King County to help Pacific residents if city goes under
PACIFIC, Wash. -- The city of Pacific is on the brink of dissolving, but now King County is stepping in to help protect emergency services if the town goes under.
Pacific still has a heartbeat, but time is growing short. The Pacific City Council's last-ditch effort to renew insurance coverage did not come through on Monday, but the city found help in another way.
The council approved a public vote in February to dis-incorporate. Without a new line of insurance, city employees would be personally liable for problems and mistakes within the city.
Pacific's city attorney says the insurance company gave another denial of coverage on Monday because of ongoing mismanagement and problems.
If the city does cease to exist, crucial safety services appear to be saved. On Monday the King County Council voted to support the city with 911 services, criminal investigations, flood protection and emergency road repairs. It doesn't solve all of the city's woes, but it can give residents a little comfort with the uncertain future of the city.
"It's just unconscionable that the politicians cannot agree on this issue so that they can keep the city moving and serving the public," said King County Council member Pete von Reichbauer. "In case they cannot, King County is willing to step in an provide essential services."
Response times could also be a major concern. Council members worried that long-response times could contribute to crime problems. One fix could be annexation into Auburn. The council will discuss that possibility in upcoming meetings.
That idea isn't sitting well with many Pacific residents.
"103 years of history will truly be history. We will be a footnote in the museum in Auburn," said resident Cheri Cason.
The city's insurance policy will end in about three weeks.
Pacific still has a heartbeat, but time is growing short. The Pacific City Council's last-ditch effort to renew insurance coverage did not come through on Monday, but the city found help in another way.
The council approved a public vote in February to dis-incorporate. Without a new line of insurance, city employees would be personally liable for problems and mistakes within the city.
Pacific's city attorney says the insurance company gave another denial of coverage on Monday because of ongoing mismanagement and problems.
If the city does cease to exist, crucial safety services appear to be saved. On Monday the King County Council voted to support the city with 911 services, criminal investigations, flood protection and emergency road repairs. It doesn't solve all of the city's woes, but it can give residents a little comfort with the uncertain future of the city.
"It's just unconscionable that the politicians cannot agree on this issue so that they can keep the city moving and serving the public," said King County Council member Pete von Reichbauer. "In case they cannot, King County is willing to step in an provide essential services."
Response times could also be a major concern. Council members worried that long-response times could contribute to crime problems. One fix could be annexation into Auburn. The council will discuss that possibility in upcoming meetings.
That idea isn't sitting well with many Pacific residents.
"103 years of history will truly be history. We will be a footnote in the museum in Auburn," said resident Cheri Cason.
The city's insurance policy will end in about three weeks.
@ The problem in Pacific is simple to fix. Fire the council and the Mayor. The mayor was put into office because of all the issues it had before his term. He fired 7 people because some never had a degree to be there. 2nd the person he ran against is on the council with his 4 friends and they refuse to pass anything he brings to the table. Now ask yourself how did a old man get elected into office over a younger man. Why because the people don't trust him also.
Its over for Pacific , The people here is also to blame.6,600 people and maybe 200ppl showed up to the meeting last week. Just wait until they get their sewer bill and cable bill ETC. Then they will show up. And all the people working at city hall in pacific its a sad week for you. You will be missed, and my police officer friends like BOSS.. Every small town out there you could be next in line!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The resignation of City Council Members Hulsey, Jones, McMahan and Putnam would benefit the city and residents of The City of Pacific. Â A council seat recall action is underway from the citizens who feel they've contributed and caused the current state of affairs within City government.
Vote for clowns, don't act all shocked when you get clown shoes.
Elect me mayor and all your wildest dreams will come true
so the residents of the former pacific will pay property tax, etc to King County for this assistance or are MY property taxes, etc going toward this mess?
Bye Bye City Council, Police Department, City Parks and Recreation. Â
 @OttoMobile Bye bye PD dept...but not police. Bye Bye City Council...but not over-site from elected officials. Bye Bye Parks & Rec...but not parks.
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Folks, residents of Pacific will still pay taxes for services (police, fire, parks). But they will get these from the County for a maybe 1/3 of what they were paying. That would be a good story for KOMO to cover. There is a LOT of overhead in a small city i.e. all management.
 @Say What   They won't be the worthless city of pacific police department, city council or city parks and recreation ... like I said above.  I am happy to get those services from the county or Auburn. How ever it ends up it will be better than what we have now. Thank you so much for your further explanation and comment to my post.  You must be one of those about to be unemployed council people?
Why? They voted in an obviously and profoundly unqualified Mayor because they were looking for a quick fix for issues all cities are facing, falling for that "no-nonsense" bs of "outsider" candidates who pander to voters greed and stupidity by claiming the solution to all problems are simple because the problems are simple. This is what they get for being so stupid. They should held accountable for that.
