TBD Response to Pension Debacle

June 4, 2013

After discussions by members of the group ‘Take Back DuPont’, the following statement is made:

As citizens of DuPont we are increasingly alarmed by the financial crises that continue to pile up into a staggering debt.  In addition to the Civic Center Debt interest payment due in the weeks ahead, we have been levied a fine of nearly $600,000.00 for poor hiring decisions made in years past.  But recent events also identified the need to repay the ‘loan’ taken via an intra-fund transfer (from the equipment maintenance funds) to the tune of $700,000.00. 

We don’t wish to dredge up what led to the financing of the Civic Center, or the practice of bringing consultants on staff and failing to properly classify them or report their classification to the State Department of Retirement Systems, nor the decision to ‘borrow’ from one fund with the intention of paying it back sometime in the future. 

We have a clear trail of poorly made decisions that have widespread and very costly implications.  These decisions are certainly bad decisions when viewed in hindsight.  We would hope our city staff making these wide-reaching decisions would have more forethought and consider the serious implications their actions, or inactions, will have on the citizens that rely on them.  We expect, and deserve, better decisions made by those in which we entrust with our city be they elected, appointed or providing contracted services.

But we do wish to remind everyone that one of the goals the mayor set for his term, the one where city staff would have detailed job descriptions, performance oriented goals and targets and clearly defined responsibilities.  Without those in place how can any employee be held accountable for their actions, inactions or their poor decisions?  We urge the mayor and the human resources director to make it a priority to put these basic management tools in place.  Then, a policy of holding staff accountable should be immediately put in place.  While the staff is accountable for what they do, and don’t do, the mayor is, and always will be, held responsible. 

With those thoughts ringing clearly, we, the members of Take Back DuPont have started researching what is necessary to initiate a recall. 

takebackdupont@gmail.com

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DRS Examination No 2013-037 City of DuPont

Washington State
Department of Retirement Systems
Examination No. 2013-037
City of DuPont

Limited Scope Audit
Final Audit Report
Issue Date: May 31, 2013

To read the full report, click here. 

Community Discussion on June 2 - Pension Debacle

We're meeting to talk about recent events at city hall: the pension debacle, and now city must pay back $600,000. There's a lot of folks worried about what's going to happen next. This event public and is open to everyone. Please pass the word.

When:  June 2, 2013

Time:  7 pm to 8:30 pm

Where:  2228 Anderson Street, DuPont, WA  98327

Open to the public 

TBD Mixer - Cinco de Mayo, May 4

Take Back DuPont
Is Hosting a Cinco de Mayo Mixer!

When: Saturday, May 4th at 7pm to 10pm
Where: 2228 Anderson Avenue, Palisade Village, DuPont.

We are citizens working together for a better community. Please join us to share your ideas and concerns for our growing city.

We will be serving beer, wine, nachos, and tacos. Please bring an appetizer or dessert item to share with your fellow neighbors. We look forward to seeing you!

POC: Laurie Fait 253-441-1421
POC: Shawna Gasak 253-255-6905
POC: David Bungert 253-227-6390

ROA Needs Your Vote!

Posting about DuPont's Residential Owner's Association

PLEASE VOTE TODAY!

We are still over 100 votes short of having of being able to validate the election for your Board of Directors. Please cast your vote today, either by returning your ballot by mail or voting online. Voting closes at 5 PM on Friday, so don't wait until the last minute (this isn't your income taxes).

The easiest way is to go to our website at: http://www.nwlandingroa.org/ , click on eForms and proceed to the 2013 ROA BOD ballot. Be sure to vote for TWO candidates.

Questions or comments please contact Larry Ackerman @ NW Landing

Community Project at DuPont City Hall

Take Back DuPont has organized its first community improvement project.

Plan to meet at DuPont city hall (1700 Civic Drive) on April 20, 9 a.m to clean & weed the flower beds.

Be prepared to sign a waiver and work until noon rain or shine. Water & a small snack will be provided. Bring your own garden gloves Hope to see you there!

Asarco smelter yard program design available for review

Reposting as a courtesy for DuPont residents. Our community was affected by the smelter plume.

Areas in Powderworks Park and other parks contain high levels of arsenic. Signs have been posted.

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Washington State Department of Ecology
News Release
For Immediate Release 13-073
March 13, 2013
www.ecy.wa.gov

Media Contacts:
Hannah Aoyagi, Toxics Cleanup Program, 360-407-6790, Hannah.Aoyagi@ecy.wa.gov
Seth Preston, media relations, 360-407-6848; 360-584-5744 cell; Seth.Preston@ecy.wa.gov

Asarco smelter yard program design available for review

OLYMPIA – The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) has released a draft plan for cleaning up residential yards polluted by the former Asarco smelter in Tacoma. The public is invited to review and comment on the plan through April 29.

Starting this year, the Residential Yard Sampling and Cleanup Program (Yard Program) will provide soil sampling within the service area, and clean up homeowners’ yards that have levels of arsenic at or more than 100 parts per million (ppm) or lead at or more than 500 ppm.

The Yard Program service area covers three regions:

· The one-square-mile Ruston/North Tacoma Study Area (Superfund site).
· About 3,900 homes in west Tacoma outside the Superfund site.
· More than 700 homes on southern Vashon-Maury Island.

Ecology is using funding from a $94.6 million bankruptcy settlement with Asarco to sample 4,600 yards and clean up the 1,200 that may qualify for cleanup. This is a voluntary program, so some homeowners may choose not to participate.

More than half of the cleanups will happen inside the Superfund site. Over the past 20 years, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) oversaw the Superfund cleanup of yards with 230 ppm arsenic or higher. Ecology will now offer cleanup for about 700 yards that did not qualify for EPA’s program.

“Our first cleanups will happen inside the Superfund site because we already have EPA’s soil sampling data for those yards,” said Ecology cleanup manager Amy Hargrove. “This area still has some of the highest arsenic levels we know of, making cleanup a high priority.”

Later this year, Ecology will begin soil sampling on southern Vashon-Maury Island and possibly in west Tacoma. Cleanup will follow at least a year behind sampling and will likely take until 2021 to complete.
“Over the next few years, we will go neighborhood by neighborhood to contact homeowners eligible for soil sampling or cleanup. However, we encourage people to contact us and sign up now,” noted Hargrove.

The former Asarco copper smelter sat on the border of Ruston and north Tacoma. Emissions from the facility contaminated a 1,000-square-mile area of surface soils with arsenic and lead. Arsenic and lead are toxic metals and can pose a health risk, especially to children.

Cleanup will mostly involve removing contaminated soils to a depth of 12 to 18 inches and replacing it with clean fill and new landscaping. Where soil cannot be removed, Ecology may provide a protective covering of soil or landscaping material.

Ecology is also promoting environmentally friendly landscaping options that reduce water, pesticide, and fertilizer use.

For more information about the Yard Program, a service area map and public comment period documents, visit http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/tcp/sites_brochure/tacoma_smelter/2011/ts-hp.htm. Comments can be sent to Amy Hargrove, Toxics Cleanup Program, Department of Ecology, P.O. Box 47775, Olympia, WA 98504-7775 or Amy.Hargrove@ecy.wa.gov.

Residents of the Ruston/North Tacoma Superfund area can find soil sampling data and whether their yard was already cleaned up at https://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/areispublic/.

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For more information: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/tcp/sites_brochure/tacoma_smelter/2011/ts-hp.htm

Toxics Cleanup Program

Ecology's social media

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