On July 29, I posted a blog entry on the county’s proposals for funding a major upgrade to the Bethel Corridor. Slated to cost $43 million with bonding, the project is needed to relieve traffic congestion on South Kitsap’s major commercial corridor. county officials say. Proposals to pay for it include tax measures potentially affecting those who live in the greater South Kitsap area. The county is conducting a survey to gauge voters’ support for such a measure.
Commenter Kathryn Simpson asked why South Kitsap should be the only area taxed in such a manner to fund road improvements. Eric Baker, director of special projects for the county, sent a response to Kathryn’s question, but as a county employee, he’s discouraged from posting to the blog. So I’ll cut and paste his response.
Kathryn wrote:
How did the road improvements in Central Kitsap (Silverdale) and North Kitsap (Poulsbo area) get paid for?
To my understanding, the county portion of these improvement were paid by county funds; which come from county-wide taxes. Now we have a project in South Kitsap (finally!) and the County Commissioners think that just South Kitsap residents should pay for it?
We, in South Kitsap, have paid a share of Central and North end projects. Why shouldn’t Central and North Kitsap help pay for this project?
Regards,
Kathryn Simpson
Eric wrote:
The large projects in Silverdale and North Kitsap have been paid through several funding sources including federal and state, not just local dollars.
For example, the recently begun Waaga Way Extension Road has an estimated cost of $13M, but only $6-8M is from local funds. The other funds came from the state and federal allocations as well as funds received through a competitive process. The cost of the Bethel Corridor is over $25M ($43M if bonded for twenty years).
The County is actively pursuing such state and federal funding for Bethel, but has been unsuccessful to date. These efforts will continue, but the County needs to look at all options to alleviate the existing and future traffic issue of this roadway.
Additionally, the possible taxes and fees you referenced in your story (TBD and CRID) are not being considered only for Bethel and South Kitsap. Improvements to Bucklin Hill Road, Ridgetop Blvd., State Highway 104 and 305 will be looking at similar funding mechanisms, paid for by the citizens that benefit from them. You mentioned these but the blogs seemed to have missed this point.
On a related post, Bob Meadows had this question:
Is this the only explanation we will be given about the county’s decision to take back the funding from existing revenues which had been offered last spring and summer for the Bethel Corridor project?
“If people aren’t willing to pay anything, we don’t have a project,” Angel said. “A lot of people believe there is money to do this project. There is not.”
I guess I could take Angel literally — there is no funding at all, so we can never expect ever again another road improvement project anywhere in the county paid by our existing taxes, since there is no money.
I want to know when the memorial service will be held for the county’s road program. It would be a shame for it to go away with some little “good-by” from all of us.
It will save some of the commissioners’ time, though. They won’t have to update the road plan or do any of that stuff for any place at all in the county ever again, because there is no money.
If the county expects people to approve new taxes, the county leaders need to explain what happened between April and August 2007. It wasn’t a lack of county funds from existing taxes that caused the county to yank away the funds from the Bethel Corridor project.
To which Eric responded:
The size and cost of the Bethel Corridor project (twice that of the Waaga Way extension at $13M) makes it more complicated than other projects. There are road funds in the six-year transportation improvement plan (TIP), but unless a majority of these funds are dedicated to Bethel over the next 20 years the project cannot be completed. This would mean foregoing many other key projects throughout the County for a significant period of time.
The County has invested $4.2M in local money in the Bethel Corridor to date (already half of the $6-8M of local money invested in the completion of the Waaga Way Extension). These expenses include $1.5M for design and permitting and $2.7M in property acquisition. Both the CRID and TBD funding mechanisms have limited abilities to increase the funding as costs increase. If a CRID or TBD is approved, the cost estimated for the project is the generally the amount that can be collected. This would not cover increases in right-of-way costs and asphalt and other construction components that are likely to occur over the development of the project. As there can be no more money received from the TBD or the CRID after initial approval, the Road Fund will be expected to cover those increases.
With the local money already spent and the liklihood of increased costs, the local Road Fund contibution will easily be the equivolent of the Waaga Way Extension (between $6-8M), both which greatly exceed the contibution to any other County road project. The inclusion of additional local funding will greatly affect the ability for the County to fund many important projects in the rural areas such as culvert replacements (shown to be critically important by the December 3rd storm), bridge replacements and other life safety improvements throughout South Kitsap as well as the rest of the County.
