HomeMy WebLinkAboutJohn Wayne Marina> Take One <
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to take over John Wayne Marina'
A Screw -the -Public plan now being cooked up by Port Commissioners and Sequim City
Officials aims to sell control of the Public's John Wayne Marina to the Jamestown S'Klallam
Tribe. In order to comply with the technical legal requirement of government ownership of our
Marina, irresponsible political bosses will have the Port and City be front organizations, the
paper proprietors, for long-term and likely permanent lease management control of the Marina
by the S'Klallam Tribe and its Economic Development Authority (EDA). The Tribal EDA
provides oversight to tribal businesses, and that includes their stated mission to "maximize
Tribal investment" in pursuit of "for-profit ventures' f0 the benefit of Jamestown Trihai
members. The S'Klallams of Port Gamble have the same focus from their Noo-Kayet
Development Corporation. On its website they announce their only "mission" is to promote
and advance the "long term economic interests" of the S'Klallam Tribe. Neither Tribes'
special-interest authorities say anything about the Public's interests, or that of the County or
people of Sequim or Port Angeles, and that's because it's about the Tribes serving
themselves first and foremost and not equally with anybody else.
The S'Klallams are seeking lease control and management of the Marina in order to have a
steadily enlarging share of its resources, assets, and benefits. This is for the money they'd be
required to put into it, their announced plans for extensive development on land right across
the street from the Marina, the Tribe's published goal of for-profit "marine services"
investments, the S'Klallams existing aquaculture business at the Marina, Tribal plans to
expand commercial seafood operations on the Bay, and as an enhancement to their casino
and projected resort facilities. (How convenient and attractive the Marina's facilities will be for
boaters who are preferred guests of the Tribal resort and casino.) And do you suppose the
Tribe wants any special benefits from all that money it gave to elect Port Commissioner
MCAleer, who is supposed to represent the Public in the section of our County that includes
the Marina and Sequim? This is the same Commissioner who is employed by a Port tenant
and yet somehow claims that doesn't influence the way that tenant is treated by the Port.
City and Port Officials try to soothe our concerns by saying that with the takeover there will
still be "Public access" to the Marina. At Sunset Marina on Lake Chelan, "public access" refers
only to the sewage pump out station and one dock the Public is allowed to walk on—as the
Wenatchee World reported—"to enjoy the sunsets_" Preferential access goes to members.
With the Tribal Corporation as Captain of Management, the Marina will be increasingly
steered toward preferential Tribal access and its "for profit" goals and away from the Public.
Because of his love of the sea and Northwest waters, property for our Marina was
generously given by the family of legendary actor John Wayne. That gift honors diversity by
serving all of us equally, and it was never intended to be controlled by any self-proclaimed
self-centered group. We certainly support economic prosperity for the Tribe, but there are
plenty of other opportunities that don't involve taking over our public property and facilities.
John Wayne Marina's original construction cost came from Public resources, and so it was at
its birth and it always must be a Public -focused, Publicly -owned and Publicly -managed facility.
A City and Port action that departs from that by taking money from the Tribe for control of our
Marina in any way, shape or form is a betrayal of the Public trust.
Boaters and Voters United