomplished over the years. The staff and administration have worked hard to make sure that our children have had a stellar and supportive educational experience.
However, the time has come to improve the facilities that have become outdated and in need of a major overhaul. It is time to move the seventh- and eighth-graders out of the portables. It is time to move the high school students out of the hallways and into a new commons space during mealtime.
It is time to return the elementary gym to the elementary school students for PE classes that are currently being held in the multipurpose room.
Likewise, with the passing of this bond, Napavine patrons will provide two more classrooms to the elementary school campus to accommodate the growth in our bulging younger student population.
And the passing of this bond will make our secondary school environment a more safe and secure campus.
Our kids need these improvement today in order to meet the demands of tomorrow that require all students to be prepared as college and career-ready citizens.
Our community has spoken loud and clear that it wants an improved school facility that will sustain our students’ educational needs for decades to come.
Some have argued that this bond comes with too high of a price tag.
Please remember that we have some of the lowest interest rates available to us today — and that construction costs have historically and will most likely increase if we wait until later to try and make the necessary improvements that our aging schools require.
There is a tremendous amount of pride in the town of Napavine and wonderful support for our schools and students in our community. And rightly so. It is the finest place that many, yes on April 28 — for the future success of our kids and grandkids. Thank you.
Bill Sullivan
Napavine