With a project a cost of over $25M ($43M if bonded for 20 years), the County must look at other funding mechanisms such as the CRID and TBD if we expect to pay for the project and begin construction.
Discussion? Discussion would be nice. Perhaps we could leave the threats and character assasination out of it.
Regards,
Kathryn Simpson
Yes, of course, the threat of being hit by fruit in a grocery store. It’s one all of us live with.
Kathryn: Amen on the “cease and desist” of character assassination, because we’re still sorta supposed to be discussing Bethel Corridor.
My picture shows because I have a registered gravatar account. Depending on what email I assign to any post I make is the difference in which picture you’ll see, because I actually own *two* gravatar accounts. If you’d like to know how to use gravatar ,which also works on my blog as well, feel free to write me and I’ll tell you how.
Registered voter: You bet, about the website issue. I’ve admin-ed domains before as well as done straight design without admin before. However, this is *not* the case as far as admin and design for the SEED site. If you look at the registration information, you’ll see who’s in charge of admin, and that’s the Port of Bremerton. That’s who you’d direct questions to as far as pricing or the lack thereof for the design of the site, or again, ask Ray. I don’t think I’ve ever been “paid” for design, and that’s just because every experience I’ve had in design has been a learning experience, not only making sure it works right with the blogging software, and is compatible with various browsers. But Ray has an actual design company, which is something I hope to do someday.
I’m not one who “blogs on the public dime” nor am I one who blogs under “fake names” or “anonymous” either, just for the record. And my hair is super blonde right now, same general look as the gravatar picture (again, please write me personally if you need help with that)but blonder.
Back to that Bethel Corridor thing again. Let’s come up with some more great ideas on how to get that money 🙂
I don’t know what this cat fight between Mary Colborn and Kathdryn Simpson is about but I have seen it come through in more than one blog dicussion. Both of you please stop it where is you dignity?
Interesting, if men disagree, it’s politics as usual, but if women disagree it’s a “cat fight.” Sexist mindset, wouldn’t you say, Mr. Croix?
Ms. Simpson has made a practice out of defaming numerous people in a way that is publicly humiliating, all the while ignoring the work she was hired and elected to do. In the meantime, the SKSD, the organization she was elected to aid, is hit with scandal after scandal.
I have the right to be outraged and to call her on her behavior.
Larry,
When I veer, let me know and I’ll try and correct my course. That said, I will not let behavior or hate-speak by others silence my participation. But I will do my best to stay on topic. Thanks for the reminder.
Regards,
Kathryn Simpson
The topic of the blogs have been SKSD’s budget, the Bethel Corridor, and The Tribe’s agreement with the Port, Mary.
My personal calendar, where I work, what my hours of work are, how many children I have, whether or not I am single or married, whether or not I am a sociopath, or even whether or not I am “evil” are not relevent.
Please try and stay on topic!
Regards,
Kathryn Simpson
Mary, you wrote, “We are just asking you to do the job you were elected to do.”
Don’t use “we”.
And I guess your “I’m done with the SK school district” proclamation was as empty as the “I’m so disgusted that I’m going to move away from here” proclamation, huh?
Yes, I am done with SKSD. My vote, my voice and my volunteer hours will no longer be given away so easily to be abused so thoroughly.
Thank you for asking.
And, yes, I have the right as a taxpayer to ask Ms. Simpson to do the job she was elected to do. That shouldn’t involve obsessing on the Bethel Corridor project, the SEED project or the Port of Bremerton’s meeting minutes, especially when the district is in such trouble.
As far as the Bethel Corridor project goes, as I wrote above, why would we need another strip mall there, when our retail establishments are hurting as they are. We need to focus on promoting real economic development, or many people will find themselves more than “disgusted.”
Discussion? Discussion would be nice. Perhaps we could leave the threats and character assassination out of it.
Yes – discussion. My participation on this thread was on the topic of the tribe agreement, the minutes, and surrounding issues of mitigation, error versus amelioration and taking responsibility for one’s assertions.
I zinged you about blogging during company time after you made a snide attempt to do the same when there was nothing in this thread from me to date but discussion on point. You can’t take it, but like to dish it out. Practise what you preach.
