Yelm Area Chamber of Commerce Award Winners
2008 – 2009 Award Winners Announced
Chamber of Commerce 2008-2009 Award Winners to be honored at the Tuesday, May 12, 2009 Chamber forum Luncheon.
Congratulations to the honorees:
Business of the Year (1-5 Employees)
PCI Pest Control and Inspection
Matt Purcell, Owner
Business of the Year (6-20 Employees)
Nisqually Valley News
Keven Graves, Publisher/Editor
Business of the Year (21+ Employees)
Baydo’s
Walt Baydo, President
Chamber of Commerce Volunteer of the Year
John Gibbs Thompson, Project Manager & Property Services
Director, Prairie Park Holdings, LCC
City of Yelm Citizen of the Year
Ron Harding, R&M Remodeling
JZ Knight, President of JZK, Inc. Official Statement in response to the Nisqually Valley News request for a comment to Yelm’s Mayor Ron Harding telling them SB5867 may have been influenced by JZ Knight has been posted on www.jzknight.com.
The statement calls out Yelm Mayor Ron Harding and stops short of calling him a liar regarding his statements to the Senate Environment, Water and Energy Committee
in the SB5867 hearing, where he implied that JZ Knight was behind the creation of SB5867 and that the Final Judgment on the November 8, 2008 Court Case regarding water use was vague, even though it was very clear the city had lost.
It is hard to believe the Mayor honestly thinks either of these things are true, when their is no direct connection between Knight and SB5867 (Besides it being inspired by the November court case. Maybe call bill sponsor Senator Fraser and ask) and it was very clear the city lost the court case (why else appeal if you didn’t lose?)
Yelm Mayor Ron Harding
Yelm Mayor Ron Harding will present his 2009 State of the City Address at the Yelm Area Chamber of Commerce Luncheon Forum which takes place 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 10 at the Nisqually Valley Moose Lodge.
Harding is expect to address transportation issues, the current water rights issues and the economy and site his accomplishments such as the city’s decision to eliminate late fees in the utility department and dog licensing fees.
Ron Harding, the current Mayor of Yelm, struck back at his critics, singling out JZ Knight, with a letter to the Nisqually Valley News. The Mayor’s letter was printed in the paper, but not featured online.
Harding called a full page paid ad placed in last weeks paper as “standard propaganda” and claims “There’s a lot of misinformation out there” but not giving any specifics or additional information. There is no reference to the article in the Olympian last week which seemed to cover alot of the points from JZ Knight’s press release and ad.
Mayor calls Knight ad misleading
Yelm officials this week called a full-page ad placed in the Nisqually Valley News by channeler JZ Knight “standard propaganda.”
Posted Nov 28, 2008
By Megan Hansen
Nisqually Valley News
Yelm officials this week called a full-page ad placed in the Nisqually Valley News by channeler JZ Knight “standard propaganda.”
The paid advertisement, which appeared in last week’s newspaper as well as the Nisqually Valley Shopper, responds to a decision made in Thurston County Superior Court regarding Knight’s appeal of five Yelm subdivisions.
Mayor Ron Harding denounced the ad in a letter to the editor published in this week’s edition.
“Normally I don’t engage in the back and forth,” Harding said. “There’s a lot of misinformation out there.”
“I wanted the community to know that their elected officials are doing what’s right.”
The court’s decision requires the city to prove potable water at final plat approval and give Knight special notice when water is issued in those developments.
“Knight and her handlers have employed many tactics to impact the progress of our city,” Harding said in his letter. “The latest strategy is to challenge the city on water issues. Knight’s money and influence have been used in attempts to manipulate public policy.”
Former mayoral candidate Steve Klein, a spokesman for Knight, declined to comment Tuesday.
Though told what the letter says, Klein said he could not comment without reading the letter itself.
“The matter is far from resolved, despite what Knight’s ad may say,” Harding said in his letter. “Our democratic process is still at work.”
“The most recent court ruling is just another step in the progression to resolution and the basic issue of water rights is still in question.”
Harding said he doesn’t want to get into a big public debate over the water issue and Knight’s court case, but claimed there was too much information in the ad that he believes is misleading and false.
“She (Knight) effectively wants the city to reserve water for her use sometime in the future,” Harding said in his letter.
“The latest court decision has elevated Knight above the rest of our citizens by requiring special notification on projects just for her benefit.”
City of Yelm
Press Release
105 Yelm Avenue West
360.458.8405
Yelm, WA 98597 360.458.3188 FAX
www.ci.yelm.wa.us
For Immediate Release
October 10, 2008
For further information contact:
Ron Harding, Mayor
(360) 458-8401
mayor@ci.yelm.wa.us
The City of Yelm is pleased with Thurston County Superior Court Judge Chris Wickham’s
decision to deny JZ Knight’s request to overturn preliminary land use approvals for five
separate subdivisions in the City.
Yelm’s permitting process is consistent with that of jurisdictions throughout the state of
Washington.
Richard Settle, representing the City of Yelm in this case, is pleased and not surprised by
Judge Wickham’s favorable decision.
“The decision essentially upholds the City’s approvals of the preliminary subdivisions. The only
required change was a minor clarification,” Settle said. “The City has long agreed that this
clarification is appropriate. The record before the Court was created when JZ Knight was
making a far different argument, that proof of sufficient water rights to serve eventual
development is required before preliminary subdivision approval. The Court noted in its opinion
that Knight changed this argument during the proceedings.”
Settle noted that the City is doing a fine job in its water system management and expressed
confidence that Yelm’s land use permitting process will be upheld if Knight continues her
appeals.
“To set aside water rights at a time other than building permit does not make sense. In
essence, the City would have to set aside water for lots that might not ever be developed,” said
Yelm Mayor Ron Harding, who is happy with the decision.
“If the judge had agreed with Knight,” Harding explained, “all growth in Yelm, including the
construction of new homes and businesses would stop.”
“With the economic challenges we are facing, both nationally and locally, continued
development is essential to maintain a healthy community,” Harding concluded.
“In light of the vast time and money dedicated to this case,” said City Administrator Shelly
Badger, “it is ironic that the decision equates to Yelm doing business as usual. The permitting
process isn’t changed.”
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