Laura Lee Carter of the Adventures of the New Old Farts is having trouble getting into the holiday spirit due to health problems. However, now that she and her husband have decorated their Christmas bush, she’s getting there.
Carter reports boomer bloggers are writing about mommyisms, grief, best birthdays, what to do for entertainment when taking care of a sick spouse, step counting to keep in shape, what makes us happy, and highlights from an Australian trip
See the Best of Boomer Blogs #525 to get links to these articles. And be sure to join in the conversations. Boomer bloggers love to hear from readers.
Monday, Dec. 4th
Thurston County Budget Hearings…….happened tonight!
FYI, LR
Here are some notes from that meeting;
1. The bottom line is that Thurston County is “in the hole ” by about $40. Million dollars.
2. The asst. county manager admitted that the Thurston County criminal justice system gets about 75% of all county money (sheriff, court, attorneys).
3. So if you look at the Thurston County programs that are cut;
a. Planning Dept. (Resource Stewardship) (lost about $1 mil. in revenue)
b. Central Services ( technology, fleet, archive services) lost about $5 mil in revenue
c. Clerk’s Office (maintains court records, collects fines and fees) ; stays about the same
d. Public Works (roads and transportation, noxious weeds, utilities, parks and trails) their revenue went down, they lost around $3 mil.
e. Resource Stewardship (land use, Development and construction permits, county fair and fair grounds), stayed about the same in revenue
f. Public Health (food and water disease prevention and control) got around got a little more in revenue.
g. Social Services (treatment for mental health and chemical dependency, services for the developmentally disabled, affordable housing) lost about $4 mil. From 2017 to 2018.
h. Sheriff- Corrections (operates jails, contract housing (jail beds)) got alittle more money (they are also requesting funds for a new jail), besides getting 75% of all Thurston County revenue.
I. The County Commissioners make $100,000 per year? Yet their “Salary Commission” is rubber stamping a pay raise for them?
So the bottom line; this county is run by Law enforcement guys, they care for little else.
Hi Lisa,
Thanks for the information. It’s discouraging that the law enforcement guys have taken over our county government.
Rita