Where you work is irrelevant. That your salary is paid by public monies while you might be blogging at work is, particularly when attempting to portray yourself as an advocate for right action.
For the record…..I’m not remotely interested in silencing you. If anything, the more vocal you are – especially when inaccurate or not thorough – the more apparent your thought process and motives. That should be quite public when juxtaposed against the charges you continue to make.
RV and Mary,
You have no knowledge of my work schedule, hours, lunch times, leave schedule, comp time, or flex-time. Neither are those things subject to FOIA access for individual employees. In fact, they are subject to the federal Privacy Act. Thus, you are making accusations about my employment and job performance for which you know nothing about. Even if you did know anything, you would be subject to privacy laws that would prohibit you from legal disclosure.
For example, do either of you know whether I am at work right now, on vacation, on annual leave, on a flex-schedule today, on my RDo, on sick leave, at lunch, or AWOL? No, you do not.
So, try talking real community issues instead of desperate obfuscation.
Finally, making comments or inferring that I’m neglecting my children is way out of line unless you have some proof. Many elected officials have full-time jobs and children. Many do far more than I do in the community. Some don’t do as well. Some are running for public office and have full-time jobs, kids at home, and other interests too. In fact, last I checked, one of them happens to be running for county commissioner for South Kitsap. We disagree on many issues, but I would never question her commitment to her family as you have been disrespecting me.
So, listen carefully… I am an elected official. Chase me all you want in my elected capacity. But my children and my job are not appropriate fuel and fodder for your slime campaigns.
Regards,
Kathryn Simpson
Hannie,
Thanks for the help from your website. That was very kind of you. As you can see, I got the avatar working. Not highly imaginative of me, but it works!
Thanks again.
Regards,
Kathryn Simpson
Now, as Hannie said, back to the Bethel Corridor…
In post #34 of this blog, I posted an analysis of the planned expenditure of local funds in the 2008-2013 Kitsap County Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP). Here it is again, rounding…
$15.7 Million – North Kitsap Projects
$ 6.3 Million – Central Kitsap Projects
$14.7 Million – South Kitsap Projects (including Bethel Corridor)
$ 3.6 Million – Shared amongst all three
Last week, Kitsap County was kind enough to email me the summaries for 2000-2007 and I will post that analysis soon.
Regards,
Kathryn Simpson
If I remember correctly, my job and children WERE fodder for one of your snide campaigns, Kathryn. If I remember correctly, you did your best behind the scene work to negatively impact both.
So, what? You deserve special consideration? Like RV said, you can dish it out, but you can’t take it.
As far as I will continue to remind you that you are being paid by taxpayer funds AND an elected official, who is answerable to the public. Enough said. You are not off the hook.
It should say, “As far as I am concerned, I will….”
Kathryn,
Your comments about your work schedule are not only immaterial, but disingenuous. Nor do I require legal information from you regarding FOIA and exemption six. If the information requested is not regarding your personally private information but that of your actions taken whilst under the employ of the federal government, the exemption requires a clearly unwarranted invasion of privacy as a basis for withholding these records, and there is a tendency to favour disclosure. Further, records that can be denied to an individual under the Privacy Act are not necessarily exempt under the FOIA.
However, you’re inflating this matter. I made it quite clear to you that my appeal to reason is what caused others ‘on the warpath’ to reconsider taking such steps where you are concerned. Don’t mistake a valid discussion regarding government waste with a personal slime campaign. Unless this distortion suits your agenda, of course.
And while I’m pleased you’re getting mileage out of the new you’ve recently learned (obfuscation), it has no application in my case. I’ve said not one word about your children or family obligations, and don’t appreciate being lumped into this nonsense or given meaningless warnings.
You listen carefully. I zinged you about blogging during company time after you made a snide attempt to zing me. Don’t do it again if what you truly desire is discussion on the issues. And don’t direct me to speak on the issues when your only response is to dismiss what you don’t understand with careless accusations about trying to use one law to get around the other. You’re not getting it both ways in here. Not with me anyhow.
Hannie, I have no questions regarding the SEED website. I’m clear on the distinction between administering versus webmaster. Nor do I care if Ray was paid. However, I would certainly confirm that he was before alleging it.
These blogs tend to change in topic and this one is no exception. For those who want to speak on the Bethel Corridor, have at it. If I see something of interest regarding the Port as I attempted to discuss above, I will interject again.
