On Monday, January 10, 2005, the longstanding nine-member commission was eliminated and will be replaced with seven new members. The county is wanting to create a decision-making body to represent a broader range of local opinion, experience and expertise, according to Community Development Director Bob Johnson.
The old planning commission was operating under 1978 rules. The state passed the Growth Management Act (GMA) in 1990 and the county is endeavoring to bring county regulations up to date, along with creating a comission with broad-based representation and that allows for open public discussion of all sides of the issues.
The planning commission meets the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month.
Send a letter of intent and a brief resume by January 31, 2005 to:
Phillip Rupp
350 N. Market Blvd.
Chehalis, WA 98532-2626
January 18, 2005 7-9 p.m.
Open to the public.
District 12 Fire Station on Harrison just beyond Lincoln Creek Lumber in Centralia on the right. Exit 82 and head east toward Grand Mound/Rochester.
The committee's charter is to come up with a classification process for designation of agricultural resource lands of commercial significance, designate on a map what lands in the county fall into the classification, and recommend changes to development ordinances respecting the classification. What ever proposals the committee makes will be forwarded to the Lewis County Planning Commission and they may amend and would hold public hearings for questions and comments. Their proposal will go to the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) for further consideration and public hearings before adoption.
Seeking an Outreach and Development Intern interested in sustainable agriculture
Free room and board, plus stipend, offered on Lopez Island located in Washington's serene San Juan Islands archipelago
Are you looking for meaningful work in a peaceful setting? S&S Homestead Farm is a thriving organic farm that is partnering with the Lopez Community Land Trust, a membership based non-profit, to transition the farm from private ownership to a public non-profit. Together we are seeking experienced applicants for the position of Outreach & Development Intern. Working with the farm owners and land trust director, the intern will develop a plan for the transition, create marketing materials, conduct outreach, and help with fund development. This is a 32-hour per week position for a minimum of 9 months and starts in the first quarter of 2005. The intern's time will be divided between non-profit development and hands-on ecological food production.
Applicants should be organized and detail-oriented; have experience in an office setting, including technical skills with computer applications, email, and Internet; demonstrated writing ability; and experience organizing volunteers and working with a diverse range of people. Skill in website design desirable. A background in agriculture is preferred; and the applicant should have a strong interest in sustainable farming, community food security, and environmental stewardship.
Applicants must provide their own health insurance.
S&S Homestead Farm is a Community Supported Agriculture farm that grows a bounty of fresh fruits, vegetables, beef, pork, lamb, eggs and dairy for families on Lopez Island. The farm produces its own animal feeds and fertilizers, and controls pests and weeds exclusively through soil health management using no herbi- or pesticides, thereby reducing purchased inputs to a minimum. The farm sponsors one of only a handful of truly integrated Farm-to-School projects in the nation, with students from a high school science class helping to raise food that is served in their cafeteria. The farm is also the site of a variety of research trials on organic agriculture conducted by faculty of Washington State University. People from all over the world have traveled to the farm to see sustainability in action and enjoy the beautiful environment.
Lopez Community Land Trust is a membership based non-profit organization incorporated in 1989 to acquire and hold land in trust in order to provide for permanently affordable housing, sustainable agriculture and forestry, cottage industries and co-operatives by forever removing the land from the speculative market. The Land Trust collaborates with S&S Homestead and others on various farm-related programs in addition to its work in affordable housing.
Lopez Island is a close-knit, progressive community that welcomes travelers and newcomers.
A job description is attached. If you are interested in this position, please email a one-page cover letter and a resume to Henning Sehmsdorf at sshomestead@rockisland.com by January 17, 2005. No phone calls, please. All applicants will be notified of their status by February 15, 2005.
Cyndi McKenna
cyndi@250years.com
Phone: 360-458-2567
Yelm Washington USA
Greetings:
The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is determining the feasibility of a corridor costing between $4l Billion and $50 billion. (See Page 5 of the Feasibility Study).
At first glance, it appears that this will never be built. However, it might be to our advantage to attend the Steering Committee meeting on January 6, 2005 to find out all we can and ask questions. !!
MEETING: JANUARY 6, 2005 THURSDAY 8:30am-10:30am
WSDOT Tacoma Maintenance Facility
11211 41st Avenue SW
Tacoma 98499
One factor to consider is the necessity of the "private sector" contributing most or all of the cost. However, if this should be built as projected, this would be an immense 9-lane highway with train and pipeline going through many of our front yards (does the natural gas pipeline run through or near your property?). Even if it is scaled down, it would be a severely disturbing
intrusion, more so than WalMart.
For a map of the proposed project
information on Steering Committee meetings