The list of top stories for 2015 was generally stacked with abstract items, like publicized disputes, politics and budgets. But in 2016, the news was varied: the arrest of an alleged supporter of terrorism, a murder, a political gaffe/scandal, and positive news like new businesses coming to the area and a big name attached to a county-owned facility.
Here are the top 10 stories from 2016:
1Islamic State supporter arrested in Montesano
There’s something about big news, the hard-hitting stories with worldwide implications, that small towns feel isolated from. All of it is so far away, it might never impact a one-stoplight town. For Montesano and East County, potential terrorism is no longer a foreign anxiety.
In February, Daniel Seth Franey was arrested in rural Montesano on five counts of unlawful possession of a firearm.
Franey, who was not legally allowed to own or possess firearms, sought to buy weapons from an undercover agent, and traveled with the agent to fire weapons.
According to court documents at the time, Franey was outspoken in his support for the Islamic State and he referred to Osama Bin Laden as “holy warrior” and a “beautiful man.” Franey also discussed attacking potential military targets, including Joint Base Lewis McChord and a military gathering he believed takes place near Ocean Shores.
In July, Franey pleaded guilty to illegal weapon possession. He did not admit any other wrongdoing and he was not brought up on any charges specifically related to terrorism.
2 Elma homicide
A murder in East County likely will always be in the year’s top 10, simply because East County doesn’t encounter many murders.
At the very end of May 2015, Jacob Eveland of rural Elma is alleged to have murdered Roy N. Jones who had been house sitting for Eveland while he was in jail for an unrelated crime. Eveland then set fire to his house, valued at more than $400,000, and fled the scene.
Jones’ body was found in the lawn by first responders, and a manhunt ensued. Eveland was arrested in Seattle about a week later.
In July, Eveland pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. His trial is scheduled to begin early this year.
3 County commissioner accused of stealing signs
Nobody expected to see Grays Harbor County Commissioner Frank Gordon holding his challenger’s campaign signs when a trail camera was set up in Aberdeen — but that’s what was caught on camera and circulated in September.
Gordon was vying for re-election to his commissioner seat against Randy Ross of Aberdeen. When Ross’ signs came up missing on more than one occasion at a specific corner in Aberdeen, Ross’ friend and supporter put up a trail camera to nab the culprit. Pictured was Gordon entering the frame empty handed, and a second picture of Gordon walking back through the frame with Ross’ signs in his hands.
The accusers say Gordon was uprooting the signs and ditching them. Gordon claims he found the signs on the ground and was moving them to a more prominent location where they would be found by someone from Ross’ campaign.
Gordon later alleged a conspiracy against him in which he was set up by Ross, and he accused the media of “doctoring” the photographs.
Ross defeated Gordon in November’s General Election.
Gordon has since had misdemeanor charges of defacing political advertising filed against him at Aberdeen Municipal Court. At the end of December, Gordon’s attorney had requested a change of venue to Thurston County. The request was granted.
4 Commissioners amend fee for access ordinance
The Grays Harbor County Commissioners had been entangled in an ongoing lawsuit for more than a year after approving an ordinance to discourage timber companies from charging fees for public access.
Simply described, the ordinance removed tax incentives for timber companies that charged fees for public access in Grays Harbor County.
The ordinance had been adopted in 2014, and a lawsuit soon was filed by The Washington Forest Protection Association, Green Diamond Resource Co., Rayonier and the Weyerhaeuser Co. against the county.
During a hearing in February 2016, despite a large crowd of opposition, the commissioners voted 2-1 to amend the ordinance removing any language about fees for access. Commissioner Wes Cormier voted against the amendments saying he would have liked to “have our day in court.”
Commissioners Frank Gordon and Vickie Raines (Raines was not a commissioner when the original ordinance was approved), however, were concerned about potential court costs and attorney fees. Both noted they believed the issue of fees for access should be addressed at the state level and not by just Grays Harbor County.
5 New manager at ORV park
There’s a lot to be said about the power of celebrity.
The Grays Harbor County Commissioners seemed to agree in December when they selected four-time supercross and three-time motocross champion Ryan Villopoto as the new promoter and manager of the county-owned Straddleline ORV park.