I have never attacked Ms. Colborn’s job or children. That is nonsense. Either offer up some type of proof or quit slandering my name.
Regards,
Kathryn Simpson
Alright, I will. I’ll explain the same things I told to the judge.
I paid $8 to attend the SKHS play, Bye Bye Birdie. I was taken with the quality of the show. I made arrangements to interview the stars, Michelle Tapia and Aaron Terry. I met with both of them and their stories moved me to tears, such good hearted kids. I spent three hours with them total and spent several hours writing a column to promote their play, focusing on Michelle’s performance and her internal motiviations. Later I went back and watched the play again on the final night. So overall I spent about 11 hours on the play and $16.
I had been substitute teaching in the district prior to this. I was called every day, multiple times every day starting at 5:30 or 6:00 a.m. Sometimes I went, sometimes I didn’t. I was homeschooling my son at the time and sometimes we had meetings with his teachers.
I was also playing with a bit of humor writing and wrote my best Dave Barry imitation about the joys of substituting. I thought it was funny, as did most of my friends. In fact, they thought it was funny when it came out in the paper, March 12.
However, starting that day, the phone calls from the district stopped. No more calls to substitute teach. While the bulk of the column was on Michelle Tapia and the student actors, one line caught the attention of a Ms. Salesberry at the high school. One line joking about teachers desks being messy. This led to a five column hate letter to the editor.
Interestingly enough, I ran into Michelle yesterday after all these months at a video store. She said that letter really bothered her, because she felt that the letter writer missed what the column was about. That bothered me as well. Michelle, bless her heart, said she worried about me after that letter, worried about how I would feel and whether the letter would hurt my feelings.
I was confused, frankly, I thought that everyone could readily understand the column was written to promote the school, specifically the play, and even more specifically, the student actors. Here are some quotes from the column:
“I tell you every year that the high school plays are extraordinary and the performances are exceptional, but there was truly something unique and special with Birdie. I have never heard as many people walk out of a theater exclaiming, “That was the best play ever. I want to see it again.” One woman, Sharon Chriswell, who also christened it, “the best play ever!” said, “You could feel the spirit of the kids onstage.””
And: “Aaron Vetter is a case in point. He’s hilarious as nerdy Harvey Johnson, desperate for a prom date and lights up the stage every time he appears, as does Kaitlin Larsen. Those big, brown eyes of hers could melt anyone’s heart and the girl simply sparkles onstage. She’s a natural, so beautiful, so gifted, so graceful, so fun.
The two lead performances, though, are more difficult to qualify. The word “good” doesn’t begin to describe these two students, Aaron Terry and Michelle Tapia. They are such pure souls both on and off stage.”
I wondered how district personnel, especially this Ms. Salesberry could be so smallminded and hard hearted. The offending sentence that troubled her was: “(I can’t begin to tell you how messy teachers’ desks are. They’re scary messy.)” Her rant was filled with attacks, like “who are you to call teachers’ desks messy,” which my teacher friends laughed off, saying, some are messy.
I knew something was up, though, when I failed to get called back to substitute. I called the district personnel office over and over with no response. I received a call requiring me to meet with Greg Roberts. I turned down the invitation. Why should I meet, I asked myself, to be punished for promoting a play? Is one not allowed to laugh on the job? To tease about the rigors of subsituting?
My experience substituing had been mixed. I had some amazing experiences and one that was frustrating, but only one. On my first day, I actually had a 7th grade Cedar Heights student tell me, “You are better than our regular teacher.” When I would run into him while on other assignments, he’d say, “We want you to be our regular teacher. Please say you will.” A sophomore boy at the high school came up after a class and said, “You are amazing. You can write, you can teacher. I adore you.”
Wow. So, I knew that I was making progress. Still no further calls. I requested my records, the way Ms. Simpson tends to request public records and discovered that Ms. Simpson had gone to the personnel director, Greg Roberts immediately after the letter was published and asked why I was allowed to substitute. In response, Mr. Roberts said that it would be easy to make a case against me.
So, they did. They made a case. The letters from fellow English teachers (Ms. Salesberry is an English teachers) said in angry terms that they didn’t want me in the school. They didn’t want someone who didn’t fully support them.
