have promoted their own properties without stepping away from a decision regarding their value.  Mr. Baker is only a public figure and not an elected official. There is some room for question about the application of legality but all in all it's a slimy way to conduct business as a City employee if it is indeed true. Stay tuned as I suspect some digging will occur since the Tire Torching Plant is a "hot" topic in River City....The Shoeshineboy

From Willy 5/15/07
Dear Shoe Shine Boy
Today we had a big hearing about building a tire recycling plant.  A
large amount of people turned out.   Most were opposed to this.  One
man mentioned something about the high cancer rate in our
community.  Another mentioned that it was against the law to
incinerate garbage within three miles of a school.   Evidently this
"Clean" plant is still a incinerator.   Will it bring the highest
quality of life for our residents?  Will it be to our benefit,  or
are these people still lying to us?

My guess is that over 90% of the people there were opposed.  If so
many people are opposed how can the city be for it?

I really want to hear what you have to say.

Dear Willy;

I would think that any proposal of this type would gain attention and fill a council chamber to capacity. The folks in the St. Helens area have banded together more than once in the past to shoot down the burner types of industry regardless of how many jobs or how much tax income is promised. These type of industries promise state of the art processes but after the Bergsoe debacle in the early 1980's none of the area residents are willing to take that approach for granted.

In addition this facility seems to have smoothed over, soon to be retired City dictator B. Little and his sidekick Baker as well. But there is probably a good amount of financing behind the proposal and satisfying a couple of public figures should be no problem.

The catch here is that City Planner Baker appears to have given the plant a green light prior to the public asking the hard questions and hearing the answers. With that Bakers staff reports probably show the plant to be compatible with the rules of the City since he knows how to shape a report to conform with his decisions.

If that is the case, It will be difficult for the planning group or the City Fathers to say no. Expect them to put the burden on the state agencies like DEQ and the like so they can hand off the real decision. (Chickens)... That may well start a recall attempt or two and a cry to fire Baker for making the people of the City his last concern. It may also start a ballot title petition to put decisions of this type in front of the people or make any burning facility illegal to sight within the City limits. If it wasn't for guys like Baker and Little your web page wouldn't have anything to chide about.....The Shoeshine Boy


From Sylvia 5/13/07
Dear Shoe Shine Boy
The Port of St. Helens no longer has Williamson running it, even though they are still paying his salary.  They have hired a man at an outrageous salary ($110 am hour) to work Part time.

What is the Port doing for us?  Do you think that they are being fiscally responsible? Are taxpayers getting their money worth from them?  Do you have an predictions as to the future of the Port?

Dear Sylvia,
The Port of St. Helens is an interesting group and it seems the more things change the more they stay the same. Most of what you outline is what I hear as well. It seems what the candidates who are running say about themselves and their accomplishments is stretching the truth a bit.

I for one don't think we would notice it if they all just went away. With Williamson at the Port of Portland or wherever he is enjoying the payoff they negotiated with him to keep the Port from getting sued. Maybe he can talk the Port of Portland into taking over the whole salami. What do we have to thank the idiots who are on the board for anyway except muffing all the good prospects and helping screw up the Airport in Scappoose. Port Westward-Snort Westward, It's all talk and we still need jobs.

The quicker the public sends these board members home the better...Too bad the local news papers seem to be in bed with the cliques that run the County....The Shoeshine Boy

From Sylvia 4/30/07
Dear Shoe Shine Boy
We have an election for Port commissioners coming up.  I see that Mike Avent has once again thrown his hat into the ring.  I seem to recall that he was voted out of office, because many people thought that he using the port and his "Good Ol' boy Network" for his own personal advantage.   He does deal in land, wouldn't you think that this might be a conflict of interest?