Water District gives Pulp Mill 10 year water contract.

The Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District voted unanimously to accept a 10 year contact for Freshwater Tissue to purchase water beginning July 2010. Stay tuned.

Marks sworn in to Harbor Commission. TS says buckle up!

Marks sworn in to Harbor Commission
John Driscoll/The Times-Standard
Posted: 12/05/2009 01:15:15 AM PST

About two dozen people were on hand Friday to watch Richard Marks be sworn in as the newest commissioner for the Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation District.

District Executive Officer Dave Hull read Marks the oath, then handed him a set of keys to district facilities.

”This is the key to the castle,” Hull joked.

Hull added that he was pleased to see people turn out for the swearing in.

Marks, a former Samoa pulp mill worker and board member for the Samoa Peninsula Fire District, thanked those who helped him in his run for the Division 4 seat. He is taking over for Commissioner Dennis Hunter, who has stepped down after 20 years.

There are significant challenges ahead for the harbor district. Significant cuts had to be made this year to prevent a major reduction in reserves, and the board continues to struggle over how to approach port development.

Marks said that he would like to keep options open on port development.

In the near term, he said, he'll just need to get up to speed.

”I just really need to settle in and see where I fit,” Marks said.

Welcome, Richard Marks; now buckle up
The Times-Standard
Posted: 12/06/2009 01:30:15 AM PST

We gladly welcome the newest member of the Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation Distrct -- Richard Marks -- to his seat on the dais. During the election, we endorsed Marks because we believe he had the best set of skills among the various candidates to help the district do what needs to be done over the next term.

And make no mistake -- there is a lot to do.

But he joins a governmental body that has been much conflicted in recent years, as various camps seek to seize the initiative and push the harbor in the direction they believe best serves the needs of Humboldt County's residents.

Which is why what Marks brings to the table is vital for the future health of the district. He represents membership in both sides of the debate -- a longtime Democrat with progressive credentials, Marks has also long served as an advocate of the working class, and knows that jobs and employment are absolutely imperative for any future that includes big plans for Humboldt Bay.

So we hope that Marks can and will put his skills to use as a broker of compromise and consensus.

And we implore his fellow board members, whatever their affiliation, to set aside their agendas and understand that with the board split as it currently is, accomplishing anything will take a willingness to work together for the good of all.

No one side is going to get everything they want, nor win all the political battles. So the key to avoiding a rancorous next two years is a willingness on the part of these elected officials to recognize that everyone on the district board was elected by the people to get things done. Board members have differing priorities just as the electorate has different interests, so respect that and be inclusive.
Otherwise, we're going to be in for a long ride to nowhere -- and our future is way too important to let that happen.

Frank "Jigs" Provence Jr. RIP.

You know how some people are bigger than life? I can't even begin to explain the man fully. He was a leader without trying. He was respected and was able to smile during the most pressured time at the pulp mill. And he knew his craft. 88 years old.

Marks sworn in Friday the 4th at 12:30pm.

I will be sworn in as 4th Division Humboldt Bay Harbor Recreation & Conservation District Board Member on Friday December 4th at Woodley Island Marina at 12:30pm. I have family coming up from Sacramento to witness. Any of you that would like to come are welcome. (The Picture is of Central Labor Council President Jimmy Smith presenting a $500 check/endorsement for my candidacy for office Labor Day weekend.) Great crowd!

LA Times story on Pulp Mill. (Condensed) Thanks Greg!

What was once the bustling Evergreen Pulp mill is today a forlorn factory of smokestacks and tan buildings clustered quietly beside the still, gray waters of the Arcata harbor near Eureka, Calif.

Entrepreneur Bob Simpson bought the closed facility in February with the hopes of reopening it as an environmentally friendly toilet paper plant. He planned to spend $400 million rehabbing the factory and rehiring 215 workers who lost their jobs when the old pulp mill shut down in October 2008.

The project stalled after Simpson failed to make his way through the red tape required to access federal stimulus money, billions of which was aimed at promoting energy efficiency and clean technology. Simpson said the government missed out on an opportunity to create so-called green jobs in an economically devastated area of California.

"Our president . . . stated we need to stimulate our economy with green jobs," he said. "Well, here we are, we're ready to go."

In Arcata, half the workers at the Evergreen Pulp Mill have yet to find work since the plant's Chinese owners closed the facility. Simpson bought it in February with the idea of turning it into the first chlorine-free, dioxin-free toilet paper mill in North America.

He says it was the kind of shovel-ready project the government said it was seeking. He had a business plan and support and was ready to begin, as soon as he found a $400-million loan.

Rep. Mike Thompson (D-St. Helena) wrote a letter to the Energy Department on behalf of the company, Freshwater Tissue Co. Civic and environmental leaders, including Gregg Gold, the chairman of the North Group of the Sierra Club's Redwood Chapter, and Art Harwood, the executive director of the Redwood Forest Foundation, stumped for the project as well.

But Simpson failed to submit the nonrefundable $50,000 fee required to apply for a stimulus loan. He said it was because he couldn't get anyone at the Energy Department to clarify whether his project would qualify since it didn't fit neatly into established categories such as wind power or solar energy.

Some of Evergreen's former workers, such as Homer Purcell, are now leaving California to find jobs. Purcell, 58, his wife and his 40-year-old son all lost their jobs when the mill went under.

Purcell found a job as a boiler operator in Reno and now commutes back and forth as he tries to sell his house in Eureka. His new job pays less than half the $100,000 he made as a supervisor at the mill.

"I would have thought the process would have left us something for renewable resources," he said about the stimulus bill.

alana.semuels@latimes.com

A story of Natural Lite. Happy Turkeyday!

I usually have some "Natty" lite in the fridge. The commercials have been constant lately about this almost "Near Beer" with sports. They glamorize "Natterday" (Saturday) with all the fun types. I had run out of the stuff this weekend and was going to the store and asked Robin if we needed anything. She didn't mention beer. Later that Sunday I was stalking the fridge for cold beverages. No beer! Robin looks at me innocently and says, "Must be Noneday!" Luckily she has over 30 years seniority or I would have to replace her.

Have a great Turkeyday!

Patty Berg running for California Insurance Commissioner.

Patty was on the front page of the San Francisco Chronicle today about her running against Michela Alioto-Pier.

Patty will have a tough time surviving the June 8th Primary election. Fellow Democrats running for the position are: Dave Jones, 50th District Assemblyman Hector De La Torre and San Francisco Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier as her opponents.

Dave Jones is a 2 term Assemblyman from the 9th District. (Sacramento area.) This dude raised nearly a million for his last campaign. Wow. Back in the mid 90's the litmus to run for an assembly seat was $100,000.

De La Torre seems to be the front runner and is from a highly populated Los Angeles area and has raised hundreds of thousands in his past elections.

Michela's campaign is being managed by Ace Smith, a powerful political consultant that ran Hillary Clinton's California campaign for President.

It will be interesting to see who will be running Berg's campaign and how she will fair against these candidates from huge metropolitan areas.