It was a joke. Nothing but a joke. The sad thing was that some of these people were my friends, the teachers of my children.
All the lawyers I spoke to, said the same thing. “Yes, you can show that the firing was the result of the column, but they would bloody you and your family up so much that your mother wouldn’t recognize you. School districts play dirty.” When I would ask, if that type of treatment would endear the district to the community, I was told, “It doesn’t matter. They don’t care. They just like to win.”
So, yes, Ms. Simpson you did attack my job. And, you won. That round. Did you realize that this would lead me to decide to never write another column on the district again. 51 of the 280 columns I have written were pro-school. That amounts to about 20+%. Ironically, the district has had no positive press since March 19th, when Aaron Terry’s column ran.
The cool thing is that most of the community got the column. They came to the play. They supported Michelle Tapia. She received flowers from strangers every night. So, even though the teachers didn’t catch the humor and the message, the community did. If only that was all that mattered.
Ah, this is the article where you also talked about falling asleep, as a substitute teacher, in class?
For anyone who wants to read of the whole article…
http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/kitsap/poi/opinion/17104356.html
The fact that you told the public, in a column in the newspaper, that you fell asleep while substitute teaching, is in the public domain. That you blame me for any personnel actions against you is now in the public domain. That you failed to mention, in your post above (which is in the public domain), that you fell asleep in class while substitute teaching indicates that you are intentionally omitting information that may be relevent.
Now, since I understand what this misperception of yours is all about, that you are not including all the facts, and that I now know it was a personnel matter, I will recuse myself of further comment unless you give me written permission to discuss it. As a school board member, I cannot comment openly on personnel matters without express permission of the employee or former employee, except what would be a matter of public record.
Have a nice day.
Regards,
Kathryn Simpson
It was a joke, Kathryn. It’s always difficult to introduce a topic and I was playing with humor writing as a way of pulling the reader into the story. The column, 63% of the words, were praising the student actors and the play. Like I said, the rest of community caught the joke.
You, on the other hand, used it as fodder for a personal political vendetta.
No, I do not give you permission, written or otherwise to comment on the matter. But, I do have the notes that show that you went the day after the column was released to question my employment.
Which show, to me, that you use your position as a school board in ways that are questionable, if not out right unethical.
I have other examples, though.
There are tougher things about substituting that I didn’t joke about. Like the pay and aggressive and belligerent students.
Not, the money or lack thereof. While the pay is nothing to get excited about, it’s the fact that it takes over a month and a half to get paid that really hurts. For instance, say a person works the whole of September. The schools will then submit the forms to be processed at the end of the month of September and the sub will receive a check sometime in mid-October.
Which means that a person must work with no pay for a month and a half. In the meantime, he or she must pay for gas, child care, food, clothing, etc. to be able to work.
It’s one of the reasons that there are so few people willing to do the job. You have to be well-off to even consider subbing.
That, and the fact that discipline is so difficult as a substitute, make it a job that is not fun at all, unless you get a particularly fun class. I had a few of those.
Support from teachers isn’t there either. You are just an interloper, who they will give a movie to show. I can’t tell you how many students joked when they read my column, “All they do is show movies and not just subsitutes, our high school and junior high teachers, too.”
I guess joking about subbing is cause for dismissal. I didn’t see that listed on the personnel forms, but I guess it is when you have a poltical enemy like Ms. Simpson.
Mary,
I did NOT interfere with a personnel matter. What you are saying is slander.
If you believe I did so then pursue appropriate recourse. But to accuse me of abusing my authority without proof, and offering up only that I inquired of staff as to status, is slander.
In the course of any given month, I make many inquiries of staff regarding status if a matter comes to my attention. That is routine. That is not pursuing vendettas. When an issue comes to my attention and I am unaware of the history, I may inquire. Inquiry is not the same as action or involvement. . In fact, that inquiry is frequently to ensure that due process is being followed to treat an employee fairly.
Regards,
Kathryn Simpson
Regards,
Kathryn Simpson
Alright. Another example. So, many people are aware that you pursued a restraining order. Do they also know that you pursued a No Trespass Order for the SDSD, as well? The Friday after the Thursday that I blogged to have you meet me in the parking lot, ala The Outsiders, meaning jokingly, “All right Kathryn, gloves off, let’s rumble. Meet me in the parking lot…” you did several things.
