This is a small town. Really small. We like it that way.
I have to be completely honest. If it was up to me, I would get rid of the one stop light.
It is so small and quiet, the crime so low, that a banging screen door in the wind will get the attention of local police. Our yearly “night out” down in Fleet Park where the police and fire people come and hang with the town, actually has most of the town show up. Kids taking selfies with Officers….the whole cheesy bit. Glorious isn’t it. Thats a statement, not a question.
It is a small enough town that I know most everyone. At least by sight anyway. Occasionally passing silently by an old high school girlfriend here and there in the aisles at Thriftway. Both pretending we don’t see each other. Its a well practiced dance that those of us that grew up here know well.
I shut down my woodworking business a couple of years ago, and it took this long to wind it all down. It was the main reason I shut this site down at the time. Just no time. Retirement is a strange thing. This last six months or so have been great. There was a several weeks stretch when I didn’t even wear pants. Sweatpants all the way baby. I even thought about rocking a fanny pack. For a while, but came to my senses.
With all the time on my hands and being locked up in the house with Linda all day, I began to wander the streets of the town every day with Rocky. You have all seen him, he is hard to miss. Rocky likes my retirement BTW. We meander up the streets…..and schlep down the streets. We wind our way through the park and go downtown. Say hi to the ladies at the senior center, wander by the bench at Thriftway and sit for a while. Eventually heading out and down to dog park and the farm store …..messing with the Seattle tourists at the gas station for fun. I really like messing with them.
We talk to everyone, Rocky gets pets and sniffs…….and I get an earful. Boy do I get an earful.
When I first started this site, most will remember, the harbor was swimming in daily and weekly formal press. We had the Daily World, the local Vidette that I also wrote for….. for years. We had local daily radio talk programming and more. Just today I found out the last remaining local radio station was giving the axe to what was left of local journalism.
The Vidette is gone, never to return, the Daily World might as well not exist, and there is nothing.
Just doing what I did here for so many years, I am being asked to bring something back to Montesano.
There is absolutely no one watching the city or the county now. Nobody. Everyone here that has been around knows what happens when no one is looking at these guys. Im not saying they are running amuck. Running amuck implies more of a murderous frenzy situation. More of a Mr. Potter from Its a Wonderful Life sort of municipal funhouse. The smoke filled backrooms reeking with the stench of favors and glad handing clammy palmed do gooders.
Not all of them…but enough.
GOING FORWARD
Montesano is rolling along. As it is wont to do. The current Mayor, Tyler Trimble is a local boy who only started running for office about ten years or so ago because of all the shady crap that was going on. That bunch was run out of town, and he will make sure it doesn’t return. I don’t think he can be bought or bamboozled…..which is a refreshing change to town leadership.
At the county level, Vicki Raines is keeping an eye on things up at the County Commissioner offices. We are blessed with Dan Lindgren heading the County Appraisers office and Ken Albert watching the money over at the County Treasury. I know them both well and they should be there for years and years.
In short, we are in pretty good shape with the right people in the right places.
Of course, as in any small town, there are plenty of things wiggling under the rocks around town. I like looking under rocks.
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At this point, Im not really sure where or what I might want to do. As Rocky might say….maybe I will just follow my nose…..now that I have time.
Good grief, do I have time.
Montesano Today 