Villopoto and his company PNWMX, LLC were selected during a special meeting, and when announced, the decision was generally celebrated by those with knowledge of the industry.
The park has been unprofitable for the county, historically. Recently, there has been a dispute with Thurston County over stormwater rates (the ORV park is situated on the border between the two counties).
The former manager of the park, Promoto LLC, declined to extend their lease with the county in September.
6 Business not booming, but maybe bettering
The workforce in East County was hit with disappointment in March when Mary’s River closed its mill in Montesano after more than 40 years. More than 35 people were laid off.
Much of the year saw little excitement — with the exception of a clinic opening in McCleary in April followed later by a pharmacy at the same location, and the announcement of a large marijuana production operation approved for Satsop Business Park. But the end of the year brought two significant business announcements for East County.
In December, the closed mill in Montesano received a new lease on life, with Fox Lumber of Montana signing a lease for the land with the City of Montesano. Fox Lumber is planning to hire some 30 employees to the mill, Montesano Mayor Vini Samuel announced during a council meeting.
Closing out the year, the Port of Grays Harbor approved a lease with Overstock.com, a large online retailer, for a customer service call center at Satsop Business Park. That venture could employ about 150 people.
7 Montesano budget woes
The City of Montesano moved into 2016 with a new administration, and basically a new council. Samuel and four city council members were sworn into office in January. While the new mayor and council immediately got to work discussing the issues facing the city, their plans were slowed to a crawl when the city realized the budget was headed for a significant operating deficit.
Samuel hired CFO Doug Streeter shortly after the budget issues were realized.
With a budget crisis looming, the city took action laying off two clerks and delaying the purchase of a police car.
Following the layoffs, delayed purchases and other cuts to expenditures, the city was set to finish the year with a surplus of about $136,000.
Streeter reorganized the budget for additional transparency. The budget for 2017 is projected to end with about the same amount in ending cash.
8 Sales tax increase
Voters of Grays Harbor County approved a sales tax increase of three-tenths of 1 percent during the August Primary Election.
The tax went into effect on Jan. 1.
The new sales and use tax rate will be 8.8 percent in unincorporated areas and the cities of Montesano, Elma, McCleary, Oakville, Cosmopolis, Hoquiam, Ocean Shores and Westport.
According to the Proposition 1 ballot title, “At least one third of this additional funding shall be used to preserve the current level of criminal justice or fire protection purposes, and to provide for anticipated future needs.” The proceeds from the increase are split – 60 percent for the county, 40 percent for the cities.
9 Cascadia Rising
In preparation for a potentially massive earthquake that could impact the region at any time, multiple agencies convened in Grays Harbor County (and throughout the region) in a massive training called Cascadia Rising.
Cascadia Rising attempted to simulate a response to a magnitude 9.0 earthquake.
In East County, a military presence was noticeable at the Grays Harbor County Administration Building in Montesano, at Satsop Business Park, and at Summit Pacific Medical Center in Elma. Military vehicles also were common throughout the area during the week-long training.
At the height of the event, more than 150 soldiers from the Kentucky National Guard participated in a search and rescue training at Satsop Business Park, scouring indoors for “victims” among rubble. Fifty local volunteers were staged throughout the facility with makeup to simulate injuries.
At Summit Pacific Medical Center, another team of Kentucky National Guard personnel decontaminated and medically treated the victims.
Organizers said the training brought significant questions and concerns to the forefront so they can be addressed before an actual disaster of that magnitude occurs.
10 County BBQ
Following a barbecue in June for the county public works staff (and other staff from throughout the county offices), the Grays Harbor County Commissioners allowed the staff to go home for the afternoon with pay. While the afternoon only amounted to a couple of hours at most, the county maintains, the decision led to a finding from the state Auditor’s Office.
Initially, Grays Harbor County Auditor Vern Spatz blew the whistle on the commissioners’ action, calling it a “gift of public funds.”
The commissioners had informally conferred and agreed to OK the afternoon off. In making that decision, the commissioners were in breach of the Open Public Meetings Act. In granting those employees the afternoon off with pay, the commissioners had granted “unallowable extra compensation,” according to the state Auditor’s Office, which essentially agreed with Spatz.
That was the only finding the county received during the audit.