You called Susan Cruver, Chairman of the 26th Dems to tell her you feared for your life. Are you her close friend? I don’t believe so. So, is that slander?
You also went first thing on Friday morning, after you convinced a judge to give you a temporary order, to the district offices to speak with Bev Cheney and share with her your troubles. I was unaware of any of this, until my son worriedly called me to say that a strange man kept coming to our home. This man served me with a No Trespass Order from SKSD on Sunday of that week.
It stated that I was not allowed to step foot on school property without a security escort, including to my son’s school. It stated that I could get permission to attend a school board meeting if I requested such permission seven days before the event.
I told all of us to the judge at the time of the hearing on May 5th. The order prohibited me from speaking with my son’s counselor or teachers in person. It prevented me from attending any school plays, concerts, award ceremonies, or even the Relay for Life, which I had volunteered at with my children for many years.
I obliged and you had to tell the judge that there was no violation of this order. He told you that he had nothing to do with it and it was outside the law. The lawyers I spoke with said the same thing, that there was no legal grounds for such an order. They said, in fact, that it was illegal and that I could pursue legal action against the district, if I so wished. However, they also cautioned me that the district would use taxpayer funded legal counsel and it would be costly for me.
The judge also stated, regarding the protection order, that you had no grounds for claiming harassment. No grounds at all. You argued with him, not a good thing to do in court. He also said that, and I quote, “No reasonable person would consider this a threat,” referring to the blog comment. No reasonable person? That would include you, but it also included Bev Cheney. He said that the courts were not established to govern political discussions on blogs.
However, days passed and I saw nothing that indicated that you had gone and told Bev Cheney that the protection order was thrown out, that it was unreasonable. But, I also had nothing to indicate that you didn’t do the ethical thing. In fact, I discovered to my horror when I went to buy a yearbook for a friend’s daughter on the last day of school that it was very much in place, even though it was a month and a half since the order was denied. A month and a half, when you could have shown the character to say, “Oops, I over exaggerated the threat. Sorry.”
What I discovered was that letters went out to all the principals in the district and to the school board telling them I was a threat. Me, a threat. Me, who had given hundreds of volunteer hours, served on taskforces and advisory boards, had a Golden Apple and Golden Acorn from the district. Me, who had two students graduate as AP scholars, receiving top honors. Me, who Mr. Richardson called a “model parent.” I only say this, because if I can be a target for a No Trespass Order (as the lawyers said), anyone could.
And, you accuse me of slander? Oh, Kathryn.
Some of these principals I have included as friends in the community as well. They’re people my children played baseball with and whose children I wrote stories on and whose children went to Boys State, for instance with my own.
And, I didn’t just substitute for the school. I also wrote columns on students and programs there. I also tutored SKSD students. I also offer author visits, because my children’s book is considered by kindergarten teachers to be a great way to teach phonemic awareness. All these things are jobs, sometimes even paying.
It wasn’t until my good friend, Marie Erdmann, went to Bev Cheney and Kurt Wagner and said, “What gives? Why are you allowing this?” that a change came in the mail. I received it two days after school was officially out.
So, in the meantime, I couldn’t, if I wanted to, write, the way I always do every spring, on the graduating class. I couldn’t tell the community about the Eagle Scouts, or outstanding actors. I couldn’t share my impressions of the Highlighters’ last concert or showcase the top photography award winner or top scholar.
Due process, or personal political vendetta turned ugly.
Maybe we should let others decide if you wield too much power as a SKSD member. Maybe we should let others decide how far outside your job description you go, especially when this is just one tiny example of the things and lengths you go to, to fight a political battle.
The reason I stopped working with you was very similar. Grow the Park members, including you, kept telling me stuff like, “We have things on Larry Walker that will make his wife divorce him,” and when I would question you, hoping beyond hope that I heard wrong, that you couldn’t mean to hurt people to that degree to win, I never got the reasurrance I needed.
In fact, what happened is that you and Judi Edwards went to the papers and the courts to claim that you believed that Margie Rees and Ron Flerx were defrauding an insurance company by claiming more damages than existed. Personally, you had no idea what was really in the mobile that burned, but you planted the seed. In that case, too, you never rescinded the opinion. You left it to hang in the air, the way you did the restraining order. You never went back and told the papers, “Oops, we were wrong, we overexaggerated.”