When people use the ballot box to make a statement instead of electng the best candidate this is the result. Slanderous rumors have a tendency to undermine trust in government and everyone is hurt.
Finally...the media covers the truth about cities unincorporating. The world will NOT come to an end. La Connor had the county cover their police needs just fine.
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But to call this "unconscionable" is massive hyperbole.
 @Say What It is not only unconscionable but reprehensible that the city council not being able to get along with the newly ELECTED Mayor  has brought our city to dis-incorporation.  The entire City Council, Police department, city employees and the Drama Queen has participated in CREATING this fiasco.  It is very sad to see the pettiness of how all of those people behave.  This could have never happened in a Major City.  The insurance companies refusing to renew the City Liability policies is an indictment of the entire city management staff.  I have never seen a council person on TV saying what a wonderful place Pacific is.  I have seen MORE THAN ONE of you, sometimes even at the same time, saying how Mayor Sun has ruined our city.  I am so glad the city will dissolve and take with it all the people who CAUSED this to happen.
 @OttoMobile  @Say What The insurance carrier clearly blames the mayor, they will not provide coverage until a new chief executive (mayor) is in place:
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http://www.auburn-reporter.com/news/182903991.html
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It is not the city council who terminated the key staff members, but the mayor. Â And without those staff members, the city cannot get insurance. Â Without the insurance, the city cannot continue. Â Therefore, the cause of the city's demise is the mayor, not the council.
 @PNW55 The article link provided has a statement from Council member Joshua Putnam to the Auburn Reporter.  I believe nothing Mr. Putnam says.  Show me the actual letter that says that without his two cents. His comments and statements are always 'me' oriented and his actions further solidify that he only cares about removing Mr. Sun as Mayor while he himself remains a council member.  He has done little to show support for the community.  The City council has refused to accept any of the Mayors nominations for missing department head positions until ordered by a Judge that the City fill the empty slots.  I blame City Council members for this mess.  I have seen the way they treat the Mayor, I have seen them on TV belittling the community.  Had council spent as much time working with the Mayor as they did opposing all of his initiatives the city would not be in this not insurable situation.
 @OttoMobile  @Say What isn't the city council ELECTED as well? Thus, shouldn't the mayor have been getting along with them as well? I have no dog in this hunt, and from all I can see, stupidity appeared rampant! I think the dissolution of this "clown town" and incorporation into Auburn or ANY other option is a better result. Pacific is a "neighborhood"... not a city.Â
 @TruthinAdverts  @Say What The city council members are between electoral terms.  In my opinion, council made a big power play because they all knew no terms were up and they just gave the mayor a hard way to go on all avenues refusing to cooperate with the mayor on any level for any issue.
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The insurance companies refusing to renew is an indictment of the entire city management performance from Mayor to Council to Police Chief to all city department heads and employees. Â They are so poor at getting along with each other they're suing each other and making claims against the city as well. Â Run a search on the players names in KC courts and see who is suing whom. Â Who would insure these bozos to run a City? Â Dissolution is the only answer at this point.
 @Say What Say what?
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I've seen a lot of coverage about the town of Pacific. All of it has been from the standpoint of that there is "this crazy old man that's done this and that" Complaints seem to come from people who had a prior vested interest in preserving what was. It might have been a job or some other "me" reason. Some are coming from lawyers who are always seeking to make a buck. What I haven't seen from KOMO is an in-depth explanation of what led to this situation ever having developed in the first place. It seems to me when you have a town of over 6600 and they elect a "crazy old man", there must have been a lot of impetus that drove the people. People are usually very slow to react. People yelling at meetings is most often, not indicative of good coverage or the average citizen's feelings.
@ch1ckster
Interesting article about the election, back when it happened:Â
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http://www.auburn-reporter.com/news/134722023.html
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Hildreth says voters have made a mistake in putting a poorly-prepared man in office.
"Although I am disappointed in losing to negative campaigning and the deception of our citizens, I know that as the truth comes out, the public will see the mistake that was made," Hildreth said in a statement. "I pray that mistake does not prove to be fatal to our city."
Hildreth says he has left the City in sound fiscal shape. He is proud of his accomplishments.
@Rick4001CS Thnx Rick. As usual there is more to the story.Â
 @Rick4001CS  @ch1ckster Well Rick, that was an interesting article. And unfortunately Mr. Hildreth's statement , "I pray that mistake does not prove to be fatal to our city", turned out to be prophecy. It's really to bad. The city should have been able to handle the situation. But considering the super low turn-out for the vote, I'm not surprised. The way I see it is that if you don't vote, then shut the heck up, you don't have a say.Â