Maybe you believed, the way you said in the blogs about the restraining order, that the judical system failed you.
Of course, that’s what happened. You were just doing your duty as a citizen and the system failed you. Of course.
You know, I was wrong earlier, Mary. It isn’t slander when it is written, it is libel. And frankly, I’d welcome the Kitsap Sun to look into your allegations and lies. I’d prefer they do it before they let you continue to post this libelous jibberish, but it is their website.
When you take half of a truth and put it with a lie, it isn’t a half-truth, it is a lie.
Regards,
Kathryn Simpson
Well thanks Mary (I think) for providing some of the pieces of the puzzle that is your continuing fight between Kathryn and yourself. What now?
Kathryn–I’ve seen how you fight on the blogs and your incessant need to be right at all times, maybe you can grow up, be an adult, and admit defeat sometimes–throwing slander and libel threats around, and taking other bloggers to court is just plain ridiculous. As for your claim that you feel threatened by Mary…I don’t believe you one bit when you say you are fearful of Mary–Not One Bit. And neither did the judge.
Mary–We all know there is a lot of complicated negative tangled webs when it comes to your work with Kathryn, but it always ends up bad when you bring items to light. Maybe by bringing certain facts out it will help the public understand the feud, but then maybe again it may just blow up in both of your faces. If Kathryn is as evil as you say, she will get her comeuppance, in the end evil is usually conquered, it just takes time.
I hope that you both someday realize that this fight has gone on about as far as the general public cares to see.
May both of you please stop, I have a headache from y’all.
So, what part of the truth do you find hard to swallow? Like RV said, you can dish it out and call people unethical at all turns, but you can’t take it.
This is the truth with all its ugliness. I have the notes from the district, the No Trespass Order, the letters, the attorney contacts. The transcript of the hearing can be easily obtained. All there. Nothing missing, except possibly phone conversation notes from SKSD.
You would think that the least you could do was apologize for causing my family and me harm.
I would welcome the Sun investigating, too. I think it would make an interesting story – that someone goes after people deemed to be political rivals in the way you do. There is that abuse of power issue.
I have a lot of evidence I wouldn’t mind sharing.
I have confidence that any reporter to whom you give evidence will have the common sense and good judgment to evaluate all the pieces relevent to the issue, not just the pieces you pick and choose to to give them. Thus, I have no worries. Share away…
Have a good evening.
Regards,
Kathryn Simpson
I think it would make an interesting story ..
I disagree. The manner in which this situation has devolved is nothing short of tragic. Mary, you should really keep this in perspective. Outside of these blogs, some school district work, and the Port meetings, Kathryn really isn’t that well known. Steven Boyer didn’t even know who she was.
Perhaps you are seeing this as much larger in scope than it is, or should be? If you truly believe you have a grievance and damages, compile your data and seek legal redress before an objective third party. Otherwise, consider moving on and just chalking it up to the drama it truly is. This blog really isn’t the place.
Maybe not, but it is important to express what happened and to pay attention when it happens to others and I don’t doubt it will.
I think it is an important story in that someone in an elected position would use whatever she has at her disposal, truth or not, to seek political gain.
I know of no one else in the community who does what she does. The number of people she hurts is large and always growing.
Does it matter that Steve Boyer know who she is? Are you making that reference because of his job title? Or, was it just random?
Mary, please. These blogs are not the place for this personal business. Please stop. Kathryn, please stop.
“Does it matter that Steve Boyer know who she is? Are you making that reference because of his job title? Or, was it just random?”
I took it to mean that if you’re not part of the clique, you’re – obviously – not that important. It’s the type of disparagement you could probably hear everyday at one of our county’s junior high schools.
Chris Henry here. Users of this blog are now on notice that I will delete, without explanation, any future comments referencing the conflict between Mary Colborn and Kathryn Simpson. Ladies, this blog is not the place to air your personal grievances with one another. I am hearing other blog readers say they are sick of it. If either of you feel you have a valid case against the other, I suggest you take it to civil court and see if you can get a hearing. And, no, I am not suggesting that if it became a court matter, the Kitsap Sun would cover what appears to be a personal vendetta between you.
P.S. I’m technically on vacation this week, so if there’s a lag in my monitoring of the blog, I apologize in advance to all readers.